The Biggest Gaming Monitor Trends of CES 2025
There was no shortage of new gaming monitors at CES 2025, and I toured the show scouting out the latest and greatest that the biggest vendors had to offer. There were some genuine surprises and a lot of features being taken to the next level as display and graphics technology advances, making 2025 one of the most exciting years for gaming monitors in recent memory.
QD-OLED Isnât Going Anywhere and Should Become More Accessible If there is an overarching theme to gaming monitors at CES, itâs that QD-OLED is here to stay. Just about every big brand â MSI, Gigabyte, LG, etc. â had something to show, and many of the representatives I spoke to were quick to highlight their different burn-in warranties and protection features. There will continue to be a big push toward display tech this year.
This really isnât surprising given what a surge we saw in 2024, but these new displays are shaping up to be better than ever. Multiple companies debuted 4K 240Hz QD-OLEDs sporting higher-bandwidth DisplayPort 2.1 connections. MSI even revealed a new 1440p QD-OLED that clocks to 500Hz with the MPG 272QR QD-OLED X50. Other brands offered their own takes on the panels driving these experiences, so itâs safe to say that weâll be seeing a lot of very fast, very pretty monitors in the future.
I was also pleased to see that protection features continue to advance. One particular standout was the Neo Proximity Sensor that Asus built into the upcoming ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM and ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDPG. This new addition to its OLED Care suite detects when youâre away from the PC and displays a black screen that prevents burn-in and wearing down the pixels. Currently, you have to physically turn off your monitor when youâre away, so this was very nice to see.
As this technology continues to work its way through multiple generations, we should also see prices continue to decline. Launch pricing on many of these models is still high, but if youâre willing to look back a generation or two, you should be able to snag a still-great monitor at a steep discount throughout the year.
Mini-LED Isnât Dead, But It Is Tech To Keep an Eye Out ForMini-LED technology wasnât exactly huge at the show, but it was there. A representative from MSI told me that it plans to position its dual-mode AI mini-LED, the MPG 274URDFW E16M, as a more affordable alternative to QD-OLED. That makes a lot of sense, and, as someone who has tested a number of them at this point, I hope they succeed in bringing this technology back to the forefront.
The MPG 274URDFW E16M has 1,152 local dimming zones and a peak brightness of around 1,000 nits, and with local dimming turned on, impressive contrast (especially in the brightly lit showroom). Itâs also 4K and 160Hz for smooth, high-res gameplay. Interestingly, itâs able to bump up to 320Hz at 1080p, though I was and remain skeptical of its AI-driven âdual-mode AIâ that will automatically switch resolution depending on whatâs being displayed. Thatâs already a no-thanks from me.
Though there werenât a ton of options at the show, this is a technology I do expect to see more of. The fear of burn-in is real â just look at any of our reviews of existing OLED gaming monitors. Mini-LED gets ridiculously bright, can look downright fantastic with the right settings, and has no risk of burn-in at all. And with enough dimming zones (1,152 or more for 27-inches), blooming is far less of an issue. If brands can keep the prices reasonable, they could make for a compelling alternative for those of us that donât want to spend $1,000+ on a display that needs to be babied.
Pricing isnât official on this model yet, but I expect it to launch for less than its competing flagship QD-OLED counterparts.
Refresh Rates and Resolutions Continue to ClimbI touched on this in the first section, but as QD-OLED display tech gets dialed in and graphics cards get more powerful, refresh rates continue to climb. 4K at 240Hz has arrived, but so has 500Hz at 1440p. Gigabyte impressed me with its Aorus FO27Q5P, which is a super sleek and gorgeously vibrant gaming monitor. Itâs set to achieve VESA TrueBlack 500 certification, while most current QD-OLED monitors with this certification are only 400-level certified. That means you can count on brighter highlights for improved HDR. Like most gaming monitor tech, other brands do have their takes on the same design (like the MPG 272QR QD-OLED X50 I highlighted earlier), so you should have a few different styles to choose from if you decide to pick one up for yourself.
MSI even brought old-school TN panels back from deathâs door to push refresh rates even higher. The MSI MPG 242R X60N features an impressive 600Hz refresh rate for gamers that demand the fastest possible speeds. I suspect the market for this one will be smaller, as there are some major trade-offs in color and viewing angles with TN panels, but it was hard not to be impressed with how fast it runs. Will the average gamer notice the clarity or latency improvements? Thatâs another question entirely.
CES 2025 will also be remembered as the year that 5K monitors started to come into their own. Acer displayed the Predator XB323QX, a 5K, 144Hz gaming monitor that also packs Nvidiaâs latest G-Sync Pulsar tech. LG also debuted a pair of new â5K2Kâ gaming monitors â thatâs 5,120 x 2,160 resolution â that come in an ultrawide 21:9 form factor. The Ultragear 45GX950A comes with a deep but locked 800R curve. The Ultragear 45GX990A, on the other hand, features a bendable display that can shift from being completely flat to bending to a generous 900R curve.
Outside the world of gaming, Asus even featured a 6K (6,016 x 3,384) display targeted at creators. The ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV will come in a 31.5-inch form factor and use a bright mini-LED display for a surprisingly reasonable $1,249 (competing displays can cost well over $2,000). Of course, this isnât a great choice for gaming due to its 60Hz refresh rate, but itâs another good example of the industryâs march ever upward.
Smart Monitors Bring TVs and Gaming Monitors Closer TogetherWhile I wasnât a big fan when I reviewed the Samsung G80SD, thereâs an undeniable appeal to smart monitors for many gamers. Being able to have your display double as a smart TV with built-in access to streaming services has natural advantages in certain situations, such as if youâre living in a small apartment or dorm room⊠or if you just like to kick back and take a break from your daily grind.
If that describes you, youâll be pleased to hear that there are a number of new options on the way this year. While many of the smart monitors on display werenât directly targeted at gamers, it was clear that this is a trend that will continue to grow over time.
HP unveiled the OMEN 32x Smart Gaming Monitor, a 32-inch 4K thatâs pre-loaded with streaming apps. Its streaming goes the other way too with built-in support to stream to up to four different platforms, directly from the monitor. The LG UltraGear 39GX90SA provides an ultrawide option with similar video streaming features with a deep 800R curve.
Elsewhere, Samsung debuted the M9 Smart Monitor, which comes with on-device neural processing to enhance its 4K OLED panel. The monitor is able to detect what is being displayed on screen and intelligently adjust picture settings and upscale lower resolution content to 4K with its neural network (and also sports a 165Hz refresh rate Itâs even a decent choice for gaming thanks to its 165Hz refresh rate.
Wrapping UpAs always, CES is a show about looking toward the future. The gaming monitors I was able to check out all pushed the boundaries in some way and gave hints of where the industry might turn further in the future. Last year was a great, if expensive, year for gaming monitors, but 2025 is shaping up to be even better.
Christopher Coke has been a regular contributor to IGN since 2019 and has been covering games and technology since 2013. He has covered tech ranging from gaming controllers to graphics cards, gaming chairs and gaming monitors, headphones, IEMs, and more for sites such as MMORPG.com, Tomâs Hardware, Popular Science, USA Todayâs Reviewed, and Popular Mechanics. Find Chris on Twitter @gamebynight.
