How do I choose a good monitor for PC gaming?

What kind of games do you mainly play? It all depends on that, because if you're doing competitive FPS you'd want a screen with a high refresh rate (144Hz or more) and low latency, while for more laid-back games 60Hz is fine too. Resolution matters - 1440p is a good balance between quality and performance, but if you've got a powerful GPU you can aim for 4K. Then check the panel type: IPS for colors, VA for contrast, TN if you want the highest refresh rate on a tight budget.

I've personally learned the hard way that refresh rate is serious business - I've got a 144Hz monitor at home and whenever I go back to using a standard screen for some reason it all looks like slow motion to me, especially in action games! but it really depends on what you play, how much you want to spend, and whether you're the type who notices the difference or not.

what I'd add is don't sleep on the panel itself: IPS vs VA vs TN have different characteristics, colors on TN are pretty rough but it's fast, IPS looks amazing but it's a bit slower. if you want a solid compromise check out 144Hz models with a VA panel at 27 inches - they cost reasonable money and work great for the vast majority of gamers without having to go crazy on your budget!

The thing nobody mentions but that's actually really important is the real budget you have available, because the more you increase it, the less the performance curve improves. I mean, the difference between a 200 euro monitor and a 400 euro one is noticeable, but between a 1000 euro and a 1500 euro one it's marginal. Figure out what you can actually spend first, then work within that.

I second the refresh rate and viewing angles thing, but I'll add that the panel choice isn't always clear-cut. A VA can have better contrast than IPS panels (which are basically flat by default), so if you mainly play in the dark or in dimly lit spaces it might be worth it for you. Some players prefer that depth. The key is understanding whether the monitor is actually right for your use: if you're sitting straight in front of it a TN with limited angles is fine, but if you move around a lot IPS is better.

Last thing: resolution and size go together. A 27-inch at 1440p is the sweet spot for a lot of people (readable, detailed, performant), while 24-inch stays the classic for competitive gaming because the screen is denser. Try it out before you buy if you can, even just at a friend's place, because monitor sizes mounted are a very different thing from looking at them online.

When I got a chance to try a monitor with sRGB certification, I realized how much color calibration actually matters, especially if you're switching between gaming and watching photos or videos - it's not just something for designers, it really makes a difference in overall image quality. And if your budget allows for it, a screen with HDR can change the experience quite a bit, but honestly a lot of models promise it on paper and then disappoint you in practice.