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- Dual-mode monitors offer two resolutions and refresh rates within one monitor, making them perfect for story mode and competitive gaming.
- Besides gaming, dual-mode monitors are perfect for compact PC setups as they reduce the space required to place the monitor.
- While their features are amazing, dual-mode monitors are extremely expensive and will only become mainstream once their price dies down.
I keep seeing PC builds with dual-screen monitor setups, and I won’t lie; it irks me to my core. I have nothing against such setups, but ultrawide monitors are better in all aspects. I recently shared my opinion on that. Things get trickier if you’re using two different resolution and refresh rate monitors. However, technology doesn’t stay stagnant for long. What do I mean? Well, dual-mode monitors are the future of gaming, and I’m all up for it! If you haven’t heard about this technology yet, let me take you on a roller coaster ride you won’t forget anytime soon.
Two Resolutions In One Monitor!?
Most people use dual-screen setups with separate resolutions. For example, your primary monitor could be a high-end 4K 144Hz panel for gaming and other similar tasks. In contrast, the secondary monitor would be a standard 1080p 60Hz panel for mundane tasks. A few of my friends use the secondary monitor for programming, while the primary is only for gaming.
What if I told you some monitors offer two different resolutions (and refresh rates) in a single panel? Yep, you read that sentence correctly. That’s precisely what dual-mode monitors are. For example, the LG 32GS95UE 32-inch monitor offers 4K 240Hz and 1080p 480Hz. Depending on your use case, you can switch the resolutions whenever you want. It’s as easy as that.
What Good Are Dual-Mode Monitors?
Dual-mode monitors sound like one hell of a feature, but what good are they, exactly? I wouldn’t exactly say they’re a replacement over dual-screen setups, but rather an upgrade. If you’re not rocking an RTX 4090, you probably won’t always need the 4K 240Hz. Moreover, such an intensive resolution can cause lags while doing productivity work. That’s where the smaller 1080p 480Hz comes in.
Work on the lower resolution and play story-mode games on the higher resolution. Want to get sweaty and play Valorant or Counter Strike 2? Just shift back to the 1080p 480Hz resolution again. I’m only giving an example for the LG monitor, but numerous others are also there. You can find 4K/1440p panels and lower refresh rate ones. Of course, this isn’t the only good thing about these new monitors.
They’re Perfect For Compact Setups
Another aspect I love about dual-mode monitors is that they’re perfect for compact setups. I’m not trying to diss dual-monitor setups, but I wouldn’t want to use over 100 inches of space just to place two monitors. Some people might have a smaller computer table but want to utilize a two-monitor setup. So, instead of buying new furniture and changing your entire room’s layout, upgrade to a dual-mode monitor.
By using one of these monitors, you can have your entire setup in the corner of your room and save up valuable space to place other essential things. If a dual-mode monitor doesn’t sound like the thing for you, there’s always an ultrawide monitor. However, ultrawide monitors can also get pretty large, so you must keep that in mind before finalizing your purchase.
The Pricing Could Be Better
I’ll tell you that not everything is perfect about dual-mode monitors. For example, most dual-mode monitors cost between $800 and $1,500. Within that budget, I can easily build entire PCs perfect for AAA-titled games. There are affordable options, too, like the ASUS ROG Strix XG27UCG for $499, but it’s still not the most affordable monitor.
It shims down to whether you’re willing to break the bank for a compact PC setup or are okay running a dual-monitor build. Even ultrawide monitors don’t cost nearly as much as these dual-mode monitors, but they don’t offer dual resolutions. Here’s a comparison chart I created showcasing the prices of ultrawide and dual-mode monitors so that you may have a better picture of what you can get at specific price points.
On the other hand, an average 1440p monitor can cost around $150, and a higher refresh rate monitor, like the GIGABYTE M27Q-P Gaming, can go up to ~$370. Pairing that with a 1080p 60Hz monitor will take your total cost anywhere between $300 to $450.
Budget Dual-Mode Monitors Are The Future
Concluding my opinion from earlier, budget dual-mode monitors are the future of gaming. They’re perfect for a compact PC setup and take gaming to the next level. With the correct price, they’ll be the perfect addition for gamers. While the ASUS ROG Strix XG27UCG shows promise, having greater variety at that price range (or below) is a must for dual-mode monitors to become mainstream.
In any case, I’m hopeful for this technology, as it’s helpful for gaming and productivity tasks where you may require a lower and higher resolution monitor at different refresh rates. While the competition is great from ultrawide monitors, 1440p screens, and dual-monitor setups, dual-mode monitors are finally a breath of fresh air, and I love that!
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