So I am creating this thread. Hopefully this thread eventually helps prospective buyers or others having issues with the BenQ 27 and 24 Z series.
Firstly, the monitor was purchased for the objective of efficiency in high-performance console games. This includes a variety of genres (beyond first-person-shooters) but most are 3D polygonal, thus the need for fast motion tracking with camera movement.
So again, console, not PC. I already have a display setup for PC. The objective of the XL2720Z was to optimize efficiency in the most demanding skill-based console games. I come here to say that the display has failed it's objective thus far. It is not fit for even casual play without annoyance. At this point a so-called "laggy" HDTV is doing better motion and even perceived input lag, which I will get into later in the post.
The console space is much more limited than PC in terms of what you can configure (framerate is locked, output resolution locked, and so on) so I assumed it would be relatively simple to find the ideal display that forgoes image quality to a degree for performance.
Previously, I had the ever-so-popular TN panel, Asus VG248QE. I destroyed it due to attempting the anti-glare filter removal mod, a relatively simple mod they said. The image was far too washed out, even if performance didn't seem terrible. I did not test it on much however, but it seems the few 60 fps fast-paced games I did try on it I could perform faster than on a typical high-end HDTV.
That's where the BenQ XL2720Z came in: I would have gotten a second Asus VG248QE, but I heard about the console-compatible hardware strobing. With the only other viable console strobing, the Eizo Foris FG2421-BK, being far too expensive and now a "display lottery" not to mention higher input lag, I went with the BenQ.
Before posting here, I've done some brief off-screen observation based experiments comparing the XL2720Z to other monitors, across various games.
But before the comparisons, let's start with the first issue:
- 1) Over-Saturation
On the XL2720Z, the Hue and most importantly Saturation options are unavailable ("grayed out") across all mixes of configurations and selections. I read in a few places the options are only presenet on analog signals like D-SUB(VGA), but it was not avaialble there, either. I have tried VGA, HDMI and DVI across multiple devices.
Playing with Brightness and Contrast does not seem to do much. Contrast on this monitor seems more like a "brightness 2" setting instead of color depth/vibrancy like it shoud be. Color Temperature settings do not change much in terms of lessening the over-vibrance, only as it says, temperature. Overall the calibration potential here and options are painfully minimalistic, even lesser than the basics. The lowest and highest thresholds for things like Sharpness and Brightness seem too limited/locked as well.
It astounds me that something so simple as saturation toggle is being locked away. Is BenQ hiding something in terms of the panel's quality?
If there really is no way available via the typical end-user OSD, there must be a way to "break into" that setting perhaps via the factory menus. Is the option available in there? Even if not, if Mark of BlurBusters was able to create an external "hack" that controls the strobe, there must be ways to control even simpler things like the saturation. This is completely unacceptable. I am not asking for much with image quality, but a basic like that should be available.
- 2) Excessive Stutter & Ghosting
Let's make it clear that because we are dealing with console games here, the maximum framerate will be 60 fps, with many being 30 fps. Still, I feel this should not be happening on a so-called performance monitor.
Below are some brief experiments.
Blur Reduction was tested on default (no Utility tweak) AND with Blur Busters Utlity sliders set to two different configurations. Unless noted the effects were the same across both Blur Reduction Utility configurations.
All configurations tested at 1920x1080 resolution.
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Game: Forza Horizon 2
Game type: 3D/Polygonal
Game's framerate: 30 fps (locked/constant)
Display's refresh rate: 60hz
Device: Xbox One game console
Two types of tests were conducted.
A) Third person view behind car ("chase camera"): camera/background movement
B) Map screen: scrolling text, icons, and road lines
BenQ XL2720Z Monitor (27"):
- A) Blur Reduction OFF: As the car makes a turn, all background elements such as trees or poles turn into a complete stuttering mess. Things are only fine when driving forward. This leads me to believe the display has an issue with horizontal movement.
Blur Reduction ON: The stuttering/ghosting effect is nearly doubled.
B) Blur Reduction OFF: All of the text on the map as it scrolls in any direction (most pronounced horizontally because of the "stretch" effect the elements are receiving due to ghosting) becomes a stuttering, unreadable, jittering mess. It is unreadable bordering on eye-straining, until stationary again. Below is a demonstration: Around what it's supposed to look like in motion: Blur Reduction ON: The stuttering/ghosting effect is nearly doubled.
- This is Samsung's flagship 2008 HDTV, an LCD comparable to the enthusiast-choice plasma of the time, Pioneer KURO line. This model has 120 Hz motion interpoliation feature ("Auto Motion Plus 120hz"). While scoffed at by many, it's effects on this 30 fps game were very noticable and positive.
A) Auto Motion Plus 120hz OFF: Similar to the stuttering/ghosting on the BenQ, but not as pronounced.
Auto Motion Plus 120hz ON: The stuttering/ghosting is nearly eliminated completely.
B) While not completely eliminated, the text stuttering on the map has been contained and controlled. Stuttering on road lines and icons are not noticable.
- This is one of Panasonic's flagship 2010 offerings. With ex-Pioneer staff (who worked on the aforementioned KURO line) on board, this is one of the firsts of the real pseudo-spiritual successors to the KURO line. As for motion clarity, plasmas are supposed to be great. Input lag not so much. But that is not the goal of this experiment. This HDTV has also has a toggle called "Blur reduction" within the settings, but seems to have no noticable effect, so I did not include it in the results.
A) Despite plasmas having better motion clarity, the same excess stuttering/ghosting effects present on the XL2720Z (and LN40750 without interpoliation on) happens here.
B) Same results as A.
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Game: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Game type: 3D/Polygonal
Game's framerate: 60 fps (variable, but mostly always constant)
Display's refresh rate: 60hz
Device: Xbox 360 game console
The test consists of one element: the 3D camera rotation motion tracking.
BenQ XL2720Z Monitor (27"):
Blur Reduction OFF: The character shows no blurring, but all non-player character elements (background/floor) are a ghosting mess when rotating at a high speed. When rotating at a low speed, the ghosting on background objects is even more pronounced and evident, with things like poles giving double image. When the character moves forward, he remains constant, but the environment is not smooth.
Blur Reduction ON: The stuttering/ghosting is similar or even worse. The screen darkening/flicker effect of the strobe are the only evident changes, both negatives with none of the positives it's supposed to provide.
Samsung LN40A750 LCD HDTV (40"):
Auto Motion Plus 120hz OFF: No double image or ghosting, but things don't seem perfectly smooth either.
Auto Motion Plus 120hz ON: No perceived difference, possbly added very minor stutter.
- Xbox One dashboard
Game type: 2D
Game's framerate: ?? fps (probably 60)
Display's refresh rate: 60hz
Device: Xbox One game console
BenQ XL2720Z Monitor (27"):
Blur Reduction OFF: When sliding through icons on the menus, there is very evident ghosting/double image effect. It can even be what can be called a "catch up effect": the image seems to be having trouble keeping up with the fast "swipe" and takes a second to "catch up" and merge, or unify, back to a static image.
Blur Reduction ON: The effect is nearly doubled.
Samsung LN40A750 LCD HDTV (40"):
Auto Motion Plus 120hz OFF: Noticable ghosting/double image upon menu sliding, but minimal.
Auto Motion Plus 120hz ON: The ghosting is nearly completely eliminated, very smooth menu transitions. Any perceived stutter would likely be at fault of the hardware, not display.
Summary: It is quite surreal when a previously thought "laggy" HDTV outperforms a performance monitor on the console front, in terms of motion. Even if it does, the input lag, while not tested here, may be worse much worse on the HDTV. Sacrifices must be made for situational purpose: It is nearly 2015 and there is not anywhere on the market something with the benefits of OLED/IPS image combined with fast response of TN. I was willing to make a comprimise for performance, but it seems the BenQ cannot excel with neither image nor motion in terms of consoles.
This really should not be a unicorn to chase though: developers of the fast-paced games are using something over in their offices to test, console exclusive games at that, and it shouldn't be a mystery on how to at least see these console games 1:1 of what they're pushing out.
While barebones and no strobe support for consoles, the Asus VG248QE may be the "no frills" basic for motion/input lag without any side-effects we're seeing on the BenQ; side-effects that beckon the question, "is this monitor really only for PC gameplay?" Then from there I ask, unless you're competitive gaming, why would you even use a cheap TN if you're playing with a beefed up PC that can output 4K visuals at very high framerate? Perhaps a discussion not fit for this thread, but just another mystery of these TN PC panels.
I would have preferred to do a comparison to other console-compatible performance monitors such as the aforementioned Asus or Foris, but I used what I have in inventory at the moment. I would have also preferred to do tests on a few 2D games as well, but I suppose the results would be similar to the Xbox One dashboard menu results.
I hope I, and others, can get some answers to the saturation mystery and how to make the BenQ be competent with consoles in terms of motion clarity. If there is no answer and the conclusions have already been made, I can conclude the BenQ is only viable with PC setups. Does the search for the best high performance console display continue, or is it right before us in the BenQ, with tweaks needed?