There’s a monitor feature PC gamers should pay attention to when upgrading

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For anyone looking to upgrade their gaming setup, having the best monitor with 4K resolution and high refresh rate makes for a stunning view. Games like “Elden Ring,” “Baldur’s Gate 3” and “Resident Evil Requiem” already look great, but there are ways to improve them without disrupting fidelity or performance in the game’s settings, and you can already do so on your monitor. Dynamic Contrast Ratio (DCR), found on many monitors and televisions, adjusts the backlight by increasing the contrast between dark and bright areas of the screen.

If you are exploring a rather dark area, for example in “Resident Evil”, the backlight will dim, producing a darker black. Whereas if you run in bright areas with fire or sunlight, the screen will light up. This improves the overall look of games and anything else you’re looking at on screen so everything is more visible. DCR can be found on a range of gaming monitor sizes, and you can test the look and feel of DCR if your monitor has it. If you want your games to look sharper and have darker shadows, DCR offers a whole new way to play, making levels, arenas, and stages more dynamic.

Most modern TVs and gaming monitors that use backlighting include DCR. OLED displays already naturally produce high dynamic contrast, so DCR is not necessary. You can check your monitor’s box or website for specifications before making a decision. You’ll want to look for contrast ratio numbers, including something close to 20,000,000:1. Standard contrast ratios will be closer to 2500:1 with no additional adjustments required. These details can be found under display information.

Adjusting or turning the DCR on or off is not difficult, but can be difficult because it is done on the monitor itself, usually on the back. Once you’ve chosen the monitor, go to the monitor settings to find the section called DCR. From there, you can adjust it manually by turning DCR off or on. This allows users to better control the appearance of the game’s visuals.

For gaming, you can have the most powerful monitor with DCR as the main display. For larger, more immersive gaming setups, you can even get a second monitor for work and play. The main thing to keep in mind is that this only works on LCD monitors, as they have a feature-adjusted backlight.

Finding the best monitor with DCR is possible if you dig a little. Most sites don’t list DCR directly, so you’ll need to do some research. Sites like Amazon often list display details under “see more product details”. While brand sites like Samsung will list it under “see all specs”. Next, you can look for Dynamic Contrast Ratio, DCR, or Mega, which is another way to show that a monitor has DCR. For PC gaming, Samsung S60UA series is one such monitor that features DCR. Priced at $242.88 at the time of this writing, it’s a large QHD monitor with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and a 75Hz refresh rate.

A comparable and slightly cheaper option is the AOC 24G2 24-inch Frameless Gaming IPS Monitor at $198.84. It features a 1920 x 1080 FHD display and has a 144Hz refresh rate. You can get one and then a second cheaper monitor for gaming to display Discord and guides while you play. If you want to improve the look of the games you play, DCR is great for improving scene shading, lighting, and shading. make them all stand out. It’s useful for anyone who wants to get a little more out of every game they play.