The problem might be in if you give it a resolution it isn't prepared to handle. Weird graphical output that is just garbage and unreadable, or the monitor saying 'signal not found' or being all black. If you gave it a bad setting with CRT's, you could in theory actually destroy the monitor by working it too hard.

With LCD/LED, that isn't really a problem anymore, but a bad resolution can still keep you from using it.

I'd be trying to ensure that the native resolution is maintained at all times. On my old PC and current monitor I always used 1680x1050 except for two games (one game that wasn't optimized very well at all, and the other being too new to be able to play at native resolution with all the graphical effects - these two games I ran at 1280 x 800, maintaining a 16:10 aspect ratio). So I don't think I'd be hitting issues running stuff in unsupported resolutions unless they were very old games, in which case I'd be trying to use them in a window (using tools like DxWnd if necessary).

My concern is around the refresh rates. So say running a game at 60fps but with the monitor being 144Hz. Could the monitor be changed to use 60Hz instead for these cases, or 120Hz maybe (showing each frame twice)? Is that just something in the graphics driver settings or something on the monitor itself? Also, is this where G-Sync gives the best help by changing the monitor refresh rate to suit, so capping at 60fps would mean the monitor uses at most 60Hz, but lowers the refresh rate to match if the framerate dropped?

Anyone have any experience of MVA displays? And are Viewsonic any good?

I've done some size comparisons on my desk space today and it really is quite limited. Even 24" is quite large for my desk area. Seriously considering 21.5"-22" now. I'm also not yet convinced that high refresh rate is worth it, and I'm sure it would cause issues with some older games that would need workarounds applying, as well as it leading to more of a requirement to upgrade PC components over time as running games at 144Hz would need more power than 60Hz, so as new games get released, they'll start to struggle faster. At least, that's how I'm reading it.

I have an AMVA panel. Bought it about 2 weeks ago. Like I wrote before there is gamma shifting when moving head, but it is not a big deal really, unless somebody would look from strange angles. The grey to black transitions are slower, so I did not seen so much lag input or ghosting at most time but with some darker areas I see changes.

Still I prefer it since at least I can see dark areas not like in an IPS, where it was glowing. Also I have strange feeling like there is some kind of lag in black white movies, but I am not sure. The ones with better qualities don't have it. Maybe it is more seen with the ones with low bit rate or I am just imaging things and it was the same on IPS. For sure it is because low bit-rate.

Anyway, I played Unreal Tournament 2004 for 3 days. I can tell you it plays well. Some areas with grays have a small noticeable ghosting, but only when you real look for it (some spots on two maps). Stay in one place and move your mouse as fast as you can from left to right left right left right etc..... Was also on IPS but still the ghosting was faster. It is like normal brain response - like you were on carousel. Still I can see it is a monitor thing (obviously it is not a CRT). But unless you want to play Quakeworld or something like that you should be fine.

There are also a videos on YouTube showing ghosting on my model in Skyrim. But the fact is with mods that change lightning they are mostly gone. Also videos on YouTube are through camera so they have artifacts and things are WAY exaggerated.

If you buy VA just try to get AMVA+ and also read some reviews and opinions to see if they don't have low input lag. Check dark to grey transitions. Don't really look about supposed response time since it is not accurate. My has 4ms so you want really see a change. In tests it is faster than my previous IPS, but when you look at dark to grey tests it is more like 20ms. Of course it is a norm in real tests (I mean the differences are a norm). You might have 2 ms monitor that is really like 14 and 4 ms that is 8 really. so just read good reviews that really check it (input lag) and view opinions and reviews of users.

Also it seems you are from civilized country so you probably could get a monitor back within 14 days if you don't like it. And it wont take a year before you get a different monitor or your money back.