BenQ XL2420Z (v1) vs BenQ XL2411Z (v1) vs Asus VG248QE

[Vaselkov]

Hello everyone.

I want to buy XL2420Z or XL2411Z or VG248QE monitor. But I can't decide.
In my country no one ships BenQ Z series monitors with firmvare v2, it is everywhere v1. BenQ XL2420Z and Asus VG248QE prices are same, about 423$. BenQ XL2411Z is 365$. So it is big investment for me and I want to get best product for a price.

My system is 3570k and GTX 660 (monitor - Samsung SyncMaster 2243WM, 6 years old). I play a lot of Counter Strike. And at 60 Hz everything is so blurry. This is the main reason why I am considering new monitor. I also do some designing with programs like Photoshop so better color reproduction would be nice but not necessary.

So my biggest concerns about these monitors are (what I have learned from reviews):
-Bad colors, good blur reduction with lightboost 10% on VG248QE.
-Blurry (ghosting) image with blur reduction on BenQ Z series monitors with v1 f/w. ( https://pcmonitors.info/wp-content/uplo ... bottom.jpg ).
-XL2420Z has best color reproduction of all these 3 monitors.
-My system is not powerful to get 144 fps in other games, that means I would get some side effect? Like more shutter?


So guys I ask your help. Most of you own one of these monitors. Do BenQ Z series with v1 f/w look really that bad? Do Asus have such bad color reproduction? What monitor I should get? Please help me decide. I would really appreciate that.

[Chief Blur Buster]

- If you never plan to use LightBoost or shout reduction, then it does not matter nearly as much. The color quality (after playing with menus) is very similar. The 11Z and 20Z are identical for screen quality
- If you are picky for CRT quality zero motion blur motion without double-image artifacts, you will find V2 critical. But if you are not picky, then V2 may not matter as much.
- The 20Z uses a more expensive fancy case with built in carrying handle, extra inputs, and am S-switch remote controller.
- Remember you can upgrade to Version 2 yourself, with one of the many methods, such as the free Linux method, or the very easy MSTAR method.
- Side effect is simply stutter at lower frame rates. Strobe modes make motion clearer, and thus, stutters are easier to see, too. In the same way you see stutter playing on CRT 70fps@120Hz.
- You can always occasionally run the monitors at a lower refresh rate, for certain games, if they look better on them (e.g. Emulators, 60fps VSYNC ON, etc). All 144hz monitors also can do 120Hz, 100Hz, and 60Hz. The BENQ actually can sync to any refresh rate, even in fractional (<1Hz) increments.

[Vaselkov]

1) Well I want to use Lightboost (LB) or Blur Reduction (BR) when I am playing Counter-Strike for sure. But I don't know if I am so picky about CRT clear image. I never played on 144 Hz monitor, I don't have a clue what to expect. 144 Hz must be 2.4x more sharper than 60 Hz even without LB or BR?

2) Looking at BenQ default BR, those little flying aliens looks bad compared to LB at 10%. Maybe it won't be so noticeable in game?

3) Is there any quick windows "shortcut" to enable or disable BR on XL2411Z? Or it is just adjustable in monitor menu? When I am playing games I want it on, ant when I am not I don't need BR.

4) Will I get less stutter with 144hz monitor compared to 60hz? With vsync off and my framerate for example 50-70fps.

Thank you for information.

[Vaselkov]

Well went for XL2411Z. And it came with V2 f/w! Motion looks so smooth even without BR. But colors not so much. Mostly I notice color shift from top to bottom. When my screen shows white background, top of the screen looks more yellowish and bottom with some bluish color. When watching movies and playing games that is not noticeable.

[Chief Blur Buster]

It is a compromise that comes with many 120Hz+ monitors, that are TN panel.
Glad you like the motion on the monitor, though!