In the world of gaming monitors, you've likely been presented with the choice between 240hz and 360hz refresh rates.
Super high refresh rate monitors are often touted as the key ingredient to competitive gaming setups, but which one should you go for, and when the framerates are this high, does it make a difference?
Here's everything you need to know before you make the call.
240hz vs 360hz
For those unfamiliar, monitors can refresh an image at certain rates per second, and this is measured in Hz.
If you have a monitor that is 240hz, it means that the monitor can refresh up to 240 times per second, and the same is applied to 360hz equalling 360 times per second.
But as is the case with 144hz vs 240hz, it's not just a question of the bigger the number, the better.
240hz vs 360hz Visual Differences
Videos do a better job than explaining, but there is a notable difference in smoothness between 240hz vs 360hz.
The question is if that difference is something essential or optional. For many pro gamers, milliseconds can mean the difference between winning and losing, and that means prize money, ranking, even sponsors are on the line.
For casual competitive gamers, most would opt for a 240hz monitor or even any one of the best 144hz monitors instead, and save some cash in the process.
Check out the video below to see for yourself. We think 360hz is great, but 240hz still looks great.
240hz vs 360hz Monitor Prices
Higher refresh rates generally mean higher prices, so expect to be starting at a higher point if you're going all-in with a 360hz monitor.
240hz displays can still be expensive, but since they're more common they tend to be a little more affordable.
With the announcement of new 360hz monitors heading our way that boast 1440p resolution too, these displays aren't getting any cheaper any time soon.
240hz vs 360hz Monitor Requirements
As we all know, your monitor has to match up to your PC or console's power and as you start tipping the scales at 360hz, you have to make sure your rig is up to the task.
Supporting 240hz and 360hz is more of a PC thing, for now, so here are some of the requirements you'll need for both.
According to voltfixer.com, you will need at least a 1080 GeForce card or an RTX 2080 for 240hz gaming.
And according to this thread on Quora, anything higher than an RTX 3070 will allow for 360hz at 1080p.
It's also said that an RTX 3080/ Intel i9-12900K combo can play games like Valorant, Overwatch, CS:GO, and Rainbow Six Seige at 1440p and 360hz.
The RTX 3090 is positioned to double down further on this, hence the introduction of a number of new 360hz, 1440p monitors.
As expected, getting 360hz requires a lot more firepower, especially at 1440p. And getting a powerful graphics card is as expensive as it is difficult.
240hz vs 360hz: Which Should You Go For?
240hz gaming is the choice for us for a number of reasons. They're slightly cheaper, they're more abundant in the market and open to deals, more people have them (so you'll see more reviews to help with you decision) and they're also brilliant for both casual and pro gamers.
360hz is really only for the pro gamers as the differences, whilst meaningful, are small to the average gamers. That being said, we're expecting 360hz monitors to start gaining a lot of attention this year, and with it, we imagine people will start to slowly convert to the higher frame rates.
When that will happen is yet to be seen, but keep an eye on our best 360hz monitor list here which we're updating frequently with the latest releases and announcements.
And, of course, check out our best 240hz monitors to see our all-time favourites available right now.
Read More: 144hz vs 240hz - Which Refresh Rate Is Best For You?