Asus VG278HE
A bigger screen for a smaller price
Price: $520
Color me confused. This 27-inch screen has
the same whopping 144Hz refresh rate of its smaller sibling, the VG248, but
packs an extra three inches. So why is the larger monitor around 10% cheaper
than the smaller version? It’s not a lower quality screen; the VG278 looks a
bit better straight out of the box than the VG248, with less eye-watering
brightness issues. Having said that, it still failed the brightness test when
using its preset color profiles, as well as the contrast ratio and black level
tests. Once again, it appears ASUS has sacrificed quality to deliver a speedy
screen.
VG278
looks a bit better straight out of the box than the VG248, with less
eye-watering brightness issues
Despite the bright appearance, it’s still
rather usable – it’s just not as subtle or natural as Dell’s offerings here,
and color perfectionists will find the problems too great to stomach. Fonts
looked rather jagged while browsing the web, which could point to an issue with
sharpness. On the flipside, the extra brightness is a godsend when running in
3D, as there’s very little of the usual dimming seen when using 3D glasses.
The 1920 x 1080 resolution is stretched on
such a large monitor (most 27-inchers use 2560 x 1440), but it’s only
noticeable if you sit too close. The fluidity of motion in Quake Live and other
PC games at 144Hz was impressive, but the garish colors really impacted the
overall experience.
If we ignore the color issues, this display
is a steal. 27-inches of screen real estate, purring by at 144Hz, and delivering
3D far brighter than its competitors. However, with its color reproduction and
contrast performance issues, the quest to deliver the ultimate in speed came at
too high a cost.
·
Super-fast refresh rate
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Nice price for the size
·
Big
·
Poor contrast and color performance
Verdict: 7/10
Big and fast, this is a great monitor for
3D thanks to its brightness. Pity about the rest of the image quality,
especially in 2D
BenQ XL242T
Speed with no sacrifices
Price: $499
ASUS isn’t the only company that makes
speed-demon displays. This little ripper from BenQ ticks over with a refresh
rate of 120Hz, pouring frames onto the screen like an overflowing dam after
heavy rains. It’s only 22Hz slower than the ASUS displays; a difference
impossible to notice in-game. However, unlike ASUS, BenQ hasn’t compromised on
image quality, with an excellent display that excels in nearly every area.
White Saturation and Black Level tests show
a monitor that wipes the floor with eth other refresh rate racers, perfectly
showing whites without oversaturation, and revealing detail in the deepest
blacks. The touchscreen controls make accessing the monitor’s advanced features
a breeze, and the included control box makes flicking between preset modes even
easier.
XL2420T
is a potent performer. It might cost an arm and a leg, but once you’ve seen it
in action you’ll understand why.
Firing up the FPS mode that this monitor
revolves around, Quake Live looked absolutely perfect, ramming by at 120 frames
per second. While War Thunder and World of Tanks couldn’t maintain such frame
high rates, they still looked excellent, and played with a sharpness of
response that other monitors lack. Especially impressive is the overall feel of
the image – the colors are just right, without popping out of the screen, while
detail in darker areas is exposed by the monitor’s Black eQualizer feature.
Some might find the image a little too bright, but this can be tweaked out with
the deep range of options.
Throw in excellent 3D performance courtesy
of NVIDIA’s 3D Vision 2, and the XL2420T is a potent performer. It might cost
an arm and a leg, but once you’ve seen it in action you’ll understand why.
·
Excellent image quality
·
Fast refresh rate
·
Black eQualizer feature
·
Expensive
·
Needs fast hardware behind it
Verdict: 9/10
The XL2420T is our favorite 24-inch gaming
monitor on the market, combining rapid fire refresh rates with excellent image
quality.
Dell S2440L
How low can Dell go?
Price: $275
As a long time user of Dell’s stunning
27-inch displays, I’ve come to associate the brand with expensive, high quality
screens. When I was offered this budget monitor, I was intrigued; could Dell’s
immaculate image quality and technology flow down to lower price points?
The first thing I noticed was the rather
average stand, which has very limited range of motion. Secondly, the screen is
covered in a glossy coating that makes it wonderful mirror, but not so great
for using in bright areas. It’s one of eth shiniest screens I’ve used, but I
have to admit it’s rather attractive, with the edge-less design a nice
inclusion at this price point.
Dell
has created an excellent budget monitor in the S2440L, and then screwed it all
up by coating it in a mirror-like reflective substance
Measuring 24-inches across, the native
resolution of 1920 x 1080 means pixels are hard to see unless you game with
your nose pressed to the glass. Black level tests were extremely hard to see
thanks to the glossy reflection of my ugly mug, but white saturation looked
excellent. Contrast was also excellent; other than the glossy screen, things
were looking good.
Firing up Quake Live, I couldn’t notice any
ghosting or latency, pointing to excellent pixel response time and input lag
performance. Was Thunder looked beautiful, with the excellent image quality
giving it an almost photo realistic quality.
Dell has created an excellent budget
monitor in the S2440L, and then screwed it all up by coating it in a
mirror-like reflective substance. If they ever decide to go with a matte
finish, this will be a fantastic bargain – until then, avoid unless you play in
the dark, where reflections won’t be an issue.
·
Very cheap
·
Excellent image quality
·
Excellent as a mirror
·
Extremely glossy finish
·
Rather average stand
Verdict: 7/10
It’s painful to see Dell come so close to
creating a fantastic budget gaming monitor, and then stuffing it up with such a
simple design flaw.
Dell 2913WM
Welcome to wide screen
Price: $599
This 29-inch monster promises to be the
perfect PC gaming monitor, with its extra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio providing a
wide field of view normally associated with multi-monitor setups. There are no
nasty bezels getting in the way, but on the flip side the panel is flat, so the
outer edges can’t be angled inwards towards the user as with a traditional
three-screen configuration. Running at a native 2560 x 1080 resolution, the
2913WM needs a respectable GPU behind it, though the fact it’s limited to a
60Hz refresh rate lowers hardware needs.
The width of the monitor was a little
disconcerting – I normally use twin monitors, but they don’t fill my field of
view quite like this monitor; it reminded me of sitting too close to the TV as
a kid. Image quality for web browsing and other desktop duties was up to Dell’s
immaculate standards, and it passed the Lagom tests with flying colors. But I
was most excited about the monitor’s gaming performance.
Quake Live didn’t support the monitor’s
native resolution; an issue that will crop up in older games. I also noticed
the slightest hint of input lag – not enough to make it unworkable, but
slightly perceptible nonetheless. War Thunder and World of Tanks’ stunning
vistas put the wide field of view to the test. Having the extra visual info on
each side was helpful, but the fact that the screen is flat means looking at
the edges feels a little uncomfortable.
Considering its 29-inches, the price tag is
a steal, and the lack of bezels will appeal to those who like their PC games
nice and wide. If only it was curved, the extra width would be perfect for
everybody.
·
Excellent price for the size
·
Extra wide field of view
·
Slight input lag
·
Visible pixel structure
·
Flat, not curved
Verdict: 8/10
It’s certainly wide, but the fact that it’s
flat might make it uncomfortable for some PC gamers.
