The race to build faster gaming monitors isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Chinese brand AntGamer has now teased a display that could leave today’s high-refresh panels in the dust — a monitor running at a jaw-dropping 1,000 Hz, scheduled for release in 2026.
The news surfaced at the “Peak New Products and Ecological Co-creation” conference late last week, where AntGamer briefly outlined its plans. Posts on the company’s official Weibo account and coverage from Chinese outlet ITHome confirmed that the futuristic screen is in development, though full specifications are still under wraps.
What We Know So Far
Right now, the details are thin, but AntGamer’s teaser gave us a few core specs to chew on:
- A 1,000 Hz refresh rate, something never before seen in consumer monitors.
- TN panel technology, chosen for raw speed.
- Local dimming, aimed at improving contrast.
- Black Frame Insertion (BFI), a feature that helps reducing motion blur.
For those who don’t know, BFI works by inserting black frames between regular ones, essentially tricking the eye into perceiving smoother motion. It’s been used on a few OLED displays, though its biggest impact is usually seen at sub-200 fps. AntGamer seems confident the tech can still play a role at sky-high refresh rates.
Why Push to 1,000 Hz Gaming Monitor?
Monitors have been climbing steadily over the past decade — from 60 Hz to 144 Hz, then 240 Hz becoming common in esports arenas. In the past couple of years, we’ve even seen 500 Hz and 540 Hz monitors aimed squarely at professional gamers.
So why 1,000 Hz? At that speed, even the fastest games — think Counter-Strike 2 or PUBG — could look almost blur-free. Esports players who rely on lightning-fast reactions might appreciate every millisecond saved. Whether the average eye can truly pick up the difference between 500 Hz and 1,000 Hz is another story, but competitive gamers often chase any possible advantage, no matter how small.
AMD Joins the Project
One of the more interesting tidbits is that AntGamer isn’t going it alone. The company revealed it has partnered with AMD to release a technical whitepaper on 1,000 fps gaming.
Slides shown during the event (and later shared online) hinted at some of the games expected to benefit first, with CS2 and PUBG specifically named. Other materials pointed to behind-the-scenes engineering work, like improving signal integrity, using faster semiconductor thin films, and rethinking how display cells are built — all to squeeze out the quickest possible response times.
That AMD is involved suggests this isn’t just a flashy marketing stunt. Both companies appear to be laying groundwork for hardware and software ecosystems that can actually support such extreme refresh rates.
The Reality Check
As exciting as 1,000 Hz sounds on paper, there are some big caveats. TN panels, while great for speed, have long been criticized for weak color reproduction and narrow viewing angles. AntGamer’s mention of local dimming shows it knows image quality matters, but the trade-offs compared to OLED or IPS panels could still be stark.
Then there’s the question of whether gamers — even pros — can see a meaningful difference at that level. Some argue that diminishing returns set in past 240 Hz, while others swear they can feel smoother motion at 360 Hz and beyond. A full 1,000 Hz will certainly restart that debate.
What’s Available Now
Gamers don’t have to wait until 2026 to enjoy ultra-high refresh rates. Right now, monitors offering 360 Hz, 480 Hz, and even 540 Hz are already available, while OLED panels with 240–480 Hz speeds deliver richer colors alongside competitive response times.
For most players, these displays will offer more than enough performance without the compromises that might come with first-generation 1,000 Hz tech.
Looking Ahead
AntGamer hasn’t confirmed the finer details — no word on resolution, screen size, or pricing just yet. What’s clear, though, is that the company wants to plant its flag in the future of esports hardware.
If it delivers, the 1,000 Hz monitor could become the new crown jewel for competitive setups. But for everyday gamers, the smarter move might be sticking with the steadily improving selection of OLED and high-refresh LCD monitors already on the market.
For now, AntGamer’s announcement is less about what you can buy today and more about where display technology is headed. Whether we truly need 1,000 Hz or not, the race to go faster clearly isn’t slowing down.
