Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Ask about motion blur reduction in gaming monitors. Includes ULMB (Ultra Low Motion Blur), NVIDIA LightBoost, ASUS ELMB, BenQ/Zowie DyAc, Turbo240, ToastyX Strobelight, etc.
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gallahad_
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Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by gallahad_ » 07 Oct 2020, 23:46

Hello all, first post on the forum but with how often I go here when researching, I figure this is the best place to ask my question.

I have had a VG248QE using lightboost@120hz for quite a while now, and with some of the 240hz monitors coming out, I'd like to upgrade. My question is, is it worth getting a 240hz monitor if I plan to use it strobed at 120hz, and if so, which ones are recommended?

I'm currently considering either the new Zowie XL2456K because of DyAc+, or the ViewSonic XG270 because of the blur-busters tuned factor. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

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Chief Blur Buster
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Re: Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 12 Oct 2020, 21:44

gallahad_ wrote:
07 Oct 2020, 23:46
I have had a VG248QE using lightboost@120hz for quite a while now, and with some of the 240hz monitors coming out, I'd like to upgrade. My question is, is it worth getting a 240hz monitor if I plan to use it strobed at 120hz, and if so, which ones are recommended?
Refresh rate headroom is definitely very good for improving strobe quality. LightBoost was revolutionary for its time because it was the first time a desktop LCD matched CRT motion clarity. But it's pretty old now.
gallahad_ wrote:
07 Oct 2020, 23:46
I'm currently considering either the new Zowie XL2456K because of DyAc+, or the ViewSonic XG270 because of the blur-busters tuned factor. Any help is appreciated, thanks!
Either would make great choice. They have separate pros/cons.

- Both can strobe at 75Hz-to-240Hz
- Both will have less crosstalk at lower Hz
- Both will have different tuning tips & tricks
- IPS pros versus TN pros
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gallahad_
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Re: Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by gallahad_ » 24 Oct 2020, 09:23

Chief Blur Buster wrote:
12 Oct 2020, 21:44
gallahad_ wrote:
07 Oct 2020, 23:46
I have had a VG248QE using lightboost@120hz for quite a while now, and with some of the 240hz monitors coming out, I'd like to upgrade. My question is, is it worth getting a 240hz monitor if I plan to use it strobed at 120hz, and if so, which ones are recommended?
Refresh rate headroom is definitely very good for improving strobe quality. LightBoost was revolutionary for its time because it was the first time a desktop LCD matched CRT motion clarity. But it's pretty old now.
gallahad_ wrote:
07 Oct 2020, 23:46
I'm currently considering either the new Zowie XL2456K because of DyAc+, or the ViewSonic XG270 because of the blur-busters tuned factor. Any help is appreciated, thanks!
Either would make great choice. They have separate pros/cons.

- Both can strobe at 75Hz-to-240Hz
- Both will have less crosstalk at lower Hz
- Both will have different tuning tips & tricks
- IPS pros versus TN pros
Awesome, thanks for the reply!

Gwyndael
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Re: Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by Gwyndael » 06 Nov 2020, 22:40

Hey Chief and BB forum.

Thanks again for your help from before; and apologies again for the delayed response.

I'm in the same boat as OP. I'm planning to upgrade from my VG248QE as I think I've pushed it to the limits in terms on what I'm hoping to get from my gaming experience; and with Black Friday on the way I'm hoping to snag a deal.

Aside from eliminating as much motion blur as possible, having good colour is my highest priority, and as you know Lightboost doesn't really cut it when it comes to colour. I also don't have the option to update my hardware frequently, so my next monitor is going to have to last me quite a while.

Based on the BB recommendation and its price point, I was looking at the ViewSonix XG270 as it seems like it ticks these boxes for my build, and aside from some comments on backlight bleeds, the majority of reviews I've read seem to be very positive.

Would this be my best option; or are there other alternatives that I should consider? Should I hold out for an upcoming batch of monitors that would be better suited?

If it helps, here's my specs: GPU: GeForce RTX 2070 Super; CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600; RAM: 32GB (2 x 16GB).

Many thanks in advance :)

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Re: Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 06 Nov 2020, 22:49

Gwyndael wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:40
Based on the BB recommendation and its price point, I was looking at the ViewSonix XG270 as it seems like it ticks these boxes for my build, and aside from some comments on backlight bleeds, the majority of reviews I've read seem to be very positive.
If strobing your priority, it is an excellent choice. 120Hz strobe on the XG270 is vastly superior color-wise to 120Hz strobe on LightBoost, and similarly low in strobe crosstalk. It will be a more eye-pleasing upgrade given the poor quality of LightBoost. And you get VRR bonus (the monitor's FreeSync support is "G-SYNC Compatible") when you turn off PureXP
Gwyndael wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:40
Would this be my best option; or are there other alternatives that I should consider? Should I hold out for an upcoming batch of monitors that would be better suited?
If you upgrade infrequently, then after 240Hz, you should consider switching from strobing-based approach to strobeless motion blur reduction. LightBoost is 2ms MPRT by default, which can be blur-matched strobelessly via 480fps@480Hz (ETA 2022 I'd guesstimate). If you're one of those LightBoost 10% users, then you'd want 1000fps@1000Hz (ETA before 2030 I'd guesstimate). You'd be interested in seeing Method #2 of CRT Nirvana Guide for Disappointed CRT-to-LCD Upgraders.

However, for now, strobing is the only way to achieve motion clarity similar to LIghtBoost, unless you can achieve 360fps at 360Hz which gets almost LightBoost clarity strobelessly (~2.8ms MPRT versus LightBoost 100% 2ms MPRT).

There will also be 1440p 240Hz NanoIPS options which are even better color quality than the XG270, although it likely has the slow KSF red phosphor (ghosting).
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Gwyndael
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Re: Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by Gwyndael » 07 Nov 2020, 20:47

Thanks for the response Chief. Apologies in advance for all of the upcoming questions, and many thanks for your patience.
Chief Blur Buster wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:49
If strobing your priority, it is an excellent choice. 120Hz strobe on the XG270 is vastly superior color-wise to 120Hz strobe on LightBoost, and similarly low in strobe crosstalk. It will be a more eye-pleasing upgrade given the poor quality of LightBoost. And you get VRR bonus (the monitor's FreeSync support is "G-SYNC Compatible") when you turn off PureXP
Very good to know RE colour and low crosstalk. I had little doubt than anything would exceed the 120Hz strobe on LightBoost colour wise, but just wanted to know what's best lol

Out of interest, why would I want to turn off PureXP if that's what is contributing to reducing motion blur?
Chief Blur Buster wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:49
If you upgrade infrequently, then after 240Hz, you should consider switching from strobing-based approach to strobeless motion blur reduction.
I take it that "strobeless motion blur reduction" is essentially whatever the monitor is able to provide with its motion blur tech turned off e.g PureXP; ULMB etc?
Chief Blur Buster wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:49
LightBoost is 2ms MPRT by default, which can be blur-matched strobelessly via 480fps@480Hz (ETA 2022 I'd guesstimate). If you're one of those LightBoost 10% users, then you'd want 1000fps@1000Hz (ETA before 2030 I'd guesstimate). You'd be interested in seeing Method #2 of CRT Nirvana Guide for Disappointed CRT-to-LCD Upgraders.

However, for now, strobing is the only way to achieve motion clarity similar to LIghtBoost, unless you can achieve 360fps at 360Hz which gets almost LightBoost clarity strobelessly (~2.8ms MPRT versus LightBoost 100% 2ms MPRT).
So what I'm getting from this is that unless you have the hardware to directly match the fps to the max hz of the monitor (which isn't likely to happen until ETA 2022), utilising whatever motion blur tech the monitor has and matching the fps to it is going to provide the best motion clarity results? This is because the motion blur tech helps control the MPRT, and monitors with good out of the box MPRT are still not widely available?

For example, why I'm currently using Strobelight at 120hz strobed on my VG248QE and setting games to 120 fps to match it; rather than running the monitor out of the box at 144hz.

And while a monitor is capable of 240hz, having it strobe at a lower hz helps the strobe quality? e.g why the strobe quality on my 144hz VG248QE sucks lol
Chief Blur Buster wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:49
There will also be 1440p 240Hz NanoIPS options which are even better color quality than the XG270, although it likely has the slow KSF red phosphor (ghosting).
So the XG270 with PureXP on and set to 120hz and matching refresh rates is still my best choice for motion clarity and colour; and there's no new batch of 240hz monitors on the near horizon that will make the XG270 a poor choice for the next 5 or so years?

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Re: Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 07 Nov 2020, 21:56

Gwyndael wrote:
07 Nov 2020, 20:47
Out of interest, why would I want to turn off PureXP if that's what is contributing to reducing motion blur?
There is motion blur only because refresh rates are too low to eliminate motion blur strobelessly.

500fps 500Hz nonstrobed has identical display motion blur to LightBoost 100% (1/500sec = 2ms MPRT)

1000fps 1000Hz nonstrobed has identical display motion blur to LightBoost 10% (1/1000sec = 1ms MPRT)

Nonstrobed means LightBoost OFF, PureXP OFF, ULMB OFF. Flickerfree blur reduction. Except it looks vastly better for other reasons (full brightness, full color, fewer stroboscopics). We are dependant on strobing to eliminate motion blur only because refresh rates are not high enough to eliminate motion blur strobelessly. Strobing is a humankind band-aid. Blur Busters loved strobing for many years, but strobeless blur reduction is the motion blur Holy Grail of 2030.

Right now, the state of art in strobeless blur reduction is the VG259QM (280Hz) and PG259QN (360Hz) which strobelessly can already achieve better than half the motion blur of 144Hz LightBoost=OFF ... (Though both have strobe features too). The XG270 is really good though, with excellently tuned 100Hz-to-120Hz motion blur reduction, in a massive improvement to your VG248QE, and even the mere 240fps at 240Hz PureXP=OFF will have less motion blur than 144fps at 144Hz LightBoost=OFF, so you still have both options.
Gwyndael wrote:
07 Nov 2020, 20:47
Chief Blur Buster wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:49
If you upgrade infrequently, then after 240Hz, you should consider switching from strobing-based approach to strobeless motion blur reduction.
I take it that "strobeless motion blur reduction" is essentially whatever the monitor is able to provide with its motion blur tech turned off e.g PureXP; ULMB etc?
Correct. Entry-level strobeless motion blur reduction has already essentially arrived with the 360Hz monitors in a sense, and monitors are expected to reach 1000Hz by the end of this decade. ASUS Has confirmed their "Road to 1000Hz" to Blur Busters and PC Magazine, at CES 2020 a year ago.

If you buy something now, then if you upgrade only once every 5 or 10 years, your 2nd upgrade in year 2025 or 2030 could conceivably switch to strobeless motion blur reduction which is more eye-friendly (no flicker, no stroboscopics). Just informing you of long-term planning of the preferred method of motion blur reduction via brute framerate & refreshrate.

For more information of the newer long-term Blur Busters preference for strobeless motion blur reduction:
  1. Pixel Response FAQ: GtG Versus MPRT
  2. The Stroboscopic Effect of Finite Frame Rate
  3. Blur Busters Law: The Amazing Journey To Future 1000 Hz Displays
  4. Frame Rate Amplification Tech: Cheaper 1000fps GPUs Of The Future
Chief Blur Buster wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:49
So what I'm getting from this is that unless you have the hardware to directly match the fps to the max hz of the monitor (which isn't likely to happen until ETA 2022), utilising whatever motion blur tech the monitor has and matching the fps to it is going to provide the best motion clarity results? This is because the motion blur tech helps control the MPRT, and monitors with good out of the box MPRT are still not widely available?
MPRT is equal to (1/frametime) on a non-strobed display assuming GtG is a tiny fraction of a refresh cycle. The math becomes simple. If you want 2ms MPRT without strobing, it requires 500fps at 500Hz on a sample-and-hold LCD or OLED (non-strobed, LightBoost=OFF, PureXP=OFF, ULMB=OFF), which is explained in the Pixel Response FAQ link (GtG-vs-MPRT).

Don't worry about it this upgrade cycle, unless you're attracted to trying 360fps at 360Hz to get the world's lowest motion blur stroblessly. For now, just get strobed 120Hz and keep frame rates low enough (framerate=Hz). It is a bit too earlybird to go the strobeless route unless you've already purchased an RTX 3080+ to push the 360fps in enough games.

That said, VG248QE came out more than 5 years ago, which means if you upgrade now (2020) you'll still prefer strobing, but next upgrade cycle (in 6-to-10 years) will be in the strobeless blur reduction era. I'm just giving you friendly advance warning of upcoming technology changes :D

You may still want to keep using strobing even in that era, since not all games run at sufficiently high framerates to become motion-blur-reduced strobelessly.
Gwyndael wrote:
07 Nov 2020, 20:47
For example, why I'm currently using Strobelight at 120hz strobed on my VG248QE and setting games to 120 fps to match it; rather than running the monitor out of the box at 144hz.
Two different things. Apples versus oranges. My answer is below.
Gwyndael wrote:
07 Nov 2020, 20:47
For example, why I'm currently using Strobelight at 120hz strobed on my And while a monitor is capable of 240hz, having it strobe at a lower hz helps the strobe quality? e.g why the strobe quality on my 144hz VG248QE sucks lol
I already answered this in this article, CRT Nirvana Guide for DIsappointed CRT-to-LCD Upgraders. The short story is you need enough pause between refresh cycles in order to hide GtG between refresh cycles. If you strobe too close to max Hz, you have more double images (strobe crosstalk), as explained in the Strobe Crosstalk FAQ. You really want framerate=Hz AND a Hz below max Hz, to have high quality strobing on an LCD. This is because the VBI (vertical blanking interval) between refresh cycles needs to be a long-enough pause between refresh cycles to allow LCD GtG pixel response to finish in total darkness before the strobe backlight flash. It's also seen in High Speed Video of LightBoost.
Chief Blur Buster wrote:
06 Nov 2020, 22:49
So the XG270 with PureXP on and set to 120hz and matching refresh rates is still my best choice for motion clarity and colour; and there's no new batch of 240hz monitors on the near horizon that will make the XG270 a poor choice for the next 5 or so years?
Impossible.

Technology in this arena has improved so fast. VG248QE's LightBoost became obsolete 4 years ago with vastly-better quality and lower-lag strobing options years ago. You will likely be happy with XG270 though. Just there is always something better in less than 5 years, from ViewSonic and from others. This is my straight face. Gaming monitor technology is improving faster than it used to be.

Choose your favourite moving target and hit it. :)
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Gwyndael
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Joined: 31 Aug 2020, 09:48

Re: Upgrade from Lightboost VG248QE

Post by Gwyndael » 07 Nov 2020, 23:05

Won't quote it all, but cheers Chief :) All the techno talk is still a little over my head so I need it breaking down and clarifying for me :P

Glad to hear the tech is moving faster than it used to. My wallet, not so much lol

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