Sceptre C248B-144RN Review: 1080p 144Hz FreeSync Curved Gaming Monitor

The Sceptre C248B-144RN is one of the most affordable 144Hz gaming monitors available yet it offers plenty of cool features including an ultra-slim curved design, AMD FreeSync, and an exceptional contrast ratio thanks to its VA panel.

In this review, we’ll see how it compares to the more expensive alternatives and whether it’s worth it.

Image Quality

The monitor is based on a VA (Vertical Alignment) panel with a superior static contrast ratio of 3,000:1.

Compared to other panel technologies such as IPS and TN, which have a contrast ratio of up to 1,000:1, the Sceptre C248B-144RN delivers deeper blacks and an overall better relation between the darkest and the brightest shades.

Further, the Sceptre C248B-144RN display supports true 8-bit color depth and offers wide 178-degree viewing angles.

Although the colors aren’t as accurate and consistent as that of IPS panels, they are notably better than what you may find on some more expensive TN models.

The maximum brightness amounts to 250-nits, which is sufficient for an enjoyable viewing experience under normal lighting conditions.

Lastly, 1080p resolution provides a decent amount of screen space and detail clarity while not being too demanding on your CPU/GPU when it comes to reaching high frame rates.

Performance

Moving on, the Sceptre C248B-144RN input lag amounts to ~4ms at 144Hz, which makes for imperceptible delay between your actions and the result on the screen, even if you’re a hardcore gamer.

The response time speed, on the other hand, is not as quick. Sceptre specifies a response time speed of 3ms (GtG) though that implies rather specific testing conditions and using strong overdrive, which introduces overshoot in most cases.

In reality, trailing of fast-moving objects is noticeable, more so when dark pixels are predominant in the picture. Still, it’s certainly tolerable considering the price and image quality of the monitor.

Now, if you mainly play competitive FPS games, you should look for a 1080p 144Hz gaming monitor with a TN panel and a 1ms response time speed instead.

These gaming monitors may have narrower viewing angles and inferior color quality and contrast, but if you care more about performance than picture quality, it’s a necessary trade-off, at least at this price range.

In case you prefer better graphics and play fast-paced games more casually, the Sceptre C248B-144RN monitor will suit you much better.

Features

The Sceptre C248B-144RN supports AMD FreeSync over both HDMI and DisplayPort with a 48-144Hz variable refresh rate (VRR) range.

If you have a compatible graphics card, you can enable FreeSync, which will synchronize the monitor’s refresh rate with GPU’s frame rates and, in turn, eliminate screen tearing and stuttering within the VRR range with virtually no input lag penalty.

The monitor is not certified as G-SYNC compatible by NVIDIA. Some users report stable performance when using FreeSync with compatible NVIDIA GPUs while others report various issues.

In our case, there was a bit of flickering visible, mainly when the FPS drops below the lower 48FPS VRR range and triggers LFC, but the performance overall is stable.

Keep in mind that this will vary between individual units of the monitor. In case you experience certain issues when using FreeSync, you can try out these steps.

Other features include pre-calibrated picture presets (FPS, RTS, Movie, Eco, Standard, and User), Blue Light Shift (low-blue light filter), flicker-free backlight, and the standard picture adjustments such as brightness, contrast, sharpness, color temperature – plus the advanced gamma and hue/saturation settings.

Design & Connectivity

The Sceptre C248B-144RN has a very slim design with ultra-thin bezels. Note that the image is not edge-to-edge as there’s a thin black border around the screen, which is the case with all ‘bezel-less’ and ‘frame-less’ designs, at least for now.

You can tilt the screen of the monitor by -5°/15° and remove the stand in case you want to mount the screen using the 75x75mm VESA pattern. The screen has a matte anti-glare coating, which eliminates reflections.

Connectivity options include HDMI 1.4 (max 120Hz), HDMI 2.0 (144Hz), DisplayPort 1.2 (144Hz), and a headphones jack.

The monitor has a 1800R screen curvature, which slightly increases immersion and depth; it’s no game-changer, but it’s a nice touch.

Price & Similar Monitors

The Sceptre C248B-144RN price is only ~$150, which makes it one of the most affordable 144Hz gaming monitors.

However, AOC’s C24G1A now also go for around $150, so you should definitely check it out as well. It offers better motion handling with 1ms MPRT, it has a better design, and more features including a wide color gamut.

Further, for around $30 extra, you can get a 1080p 144Hz monitor with an IPS panel such as the AOC 24G2 or the ViewSonic XG2405 with even better colors and viewing angles, and faster response time speed, but lower contrast ratio.

The previous model of this monitor, the Sceptre C248B-144R, is available as well. It has built-in speakers and a DVI-D port, but it’s more expensive and has a less appealing design.

Both monitors are available as 27″ variants as well: the Sceptre C275B-144R and the Sceptre C275B-144RN. However, we recommend the 24″ models due to the higher pixel-per-inch ratio.

Conclusion

All in all, the Sceptre C248B-144RN is a decent gaming monitor for the price. But, unless you’re on a really limited budget, we suggest saving up for a higher quality display.

Specifications

Screen Size	23.6-inch
Screen Curvature	1800R
Resolution	1920×1080 (Full HD)
Panel Type	VA
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	144Hz
Response Time	3ms (GtG)
Adaptive Sync	FreeSync (48Hz-144Hz)
Ports	DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0
Other Ports	Headphone Jack
Brightness	250 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	3000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (true 8-bit)
VESA	Yes (75x75mm)