Monitors and TVs have a lot in common: They can display content from computers, consoles, and video boxes, and they share similar inputs, such as HDMI ports. So when you’re picking something to attach to your PlayStation 5, for example, you can either go for a monitor or a TV.
But despite their similarities, these displays serve two different purposes, and some key differences can result in a monitor beating a television, and vice versa depending on the context.
If you want to get the best possible output and picture from whatever device you’re connecting to your screen, know that both will do the job to a certain extent—but only one is better than the other. To choose the right one for the job, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of each type of display.
It’s worth noting that there is a huge amount of models available in these two categories, and the technologies on these products are changing and getting more refined with time. TVs are getting better at being monitors, and monitors are getting better at being TVs, so it’s always worth checking individual specs for details.
When to use a monitor
A monitor is usually going to be your default pick for computers. One advantage they have over TVs is that they tend to pack their pixels into a smaller space, making images sharper. On most televisions, spreadsheets and websites might look a fuzzy when they’re up on the screen, but that won’t be the case with a monitor. For most laptop and desktop work, you’ll want to hook up a monitor.
[Related: Best monitors for streaming in 2022]
Monitors also beat TVs in numerous areas when it comes to PC gaming. Monitors usually offer higher refresh rates and response times, so games look smoother, and objects don’t leave ghost-like trails behind them as they move. Technologies such as Nvidia G-Sync, primarily available on monitors, help gamers get better results here, too.
On the best gaming monitors on the market, input lag will be lower than on most TVs out there. That means you’ll be able to see the actions triggered by a button press on your keyboard more quickly, even if it’s only by a few milliseconds. This is crucial if you’re a serious PC gamer, but not so much if you’re not striving to get every possible competitive edge, or just watching Netflix.
Generally speaking, color accuracy is also superior on monitors. If you’re a creative professional and your job requires you to know precisely what colors you’re looking at, a monitor is the better choice. This is key if you work on image and video editing, for example, but definitely less important if you’re sitting back to take in some YouTube.
While the resolutions of monitors and TVs are broadly similar (most products offer 4K at the time of writing), monitors give you a lot more flexibility in terms of form. You can buy monitors that work in portrait mode, for example, and ultrawide monitors that give you a lot of horizontal space, making them handy for havi