The gaming world is constantly evolving, with innovations in hardware pushing the boundaries of immersive experiences. One area seeing significant, albeit gradual, change is the integration of remote control functionality into gaming monitors. While not yet ubiquitous, the ability to adjust your monitor's settings without reaching around to a fiddly joystick on the back is becoming increasingly appealing to gamers. This comprehensive guide explores the current landscape of gaming monitors with remote control features, including reviews of leading models, comparisons of universal remotes, and a look at the future of this evolving technology.

The Benefits of Remote Control in Gaming Monitors

The benefits of having a remote for your gaming monitor extend beyond mere convenience. For many gamers, especially those engrossed in intense gameplay, reaching behind the monitor to adjust brightness, volume, or input source can be disruptive and even frustrating. A remote control eliminates this interruption, allowing for seamless transitions between settings without losing focus.

This is particularly useful in several scenarios:

• Multi-monitor setups: Managing multiple displays becomes significantly easier with a single remote, allowing you to switch between inputs or adjust settings across all screens simultaneously.
• Ergonomics: For gamers with limited mobility or those who prefer a more relaxed posture during long gaming sessions, a remote control is a godsend.
• Accessibility: Gamers with disabilities may find remote control features significantly enhance their ability to adjust monitor settings independently. Features like Samsung's SeeColors Mode, which helps colorblind gamers, are better utilized when accessible via a remote.
• Home theater integration: With many gamers using their monitors as part of a larger home entertainment setup, a remote allows for more centralized control over the entire system.

Image Credit: BenQ website

Top Gaming Monitors with Remote Control Features

While many gaming monitors lack built-in remote control, several models do offer this feature either directly or through compatibility with universal remotes. Let's dive into some detailed reviews based on available data:

Samsung Odyssey OLED G6/G60SD S27DG60: A Flagship Experience (Almost)

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60 boasts impressive specifications: a QD-OLED panel for near-infinite contrast and superb color accuracy (fantastic before calibration, superb after), a maximum refresh rate of 360Hz, and support for FreeSync, G-SYNC, and HDMI Forum VRR. Its build quality is excellent, using solid plastic and a sturdy metal stand with cable management. Ergonomics are also a strong point, with fantastic height adjustment and good swivel range, minimizing wobbling.

The monitor's controls, however, present a slight drawback: a joystick on the back instead of a remote. While the on-screen display (OSD) control is convenient enough, the absence of a remote control breaks the immersion and detracts from the premium feel of this excellent monitor. Note that the price range ($665 to $900) further underscores this missed functionality. Its impressive brightness (reasonable peak in HDR, but not as high as competitors) and minimal reflection are some of its strengths. However, text clarity is decent but not exceptional, indicating it's slightly less clear than other 27-inch 1440p monitors.

Image Credit: Samsung website

BenQ Mobiuz: The Remote Control Champion

The BenQ Mobiuz stands out for its inclusion of a remote control, a significant differentiator in the gaming monitor market. The remote provides customizable functions, offering ease of use and control over essential settings. The monitor itself features a VA panel with a 4000:1 contrast ratio, achieving up to 350 nits in SDR and around 400 nits in HDR. It supports FreeSync and G-SYNC, and its QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution provides a sweet spot between sharp visuals and high refresh rates (up to 165Hz).

The integrated 2.1 speaker system offers decent sound quality, adding to the overall experience provided by the monitor and its convenient remote. At approximately $499, the BenQ Mobiuz proves to be a great value proposition which demonstrates the power of including a remote.

Image Credit: BenQ website

AOC Agon: Feature-Packed, But Remote-Less

The AOC Agon offers robust adjustments (height up to 130mm, tilt from 5° to 20°, swivel up to 30° in both directions, and 90-degree pivot) and boasts an IPS panel with a QHD resolution and up to 240Hz refresh rate. Its HDR capability reaches up to 1000 nits, delivering vibrant visuals. The build quality is also commendable, using sturdy plastic and metal. The inclusion of RGB lighting adds a bit more visual flair. While it lacks a built-in remote, its wide color gamut coverage and excellent color accuracy make it a compelling option for gamers who don't prioritize direct remote control.

Image Credit: AOC website

The Best Universal Remote Controls for Gaming Monitors

If your gaming monitor lacks a dedicated remote, a universal remote can be a cost-effective solution. The market offers a range of options, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Based on user reviews and market data:

Sofabaton X1S: The Premium Choice

The Sofabaton X1S holds a top spot, priced around $199. Its features include comfortable and backlit buttons, a smooth scroll wheel, intuitive programming, programmable macros, and compatibility with over 60 devices. Many praise the ease of use, especially in dark environments. However, the lack of a charging cradle is cited as a minor drawback.

Image Credit: Sofabaton website

Sofabaton U2: A More Affordable Option

The Sofabaton U2 provides a more budget-friendly alternative (under $100), albeit with a steeper learning curve. It controls up to 15 devices and offers an LCD screen, but lacks backlit buttons. User reviews mostly acknowledge its effectiveness once set up but express frustration with the initial programming complexity.

Image Credit: Sofabaton website

Other contenders:

• Amazon Fire TV Cube: Excellent for streaming, but not primarily designed for gaming monitor control. It's a strong streaming device integrated with Alexa, making it another contender as a peripheral which can bridge the gap. The price sits at around $119.99.

• Philips SRP2024A/27: A basic, budget-friendly option (approximately $30) suitable for light users with simple setups. This is a great option if all one needs is a simple control and not a complex system.

• GE UltraPro 33709: Another inexpensive choice (approximately $18) that lacks advanced features but delivers basic functionality for simple setups. Similar to the Philips option above.

Why Don't All Gaming Monitors Come with Remotes?

The absence of remote controls in many gaming monitors is a complex issue with several contributing factors:

• Cost: Integrating remote control functionality adds significant cost to manufacturing. This may make monitors more expensive, thereby reducing consumer appeal.
• Market demand: Until recently, consumer demand for remote controls on gaming monitors hasn't been sufficiently high to encourage widespread adoption.
• Design constraints: Including remote control functionality requires changes to the monitor's internal circuitry and design, which is a challenge.
• Focus on core features: Manufacturers often prioritize improving core aspects like refresh rate, display technology (e.g. OLED, Mini-LED), response times, and resolution before incorporating extra features.

How to Choose the Right Gaming Monitor with Remote Control?

When selecting a gaming monitor with (or compatible with) remote control, several key considerations come into play:

• Display technology: OLED, IPS, and VA panels each offer different strengths regarding color accuracy, response times, and contrast ratio. Your choice depends on the specific visual requirements of your needs (for example, competitive FPS gaming may require faster response times on a lower latency monitor, while single-player RPGs may prioritize visual fidelity).

• Resolution and refresh rate: Higher resolutions (like 4K) offer more detail, while faster refresh rates (144Hz, 240Hz, and beyond) reduce motion blur. These are dependent on the graphics card one has, along with available PSU power.

• Remote control features: Consider the functions offered by the built-in remote or a compatible universal remote. Consider what capabilities are needed and prioritize accordingly.

• Ergonomics: Adjustable height, tilt, swivel, and pivot functions significantly influence user comfort during extended usage. Ergonomics are key to comfort for prolonged gaming sessions.

• Budget: Gaming monitors range significantly in price. Before selecting a gaming monitor, ensure one has the capability to drive it. Knowing one's needs is critical before making purchases of gaming peripherals.

• Connectivity: Sufficient inputs are crucial for easily connecting gaming consoles, PCs, and other devices. Ensure there's enough connectivity.

DIY Solutions

While not ideal, adding remote control functionality to an existing monitor might be achievable through several methods:

• Universal Remote with Learning Capabilities: Many universal remotes can learn IR codes from your monitor's existing controls (if it even has IR), effectively mimicking the functionality of the original remote after setup. Such capabilities may represent a potential solution for monitors that already offer IR functionality which could be reused with a universal remote control.

• Third-Party Control Software and Microcontroller: For technically inclined users, it's possible to use a small microcontroller (like an Arduino) and create a custom solution. This would involve connecting the microcontroller to the monitor's controls and wiring a receiver for the remote. It would also require code to be written in order to integrate with the monitor.

• Monitor with a Software Based Control: Some monitors allow access to core functionality via software applications using PC interfaces. These could be used in conjunction with custom remote control programs to enable remote adjustments.

Image Credit: Robot Shop website

The Future of Remote Control in Gaming Monitors

Several trends are shaping the future of remote control integration in gaming monitors:

• Increased adoption of mini-LED and OLED technology: These superior display technologies are becoming more affordable and will likely drive the demand for monitors with convenient controls.

• AI-powered features: AI-powered enhancements, such as improved HDR calibration and dynamic brightness adjustment, will likely be controlled remotely for a more seamless experience.

• Improved ergonomics and accessibility: Remote controls allow for greater ergonomics and accessibility in gaming.

• Smarthome integration: The future will likely showcase even deeper integration with larger home automation systems, as several manufacturers already integrate this functionality in TVs. It's expected that monitors will follow this trend as well.

Conclusion

The integration of remote control functionality into gaming monitors is gradually evolving, promising to enhance the user experience. While not yet a standard feature in most models, the benefits of remote control—enhanced ergonomics, greater accessibility, reduced interruptions during gameplay, and improved integration into larger home entertainment systems—are becoming increasingly apparent. Gamers should consider this functional addition to their setup. The current range of monitors, along with several different types of universal remotes, provide gamers with a broad spectrum of choices; knowing the functionalities that one needs ahead of time is imperative for selecting the right monitor and remote.

FAQ

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about gaming monitors and remote controls:

I have a multi-monitor setup. Can a single remote control all my monitors simultaneously?

The ability to control multiple monitors with one remote depends entirely on the monitors themselves and the remote control. If each monitor has its own independent built-in control setup (or IR emitter) a universal learning remote can likely program all of them; you will need to program each one individually, however. If the monitors rely on software (like some of the newest monitors which can do some settings modification using the computer and its software) they can be accessed, but require additional hardware/software setups. In other words, while a single remote could potentially control multiple monitors, doing so successfully does depend on the capabilities of each monitor involved (or the need to use additional software and hardware to manage).

How can I troubleshoot connectivity issues with my gaming monitor's remote control?

Troubleshooting connectivity problems for a gaming monitor's remote requires a methodical approach:

• Check the batteries: Ensure your remote has fresh batteries. This is the most common issue.

• Verify receiver functionality (if applicable): If your monitor uses an infrared (IR) receiver, confirm it's working. This may require inspecting for obstacles blocking the transmission path; the remote itself may also have a faulty emitter, which would require replacement. This could also involve testing the monitor's internal IR receiver and its functionality.

• Check for interference: Nearby electronic devices, especially those that use IR or wireless signals (like Wi-Fi devices), could create interference which may require adjustments in separation or positioning of electronics within the room and/or additional hardware shielding.

• Try a different remote: Testing a known good remote control will quickly determine if the problem stems from the monitor's receiver or the remote itself.

• Check software compatibility: In this case, ensure that any software needed for a software-controlled monitor is working correctly and that the software components are configured as they should be.

• Restart the monitor: Sometimes a simple restart can resolve minor software glitches.

• Update firmware: If available, ensure you update the monitor and/or remote firmware; this will resolve many commonly seen issues with the monitor's receiver and other components.

• Contact support: In complex cases or when the problem persists, contact the manufacturer or technical support for proper debugging solutions.

My gaming monitor doesn't have a built-in remote. Should I purchase a high-end universal remote or stick to a more affordable option?

The decision between a high-end and budget-friendly universal remote for your gaming monitor depends heavily on your needs and budget. If your primary need is simple control over your monitor's basic functions (volume, input source, brightness), a basic affordable remote is sufficient. These basic remotes may reduce your cost significantly.

However, if you want advanced controls like programmable macros for gaming profiles, extensive device compatibility for use with all devices, or smart home integration, investment in a higher-end model is necessary. In this circumstance, more functionality usually comes with a higher price point for remotes; many premium options also include longer lasting batteries and more comfortable form factors. Assess what features are most important and prioritize accordingly before making a selection.