It is surely not enough to rely just on playing skills to outperform the competition, as they also require sufficient technology to assist their gaming experience, such as gaming monitors.
Playing competitive games on standard displays does not always provide the highest accuracy; thus, many gamers want a monitor that can provide greater performance, one of which is a fast refresh rate, because this feature allows players to see every detail of movement on the screen consistently. This is obviously essential while playing games from the FPS genre, which rely on fast-paced action. Low response time is no exception, allowing gamers to enjoy more responsive and reliable gameplay.
With that said, we’d like to introduce the — a competitive gaming monitor from the ZOWIE series. This way, gamers are able to overcome any of the earlier problems mentioned and at the same time meet these needs without any worry.
The advantage of this series of monitors is not only in the fundamental specs that outperform the average monitor on the market but also in the implementation of a number of outstanding features to optimise the competitive gaming experience demanded by Esports players.
For those who are unaware, the majority of the Global Tournament is well-equipped, with ZOWIE series monitors being provided to these professional players. This particular gaming monitor, in fact, offers a 240Hz refresh rate with a 0.5ms reaction time, DyAc+ (DynamicAccuracy+), and many more great features.
Design 4/5
At first glance, the exterior appearance of the BenQ Zowie XL2546K appears to be similar to previous Zowie XL displays, including the XL2746S model that we examined. However, if you look closely, you will see certain distinct distinctions that give it its own distinct appeal.
To begin with, the BenQ Zowie XL2546K is coated with a strong plastic substance that covers the whole exterior body, including the stand, which has a particular function that allows you to modify the Pivot, Swivel, Tilt settings, as well as the monitor’s height up to 155 mm. This function allows you to more easily alter the monitor’s viewing angle, such as turning the screen up to 90 degrees, for example.
This monitor also features a lower base size to give a more expansive playing environment, allowing you to save more room while still being able to change the monitor position, tilt level, and screen viewing angle more freely. There is a type of extension in the form of SHIELD on both sides of the screen, which is beneficial for concentrating your eyes on the screen with customizable angles.
The overall size of the monitor appears smaller with a 24.5-inch screen and weighs 6.1 kg, but the aesthetic that is retained from the Zowie XL-series monitor with a bigger size is still visible. Fortunately, this unusual design does not jeopardise the monitor’s longevity, particularly from the section of the frame that is meant to adequately cover the LCD.
Features 4/5
The BenQ Zowie XL2546K’s specifications are definitely extremely appealing, especially for competitive gamers who are well aware of some of their goal features. The monitor, which has a 24 inch (1920×1080) screen, lacks some of the premium features of a gaming monitor that encourages the best visual quality, such as IPS technology and HDR features, but the BenQ Zowie XL2546K is extremely successful in supporting the most competitive gaming experience through its own superior features.
It’s no doubt that the BenQ Zowie XL2546K comes with a variety of superior technologies and features that make it worthy of being called the monitor for esports gamers. One of them is DyAc+ which is a Dynamic Accuracy technology owned by BenQ Zowie which serves to reduce the appearance of blur in the movement displayed by the monitor. So thanks to this technology, the sharpness of the image produced by the monitor when displaying motion will be maintained and automatically reduce the effect of motion blur.
The Black eQualizer, which is beneficial for improving the visibility of dark regions without making the entire field of vision excessively bright, is the next outstanding feature. In low-light sections of the game, this helps you to view items more clearly and comfortably. Another intriguing feature is Color Vibrance, which can be used to change colour and tone settings in order to differentiate enemy targets in the game.
So as can be seen, all of these excellent features have their respective roles which are very useful for maximizing the competitive gaming experience, especially in maximizing accuracy and game control. Besides offering the best playing accuracy, BenQ Zowie XL2546K also comes with Eye Care features such as Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free which are useful for maintaining eye comfort even when playing games in the long term.
On top of that, every monitor from the BenQ Zowie series certainly comes with an additional component in the form of an S-Switch, and the BenQ Zowie XL2546K is no exception. The S-Switch itself is a round device that functions like a remote, where you can access the monitor menu more easily, adjust input connections from other devices, and adjust screen mode switching through three adjustable profiles. So if you have three modified screen mode settings in each profile, then you only need to switch them with one tap via the profile button on the S-Switch.
Incidentally, the S-Switch device for the BenQ Zowie XL2546K has received a new overhaul through five-way menu access, where in addition to being able to scroll and click, users can now move it to the left and right as well to further complete existing access.
Performance 4/5
Relying on a variety of excellent features to play competitive games with the maximum experience, it’s safe to say that even before entering the game, you can see the striking difference from the high refresh rate such as how the cursor movement and mouse scrolling look much smoother.
Each game runs with increasingly perfect quality whereby the movement of the character and the timing when the character is “shooting” feels much more responsive and fast. Especially when it comes to games like CS:GO, Valorant, PubG, COD or Overwatch.
All of this is of course thanks to the 240Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time it offers. The motion blur effect is no longer in view thanks to DyAc+, which made shooting accuracy and focus on objects on the screen clearer.
Turning to the business of connectivity, the BenQ Zowie XL2546K offers adequate port access, it has three HDMI 2.0, one Display Port 1.2, Micro USB (for S-Switch), Headphone Jack, and Headset Hanger. Unfortunately, this monitor does not offer extra ports of USB 3.0.
Value 4/5
The is priced at RM2,279.00 and is available at & BenQ Flagship Store. Every BenQ monitor purchased comes with 3 years warranty and is available for on-site Pickup service as well.
Conclusion
After playing some of the competitive games above using a series of excellent features on offer, we did feel a very clear difference from the BenQ Zowie XL2546K compared to ordinary monitors. Apart from the overall more responsive gameplay control, smooth image movement, and the reduction of effects that can become distractions while playing, we can even maximize the existing gaming experience by taking advantage of all its excellent features such as Refresh Rate 240Hz, DyAc+, Response Time 0.5ms, Black eQualizer, Color Vibrance, Freesync, and many more.
Furthermore, the Zowie Series does not end here, since the all-new 27″ XL2746K will be available shortly. And for those who are still undecided about which monitor is best for them, here’s a short rundown: the XL2411K (144Hz, DyAc) is designed for entry-level gamers, while the XL2546K (240Hz + DyAc+) is for those who require 240hz, and the XL2746K will be available soon, so stay tuned.