Experts urge gamers to swap IPS monitors for OLED: prices drop, burn-in fears fade

The popular YouTube channel Monitor's Unboxed, dedicated to gaming display reviews, now recommends buyers choose OLED panels over IPS. The channel gave this advice in response to a viewer asking whether it made sense to replace a premium IPS monitor with an OLED model. Previously, the shift was held back by high prices and worries about screen burn-in, but the hosts say those concerns are largely a thing of the past.

The main argument for switching technologies is a noticeable drop in the cost of OLED monitors with high resolution and refresh rates. The market now offers plenty of such devices across various price brackets. For instance, around $350 gets you a 2K QD-OLED monitor from AOC with a 240 Hz refresh rate. Bumping the budget to $599 brings an Innocn model with the same 2K QD-OLED panel but a 500 Hz rate. 4K options cost more.

That said, IPS panels remain significantly cheaper. A 27-inch AOC gaming monitor with 2K resolution and a 280 Hz refresh rate can be found for under $200. The channel's hosts admit OLED technology still has a long way to go in pricing to match IPS affordability.

The experts also caution that while OLED monitors excel at gaming and mixed use, they are not yet ideal for pure office work. Monitor's Unboxed tests have repeatedly shown modern OLED panels handle burn-in quite well, but static images displayed for long periods can still produce residual artifacts.