BenQ Zowie XL2411P Review: 1080p 144Hz 1ms Gaming Monitor

The BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P is a 24″ 1080p 144Hz 1ms gaming monitor aimed at serious competitive gamers.

In fact, BenQ’s prestigious ZOWIE gaming displays are the official monitors for various eSports tournaments, including DreamHack, ESL, MGL, etc.

So, is it any better than a standard 144Hz gaming monitor? Let’s find out.

Image Quality

The BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P is based on a standard TN panel with a 350-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and dithered 8-bit color depth for 16.7 million colors.

It features the Full HD screen resolution with 1920×1080 pixels, which makes reaching high frame rates easy on your GPU while still offering a solid pixel density on a 24-inch monitor.

The only downside of the BenQ XL2411P is the one shared by all TN panels which are the narrow viewing angles (170° horizontally and 160° vertically) and inferior color quality compared to other panel technologies.

So, as far as the image quality is concerned, you aren’t getting any improvements in comparison to any other 144Hz TN panel model at this price range.

It’s only when we get to the performance that things start to heat up.

Performance

The BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P input lag amounts to only ~4ms, which, along with its rapid 1ms response time speed and 144Hz refresh rate, ensures fluid and immersive, fast-paced gameplay.

In the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu, you will find the ‘Instant Mode’ feature that allows the display to bypass certain image processing for the minimal input lag when enabled.

While the low input lag ensures instantaneous reaction to your commands, the quick response time speed eliminates ghosting and trailing of fast-moving objects.

Overall, you get everything you need for professional competitive gameplay at your disposal – and then some.

Features

BenQ is known for its high-quality motion blur reduction technology, which efficiently eliminates motion blur.

In the OSD menu, you will find the ‘Blur Reduction’ option, which once enabled strobes the backlight and thus reduces the perceived motion blur and ghosting for CRT-like motion clarity.

However, keep in mind that when this feature is enabled, the screen’s maximum brightness will be reduced.

Learn more about Motion Blur Reduction (MBR).

In comparison to the previous models, the BenQ ZOWIE XL2411 and the BenQ XL2411Z, the ZOWIE XL2411P 144Hz monitor, offers the Color Vibrance feature which allows you to quickly change and tweak the colors to your liking with 20 different pre-set levels depending on the game you’re playing.

Additionally, Black eQualizer increases visibility in dark scenes making it easier for you to spot enemies hiding in shadows.

The monitor also features pre-calibrated picture presets, including two FPS modes, one RTS mode, and three customizable Gamer profiles.

Besides the standard display adjustments such as brightness, contrast, gamma, color temperature, etc., you will also find ‘Display Mode,’ which can scale the image to different aspect ratio/screen size formats.

Lastly, you can assign most of these features, including Blur Reduction, to the three hotkeys on the monitor.

Design & Connectivity

The gamer-inspired design of the BenQ XL2411P consists of extensive ergonomics including 90° pivot, +/- 45° swivel to the left and right, -5°/20° tilt, up to 130mm height adjustment, and 100x100mm holes for VESA mount.

The monitor frame is specifically designed to reduce reflections, in addition to having a matte anti-glare coating.

Connector ports include Dual-Link DVI, DisplayPort 1.2, and HDMI. 144Hz is only supported over DisplayPort and DVI.

Additionally, there’s a headphone jack, but no built-in speakers nor USB ports.

Price & Similar Monitors

The BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P price is around $200. The newer model, the BenQ ZOWIE XL2411K, is also available with a slightly different design and better MBR implementation (DyAc+) that sacrifices less brightness.

We recommend the LG 24GN650 instead. It’s a 24″ 1080p 144Hz gaming monitor with a fast 1ms GtG IPS panel. So, you get just as fast response time, but also much better colors and wider viewing angles at the same price. Moreover, the LG 24GN650 supports both FreeSync (G-SYNC Compatible) and MBR.

Conclusion

All in all, the BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P is a very good monitor for competitive gaming, but there are better alternatives available.

Screen Size	24-inch
Resolution	1920×1080 (Full HD)
Panel Type	TN
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	144Hz
Response Time	1ms (GtG)
Ports	DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, DVI
Other Ports	Headphone Jack
Brightness	350 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (6-bit + FRC)
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)
Motion Blur Reduction	BenQ Blur Reduction