Is 4K really worth it for gaming in 2024?

Summary

• 4K brings a considerable performance downgrade with a hardly noticeable image quality improvement for 1440p users.
• Today's flagship GPUs still struggle with 4K Ultra gaming, hardly offering a no-compromise experience.
• 4K monitors are still too pricey compared to high-quality 1440p monitors with superior panel tech like mini-LED.
• For most users, 1440p is the best choice. But, if you have the budget, you can experiment with 4K gaming.

For quite a few years, 4K gaming was this elusive gold standard that gamers were always waiting to achieve. But in the past few GPU generations, it has become relatively easier to run the latest games at 4K resolution. Graphics cards have grown by leaps and bounds (and in price), supported by more powerful CPUs than ever. It's true that 4K gaming is mostly GPU-bound, but if you're adjusting settings or enabling upscaling to boost your FPS, a weaker CPU is likely going to hit a performance ceiling.

But, even today, the percentage of gamers on 4K is less than 4%. Is 4K just too expensive for what it offers? Or are there other factors at play here?

4K vs. 1440p for gaming

How sharp should you go?

Just a few years ago, 1440p used to be just as elusive as 4K is today. But 1440p has now become the resolution of choice for a sizable population, nearly 20%, according to the Steam Hardware Survey. Many gamers building a gaming PC for the first time are choosing to go with 1440p instead of 1080p to get a sharper and superior image quality that can still run comfortably on modern mainstream hardware.

4K, on the other hand, doesn't feel like as much of a visual upgrade as 1440p feels over 1080p. A big reason for this is that on a gaming monitor that's about 3 feet from you, it becomes hard to differentiate between the sharpness of a 1440p panel vs. a 4K one. Sure, if you're gaming on a huge TV in your living room, you'll be able to appreciate the superior image quality of the 4K resolution; but on your desk, it isn't that noticeable.

If you aren't going to notice the added benefits of gaming at 4K, should you even consider it?

Another downside of moving to 4K is that you're facing a considerable drop in performance on the same hardware. It's just that much tougher to drive that many more pixels compared to 1440p.

If you aren't going to notice the added benefits of gaming at 4K, should you even consider it? If you're mostly playing top-down, isometric RTS titles or MOBAs, you can make a case for 4K, but if you're playing a mix of fast-paced multiplayer games, side-scrollers, and even single-player story games, 1440p seems like the more reasonable choice.

4K Ultra gaming is still not quite there yet

It's not a truly high-end experience

As I mentioned in my reasons for never buying a high-end GPU again, flagship GPUs don't unlock flagship 4K performance, at least not in the most demanding titles yet. Take Alan Wake 2, for instance, which barely breaks 60 FPS at 4K on an RTX 4080 Super. Even on the world's fastest GPU, the RTX 4090, you can only expect at most 70-80 FPS at 4K even with DLSS of FSR enabled.

Even the best 4K GPUs are not yet capable of conquering 4K Ultra settings in the latest games.

If you're forking out thousands for a flagship GPU and 4K monitor, but still need to lower the settings and make compromises, is it really worth it? I know that games like Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 are just a few examples, but aren't these games what you're really buying a high-end system for? But by moving from a 1080p or 1440p setup to 4K, you're essentially making it impossible for yourself to experience the most visually impressive games at their fullest.

Even the best 4K GPUs are not yet capable of conquering 4K Ultra settings in the latest games. Maybe in a couple of generations when the successor to frame generation and upscaling technologies arrive with the next-gen cards, we'll be revisiting this topic again.

4K monitors are still pricey

Things have gotten better, but you should wait

Pricing was yet another hurdle to cross in order to make 4K gaming truly accessible. And while we've come a long way from $1,000+ 4K monitors to a point where you can get a decent one for $400-$500, I'd suggest waiting a bit longer. It's true that 4K gaming monitors are more affordable than ever, but you really need to consider the prices of high-quality 1440p monitors before making your choice.

For instance, you can either buy a 4K 144Hz IPS monitor for $400, or one of the newer mini-LED 1440p 180Hz VA monitors for under $300. The level of image quality you can access by staying at 1440p at a lower price is phenomenal — much higher contrast, superior HDR, and even higher brightness. We're still awaiting affordable 4K mini-LED or OLED monitors that deliver, so until then, you can opt for top-tier 1440p monitors and get an arguably better experience.

Should you consider 4K for gaming?

If you're currently gaming at 1080p and want to upgrade your gaming experience, you could go for a 4K monitor and graphics card if you have the cash to spare. On the other hand, if you've upgraded to 1440p already, it's better to upgrade to a better panel instead of a higher resolution to truly feel a tangible improvement. Affordable 1440p mini-LED monitors have just started to arrive on the market, so you'll soon have many great options to choose from.

Until 4K monitors start combining superior panel tech and affordable prices, and high-end graphics cards become capable of 4K Ultra gaming with no compromises, 4K gaming isn't really a smart choice for most people. But, if you want to experience the sharpest image quality and have a flagship-grade gaming PC, you can experiment with 4K and see if it is worth the few downsides.