From £4.53/MP·998 products·Updated 10 Aug 2026

1440p vs 4K monitor

1440p vs 4K monitor: which should you buy?

Last updated 10 August 20263 min readLive Amazon UK prices
1440p or 4K? 1440p (QHD) is the value sweet spot for high frame rates; 4K (UHD) is sharper but needs a powerful GPU. Here's how to choose, with live UK prices for both.

At a glance

1440p (QHD)

  • 2560 × 1440 — sharp and crisp
  • Easy to drive at 144Hz+
  • Great value for money
  • Best for gaming and everyday use
Best for: most gamers and anyone who wants high frame rates without a top-end GPU.

4K (UHD)

  • 3840 × 2160 — maximum sharpness
  • ~2.25× the pixels of 1440p
  • Needs a powerful GPU for high FPS
  • Superb for creative work and films
Best for: creators, desktop sharpness, and gamers with high-end graphics cards.

Which should you buy?

Choose 1440p if you want the best balance of sharpness, high refresh rate and price — it suits the majority of gamers and mixed-use setups. Choose 4K if you do creative work, want the sharpest possible desktop, or have a powerful GPU and want the best-looking games.
TVs · cheapest / MP£4.53/MPFrom £7.99 · 320 trackedBrowse TVs
Monitors · cheapest / MP£18.08/MPFrom £44.99 · 396 trackedBrowse Monitors

Best value 1440p monitors

Gawfolk 27 inch IPS 2K QHD (2560×1440) Computer Monitor 75Hz Gaming PC Screen, 1ms,Adaptive Sync,100% sRGB, 1.07 Billion Colours,DisplayPort 1.4、 HDMI2.0, Built-in speaker- Black

£24.41/MP£89.9927" · 1440p
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2

EVICIV 16" 2.5K QLED Portable Monitor, 500 Nits for Laptop/PC/Game Console

£24.41/MP£99.9916" · 1440p
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3

AOC Q27B35E 27 inch WQHD Monitor 75Hz, IPS Panel, 4ms GtG, HDR10, (2560x1440 HDMI 1x 1.4 DP 1x 1.4) Black

£26.86/MP£99.0027" · 1440p
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4

AOC Q27B36X 27 inch WQHD Gaming Monitor 144Hz, IPS Panel, 4ms GtG, HDR10, (2560x1440 HDMI 1x 2.0 DP 1x 1.4) Black

£27.12/MP£99.9727" · 1440p
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5

KTC 24 Inch QHD Monitor, 2K@100Hz Flat IPS 1440P Monitor with Ultra Thin Bazels, Anti-Blue Light, HDR10, 122% sRGB, 99% DCI-P3, 300 Nits, 5ms MPRT, VESA 100x100, Adaptive Sync for Working and Gaming

£27.12/MP£99.9924" · 1440p
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Best value 4K monitors

KTC 27 Inch Monitor 4K | UHD@60Hz | 1.07 Billion Colors, 133% sRGB, 100% DCI-P3, ΔE<2 | 400 cd/㎡ Brightness, HDR400 | VESA 100x100mm | Hardware Anti-Blue Light | 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DP 1.4 | H27P27

£18.08/MP£149.9927" · 4K UHD
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2

Z-Edge 27 Inch 4K Monitor UHD 3840x2160 IPS 60Hz Height Adjustable White

£18.08/MP£149.9927" · 4K UHD
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3

CRUA 32 Inch 4K Curved Monitor, 3000R VA Panel, UHD 3840x2160 with HDR10, Adaptive Sync, 100% sRGB, Eye Care Display for Gaming, Work & Entertainment – HDMI & DP

£20.49/MP£169.9932" · 4K UHD
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4

Raywego 32-Inch 4K Office Monitor, 60Hz, HDR10, FreeSync, IPS

£20.49/MP£169.9932" · 4K UHD
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5

AOC U27B3A - 27 Inch UHD 4K, 60Hz, IPS, 4ms, HDR10, 3 side Frameless, Speakers, LowBlue Light, FlickerFree (3840 x 2160,350 cd/m2, HDMI 2.0 / DP 1.4)

£21.46/MP£177.9927" · 4K UHD
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Frequently asked questions

Is 1440p or 4K better for gaming?

1440p is the better all-round choice for most gamers — very sharp, and far easier to run at high refresh rates. 4K looks stunning but needs a powerful, expensive GPU to hit high frame rates. If you have a top-tier graphics card, 4K is great; otherwise 1440p wins on value and smoothness.

Is 4K worth it for a monitor?

For creative work, photo/video editing and desktop sharpness, 4K is absolutely worth it. For gaming, only if your GPU can drive it at the frame rates you want. For general use and value, 1440p is the smarter buy.

Can I tell the difference between 1440p and 4K?

Yes, especially on larger monitors (27 inches and up) or when viewing text and fine detail up close. On a 24-27 inch monitor at normal desk distance the difference is visible but not dramatic; it grows with screen size.

Do I need a better GPU for 4K?

Yes. 4K has roughly 2.25x the pixels of 1440p, so it's much more demanding. Running 4K at high refresh rates requires a high-end graphics card; 1440p is far more forgiving.

Compare both resolutions

Browse live prices for 1440p and 4K monitors and find the best value for your setup.