It’s time for me to buy a new screen again. Gave the old one back after resigning last week 
I never know where to start. Size, resolution, LCD, plasma, so many options. So
I may use it for other things but I want the best possible aoe2DE experience first and foremost, obviously.
Thank you!!
You can use any screen that you like, refresh rates don’t really matter in RTS games.
Just keep in mind that due to the way AoE2 works, the higher your resolution is, the more of the map you will be able to see. So, with a 4k display, you will be able to view half the map at once in 1v1. Not that you would be able to click all of it, but still, it’s probably a nice thing to have.
Just don’t pick a 21:9 ratio monitor if you mainly play AoE, for this game it’s better to stick to 16:9.
Here is a list of monitors pros use:
if i would buy today, i would go for 24 to 27 inch, 16:9, at least 120hz, at least 1440p.
also i realized that tn panels are not worse for the price point than ips panels.
The only thing really important is a monitor with eye saver mode. And you should use it everytime when you play.
You should also measure the distance between your eyes and the monitor and don’t buy a monitor that is too big for that distance. (mostly a ratio of distance >= 1.6 * screen size is recommendet)
Use background light to reduce the stress for your eyes aswell. And there is where the eye saver mode comes into play as this (should) automatically adapt the brightness of your screen to the surrounding brightness, this allows you to relief stress from your eyes by just briefly looking away and defocussing.
naaa.
machine in the basement, lights out, screen on max.
else you are not a gamer.
And the steak is your eyesight.
I feel 120hz is a lot nicer for RTS than 60hz, but any higher doesn’t really matter, whereas for games with faster movement such as CSGO or Rocket League, I think refresh rates higher than 120hz do provide a significant benefit. I have a 240hz monitor, but I cap the frame rate at 120 when playing AoE. The nice thing about using 120 is you can record or stream at 60 without getting uneven frame pacing in the footage.
If you’re 100% sure you won’t want to play any games with faster movement, I’d go for either 1440p or 4k, and the refresh rate would probably be either 165hz if getting 1440p, or 144hz if 4k, or maybe 120hz if getting a 4k gaming TV. I feel like the amount of the map you can see in 1440p is fine, but 4k to be able to zoom out more is definitely a valid option. A 4k/144 monitor is a lot more expensive than a 1440/165 monitor.
I’d go for IPS for the best colour accuracy and viewing angle. VA is acceptable, but given that so many good monitors now are IPS, I can’t really see a reason to choose a VA monitor. TN just looks like garbage to me now I’ve got used to IPS.
I got an AOC 32" QHD Monitor, 75Hz, 4ms, IPS, 1440p for about £189
Pretty pleased with it. Not good enough for competitive FPS games but more than enough for aoe2 which is pretty much the only game I play. The 1440p zoom out thing was a game changer. It’s great being able to see more of the map and spot enemy attacks earlier. I think there is a limit though. Too much of the map on 4K displays or multiple monitors becomes overwhelming.
What exact model you chose depends on your budget ofc. Also what hardware you’re using. Generally I’d recommend getting an ips panel (go for a fast one if you can afford it). 140hz is really nice to have but not as important as in other games (does make a notable difference though). I have good experience with lg 27bn series.
I personally play on a 27inch 144Hz 4k screen now. However, I don’t completely “zoom out” at the start of a game since villagers start to become quite small and harder to click on. Beforehand I played at 1440p 60Hz (in the AoC and AoE2HD days) and really liked that resolution.
There is no benefit to using a 1080p screen for AoE2 other then cost savings…