Is Getting a CRT Monitor For Retro Gaming Worth It?

Highlights

Despite being over 20 years old, CRT monitors offer incredibly low input latency crucial for retro gaming experience.
The stunning color performance and retro vibe CRT monitors provide make them ideal for both retro and modern gaming.
While hooking up a CRT monitor may be a process, using it as a secondary display can enhance the retro feel of your gaming setup.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming experience under my belt, I can confidently say that CRT monitors have a special place in my heart and in my gaming setup. Growing up with these bulky, yet charming, displays was like growing up with an old friend. They were the backbone of countless hours of gaming joy, from pixelated 8-bit adventures to the high-definition glory of modern games.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen the evolution of gaming monitors from the bulky CRTs to the sleek, high-tech displays we have today. While it’s true that modern monitors offer incredible refresh rates, vibrant colors, and near-imperceptible input lag, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia for those old CRT monitors.

Though it may appear counterintuitive for technology, certain CRT monitors can deliver superior gaming experiences under specific scenarios. In fact, these monitors are a rare and authentic means for retro gamers to relive their childhood gaming memories in today’s digital age.

Advantages of a CRT Monitor For Gaming

Is Getting a CRT Monitor For Retro Gaming Worth It?

If you’re open to searching for a functional CRT monitor in good shape on eBay or second-hand markets, there are several benefits to using a CRT monitor for retro gaming (and occasionally, contemporary gaming too). Although the technical specifications of many CRTs may not impress on paper, once you experience gaming on one, it’s challenging to ignore the enjoyment factor.

Among gamers, a major advantage is the extremely low delay in response (input latency) that many gaming devices offer. While this figure can change between different models, it’s worth noting that CRT monitors generally have negligible input latency compared to top-tier LCD monitors, which typically have an input lag of about 1-2 milliseconds.

In contemporary multiplayer games, a smaller input delay might not significantly impact the gameplay since many are purposefully designed with some lag. However, for classic video games or when using emulators, a lower input latency is crucial for an optimal gaming experience. Moreover, CRT monitors can simulate the original console feel, providing a seamless experience that’s hard to replicate on modern hardware.

Maintaining an immersive atmosphere, one of the key benefits often highlighted for CRTs is their ability to deliver vibrant and captivating color rendition. While CRTs may falter in bright lighting compared to LCD screens, they truly shine when used under optimal conditions. These conditions bring out a nostalgic ambiance that harmonizes beautifully with numerous games.

Disadvantages of a CRT Monitor For Gaming

Before you bid on that CRT you found on eBay, you should know it’s not all roses for CRT monitors. Made before many display standards like HDMI and DisplayPort were invented, hooking up a CRT monitor to a modern PC is quite a process that is not for the faint of heart. There are two paths you can go down to hook a CRT to your computer: using a display converter or installing a second GPU in your system that has native support for VGA or DVI inputs.

Video adapters similar to this one are quite user-friendly, yet they may introduce delay and can sometimes malfunction rather swiftly. Instead, an older Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is budget-friendly and offers a more dependable performance. However, you might need to tweak certain Windows settings to employ two distinct display drivers – one for your contemporary monitor and the other GPU for your CRT monitor. Nonetheless, it should function smoothly after the initial setup.

As someone who was gaming before 2008, I can attest that encountering a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display was quite common. Regardless of their size, these old-school monitors consume a significant amount of physical space and can be surprisingly heavy. If you’re aiming for a sleek, minimalist gaming setup or are low on desk area, opting for a CRT monitor might not be the best choice due to its space consumption.

Ultimately, purchasing used technology carries an inherent risk, particularly when it comes to CRT monitors, most of which were produced before 2010. It’s crucial to remember that these displays may not function optimally or last long, as they are prone to burning out after extensive use. So, despite a listing showcasing flawless condition, a significant investment in a high-quality CRT monitor could prove futile within a year or two.

Should You Get a CRT For Gaming?

In contemporary terms and luxurious amenities, most gamers might find that CRT monitors are not worth the investment, yet this doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable for certain uses. Despite the fact that CRT monitors may lag behind modern LCD monitors in terms of raw performance benchmarks, the unique experience provided by a CRT monitor is difficult to replicate. Modern displays struggle to achieve the retro aesthetic or produce colors similar to those on a CRT, whereas CRTs can effortlessly do so with their basic settings.

If you’re yearning for the low input latency of olden days gaming or aiming to add a nostalgic touch to your setup, CRT displays can wonderfully enhance that retro feel. However, Game Rant advises against making a CRT your main monitor since it might not offer the best performance in modern setups. Instead, consider using a CRT as an additional screen or alongside a contemporary display to bring back some nostalgia to your gaming experience without compromising your primary setup.

FAQ

Q: What is a CRT monitor?

A CRT monitor, also known as a Cathode Ray Tube display, consists of a vacuum-sealed glass tube with a negatively charged cathode inside. Similar to LCD monitors, it generates various colors by emitting red, green, or blue light. The cathode controls three electron guns, one for each primary color (red, green, and blue). When electric current flows through these guns, they emit beams that hit a fluorescent screen, thereby producing images on the screen.

Q: Are CRT monitors still used?

Although production of new CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors ceased years ago, they continue to thrive among the retro gaming community and have recently resurfaced on desks beyond that circle. It’s unlikely this revival will lead to the manufacture of new CRT monitors, but it’s possible. Interestingly, companies like Pentax are now producing new film cameras again, demonstrating that certain vintage technology can persist indefinitely.

2024-08-07 19:04