The Biggest Gaming Monitor Trends of CES 2025

CES 2025 showcased a plethora of new gaming monitors, highlighting significant advancements in display and graphics technology. The show revealed some genuine surprises and impressive feature enhancements, making 2025 a truly exciting year for gaming monitor enthusiasts.

QD-OLED's Continued Dominance and Increased Accessibility

QD-OLED technology solidified its position as a leading force in gaming monitors. Major brands like MSI, Gigabyte, and LG all presented QD-OLED offerings, emphasizing improved burn-in warranties and protective features. The trend toward this display technology is expected to continue strongly throughout the year.

This builds upon the significant growth seen in 2024. New 4K 240Hz QD-OLED monitors featuring higher-bandwidth DisplayPort 2.1 connections were unveiled by multiple companies. MSI even showcased a groundbreaking 1440p QD-OLED, the MPG 272QR QD-OLED X50, boasting a remarkable 500Hz refresh rate. The variety of panel implementations suggests a future brimming with fast and visually stunning monitors.

Advancements in protective features were also notable. Asus's Neo Proximity Sensor, integrated into the upcoming ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM and ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDPG, automatically displays a black screen when the user is away, preventing burn-in and pixel degradation. This is a significant improvement over the current necessity of manually turning off the monitor. As the technology matures, price reductions are anticipated, making these high-performance monitors more accessible. Looking at previous generations should yield significant savings.

Mini-LED: A Technology to Watch

While not as prominent as QD-OLED, Mini-LED technology remained present. MSI plans to position its dual-mode AI mini-LED monitor, the MPG 274URDFW E16M, as a more affordable alternative to QD-OLED. This 4K, 160Hz monitor (with 320Hz at 1080p) features 1,152 local dimming zones and a peak brightness of approximately 1,000 nits, delivering impressive contrast. While the AI-driven dual-mode functionality remains somewhat dubious, the potential for Mini-LED to provide a compelling, burn-in-free alternative to QD-OLED at a lower price point is promising.

Escalating Refresh Rates and Resolutions

The convergence of refined QD-OLED technology and increasingly powerful graphics cards continues to drive higher refresh rates. 4K at 240Hz is now a reality, alongside 1440p at 500Hz. Gigabyte's Aorus FO27Q5P, a sleek and vibrant monitor, stands out with its VESA TrueBlack 500 certification, promising brighter highlights and enhanced HDR. MSI's MPG 242R X60N utilizes TN panels to achieve an impressive 600Hz refresh rate, although this comes with trade-offs in color accuracy and viewing angles.

CES 2025 also marked the emergence of 5K monitors. Acer's Predator XB323QX, a 5K, 144Hz monitor with Nvidia's G-Sync Pulsar technology, and LG's pair of "5K2K" ultrawide monitors (5120 x 2160 resolution) highlight this trend. Furthermore, Asus showcased the ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV, a 6K (6016 x 3384) monitor aimed at creators, demonstrating the industry's continuous upward trajectory in resolution.

Smart Monitors: Bridging the Gap Between TVs and Gaming Monitors

Smart monitors, offering built-in streaming capabilities, continue to gain traction. While not all showcased models were explicitly gaming-focused, this trend shows clear potential for growth. HP's OMEN 32x Smart Gaming Monitor, LG's UltraGear 39GX90SA, and Samsung's M9 Smart Monitor (with its neural processing and 4K OLED panel) represent the expanding options in this category.

Conclusion

CES 2025 demonstrated the ongoing evolution of gaming monitors, pushing boundaries and offering a glimpse into the future of display technology. While 2024 was a significant year for gaming monitors, 2025 promises even greater advancements and more compelling options for gamers.