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4K was supposed to be the new standard, eclipsing the usual Full HD. However, Steam statistics show the opposite: despite almost a decade of “mainstream” 4K and twenty-fold reduction in the cost of such monitors, less than 5% of players use this resolution. Moreover, this share has even declined over the past year.
A natural question arises: why has 4K not become a mass choice of gamers? And what does the future hold for us — the belated triumph of ultra-high resolution or the emergence of a new alternative? I suggest you understand the reasons and look into the future of gaming monitors.
Video cards can’t handle 4K
The main stumbling block on the way to the ubiquity of 4K is the huge load on video cards. Moving from 1080p to 4K means processing eight times as many pixels. While this doesn’t result in a directly proportional drop in FPS — still, the Voodoo 2 era is long gone — the difference remains huge.
Game developers also do not stand still, constantly raising the bar for graphics quality and detail. As a result, even powerful mid-range graphics cards capable of delivering a stable 60 FPS in 1080p at maximum settings are starting to choke in 4K. To enjoy modern games in 4K at maximum settings without using upscaling technologies, you will need no less than the RTX 4090-the flagship model, unavailable to 99.9% of gamers due to the high price.
Of course, there are upscaling technologies, such as DLSS from NVIDIA or FSR from AMD. They allow you to render an image at a lower resolution, and then zoom it up to 4K using artificial intelligence. But even with their help, a comfortable 4K game requires at least RTX 4080 — still an unattainable dream for most players. In addition, image artifacts and increased input lag can seriously spoil the experience of the game.
Graphics vs Resolution
Supporters of 4K may object: “Why play at the maximum settings? For the sake of high resolution, you can also sacrifice graphics.” At first glance, the argument sounds reasonable. However, let’s dig deeper.
Most graphics settings in games give a much more significant visual boost than increasing the resolution. Of course, if we are not talking about absolutely critical parameters. Reducing the quality of shadows or drawing distance to medium-low values for the sake of increasing FPS is one thing. But significantly cutting down on textures, lighting, or anti-aliasing to support 4K is something else entirely.
In addition, we must not forget about the psychological aspect. Many gamers, especially enthusiasts, experience discomfort when playing not at the maximum settings. The feeling that you are not using the full potential of the game can seriously spoil the fun of the process.
You can’t deceive your eyes: about the limits of human vision
In addition to the technical limitations, there is another important factor that is often overlooked in discussions about 4K gaming-the physiological features of human vision. The fact is that our eyes have a certain limit of resolution, it has long been measured and evaluated by specialists.
At a standard distance of 70 cm from the monitor (according to GOST), a person with perfect visionable to distinguish approximately 2.5 kilopixels per square centimeter of the screen. And this is true for people with the so-called “top ten” vision — most of this indicator is lower. And the farther you sit from the screen, the fewer pixels you can see.
If you perform simple mathematical calculations, it becomes obvious: for monitors with a diagonal of up to 24 inches, a resolution higher than 2K (that is, 2560×1440 pixels) simply does not make sense — you will not be able to physically see the difference. With imperfect vision, even a 28-inch monitor with a 2K resolution will look indistinguishable from 4K. But 2K is much less demanding on your computer’s resources!
2K — the golden mean for gamers?
Considering all the above factors, it’s not surprising that more and more gamers are paying attention to monitors with a resolution of 2K (2560×1440, 2560×1600). According to the same Steam statistics, the share of monitors above 1080p for the first time exceeded a quarter of the total number, continuing to grow steadily, and specifically 2K accounts for almost a percentage of the growth in the share of users. And there are good reasons for this.
- First, the transition from 1080p to 2K gives a noticeable increase in image quality. The image becomes noticeably sharper and more detailed, especially on monitors with a diagonal of 24 to 27 inches — the most popular among gamers. At the same time, the load on the video card does not increase as critically as when switching to 4K, and it is physically impossible to notice the difference.
- Secondly, modern mid-range graphics cards, such as the RTX 4070, are quite capable of providing a comfortable 2K game at high, and often at maximum graphics settings. This allows you to enjoy a beautiful picture without having to spend money on flagship models like the 4080 or 4090. If you sacrifice graphics or go to 30 frames per second, you can play 2K at 4060.
- Finally, 2K monitors are now in the optimal price range, offering excellent value for money. They are much more affordable than 4K models, but at the same time give a significant increase in image quality compared to Full HD.
The hazy future of 4K in the world of gaming monitors
Summing up, we can say that the future of 4K in the world of gaming monitors looks rather vague. Of course, for TVs and game consoles, where a larger screen size requires a higher resolution, 4K remains relevant. But in the desktop monitor market, the prospects for ultra-high resolution look very dubious.
Taking into account all the factors-from technical limitations to the peculiarities of human vision-the future is likely to be high-quality 2K panels of medium size. They offer an optimal ratio of picture quality, performance, and price, making them the perfect choice for most gamers. Further progress, it seems to me, will not be in the race of resolutions and framerates, but in the gradual transition to OLED and Micro LED matrices.
In the end, it doesn’t matter what resolution you choose — 1080p, 2K, or still decide on 4K. The main thing is to enjoy the gameplay. And to do this, you need the games themselves, which, by the way, can be purchased with a Coupon Code, including even those that are not available for direct purchase in the Russian Steam region. So choose the monitor you like and embark on a new virtual adventure.
