Hey folks,

I'm about to buy a 27" (68.58 cm) 1440p 165hz monitor mostly for PC gaming. I also have a 4K TV with HDR, and I've enjoyed the few games and shows that have HDR. So I would like to have HDR in my gaming monitor as well.

But all the high-end monitors that fit my criteria are 4K. I value framerate more than I do resolution, and I don't see the current need for a monitor that goes above 60hz that's also 4K. A lot of modern games that I play won't be able to take advantage of the 144hz at native 4K.

So should I just buy a non-HDR monitor now with the specs I'm looking for, or wait and hope for a non-4K HDR monitor that fits my needs?

My understanding is that HDR on PCs is a long way off due to both licensing and technical hurdles, so I'd go ahead and go for the 1440p 144hz monitor. HDR support isn't widespread on PC anyway.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

HDR is overrated as all hell. I can't believe I bought into the hype of it.

As shown by HardwareCanucks, HDR with PC/Windows still has some growing pains. I'd just take the time to install ENB, ReShade and/or SweefFX with games that are comparable with those post-processing injector mods as a way to simulate HDR (along with some other things) and not buy a new monitor unless you really have to.

Get an ultrawide.

@therealseaman: it's subjective, because I bought a 4K/HDR tv and the HDR has much more of an impact on me than 4K.

But yeah, it's more technical than anything. HDR requires a certain minimum brightness that your average PC monitors don't have.

Due to lack of widespread support many PC games don't support it, even when their console counterparts do.

I'm still waiting for HDR to do something other than make my TV increase in brightness. I tried HDR on and off on Detroit and God of War and like fuck can I tell any difference other than brightness. I could have just turned up the brightness and contrast in non-HDR mode.

I know some TVs have "fake" HDR but mine doesn't which makes it all the more confusing when I honestly can't see any positive impact from it.

Too soon. Too soon.

As a dog who loves visual treats I'm really into HDR which is why I've moved my PC gaming to the LG OLED.
Now, if I had to have a PC monitor, with the current HDR instabilities on PC in mind,
I'd probably get the non-HDR monitor for now and then maybe trade it in / sell it later.

@facelessvixen: @justin258: Your conclusions are true. From many of the tech pundits I've seen, all of them land on the notion that HDR is nowhere near maturity on the PC side - in terms of both hardware and content support.

@mikewhy: I think I may feel the same way. When HDR is implemented well, it has a bigger impact on me than 4K does.

The reason why HDR is a major feature for me is due to its realization of getting closer to realistic lighting than bloom or anything else has. Software bloom usually creates an overblown effect for me in most games. Third party tricks to simulate HDR tries to process the entire video. I admire HDR because most of its impact is where the lights hit in a scene. Areas where sunbeams land are stark and appropriately saturated with brightness. While everything else in the image retains its original contrast, with only subtle hints of lighting occlusion upon it.

The HDR in the Last of Us Remastered is my favorite example of HDR done well. The HDR effect is intense, but only in the few areas where the sun is directly bleaching out some of the scenery. The rest of the picture still remains vibrant and contrasty. The headlights of cars at night in Gran Turismo Sport is another good example of HDR done subtly, but very well.

In the end I value high framerate and response time over bells and whistles that are still too early to have hardware and game support. So I'll stick with a non-HDR monitor for the coming years.

Thanks all :)

I'm glad it seems like more people are coming round on the idea that HDR was incredibly over hyped. I bought one of those LG OLED TVs and I think HDR actually made Horizon Zero Dawn look worse than SDR. I started to think I was just going crazy.

That said, I'm in a similar position to you (looking for a new 1440p monitor soon too). My priorities are definitely 100hz+, G-Sync and ultra-wide way before HDR though. The only thing making me hesitate on pulling the trigger though is how freaking incredible my OLED TV looks. For me, OLED blows anything HDR can do out of the water. Once you sit in a pitch black room and watch a film or show on an OLED it's hard to go back to looking at a normal back-lit screen...