How to configure your new monitor – laparenthese-gourmande

A lot of our favorite instructors are available in all shapes, forms, sizes and specifications. From the game screens with high refresh rates has color accuracy requirements for photo editingthey all come with different specifications that affect image quality.

Depending on your setup, users will usually need to change various settings to get the most out of the monitor.

Sometimes it’s as simple as ensuring the display resolution matches the current input or perhaps something as complex as achieving the best color accuracy.

Then there are other things users should be aware of, like specific features like KVM and settings that can help reduce eye strain at the expense of image quality.

To help you get started with your new monitor, here are a few things you need to know.

1. Connection

(Image: © Future / Ural Garrett)

Today, most monitors generally connect via two types of inputs; HDMI and DisplayPort. Due to its use with modern televisions, video game consoles, and streaming devices, HDMI is considered the most commonly used by the general public.

PC gamers, esports enthusiasts, and content creators generally gravitate more towards DisplayPort for several reasons. The most obvious is that it can maintain faster refresh rates at higher resolutions than HDMI.

DisplayPort is also more efficient for multi-monitor use thanks to support for daisy-chaining. One trick the new HDMIs can do is support higher quality audio signals for multi-channel setups thanks to features like ARC.

2. Windows Display Settings

(Image: © Future / Microsoft)

Once your monitor is connected and ready to go, the first thing users need to do is access the Windows display settings.

This is easily done by going through the Start menu settings or right-clicking on an empty space on the desktop and tapping Display Settings. Here, users can set things like brightness levels, create color profiles, block blue light for eye comfort, adjust HDR, change display resolution and refresh rate.

Then there are other settings such as display orientation for those with monitors that can be used vertically and horizontally, as well as options for people who want to use multiple displays.

3. Balancing/Color Correction

(Image: © Mark Pickavance)

Depending on the type of user, color balancing/correction is the most important tuning parameter to adjust when purchasing a new monitor. This is especially crucial for photo editors, video editors and colorists.

When it comes to colorists or serious movie buffs, they usually pay someone to collaborate on their presentation, which can cost hundreds of dollars. Users who simply want to get the best image quality from the start may have several options.

The most basic software is Windows Color Calibration or Pro Display Calibrator for Mac. This is a respectable way to immediately achieve a good color balance without thinking too much.

Depending on the type of graphics card one is using, whether Nvidia or AMD, there are more robust options available via the NVIDIA control panel and AMD software: Adrenalin Edition.

All of these tools allow users to control color temperature, contrast, saturation across the RGB spectrum, and brightness, among other settings. Depending on the monitor, there may also be on-screen color settings that allow for some level of color correction.

There are also professional calibration tools on the hardware side to go even further. This goes for devices like the SpyderX and the X-Rite i1Display Pro for fantastic visual results.

Devices like these are connected via USB and use software provided by the manufacturer as well as sensors built into the hardware.

4. Gaming Performance

For gamers, the most ideal monitors balance image quality and performance. For most gamers, performance is the benchmark for how well a game looks and plays on the move.

Several aspects are synonymous with quality performance in games. The most obvious is the refresh rate. Measured in Hertz (or Hz), the refresh rate indicates how many times per second the display updates the image on the screen. This typically works alongside an output device’s frame rate, which is the rate at which an image is displayed.

Depending on the monitor type, the output may show more frames per second than the monitor can handle. This can lead to screen tearing which can sometimes ruin the gaming experience.

There are solutions on most gaming monitors with variable refresh rate technology in the form of AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. It is important to ensure that these settings are enabled through the display itself and the software.

The final key to optimizing gaming performance is response time. This refers to how quickly a monitor can change the color of its pixels in response to input. High-quality gaming monitors minimize input lag, the delay between the GPU sending an image and the monitor displaying it. Lower input lag ensures games are more responsive and smoother.

For the best experience, always check a monitor’s response time and input lag specifications before jumping into gaming.

5.KVM

(Image: ©Dell)

Originally designed for data centers managing multiple servers and computers, KVM switches have become a valuable feature in modern gaming monitors.

These switches allow users to control and switch between multiple PCs or devices using a single keyboard, monitor and mouse, eliminating the need for multiple setups. This not only saves space and reduces the cost of additional input devices, but also streamlines setups for greater efficiency.

Beyond gaming and streaming, KVM switches are perfect for seamlessly managing home and business computers from a single setup.