BenQ Zowie XL2546 Review

BenQ ZOWIE XL2546 Gaming Monitor Overview

Chances are, if you're into esports, you've come across BenQ ZOWIE's gear, particularly their gaming mice and monitors. The XL2546 is a recent addition to their lineup, boasting a native 240hz panel and the unique DyAc backlight strobing technology. Over the years, BenQ ZOWIE has created numerous high refresh rate monitors aimed at serious PC gamers. Designed with elements from previous models, the XL2546 sits on a sturdy metal stand attached to a solid plastic base, which features a slot for ZOWIE's S-Switch dongle. If you've been following BenQ monitors for a while, you might be familiar with this handy puck that allows quick access to monitor settings.

While the XL2546 uses a TN panel known for its swift response times and low input lag, it does have limitations in viewing angles and color accuracy. To enhance viewing comfort, it comes with full height, swivel, and tilt adjustments. I found it easy to set up for a centered viewing position, but just a heads up: the stand tilts more upward than downward, so it’s better not to mount it too high.

The monitor's thick matte plastic bezels help minimize glare and reflections, which is crucial for maintaining focus during intense gaming sessions. Its robust build adds to the confidence in its durability. On the connectivity front, the XL2546 is equipped with DVI-DL, 2x HDMI, DP 1.2, a headphone jack, and a microphone jack. Notably, one of the HDMI ports supports HDMI 2.0, essential for achieving the full 240hz if DisplayPort isn't an option. Based on my experience, I recommend using DisplayPort for PCs, as it tends to be more reliable, while the HDMI inputs are particularly beneficial for console gamers.

Picture Quality Calibration & Performance

The settings used were key to achieving excellent performance. Once I found the right viewing angles with the adjustable stand, the colors became very accurate. However, I wasn't as fortunate with gamma settings. Gamma 5 gave me an average gamma of 2.5, while Gamma 4 was slightly lower at 2.33, missing our target of 2.4. Despite these issues, I was able to achieve an impressive contrast ratio of 1162:1, surpassing BenQ ZOWIE’s 1000:1 specification, and an average dE much lower than 3 after just a few tweaks in the OSD. Although TN panels usually aren't chosen for their image quality, the XL2546 pleasantly surprised me. Still, the inherent limitations of TN panels, like narrow viewing angles and gamma shifts, are hard to ignore.

Game Settings:

• DyAc: OFF
• Black eQualizer: 0
• Color Vibrance: 10
• Low Blue Light: 0
• Instant Mode: On

Picture:

• Picture Mode: Standard
• Brightness: 18
• Contrast: 50
• Sharpness: 5
• Gamma: 4
• Color Temperature: User Define (R:94, G:100, B:95)
• AMA: High
• Dynamic Contrast: 0

Starting with the black level, it was recorded at 0.10 cd/m², which is standard for a TN panel but noticeably higher than what you’d see with VA panels. If you're accustomed to the deep blacks of other types, you might find letterboxes somewhat distracting.

When it comes to color accuracy, the XL2546 performs well for a TN panel. The overall sRGB gamut looks quite impressive, and I didn’t spot many issues with skin tones or other colors that require precision. However, remember that it’s still a TN panel, so it won’t compete with the quality of IPS and VA panels. In general viewing, the XL2546 holds its own, but don’t expect it to match the performance of other panel types in terms of color depth and contrast.

Input Lag Considerations for 60Hz Consoles

Typically console gamers are the ones using this monitor, as the measurement numbers below are relevant only to 60hz users. The limitations of our input lag testing device mean that all measurements in our input lag database are recorded at a 60hz refresh rate. It's crucial to note that refresh rate significantly affects input lag, so there are a few key caveats to keep in mind regarding input lag.

1080p/60hz Input Lag :

• Top Screen: 8.9ms
• Middle Screen: 12.8ms
• Bottom Screen: 16.5ms
• Average Input Lag: (Rounded): 13ms

While it’s a few milliseconds short of the fastest 60hz gaming monitors, it still falls under our Excellent rating for serious gaming. These numbers may seem alarming at first, however they are normal due to the 240hz panel’s higher scanout period with 60hz refresh rate. DyAc was disabled with these measurements.

The button response on the fastest console games usually sits around 60ms of input lag, and many current engines can exceed 100ms before the action appears on your screen! However, this perceived drawback disappears when playing high FPS content exceeding 60hz. Even with the quickest 60hz monitor, there will always be a limit to how quickly your display reacts to your inputs.

I measured Overwatch’s input lag using a 1000 FPS camera at both 60hz and 240hz refresh rate on the XL2546. To showcase the significance of 240hz in relation to input lag, I booted up Overwatch on our test PC. In-game V-Sync was enabled as well for this test, though DyAc was disabled. Using a LED button mapped to strafe, the time between LED flash and on-screen action was measured 10 times, with the average of 10 results being used as our final number. At 1000FPS, 1 frame equals 1 millisecond:

• Overwatch 60hz Average Input Lag: 76ms
• Overwatch 240hz Average Input Lag: 24ms

What a significant change! When running the game at 240hz, there's a remarkable reduction of 52ms in input lag compared to 60hz, which is very noticeable for serious gamers. The difference in refresh rates is something most players would definitely feel. Additionally, the visual clarity and camera pans are much more enjoyable. It's important to note that different game engines may have varying input lag levels, but any game that allows for an unlocked frame rate will experience similar reductions in input lag at 240hz. Holy cow!

Conclusion

The monitor is lenient with custom refresh rates and can be further adjusted from the service menu to enhance DyAc even more. The build quality is very solid, ensuring that the monitor will last over time. I had no issues with the overall image quality, as long as the view remains steady, and color accuracy is impressive once calibrated with a colorimeter. Engaging DyAc provides an extra clarity boost, which can help reduce the number of confirmations needed during intense gameplay, particularly in titles like Gears of War 4, where fast camera control is crucial for aiming while tracking enemies. The increase in motion resolution enhances your ability to aim and follow targets without turning your display into a blurry scene.

Visual clarity is superb for tracking swift movements, quick mouse swings, and aiming during fast camera pans. One of the standout features of DyAc in the X2546 is that it doesn't cause any drop in brightness, which has been a common issue with earlier strobe backlighting methods that often reduced peak brightness for strobing effects. Many older monitors would significantly lower their maximum nits to enable this feature, making them less ideal for bright conditions. In fact, my peak brightness measured 343 nits without DyAc activated and 346 nits with it on, making it suitable for any indoor setting.

NVIDIA's introduction of Lightboost, which evolved into ULMB, significantly improved LCD panels' motion response, addressing the known shortcomings in motion clarity when compared to older CRT displays. I've noticed great advantages when using DyAc during heavy movement, particularly during camera pans that require precise eye tracking. Even though many gaming monitors claim 1ms GTG, they often fall short due to noticeable overdrive artifacts. DyAc was mainly created to lessen gun recoil effects in games like CS:GO. By finding the right balance between refresh rate and DyAc, you can experience much better motion clarity, enabling your eyes to keep up with the action during intense gameplay.

I can only recommend the XL2546 as a strict gaming monitor. It prevents me from endorsing it for general use due to a noticeable green flicker when scrolling vertically. This issue is especially visible in heavy white content with blue/black text, which is common in Google searches. Even with DyAc disabled, the green color shift remains, and I initially thought it was linked to that feature. A major letdown is the absence of official FreeSync support.

This is particularly disappointing since AMD officially lists the predecessor, the XL2540, as FreeSync capable. It would have been advantageous for this monitor to include FreeSync, especially for gamers struggling with maintaining consistent FPS. After all, VRR is quite essential for a 240hz monitor. Finally, I noticed some input lag in the OSD. While using the buttons is fine, the included S-Switch control feels a bit disconnected. Although this isn’t a significant issue since you'll seldom adjust settings after calibration, it’s still a minor annoyance that stood out to me.

The distracting green color shift while scrolling in general web browsing is noticeable, even though the color accuracy is decent for a TN panel. It's important to keep a steady FPS because of the absence of FreeSync support. The overall gaming experience is greatly enhanced by the motion resolution and input lag advantages offered by DyAc and 240hz. As a dedicated gaming monitor, BenQ ZOWIE’s XL2546 truly excels and hits it out of the park.