Advice needed - TN 1080p 144hz or IPS 1440p 60hz for gtx 970 build

[ReVolts]

Hi PC masterminds

I have a decision to make, and have been reading all posts related to this topic, still cannot decide on final choice...
So - I am building new rig, with z97, 16 GB RAM, 4690K, SSD/HDD, 800W PSU.
For GPU - it will be gtx 970. For now - not SLI, maybe in some months it could be. 800W PSU should be plenty, right?

Now mainly for same price I have two options for monitor (Asus ROG is too expensive):
BenQ BL2710PT - 1440p 60hz IPS
Positives - IPS quality, nice picture, 1440p, in other words - "standard"
Negatives - only that doesn't have extra features as 120-144hz or gsync. But I am playing without that for 15 years now and I am ok

AOC G2460PG - 1080p 144hz gsync TN
Positives - 144 hz, gsync
Negatives - TN panel - image quality and viewing angles worse than IPS.

So question is - which I should get? To followup some standard questions:

1. Will I go for SLI - most probably yes, in future (~6 months period). But it is possible to stay with one card for longer.
2. PC to be used for: 50% for gaming by myself, 50 % for movies/common use/photo viewing etc. by wife/daughter. So that is why quality question on TN panel...
3. What games do I play - mainly all of them (except MMO/RPG games - wow, etc.). Most playable genre - FPS (cod, bf, etc.). I do play cs:go competitively (not pro), and I know that 144 hz would make much better experience, but I am not making decision only on one game.

SO - any thoughts helping me to decide?

 

[chenw]

In the case you have described, I'd go 1440p IPS. It'll make for better viewing for your family and less headaches all around, and you don't play that many games which G-Sync would be of huge use.

I use 1440p 144hz TN because I am the only person to use the monitor, and besides gaming I only watch movies, and I don't mind so much about IQ as long as it isn't totally awful.

My personal choice would be 144hz G-Sync, the high refresh and G-Sync does make a huge difference in FPS games, but you don't seem to play a lot of it, and I am not sure on your stance about tweaking your monitor and using work arounds to get the most out of it. IPS definitely has better out-of-the-box experience, and since your family will use it as well, they may find IPS more pleasing to look at.

 

[ReVolts]

Thanks for your thoughts. I may be wrote in wrong way, i do play a lot of different games (genre), but my favorite is FPS and it takes 80% of my gaming time. So it is important for me, and if not FPS games, I would not even consider 144 hz.

You use Asus ROG, right? I just thinking is TN 1080p will not be "bad" in picture quality terms for myself even. Didn't find local dealers shop with that TN monitor to watch it live.
Another doubt - if I will be with one 970 only, I will not get on AAA games ultra settings fps 90-100+. I will be around 50-80s. So I assume I will not find any premium on 144 hz, only on gsync.
And 1440p with 970 gets around 40-60, so it is basically right for 60hz, right?

 

[chenw]

Yes, I use Swift.

I haven't tried many of the very recent games, but at least for Bioshock infinite, I was able to get 90 fps on maxed settings using a single 970 at 1440p, so I reckon it will max out a 144hz on 1080p. I will try a couple more later, but most of my AAA titles are over a year old, been waiting for a few sales on this year's AAA (Shadow of Mordor, BF4, etc).

AC:U works ok on 1440p, but this is with SLI setup, and the game scales weirdly in SLI. I have yet to try FC4.

 

[ReVolts]

But Swift is also TN? Does it have same issues as standard TN? I think I read somewhere that it has 8 bit instead of 6 which does other TN has, so maybe its more as IPS?

 

[chenw]

Swift is indeed TN, and is inherently 8-Bit, rather than 6-bit with dithering. The potential colors capable by the swift is higher than your average TN panel (which is why I have a saying that a bad TN panel is worse than an IPS panel), but it still probably less capable than IPS panel.

Swift has some color shift yes, but I found it was only visible when I was using software monitor calibration tools , and it was not visible to any significant degree during gaming. The gamma shifts were visible mainly in corners when I was close to the screen, but I could only notice it when I am up close any I stare into the corner of the monitor while my face is in the middle, a somewhat unlikely scenario, thus the shortcomings of the TN panel didn't really bother me. I find the smoothness of swift's G-sync and high refresh rate to more than outweigh its shortcomings, but I had to play around the settings for a while before I got it as best as I could.

 

[ReVolts]

Reading your answer gave me another question does this mean that looking into TN panel straight you could see different colors in its edges?

By the way - is 800W PSU ok for 970 SLI?

 

[chenw]

Colors, not noticeably, brightness yes, but only if my face was up close (<30cm) and I am looking obliquely into the corners

EDIT: Yes, but do get at least a tier 2B PSU, Tier 1 or Tier 2A would be ideal (I personally use X-850, which is an overkill in wattage, 750 would have been enough for my setup).

 

[ReVolts]

Fractal Design PSU Newton 800W R3 - this one i think to get. Not sure what "tier" stands for.

 

[chenw]

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1804779/power-supply-unit-tier-list.html

your fractal design R3 is classed as Tier 2B, not the best in the world, not the worst either, pretty good.

 

[ReVolts]

Cooler master V series PSU 850W (80 PLUS GOLD), Full-modular - as I understand this one is tier 1? Price even better than R3.

 

[chenw]

Then get that one

 

[ReVolts]

Thanks, while still don't know to which monitor I will go, luckely I "upgraded" my PSU

 

[ReVolts]

So I have decided to take for IPS 1440p. All my life I was playing on 60 Hz, so tearing I am used to it hopefully IPS 120 Hz/gsync will be coming out in 2015, then maybe I will switch to that. chenw - thanks for your help. Full Rig will look like this (maybe you will have more advices):

Case: Fractal R5
Mobo: MSI Z97 Gaming 5
CPU: I5 4690K
CPU cooler: beQuiet dark rock 3
RAM: Crucial 16GB (8GBx2) DDR3 1600 Ballistix Sport CL9
GPU: Gigabyte G1 GTX 970 OC
SSD: Samsung Evo 256 GB
HDD: WD black 1 TB 7200 rpm
PSU: Cooler Master V series 850W
Some additional case Fans.
Monitor: BenQ BL2710PT 27" IPS/16:9/2560x1440/350cdm2/4ms

Can't wait to try it my current PC with 9600GT and 1680:1050 monitor is far too old now should see "some" improvement

 

[chenw]

Looks good, good luck and enjoy