1080p vs 1600p

[BloodyBonzai]

I was wondering that when excluding price as a negative factor, for the best gaming experience, which is better? 1080p or 2160p given I have a powerful enough system to handle both with acceptable frame rates. Apparently the response time is slower on a 1600p, but is it noticeable to the point to where it would have a negative impact when gaming? Basically what are the pros and cons to each?

Also, if you recommend 1600p, what do you recommend I buy?

 

[cjl]

1600p (2560x1600) gaming is awesome, but you need a VERY good GPU setup for it to perform even remotely well. The monitors are expensive too. If you have a GPU that can drive it, and are willing to spend $1k or more on a monitor, there's nothing quite like it (I have a Dell U3011, and I love it, but there are other excellent models available as well). Framerates are substantially lower on 1600P (it's more than twice as many pixels as 1080p), and I would highly, highly recommend >1GB of video RAM.

 

[festerovic]

The response times on 1600p monitors are not slow enough to notice, and wont have a negative impact on gaming IMO.

 

[BloodyBonzai]

1600p (2560x1600) gaming is awesome, but you need a VERY good GPU setup for it to perform even remotely well. The monitors are expensive too. If you have a GPU that can drive it, and are willing to spend $1k or more on a monitor, there's nothing quite like it (I have a Dell U3011, and I love it, but there are other excellent models available as well). Framerates are substantially lower on 1600P (it's more than twice as many pixels as 1080p), and I would highly, highly recommend >1GB of video RAM.

Thanx for the advise, but it does not have twice as many pixels as 1080p, it has just under twice as many (math below). I have learned to never go with a video card less than 1.5GB of memory. Also, how does it look when playing a 1080p movie since the aspect ratio is not 16:9? For example does it have to stretch the image or put black borders on the left and right side? Basically does it do anything where I would be better off using my current 1080p LCD for playing blu-ray movies and use a 1600p for games.

2560X1600=4,096,000
1920X1080=2,073,600

 

[jaguarskx]

Generally speaking 1GB of VRAM is fine for 1920 x 1200 or lower resolution. Above that more VRAM is better.

Movies will generally not look as sharp on a 2560 x 1440 or 2560 x 1600 resolution monitor because the movie needs to be stretched to fill the screen. DVD (720p) will look worse than 1080p movies because they need to be stretched even more to fill the screen.

Playing a 16:9 movie on a 16:10 monitor will result in black bars on the bottom and top of the screen to maintain the correct aspect ratio. Also, not all movies are 16:9 aspect ratio. Batman: The Dark Knight is 2.35:1 aspect ratio, so even on a 16:9 monitor you will have black bars.

 

[cjl]

Thanx for the advise, but it does not have twice as many pixels as 1080p, it has just under twice as many (math below). I have learned to never go with a video card less than 1.5GB of memory. Also, how does it look when playing a 1080p movie since the aspect ratio is not 16:9? For example does it have to stretch the image or put black borders on the left and right side? Basically does it do anything where I would be better off using my current 1080p LCD for playing blu-ray movies and use a 1600p for games.

2560X1600=4,096,000
1920X1080=2,073,600

You're right about the pixels - I was going off of memory, and for some reason, I thought I remembered that it was slightly above double. That doesn't really change the conclusion though...

As for playing movies? It usually puts a black bar above and below the image. The image is still larger than any non-30" though (unless you're using a large HDTV), just because the monitor is so large. There's a very slight loss in sharpness compared to playing the movie on a true 1080p screen, but as far as I can tell, it's not noticeable. I'd say that a good 30" should outdo your current 1080p in pretty much every way.

 

[wonkywonky]

DVD is 480

 

[wonkywonky]

just get a 1,000" 240p screen... that will be the best because size. and then make up new meanings for words like "sharpness" that actually already have meanings, and say that they are better with your setup... "I mean 1600p at 30" is cool, but my step-dad has a 62" 720p CRT from 1997 which I feel obligated to say is better (more sharper) because it was $21,500 when he bought it, and now I can't go to college..."