zowie xl lcd monitors free sample

ICC sync allows PD series monitors to simplify the color mapping process by syncing ICC profiles of the output and source device for accurate color settings. Please click and follow the instructions below, or read on to learn more about this topic.

My monitor has DP and DVI-Dual Link ports support 120hz (such as XL2411P, XL2430, XL2720), can I use video adapters such as HDMI to DP, or HDMI to DVI Dual Link to be a workaround solution to achieve 120hz on console?

That is Overdrive/Response Time Compensation (RTC) function in RL/XL series. This technology is based on applying an over-voltage to the liquid crystals to motivate them into their orientation faster. We will usually quote a "grey to grey" (G2G) response time figure on displays using this technology since they are normally the fastest transitions available.

Since an official response time spec is not available anymore, what other response related spec should I check if I’m comparing your monitors with models from other brands?

There is always a trade off between overdriving the panel to make it faster which results in bad display quality. XL series fully leverage the panel fast response, but also considering an optimized setting for the overall experience. It is suggested that you can check other user"s sharing on website, or test it by yourself in person which would be ideal.

This is a very common issue that usually occurs when any monitor is being used in a dark environment without secondary light source activated, the back-light and warmth of the monitor attracting the insects which get trapped inside the LCD layers.

The maximum refresh rate of the HDMI port on XL2411P/XL2430/XL2731 is 60Hz @FHD. Please use the DVI-Dual Link or DP port for a higher refresh rate setting. For more details, please check the resolution table from user manual.

This monitor has a VESA standard mount with 100mm pattern, allowing the installation of a wall mount or arm bracket. Please use M4x10mm screws and possible wall mount adapter accessory when doing the installation. Please check with the wall mount/arm kit vendor or check with ZOWIE RMA for further assistance if any.

This message shows to remind you that the current cable is not compatible to this monitor, since the spec and quality from other vendors varies and not guaranteed by us; please kindly contact ZOWIE service (ZOWIE website: contact/RMA) for assistance accordingly.

2. If your other monitor isn"t using displayport then this monitor will not work out of the box without installing drivers. The easy way around this is to make sure that all your monitors that you are using are on displayport (e.g. do not use dvi on another monitor and use displayport on this monitor, both must be displayport or you"ll have to do extra configurations).

This monitor is one of the first LCDs that supports a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz out of the box. However, this monitor neither supports G-Sync or FreeSync (but see below) nor does it provide any option for reducing motion blur (strobed backlight) – at least not "officially", as motion blur reduction can be easily activated and customized via the monitor"s service menu (see below). The image quality and viewing angles are TN-like bad but not as bad as many of the 144Hz full-HD monitors, although also this monitor uses just a 6bit+FRC panel rather than a true 8bit panel. Moreover and quite surprisingly, there is no obvious deterioration in image quality when using 240Hz instead of, say, 120Hz. This might be due to an improved color management which appears to be similar if not identical to the BenQ XL2730Z"s color management (both using basically the same REALTEK scaler).

The overdrive (in BenQ-terminology: AMA) is way too aggressive – as is standard for BenQ gaming monitors, unfortunately –, and BenQ still refuses to provide the user with a better overdrive control.

The firmware in this monitor cannot be updated as easily anymore as it used to be with previous BenQ gaming monitors. This is because of the different scaler being used (REALTEK instead of MSTAR). Even with the older BenQ gaming monitors it was a hassle to get the firmware updated without sending the monitor in. But given that the firmware becomes more and more the bottleneck and that updating is technically possible even without additional hardware, it is about time that manufacturers provide the users with tools so they can easily do the updating themselves – which has become common standard with other devices by now for long.

Motion Blur Reduction (MBR for short) is BenQ"s alternative to 2D LightBoost and NVIDIA"s Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB) which comes with G-SYNC monitors (although ULMB can only be enabled while G-SYNC is disabled).

In the user manual for the BenQ XL2540, which mostly refers to the ZOWIE"s XL monitor series in general, there is a section "Activating VESA standard DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync (XL2540

AMA is BenQ"s implementation of overdrive and only two AMA modes are provided (besides AMA=off), which are dubbed High and Premium. Premium is just good for getting the response times down to the values advertised by BenQ, nothing one would like to use for real. This leaves only the AMA=High setting which, however, is still too aggressive. A much finer overdrive control is available through the OD GAIN parameter in the factory menu (same as with the BenQ XL2730Z), but this setting is lost after power-cycling the monitor or even by just changing the screen resolution or frame rate.

Figure 1: Normalized white luminance error Δe=(LRGB−LW) / LRGB over programmed color values for the BenQ XL2540 and four Vibrance settings (9, 10, 10.2, 11) , measured at 120Hz. The 10.2 is the next value higher than 10 which can be set via the DDC control interface.

Figure 3: BenQ XL2540 settling curves for three different step sizes, at 120Hz or 240Hz refresh rate, without overdrive (AMA=Off, left) and with overdrive (AMA=High, right). The curves are shifted and scaled individually according to the respective step size.

The BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K, the company’s new flagship esports monitor, not only offers a whopping 360Hz refresh rate panel, but also packs in a slew of features that caters directly to amateurs and professional esports athletes alike. With ZOWIE’s exclusive DyAc+ Technology, which aims to reduce blur without compromising on brightness like other similar technologies, ultra fast response time, and XL Settings to Share that are optimized by popular esports players, it is the ultimate companion in your competitive endeavors.

Before delving into what makes ZOWIE’s DyAc+ Technology so special, we must first understand what exactly motion blur is and how it is produced on a traditional LCD panel.

On an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel, images are produced by passing a light beam through the liquid crystals, which then lights up and produces a coherent image. On a still image, this poses no visible problem, but when the image starts to move, the liquid crystal’s inability to turn off quickly results in the previous image still being visible momentarily while the panel renders the next image. This causes the panel to produce ‘motion blur’ where it quickly tries to render the next image while still showing the previous image for half a second as the crystals slowly turn off. Manufacturers have tried to mitigate this by producing higher refresh rates and low-latency panels, but the sharpness of a moving image is still not quite up to the mark due to LCD’s inherent limitations.

However, using a CRT these days would be near impossible, of course. With the low refresh rate, and the lack of basic necessities like…you know, HDMI and DisplayPorts, CRT simply won’t cut it. But for ZOWIE, CRTs showed the path ahead, a way to incorporate and emulate what it does but on an LCD panel.

This is how the DyAc+ Technology was born. ZOWIE looked at CRT’s electron beam technology and stimulated it using innovative backlight control techniques. DyAc+ works by turning the backlight on and off at a fixed point, much like how an OLED panel’s pixels work. This helps to avoid unwanted afterimages since there is no light beam passing through more than one point at a time - it turns on and off when required, producing sharp, clear and blur-free images. What’s more DyAc+ doesn’t reduce the overall brightness on the ZOWIE XL2566K either, unlike ULMB and other such blur-reduction technologies which use a backlight strobing technique but drops the brightness to near unplayable levels to produce a blur-free image.

Because DyAc+ Technology helps eliminate a significant amount of motion blur on the XL2566K, this aids gamers in various ways depending on the game they are playing. From allowing one to track enemies more clearly, aiming better, and experiencing less ‘motion-shake’, and coupled that with the super fast 360Hz panel, it will allow competitive players to truly focus on the game and climb the leaderboards without any limitations.

For example, in Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO), the DyAc+ Technology on the XL2566K makes in-game actions like spraying much more manageable and less blurry. The player is able to see the position of the crosshair more clearly, and visibly track the impact points resulting in better recoil control.

What’s even more incredible about the DyAc+ Technology is that it is not dependent on your PC or tied to a specific hardware requirement. The technology is baked into the monitor itself, and as long as the game is running at 100Hz refresh rate or higher, the DyAc+ will kick in to produce blur-free images. What this means is that the technology can also be used on consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well. With plenty of online games now supporting 120Hz refresh rate on consoles, players can easily use the XL2566K to have equally impressive and blur-free visuals on console games just like they experience on their PC, making the monitor an all-in-one solution for competitive play across any platform.

While most high-end IPS panels now have faster refresh rate and various blur-reduction solutions, they do pale in comparison to the ZOWIE XL2566K’s TN panel and DyAc+ blur-reduction technology. Let’s take the ViewSonic XG2431 as an example, which is the company’s flagship model and is appreciated for its motion clarity.

But when compared to the XL2566K, the limitations of the panel, and the largely inferior PureXP+ blur-reduction technology is obvious. During the BlurBuster test, the XL2566K + DyAc+ performs significantly better, with a much more clear image and little blurring compared to the ViewSonic monitor using its PureXP+ technology.

The same is also glaringly obvious in the video clip below, which shows the XL2566K to be far superior in terms of clarity and sharpness. The video was captured with a 240fps slow motion camera by BenQ.

Even in terms of response time, the ZOWIE XL2566K keeps the competition firmly behind. With the AMA set to ‘Premium’, the XL2566K measured a GTG response time of just 1.8ms, while the ViewSonic XG2431 (with AMA set to Ultra Fast) measured a GTG average of 3.7ms, completely busting the claim that an IPS panel is as fast as a TN panel.

Besides the ZOWIE XL2566K’s incredible display prowess, the monitor also makes sharing and downloading your favorite settings for each game a breeze. Using ZOWIE’s proprietary XL Setting to Share software, users can share or receive monitor settings from their friends or other professional esports players, which makes trying out different settings easy and accessible. For example, if your favorite esports player uses an XL monitor (which let’s be honest, mostly all esports players use an XL monitor), they can easily upload their preferred monitor setting for anyone to download and use with their XL monitor.

If you do not prefer to get into that, users can download one of the many available XL settings from ZOWIE themselves, which have been finely-tuned and perfectly calibrated for each game. ZOWIE offers XL settings for mostly all popular online games, such as Valorant, PUBG, Apex Legends, Halo Infinite, Rainbow Six Siege, Call of Duty Warzone and more. And yes, these settings can be used for console versions of the games, too!

We first saw computer displays labeled “gaming monitors(opens in new tab)” when manufacturers achieved a reliable 144Hz refresh rate. Higher speeds reduce motion blur and allow the latest graphics cards(opens in new tab) to flex their full potential without the 60Hz limitations of typical PC monitors. Today, there"s good value available at the 144Hz spec, including the BenQ Zowie XL2411P. Aimed at eSports enthusiasts, it offers solid gaming performance and premium build quality along with excellent value.

BenQ"s Zowie eSports line comprises console and PC-oriented models in 24, 25 and 27-inch sizes. All are either FHD(opens in new tab)or QHD(opens in new tab)resolution with refresh rates that cover the gamut from 60-240Hz. The XL displays are designed for PC use (with RL monitors for consoles). The entire line is priced to compete.

The XL2411P has a flicker-free backlight with a 350-nit peak brightness. Color is sRGB with plenty of gaming modes to tailor the play experience. We were a little surprised to find no support for AMD FreeSync(opens in new tab)or Nvidia G-Sync(opens in new tab) for fighting screen tears at fast refresh rates.

BenQ has never been one for look-at-me styling, and the XL2411P follows that theme. It could easily be mistaken for an enterprise monitor and is certainly qualified for that purpose. One unique element is the small tab on the bottom right that leads the user to the control buttons underneath. A small LED shines orange in standby mode and green when the power’s on.

The square base has a molded-in tray, which might be useful for housing stray paperclips or, perhaps, a mobile device. Sadly, there are no USB ports with which to charge said device. There is a headphone jack on the left side though, which is something we’d like to see on all monitors. There are no built-in speakers, but you do get volume control in the on-screen display (OSD).

The stand is a quality affair with a thick upright that telescopes through a 5-inch height adjustment range. You also get 45-degree swivel and 20-degree back tilt with a 90-degree portrait mode. The back features a prominent cooling vent across the top with the Zowie logo displayed on the left. Inputs are next to the upright, facing down, and include one each of DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0 and DVI.

The Picture menu has everything needed for calibration except the picture modes, (we’ll get to those in a moment). A Black eQualizer, as BenQ spells it, adjusts shadow detail for greater visibility in dark areas. The XL2411P includes a low blue light setting, which can reduce fatigue when reading black text on white backgrounds during long work sessions. Blur Reduction engages a backlight strobe, which completely eliminates motion blur but reduces brightness by around 50%.

There are 11 picture modes total, and many of them are targeted for specific game types. Eco dials down the backlight to save power, although the XL2411P manages to draw a mere 16.5 watts with max brightness at 200 nits. Some of the modes alter secondary colors and change the gamma for a look we weren’t fond of. Standard or FPS1 are the best bet for a good image suitable for all games and tasks. Once you’re done tweaking, you can save settings to one of three memories. This is a feature that every monitor should include. You can also program three of the control keys to provide direct access to a variety of monitor functions like picture mode or Black eQualizer.

The XL2411P measures well in either its default FPS1 or Standard modes. Gamma tracking provides blacker shadows and brighter highlights at the expense of some detail clipping. We were unable to completely fix this issue, but after a few tweaks of the RGB sliders, we achieved excellent grayscale and color accuracy. Though some fine details were hard to see in certain images, the picture retained good color saturation and a natural look. See our gameplay comments below for more about this.

The XL2411P is the first gaming monitor we’ve reviewed in a long time that doesn’t supportG-Sync or FreeSync(opens in new tab), and we wondered if it would be missed. The short answer is not as much as you’d think.

Our overall gaming experience with the XL2411P was a positive one, but we’d rather see FreeSync support than be forced to resort to a blur reduction feature for smooth motion. The reduction in brightness may be an issue for some users, as it"s limited to 180 nits peak. But turning it on created a tad more color saturation, making the monitor look a little better.

ZOWIE’s XL-series features the premiere e-Sports monitors for PC competitors, fine-tuned to guarantee the smoothest and responsive experience, and the clearest images to arm you for competition.

ZOWIE XL-series adopted worldwide by most professional PC eSports tournaments and players, the official e-Sports monitor of the DreamHack Open 2016/2017, ESL-ONE Cologne 2017, PGL Major Krakow 2017, IEM season 6~10, MLG 2015/2016, ESEA 2015/2016, ESWC 2013~2016, ELEAGUE season 1

Catch details in motion and enjoy fluid gameplay with ZOWIE 144Hz refresh rate monitor. It also makes your control smooth and precise in game, such as FPS and MOBA games.

In order to deliver the optimal gaming experience, ZOWIE has game modes pre-loaded. Easily select your preferred game mode depending on the game you are playing. You can easily switch between these modes with the touch of a hotkey.

Concentration is a key factor in e-Sports. The XL-series LCD frame was specially designed to reduce light reflection from the screen, helping to keep your focus on the game.

REVIEW – Without a doubt, the two most important components of a good gaming system are the video card and the monitor.  The monitor is what gamers are looking at while playing, and the video card is what renders the games on the monitor.  When I designed my current system, I included a GeForce GTX 1070 Ti, a solid, mid-range video card.  For a monitor, I use a Dell UltraSharp U2715H.  This monitor is a compromise for a gaming system.  On the one hand it’s wonderfully large (27 inches), has great resolution (2560 x 1440), and includes a wealth of ports (including DP, mDP, 2xHDMI, 5xUSB); on the other hand, it has a60 Hz refresh rate and a lethargic 8 ms response time.  It’s a great general-purpose monitor, but it’s not ideal for video gaming, especially for fast-paced, first-person shooter (FPS) games.  This is why I was super excited to get an opportunity to review the BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P gaming monitor.

BenQ is a Taiwanese company that sells projectors, monitors, speakers, gaming accessories, and other digital products.  ZOWIE is their line of gaming products, and the XL Series is their premier line of monitors targeted at competitive esports gamers.  The BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P is an entry-level gaming monitor that offers good specifications at a reasonable price point.  It’s targeted at video gamers, especially those who play competitive FPS games like Overwatch, CS: GO, and Rainbow Six Siege.

When it comes to consumer products, some companies have a “form over function” design philosophy—I’m looking at you, Apple.  With the XL2411P, BenQ has taken the opposite approach of “function over form.”  It’s made out of black plastic, has a nearly ¾-inch bezel all the way around, and doesn’t have any sort of visual bells or whistles.  You might say it’s rather pedestrian to look at.  But this is totally ok, because BenQ has decided to invest in what’s really important for gaming:  The panel.

On the back of the monitor arm is a pair of small plastic arms used for cable management.  When I tucked the power cable and the video cable into them, however, they warped and looked like they were going to snap off, so I removed the cables and just left this alone.  I prefer the hole-in-arm solution that their XL2430 monitor uses, which is also what my Dell uses.

When I turned this monitor on, the first thing I noticed was that the colors were really washed out in comparison to my Dell, and there were two reasons for this.  The first reason is that my Dell is an IPS panel, whereas the XL2411P is a TN panel.  IPS panels are known for their color accuracy, whereas TN panels are known for their fast response time.  There’s also a third type, a VA panel, that takes a middle road.  The BenQ monitor has a much crisper image, especially when objects are moving quickly in a game, but the colors are likely to be less vibrant.

The second reason is that the default settings for the monitor are less than ideal.  The XL2411P has a host of settings that you can use to adjust the display image, including brightness, contrast, color temperature, hue, color vibrance, and sharpness.

The XL2411P has a refresh rate of 144 Hz.  The higher the refresh rate, the more images per second, the smoother the game appears to be.  60 Hz is fine for ordinary activities; 144 Hz is great for gaming, especially for FPSs; and 240 Hz is for those at highest levels of competitive gaming.

This monitor has a response time of 1 ms (GtG).  The grey-to-grey (GtG) response time is a measurement of how long a pixel takes to changes colors.  The lower the value the better, and the higher the refresh rate, the more important it is to have a lower response time.  Low response times prevent ghosting, which is where fast-moving objects on the screen leave a trail behind them as they move across the screen.  Most monitors are under 10 ms; my Dell, for example, has a response time of 8 ms.  Gaming monitors should have 5 ms or less, and a 1 ms response time is good.   To achieve a 1 ms response time, the XL2411P has a feature known as advanced motion acceleration (AMA) that must be enabled using the control keys.  This drives more voltage to the liquid crystals, thus producing images faster.

It’s Color Vibrance feature makes it possible to tune the colors so that images are more realistic and colors are more vibrant.  This is more of a “personal preference” feature than it is a “make the game easier” feature.  It’s Flicker-Free Technology is an eye strain reducing feature.  Normally LED panels don’t have flickering, but apparently, it can be an issue when using poor cabling or outdated graphics cards, and this can cause eye strain when gaming for a long time.  The XL2411P eliminates this flicker, thus increasing eye health and comfort.

Reading a list of features is fine, but the real test comes when playing games.  I began by testing the monitor with Dota 2, a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA).  First, I tried various ways to create rapid movement, such as panning back and forth and zipping around with Storm Spirit’s ultimate.  Second, I played many games, switching back and forth between my Dell monitor and the BenQ ZOWIE monitor.  When it comes to movement and refresh rate, I honestly can’t tell any difference between these monitors.  I doubt this due to any lack in the XL2411P; rather, I think this is more about Dota, which is a slower-paced game that doesn’t take advantage of the XL2411P’s capabilities.  I can, however, see a difference in appearance.  Dota is sharper and more vibrant on the Dell, which is probably due to it having an IPS panel and a higher resolution.

I continued testing with Player Unknown’s Battle Grounds (PUBG), a battle royale game, using a first player perspective (FPP), my personal preference.  In this game, I can definitely tell a difference.  When looking around in game, I can visibly see the game refresh faster with XL2411P.  Trees and rocks look crisper, and cars that are driven are clearer.  Now if the monitor could help me shoot straighter, that would be something!

Together they tested the ZOWIE monitor on four FPS games, CS:GO, Rainbow Six Siege, Apex Legends, and Overwatch, and the following is a summary of their thoughts.

Jacen preferred the sturdier base of the XL2411P over the base of his monitor, an MSI Optic G24C.  Trevor liked the UI of the XL2411P as well as its rich set of features and options; he found changing the settings with the control keys to be easier on the BenQ than with his monitor, an AOC G2460P.  Both of these guys, however, echoed my observations that the color on the XL2411P was worse; they spent more time on the BenQ adjusting the settings than they did on their own monitors, though in the end they were happy with their settings.  Here are the settings that Trevor uses, if you need something to get you started:

In addition to gaming, Trevor ran a set of tests designed to detect backlight bleeding.  This is a problem common with TN panels where excess light from behind the panels “bleeds” around the edges, causing a visual distraction. Trevor ran the Eizo Monitor Test, which can highlight backlight bleeding, as well as other problems.  I’m happy to report that he found no sign of this problem on the ZOWIE monitor.

In summary, Jacen and Trevor declared the XL2411P to be a solid monitor that is good for gaming and a great value at its price point, so long as you are willing to spend some extra time adjusting the settings.  If buying a new monitor now, Trevor asserted that he would definitely consider buying the BenQ over his AOC, as it can take advantage of his EVGA GTX 1070 video card.  Jacen, however, gave a more nuanced answer.  If gaming on a laptop—he games on a Razer Blade 14 RZ09—he would probably stick with his MSI, as all the video ports on his MSI are capable of 120 Hz, the max refresh rate that his Razer can push, whereas on the BenQ, only the DP port can do 120 Hz.  If, however, he switched to a desktop with a more capable video card, which he would prefer to do, then yes, he would also consider buying the BenQ over his MSI.

If you’re looking to get into the fast-paced world of competitive FPS video games, or if you want to upgrade your current monitor without breaking the bank, then I think you should take a hard look at the ZOWIE XL2411P monitor.  It may not be the most attractive monitor on the outside, but it’s got it where it counts, a rich set of features that are going to help you take your game to the next level.  Just keep in mind that you will have to spend some extra time configuring this monitor.  I think, however, that you will find it to be worth the time you spend.  Game on!

In the computer market, it’s safe to say that the most exciting arena for us consumers is in the gaming niche. Companies have been going at it with new product releases that either has new tech to show off or incremental increase in capabilities from the previous models. BenQ Zowie, a partnership between two manufacturers, has been recently wrestling for the top spot by focusing its products in E-sports. Their XL line, a continually evolving product line focused on competitive applications, is filling the gaps in the marketplace with new products with high-tech capabilities and outstanding performance. This piece focuses on their second 27-inch offering from the XL series, the Benq XL2730 144hz E-Sports monitor that carries AMD’s Freesync technology. The display aims to claim another slice of the gaming pie by providing die-hard gamers with a competition-grade display with a hair-raising 1ms response time and a 2560×1440 (WQHD) resolution.

The BenQ Zowie XL2730’s overall appearance is inherent of the XL range’s sleek looks. For some, it may seem a bit too chaste, but the company is focusing the design on a minimal and less distracting aspect. After all, users are meant to keep their eyes glued to the screen instead of unnecessary bling. The cabinet has a clean matte-black finish that is straightforward and refined. It’s an ideal texture for this type of product since adjusting the stature of the display may become regular for some users as it does not attract fingerprints and is grippy. The finish also does not reflect light or glare whatsoever, but that is negligible if you are looking directly at the screen since the bezels are thin enough to be discreet especially in a monitor of this size.

The bezel holds five OSD buttons on the lower right-hand side, and I found that to be a redundant and outdated design consideration since the newer XL series carries their signature S-Switch arc. The gadget serves as a convenient way to control the OSD with its five buttons and a scroll wheel. BenQ could have placed the bezel buttons on the underside, to keep it discrete if they truly wanted a no-distraction appearance for this product since most users would opt to use the remote instead of endlessly pressing the physical buttons. On the contrary, some users may find these buttons attractive since they glow white when the display is in use, and a light amber when it is on standby. This lighting, however, can be disabled or adjusted in the OSD. On the left side of the cabinet, BenQ has provided two USB 3.0 slots for additional data accessories and audio jacks for your listening devices. The stand-out feature found only in the XL line is the headphone hanger that pops out and retracts with a light press. At more than 7cm long, this is a lovely and convenient addition to the XL2730. You can hang your expensive headsets here, so they don’t flop around.

The XL2730 comes standard with the XL series stand. Even if the stand is one of the least noticed features in a product, the included mechanism is one of the best-designed in the market. Featuring a smaller footprint that it’s predecessor, the base is made of aluminum alloy. Despite being smaller, it provides a solid footing for the screen since it has some weight to it. On the surface, it has a circular indent to hold the S-Switch Arc, but if you aren’t using the remote you can use it for coins, keys or other small stuff you keep on your desk.

Moving on to the connection options, the XL2730 brings numerous options to cater to your needs. There are two HDMI slots, a DisplayPort 1.2, DVI-DL port, an USB 3.0 upstream and downstream ports and a D-Sub port for legacy applications. Take note that one of the HDMI ports is 2.0, so it supports the full WQHD resolution at 144hz together with the DisplayPort. All of these connectors are facing downwards so cables can run through the cable management hole, although on the contrary some may find it inconvenient to peek under or turn the monitor upside down just to see which is which. This orientation has become the standard for most modern products since it cuts the total depth significantly. BenQ Zowie is generous in the inclusion of these options, but this is mainly due to the monitor’s Freesync-certified module which allows more choices as compared to G-Sync offerings that usually only have a DisplayPort that supports the full capabilities of the product.

The XL2730 features a 2560×1440 resolution TN panel capable of 144hz and 1ms of response time. It has an anti-glare coating that does quite a good job of countering reflections, even if the monitor sits in front of your window or if you are using it in a well-lit room. It does give the picture a slightly grainy look, but at a considerable distance, this fact is negligible. At the product’s native resolution of 2560×1440, details are sharp and crisp but not too tiny compared to 4k displays. It may take some getting used to especially if you are coming from a standard 1080p monitor, but once you get used to it the tight pixel pitch and 70% increased desktop real estate, this product is an incredible upgrade. Overall this resolution fits the 27-inch screen like a match made in heaven.

Au Optronics provided the panel utilized by the XL2730 and based on specs it has similar performance and characteristics with the one found on the Asus PG278Q; which is one of the XL2730’s direct competitors. It is capable of 16 million colors and has an 8–bit interface with an acceptable color coverage of the sRGB color space. This spec isn’t impressive regarding color-critical performance since this display was meant to have a fast output instead since it’s purpose is for high-intensity games. The OSD also carries a Color Vibrance option to enhance color saturation in games further. This setting does not affect the sRGB color space, so enabling this option may improve the richness of the color but may affect accurate color representation.

Having a WLED backlight does not help it either in color reproduction, but in fairness to BenQ, this model has so little backlight bleeding on the sides compared to other samples we have reviewed. This fact, however, may vary from unit to unit. Another good thing about this product is its contrast capabilities. After calibration, the advertised 1000:1 contrast ratio is quite reachable at around 960:1 for deeper blacks and better shade transition in the picture. This result is even better than what the Asus PG278Q offers and is also a significant improvement over the XL2730’s predecessor, the XL2720. Setting a correct gamma level is critical to this performance, and you can adjust this via the OSD in standard mode only. The OSD comes built in with a Black Equalizer option, unique to BenQ Zowie monitors to help with contrast reproduction as well. This feature helps produce better contrast in different lighting circumstances in the game, such as dark areas. However, if you want an accurate representation, it is best to leave this off and adjust the gamma levels yourself.

Aside from the characteristics above, BenQ Zowie made this monitor with a 144hz refresh rate capability, 1ms response time and Freesync. To take advantage of Freesync, you will need a compatible AMD card. The problem with this monitor’s native resolution and the AMD requirement is that the RX480 (Currently AMD’s top end GPU offering) is not capable of sustaining high frame rates at high to ultra settings for graphic-intensive games at WQHD. Crossfiring two of these cards might do the trick, but in some situations, the GPU limitations of AMD defeats the purpose of this monitor. Freesync does wonders at respectable refresh rates, but even if this tech is activated, deep dives in FPS rates will still show skips and tearing. A solution to this is to lower your settings bit by bit until you reach a stable FPS output. But if your setup is capable, then you can enjoy a better viewing and gaming experience with maximum graphics and all the benefits of the valuable addition of AMD’s technology. Take note that while enjoying the benefits of Freesync, activating the built-in solutions such as AMA are blocked off. This downside is a known limitation of this implementation, and hopefully, AMD and Benq Zowie offers a patch or fix for this issue.

Another option would bet to resort to a Nvidia GPU. But surely, you can’t use Freesync. Not to worry though since you can make up for the loss in the settings of the OSD. Tests have shown that setting the AMA (Advanced Motion Accelerator) to high option in the OSD alleviates tearing and blurring problems when Freesync is not active. Setting it to the maximum(Premium setting) might result in overshooting (reverse ghosting) so only the high setting is recommended. Another tool to cure issues is BenQ Zowie’s OSD option called Blur Reduction. This is a strobe function that compensates for the frame skips by timing the backlighting to the framerate. In this model, the strobe feature can be adjusted accordingly to the set refresh rate on the display. This is an improvement over previous models since you would need an external strobe controller application to do this (like in the older XL2720).

Despite the issues mentioned above (mostly hardware related and limited), pixel and gray to gray response times are excellent. Instead of the advertised 1ms, the actual number is at around 3 to 3.5ms after tweaking the monitor.  Despite being lower, that still is an incredible speed considering most users won’t be able to tell the difference between 1ms and 5ms. There is only so much the human eyes can capture for the brain to decipher. In this regard, the XL2730 does an excellent job even if compared to similarly priced gaming monitors (such as the Asus PG278Q). If calibrated correctly and if the result meets the conditions mentioned above, this product provides excellent, buttery-smooth gaming on different types of games.

You can locate all the tweaks mentioned previously in the proprietary OSD made especially for BenQ Zowie’s XL E-Sports series monitors. Please do take note that you cannot adjust the factory preset settings with the options above, you need to set it to the standard settings first then save your presets into the three built-in slots. While offering a good range of adjustments including eye care technologies such the low blue light filter and flicker-free operation, the default settings leave something to be desired. Out of the box, the factory calibrated FPS1 setting (default preset as shipped) does not perform up to acceptable stands when compared to adjusted settings. Blacks and luminance are way off, and colors are either oversaturated or pale. The Good thing is that there are three save slots for custom presets so you can switch between different preferences according to what suits your taste.

When compared to competitors and predecessors, the XL2730 performs admirably. Even if it goes head to head with the acclaimed Asus PG278Q, Benq Zowie’s contender outshines the latter in some vital details such as the actual contrast ratio. This product has improved the XL series capabilities in color and contrast quality without sacrificing the speed and performance attached to the product line. The limitations of having a TN panel are quite acceptable considering the resolution and the performance that goes with it, but as with today’s screen tech preference, an IPS panel would have done wonders for the overall image quality this display provides.

Also, the Freesync implementation is a welcome addition to the monitor’s high-performance operation without bumping up the price tag too high like Nvidia’s G-Sync does to its unshared monitors.  The only questionable fact here is that Freesync disables acceleration features of the product itself (AMA and Blur Reduction). On the other side of things, The XL2730 will perform greatly with non-AMD systems after additional tweaking is involved. This versatility makes the total package excellent regarding value since it does not offer the limitations G-Sync sets on its related products.

Finally, aside from some bugs in the blur reduction and minor ghosting in the acceleration features that occur in FPS hiccups, the disappointing aspect of this product lies in the factory calibration out of the box. The built-in presets are way off regarding brightness, contrast, and color representation making this product unsuitable for plug and play users. Also, gaming at 2560×1440 at 144hz is a rewarding experience itself, but not without the cost of a high-end setup. Most builds might require lower settings to achieve the XL2730’s specifications. Even if this is not an issue for E-Sports applications (most competitors play at low settings to maximize frame rate), this will, however, affect casual gamers who prefer to play at max settings but own systems that cannot cope with the native resolution of this monitor.