Should you buy a 4K monitor on Prime Day?

2024-06-20

HardwareTVs & MonitorsShould you buy a 4K monitor on Prime Day?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

Philips Evnia 42M2N8900 monitor with Spyro on screen

Amazon’s summer sale is closing in, and the question of whether to buy a 4K monitor on Prime Day is sure to be on some of your minds. After all, the seasonal event traditionally slashes screens of all shapes and sizes to record-low levels, and the latest releases are begging to flaunt detailed textures using a UHD display. Plus, high-resolution displays are now cheaper than ever, not to mention additional discounts that make them far more financially approachable than before.

That said, the question is shouldyoufocus on 4K when browningPrime Day monitor deals,which means there is no straight yes or no answer. If you’ve checked out mybest gaming monitorroundup, you’ll notice that not every screen listed features a UHD resolution, as 1440p models are still all the rage in 2024. There’s also the fact that while many screens lack the high-res abilities of 4K displays, OLED and mini LED panels can bring more to the table and ultimately win in terms of visuals.

Yes, I know that only makes answering the question more complicated, but don’t worry, I’ve got a few handy tips that should help you figure out if you should buy a 4K monitor during Prime Day. The advice pretty much applies to buying a UHD screen in general, and if you’re reading this after the big day, you’ll likely still find it useful. However, I am writing this with Amazon’s big event in mind, as specific deals and comparative prices will matter when choosing a new screen.

Pick a panel to suit your setup

(Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

Corsair Xeneon monitor connected to PC with Overwatch 2 on screen

Before you immediately decide to pick up a4K gaming monitor, I’d highly recommend double-checking your setup specs. If you’re a PC player, that will effectively mean working out whether your rig is built to handle UHD visuals or is better served hitting higher frame rates at 1440p. Some machines might even benefit from sticking to 1080p, as while thebest graphics cardscan handle the latest releases with ease, some models will provide a nicer experience at lower resolutions.

Even if you are rocking a monster like theNvidia GeForce RTX 4090, competitive players are better off investing in a screen with a higher refresh rate. Unless you’re willing to pay top dollar for a UHD 240Hz model, most 4K displays out there will cap out at 144Hz, with some even sticking to a vanilla 60Hz. Choosing a 1440p or 1080p panel will help you spice things up to way beyond 360Hz, which will better match setups aiming to boost fps in shooters like Counter-Strike.

Where picking a 4K screen makes more sense is if you’re using a beefygaming PCor one of the latest consoles. I mean, it makes sense to invest in glorious UHD visuals if you’ve splashed out on an RTX 4090 build or a PlayStation 5, right? Well, yes, but only when it comes specifically to sharpness and pixel density. If you’re the kind of player who can’t actually tell the difference between resolutions (I know you exist), I’d instead recommend looking at alternative ways to overhaul your favorite virtual realms.

Consider leaping to OLED instead

(Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

Dough Spectrum Black with Children of the Sun main character on screen

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One of my favoritemonitors for PS5right now is thePhilips Evnia 42M2N8900– an exceptional 4K OLED screen that brings sharpness and incredible contrast to the table. With any luck, Prime Day will work some magic on the display’s lofty $1,179.99 price tag, but unless you’re willing to pay close to the grand mark, you’ll want to consider 1440p options instead. Don’t get me wrong, those can be pretty expensive too, but if you stick with something like theKTC G27P6, you’ll be able to embrace the benefits of OLED, get a decent resolution to feed your PC or console, and pay around the $500 thanks to discounts.

Size first, then resolution

(Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

Philips Evnia 42M2N8900 with Cyberpunk 2077 on screen

When it comes to monitors, size matters. No, I’m not trying to shame anyone with a tiny screen, and sometimes displays over 32 inches can look worse than their smaller counterparts. The general rule I like to use is to scale resolution with something that can make use of the extra pixels per inch, as you might otherwise end up with something that’s either overkill or looks blown-up and blurry.

If you choose a smaller 27-inch monitor, you’re also less likely to notice any softness associated with 1440p. Having tested screens like theDough Spectrum Blackand theCorsair Xeneon 27QHD240in additional to the cheaper KTC option, I can confidently say that the differences aren’t noticeable when sitting at agaming desk. Sure, if you get up close and personal you may detect some lower-res shenanigans going on, but the abilities ofLG’s OLED panel tech shared across all three options make up for any of that.

On the flipside, you also won’t want to grab a 4K monitor that’s under 32-inch. It will ultimately look nice and sharp, but the results won’t look that different compared to QHD resolutions at an appropriate desktop distance. I’d argue that squeezing higher resolutions into a smaller footprint is only beneficial when it comes to gaming handhelds or even laptops that you’re going to get up close to, and grabbing a small monitor for conventional use is effectively spending money on specs you won’t use. Luckily, most manufacturers agree with this, so more often than not, 4K monitors will come in sizes suited to their resolution.

(Image credit: Future/Kizito Katawonga)

BenQ Mobiuz E3210U gaming monitor

This may sound a little silly, but I think some of you might also want to considerPrime Day TV dealsinstead. The gap between traditional televisions and desktop displays is super narrow in 2024, and if you’re thinking of picking up a 43-inch screen anyway, you might benefit more from picking up a 4K screen with extra media capabilities.

Today’s best gaming monitor dealsDough Spectrum 4K 144Hz Glossy Monitor$699.99ViewSee all pricesPhilips Evnia 42M2N89$1,399.99ViewSee all pricesKTC G27P6$599.99ViewSee all pricesCorsair Xeneon 27QHD240$1,181.35ViewSee all pricesSamsung Odyssey Neo G7$999.99$499.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Today’s best gaming monitor deals

Dough Spectrum 4K 144Hz Glossy Monitor$699.99ViewSee all pricesPhilips Evnia 42M2N89$1,399.99ViewSee all pricesKTC G27P6$599.99ViewSee all pricesCorsair Xeneon 27QHD240$1,181.35ViewSee all pricesSamsung Odyssey Neo G7$999.99$499.99ViewSee all prices

Dough Spectrum 4K 144Hz Glossy Monitor$699.99ViewSee all prices

Dough - Spectrum One 27-In….

Dough Spectrum 4K 144Hz Glossy Monitor

Best Buy

$699.99View

$699.99

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Philips Evnia 42M2N89$1,399.99ViewSee all prices

PHILIPS EVNIA 42M2N8900 41.5”…

Philips Evnia 42M2N89

Amazon

$1,399.99View

$1,399.99

See all prices

KTC G27P6$599.99ViewSee all prices

KTC 27 OLED Monitor - 1440p…

KTC G27P6

Amazon

$599.99View

$599.99

See all prices

Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240$1,181.35ViewSee all prices

Corsair XENEON 27QHD240…

Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240

Amazon

$1,181.35View

$1,181.35

See all prices

Samsung Odyssey Neo G7$999.99$499.99ViewSee all prices

Samsung - Odyssey Neo G7 43

Samsung Odyssey Neo G7

Best Buy

$999.99$499.99View

$999.99$499.99

$499.99

See all prices

We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

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Size first, then resolution

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