Understanding the Esports Display Preferences
Despite being beloved by AV enthusiasts, OLED hasn't really cracked the esports scene. Big tournaments continue to favor LCD monitors, though perhaps not for the reasons you suspect. Don't worry, we'll get into that shortly. Though pro players have specific reasons for using smaller LCD/IPS screens, for normal gamers, OLED displays remain the pinnacle of TV tech.
Many of the best gaming monitors are OLED, and there's no denying the underlying strengths of this TV type. Phenomenal black levels! Incredible contrast! Excellent viewing angles! Though some folks still sweat over OLED burn-in, it's generally not as big an issue as it used to be. Let's get into why pro gamers don't regularly play on OLED monitors at tournaments, before bigging up the strengths of OLED and comparing how the technology stacks up against LCD.
Performance and Tournament Hardware Choices
Generally speaking, no. OLED monitors aren't worse, than say, IPS monitors, for esports/competitive gaming. As a technology, OLED displays are exceptionally good at handling motion, thanks to their almost instantaneous pixel response. On a good OLED monitor, you're going to see very little ghosting, which makes them great for playing fast-paced first-person shooters.
The real reason pro gamers don't tend to use OLED monitors at tournaments is actually pretty simple and doesn't throw any shade on the technology. For the most part, monitors at competitive events are chosen by sponsors, not individual participants. This is largely a money-making decision, but it's also one that ensures consistency if all those budding esports champs are playing on the same model of monitor.
Because tournament organizers usually supply the hardware for events, they tend to go with monitors that have been in vogue for a good while. At time of writing, 24-inch, 1080p displays remain the preferred size for pro gaming events. This screen size is seen as ideal, with a compact view ensuring players can scan their in-game surroundings quickly and with ease. Put simply, there are far more LCD monitors available at 24-inches than OLED models. Most OLED monitors start at 27 inches and up, and the generally larger footprint of these displays is probably the main factor why they're not more commonly seen at tournaments.
That's not to say OLED monitors are non-existent in the competitive gaming space. Sony specifically developed its 480Hz M10S OLED display for major esports series. That's a mighty high refresh rate for OLED, though many IPS models can go well above 600Hz, which is another reason LCDs are often favored at competitive events.
Advantages for Everyday Gaming Setups
Forget pro gamers for a minute. It doesn't matter if the cream of the esports crop are headshotting each other on LCDs. For normal gaming, OLED is absolutely where it's at. Perfect black levels that lead to sensational contrast, lightning quick pixel response, exceptional handling of HDR content, super slim bezels, wider viewing angles, and top tier color reproduction make OLED a transformative display technology.
OLED displays are normally more expensive than their LCD counterparts, but they have definitely become more affordable over the past few years. You can often find 27-inch OLED gaming monitors for comfortably less than $500 during major sales events. If you have the budget and are in the market for a new gaming display, OLED is an exceptional investment.
Comparing LCD and OLED Trade-offs
This choice boils down to a number of factors. In the majority of instances, OLED wipes the floor with LCD. It's simply a vastly superior TV technology. That said, there are definitely still reasons why you might want to opt for an LCD/LED monitor over an OLED model.
The advantages LCD monitors have over OLEDs include lower prices and higher peak brightness, making them more suited for gaming or working in bright rooms. Additionally, LCD panels are far less prone to image retention, whereas OLED burn-in remains a consideration, although modern panels feature pixel-shifting technology to combat this phenomenon.
Beyond those specific points, OLED trounces LCD in contrast, motion clarity, and image uniformity. While vertical banding in near-black scenes can occasionally affect OLED panels, it is nowhere near as distracting as the dirty screen effect common in backlit LCD displays.
The main reason you want to buy an OLED gaming monitor over an LCD model boils down to one major factor: OLEDs can achieve perfect black levels while LCDs cannot. Because OLED is a self-emissive technology, individual pixels can turn completely off when not in use, creating infinite contrast.
