Over the past few months, we reviewed two gaming monitors: Asus' VG248QE (Asus VG248QE: A 24-Inch, 144 Hz Gaming Monitor Under $300) and BenQ's XL2720Z (BenQ XL2720Z Monitor Review: A 27-Inch, 144 Hz Gaming Display). Both set high marks for speed, mostly due to their 144 Hz refresh rates. We wanted to add a 60 Hz gaming-oriented screen for comparison's sake. Can a lower refresh rate still satisfy hardcore enthusiasts?
BenQ offers seven gamer-specific models in its XL and RL lines. XL enables the high-refresh rates, with both 120 and 144 Hz models at 24 and 27 inches. RL screens have one- or two-millisecond response times and share most other features with the XLs, but refresh at 60 Hz. They're aimed at the value segment, shipping in 22- and 24-inch sizes.

| Panel Type | TN |
|---|---|
| Backlight | W-LED, edge array |
| Screen Size | 24-inch |
| Max Resolution | 1920x1080 |
| Max Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Native Color Depth | 8-bit (6-bit w/FRC) |
| Native Gamut | sRGB |
| Response Time (GTG) | 1 ms |
| Brightness | 240 cd/m2 |
| Speakers | 2 x 2 W |
| VGA | 1 |
| DVI | 1 |
| DisplayPort 1.2 | - |
| HDMI 1.4 | 2 in, 1 out |
| Audio In, 3.5 mm | 1 |
| Headphone | 1 |
| USB | - |
| Media Card Reader | - |
| Panel Dimensions W x H x D | 22.7 x 19.7 x 8.4 in 579 x 502 x 213 mm |
| Panel Thickness | 2.3 in / 58 mm |
| Bezel Width | .8-.9 in / 22-24 mm |
| Weight | 13.4 lbs / 6.1 kg |
| Warranty | One year |
Most of the monitors that specifically target gamers rely on twisted-nematic technology. TN is somewhat old-school, but it still delivers the best response times and lowest input lag compared to popular IPS displays.
To make these displays more suitable for gaming, BenQ includes some unique features designed to enhance your experience. In my opinion, ZeroFlicker is the most significant one. Backlight intensity in LCD panels is typically controlled by a technique called pulse-width modulation (PWM). Rather than dimming by voltage reduction, the LED or CCFL tube is cycled on and off rapidly, sometimes as fast as 4400 times per second. By varying the duty cycle (the length of time the light is on during each pulse), the screen appears less bright. This method can sometimes cause visible flicker in the image, even at high modulation rates. To sensitive users, eye fatigue is the consequence.
LED backlights, which largely replace the CCFL tubes used in the past, exacerbate the issue. CCFL technology utilized PWM too, but since a florescent light glows between duty cycles (it’s never completely dark), the flicker was all but unnoticeable. LED elements, on the other hand, turn off completely between cycles, thereby creating the potential for a visible artifact.
BenQ eliminates the issue by driving its backlights differently. Rather than varying output, dimming is achieved at the pixel level instead. That way, there are no on/off cycles; the backlight glows at full intensity all of the time. While not the only company to offer an alternative to PWM, BenQ has more displays with ZeroFlicker than anyone else.
To be clear, the goal here is to reduce eye fatigue. Flicker may not actually be visible. But after hours of staring at an LCD screen, some folks find it difficult to focus and may even feel a physical manifestation like a headache. Keeping the backlight at a constant level with no current cycling has been shown to reduce those symptoms. BenQ includes ZeroFlicker on 17 of its 22 LCD displays.
BenQ’s packaging is unique in that the monitor is laid flat, rather than standing upright. The contents are completely surrounded by blocks of rigid Styrofoam. All of the accessories are separated from the screen, so there’s no chance of anything coming loose.
The cable bundle includes VGA, DVI-D, and an IEC power cord. The base is also packaged separately and screws on to the upright with a captive bolt. No tools are required. Rounding out the carton is a printed Quick Start Guide and a CD-ROM with the remaining documentation and drivers.
Product 360

From head-on, the RL2460HT assumes a simple and purposeful appearance. The bezel is of average width at 22 mm on the sides and 24 mm at the top and bottom, so it will work well in a multi-screen configuration. At first glance, the lower-right corner controls look like they’re touch-sensitive. But in actuality, there are buttons hidden around the side. They click solidly and the OSD responds quickly to user input. The black plastic that makes up the chassis is of high quality and also rejects reflected light well. It doesn't easily show fingerprints, making it more ideal for a display that might be moved a lot.
The screen’s anti-glare layer is aggressive and rejects reflections extremely well. Clarity is not impacted in any noticeable way. Even though resolution is limited to FHD, pixel density in a 24-inch form factor is decent at 92 ppi.

The RL2460HT has a portrait mode that can be used for a cool three-screen desktop in first-person games. The upright also has 20 degrees of tilt, 45 degrees of swivel to either side, and 4.3 inches of height adjustment. All of the movements are precise and smooth, and the monitor stays put once you get it situated. The base is a little small. Because the whole package is so light, though, stability is not an issue.

This is a fairly slim panel. Rather than a single smooth taper from side to side, the internals are housed in a squared-off bulge. There is plenty of shielding visible through the vents that run along the top. On the side of the upright are white tick marks to use as reference when setting up at a LAN party. You’ll always be able to restore your RL2460HT to the same height that way.

Around back is a 100 mm VESA mount, which is exposed upon removing the factory upright. In the lower-right is a Kensington security lock. You can also see a little of BenQ’s trademark red trim around the base.

The inputs face downwards, as you’d expect. But BenQ molds labels into the plastic, making them a little easier to find when you’re connecting cables blindly. In addition to the single VGA and DVI connectors, there are two HDMI inputs and one output. Users who wish to record gaming sessions can hook up a recording device there, rather than capturing the stream between the PC and monitor. That way, no additional input lag is introduced.
Pressing control keys on the side of the RL2460HT made us really miss the slick S Switch controller from the XL2720Z we reviewed last month. Other than that, the menu system is exactly the same. The OSD is fixed in the lower-right corner of the screen. It’s pretty large, but won’t interfere with our test patterns.
OSD Tour
Clicking any button brings up this quick menu.
We’re showing you the default setup. However, the top three keys can be customized to provide quick access to other functions like brightness and contrast or color temp preset. Selecting Menu brings up the main OSD.
The RL2460HT won’t pick up where you left off; it always starts with the Display submenu. Options on that screen only apply to analog signals. You can size, position, and sync the image when you use the VGA input.
Now we get to the important stuff.
A majority of the calibration controls are in the Picture menu. Selecting any of them brings up either a vertical slider or a set of options. The icons on the extreme right show the function of each button and change depending on what you’re doing.
Brightness controls the backlight (as it does on every computer monitor we’ve tested). There is no separate black level control. Contrast won’t clip detail at its default setting of 50, but we lowered it to improve grayscale accuracy at 100-percent brightness.
Sharpness’ default setting is 5, which produces an obvious edge enhancement in our test patterns. Dropping it to 1 fixes the problem.
Instant mode bypasses video processing to improve input lag. We were able to leave it On for all our tests.
Black eQualizer adjusts gamma at the low end of the brightness scale. If you’re having trouble seeing shadow detail, raising this control can help.
Low BlueLight is a feature unique to some BenQ monitors. It has the same effect as lowering the Blue slider in the color temp window. It goes from 0 to 10 and each click higher reduces blue, thereby making the image warmer in tone. It’s designed to combat eye fatigue, though a proper calibration yields the same result.
There are five gamma presets, but only numbers 2 and 3 come close to our standard of 2.2. There are tradeoffs to consider either way you go. We'll explain the differences in more detail on page six.
Choosing the User Mode color temp brings up a traditional set of RGB sliders. They are very precise and only require small adjustments to create excellent tracking. Depending on the gamma preset you choose, you’ll have to calibrate grayscale differently.
AMA stands for Advanced Motion Accelerator. It works like TraceFree to reduce ghosting behind moving objects. We saw better motion resolution in the games we tried. But in Windows, vertically-scrolling text suffered from a color fringing artifact.
The Picture Advanced menu is where you’ll find the picture modes and aspect ratio options. Aside from the common sRGB, Movie, and Standard modes, you get more gaming-oriented settings like RTS, FPS, and Fighting. In our experience, sRGB and Standard are the most accurate right out of the box.
If you’re watching a broadcast video source, you may see noise around the edge of the image. Using the Overscan feature zooms in 1.5 percent to remove that artifact.
Full uses the entire screen to render an image, no matter what resolution you specify. The other choices create a windowed picture that is meant to mimic different sized and shaped monitors. We saw this on the 27-inch XL2720Z and thought it was pretty cool. If you have a game that is optimized for a different size or aspect ratio, BenQ can accommodate it without distortion.
Like the XL2720Z, our press sample RL2460HT was set for video levels (16-235) rather than PC (0-255). If you don’t change this, detail in games and productivity apps may not be visible. You’d only use the video setting for a source like a Blu-ray player or cable TV receiver.
After choosing your options and/or calibrating the RL2460HT, you can save the configuration to one of three user memories. From there, it’s easy to call up different setups with just a couple of button clicks. We’d like to see this feature on all computer monitors.
The audio volume and mute controls govern both the speakers and headphone output. Like all built-in transducers, BenQ's sound small and tinny with a distinct emphasis on the upper-mid-range. The headphone connection is much better, offering a low noise floor and good fidelity.
Audio Select lets you choose between the HDMI, DisplayPort, and analog signal sources.
The OSD options include 17 languages, a display time of up to 30 seconds, and a complete lock-out feature. To restore it, press any button for 10 seconds.
The final screen contains the signal information. You get resolution, refresh rate, and active input, but not the firmware version.
BenQ RL2460HT Calibration
We explored three different picture modes to find the best starting point for calibration. The RL2460HT arrived in our lab set to Fighting. While that preset's grayscale and gamma accuracy are alright, the color gamut has some significant errors. sRGB is a good choice, but it locks out the gamma presets and color temp adjustments. We settled on Standard because it measures fairly well out of the box and allows a fairly precise calibration with little effort.
The gamma presets introduced some unique challenges during our tests. The default setting of Gamma 3 has excellent tracking, but rides above the 2.4 level. Gamma 2 is closer to 2.2. However, it suffers a dip at 10 percent and a peak at 90 percent. Changing presets also upsets the RGB, Brightness, and Contrast adjustments to where you’ll have to re-calibrate depending on the gamma you choose. We preferred the image quality of Gamma 2. We'll publish both configurations so you can make up your own mind, though.
| BenQ RL2460HT Calibration Settings, Gamma 3 | |
|---|---|
| Brightness | 63 |
| Contrast | 49 |
| Color Temp User | Red 100, Green 99, Blue 98 |
| BenQ RL2460HT Calibration Settings, Gamma 2 | |
| Brightness | 73 |
| Contrast | 40 |
| Color Temp User | Red 100, Green 100, Blue 99 |
The difference between both configurations is small. Either one represents a high level of accuracy. We suggest saving them to the user memories so you can make a side by side comparison.
To measure and calibrate monitors, we use an i1Pro spectrophotometer, a Spectracal C6 colorimeter, and version 5.2.0.1374 of SpectraCal’s CalMAN software.

The i1Pro is very accurate and consistent measuring color on all types of displays, regardless of the backlight technology used. When we just need a luminance value, the C6 works better, especially in low light.
For patterns, we employ an AccuPel DVG-5000 video signal generator. This approach removes video cards and drivers from the signal chain, allowing the display to receive true reference patterns. Connections are made via HDMI.

The AccuPel DVG-5000 is capable of generating all types of video signals at any resolution and refresh rate up to 1920x1080 at 60 Hz. It can also display motion patterns to evaluate a monitor's video processing capabilities, with 3D patterns available in every format. This allows us to measure color and grayscale performance, crosstalk, and ghosting in 3D content via the 3D glasses.
The i1Pro or C6 is placed at the center of the screen (unless we’re measuring uniformity) and sealed against it to block out any ambient light. The AccuPel pattern generator (bottom-left) is controlled via USB by CalMAN, which is running on the Dell XPS laptop on the right.
Our version of CalMAN Ultimate allows me to design all of the screens and workflows to best suit the purpose at hand. To that end, I’ve created a display review workflow from scratch. This way, we can be sure and collect all the necessary data with a concise and efficient set of measurements.
The charts show us the RGB levels, gamma response, and Delta E error for every brightness point from zero to 100 percent. The table shows us the raw data for each measurement. And the area in the upper-left tells us luminance, average gamma, Delta E, and contrast ratio. The individual charts can be copied to the Windows clipboard to easily create graphics for our reviews.
Every primary and secondary color is measured at 20-, 40-, 60-, 80-, and 100-percent saturation. The color saturation level is simply the distance from the white point on the CIE chart. You can see the targets moving out from white in a straight line. The further a point is from center, the greater the saturation until you hit 100 percent at the edge of the gamut triangle. This shows us the display’s response at a cross-section of color points. Many monitors score well when only the 100-percent saturations are measured. Hitting the targets at the lower saturations is more difficult, and factors into our average Delta E value (which explains why our Delta E values are sometimes higher than those reported by other publications).
Uncalibrated
Before calibrating any panel, we measure zero and 100-percent signals at both ends of the brightness control range. This shows us how contrast is affected at the extremes of a monitor's luminance capability. We do not increase the contrast control past the clipping point. While that would increase a monitor’s light output, the brightest signal levels would not be visible, resulting in crushed highlight detail. Our numbers show the maximum light level possible with no clipping of the signal.
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All three recently reviewed gaming monitors are represented in this round-up: the RL2460HT, plus BenQ’s XL2720Z and Asus’ VG248QE. We also have three professional QHD screens: NEC’s PA272W and EA274WMi, along with ViewSonic’s VP2772.

The RL2460HT’s default picture mode is Fighting and that's where you'll find the brightest image. Our measurement of 302.0166 cd/m2 exceeds BenQ’s spec by over 20 percent. There are a couple of color gamut issues in that mode, plus, grayscale and gamma accuracy are merely average. If you switch to Standard or sRGB, you still get around 240 cd/m2, which is decent performance. This monitor isn’t a light cannon. It is bright enough for any gaming situation we can think of, though.

TN is still the go-to panel technology for black levels, as our results show. Even though IPS is getting better, it isn’t quite there yet. And as you’ll see later, TN retains its edge for gamers with lower response times and less input lag.

The only display to beat BenQ's RL2460HT in this group is Asus’ VG248Q high-refresh rate model. Still, 1170.7 to 1 is an excellent number that sails right over our benchmark figure of 1000 to 1. Once you dial in gamma properly, this screen delivers a nice image with plenty of detail and pop.
We believe 50 cd/m2 is a practical minimum standard for screen brightness. Any lower and you risk eyestrain and fatigue. The RL2460HT puts out 45.5816 cd/m2 at its lowest Brightness setting. Conceivably, you could use the screen like that in a room devoid of ambient light. As you’ll see in the next two charts, black levels and contrast maintain excellent consistency.

A result of .0400 cd/m2 represents a great black level, considering the minimum white level is over 45 cd/m2. The two NECs beat the RL2460HT only because they bottom out at less than 20 cd/m2. If you like playing games with the brightness at the bottom, you may want to experiment with different gamma presets to make sure no shadow or highlight detail is lost.

If you ignore Asus’ freakish result, the BenQ becomes one of our top contrast performers. After checking the ratio at 80, 120, and 160 cd/m2, we found that you’ll always see about 1100 to 1, yielding the kind of consistent performance we look for in any monitor.
After Calibration
Since we consider 200 cd/m2 to be an ideal point for peak output, we calibrate all of our test monitors to that value. In a room with some ambient light (like an office), this brightness level provides a sharp, punchy image with maximum detail and minimum eye fatigue. On many monitors it’s also the sweet spot for gamma and grayscale tracking, which we'll look at on the next page.
In a darkened room, some professionals prefer a 120 cd/m2 calibration, though we've found it makes little to no difference on the calibrated black level and contrast measurements.

The calibrated black level stays nice and low at .2026 cd/m2. We made minor changes during calibration, so minimum brightness and on/off contrast aren't much different.

Calibrated contrast only takes a slight hit down to 993.8 to 1. We couldn’t see any difference in image quality other than the color improvement that always accompanies calibration. Some tradeoffs have to be made with regards to gamma to achieve the very best contrast. We’ll talk about them on the next page.
ANSI Contrast Ratio
Another important measure of contrast is ANSI. To perform this test, a checkerboard pattern of sixteen zero and 100-percent squares is measured, yielding a somewhat more real-world metric than on/off readings because we see a display’s ability to simultaneously maintain both low black and full white levels, factoring in screen uniformity, too. The average of the eight full-white measurements is divided by the average of the eight full-black measurements to arrive at the ANSI result.

We’re seeing more and more displays achieving higher and higher ANSI contrast results. It’s a trend we like because it means greater image depth in more kinds of content. When a relatively inexpensive monitor like the RL2460HT can match the performance of displays costing three and four times as much, you know progress is being made. Prices may not be dropping to everyone’s satisfaction, so we have to cheer about increased quality and performance.
A majority of monitors, especially newer models, display excellent grayscale tracking (even at stock settings). It’s important that the color of white be consistently neutral at all light levels from darkest to brightest. Grayscale performance impacts color accuracy with regard to the secondary colors: cyan, magenta, and yellow. Since computer monitors typically have no color or tint adjustment, accurate grayscale is key.
Since most folks don't calibrate their monitors, I'll show you the results from three of the RL2460HT’s picture modes without any adjustments.

Fighting is BenQ’s default mode, and it does take some artistic license with color that you'll see illustrated in the gamut results. Grayscale performance isn’t too bad, fortunately. The white point runs a little blue as brightness rises. You’ll also experience a slight green error in the darkest areas of the screen. The mid-tones (30-50 percent) are the best part of this chart.

Changing to Standard mode makes the tracking a little more linear, if not entirely flat. Green errors are visible from 50 percent on up. One-hundred percent is the exception where the white point suddenly becomes much better.

The best out-of-box accuracy comes from the sRGB preset. Unlike a lot of other monitors, you can still change brightness and contrast in this mode. The only locked-out controls are color temp and gamma. For an uncalibrated picture mode to measure so well on a sub-$250 monitor is pretty astounding.

Going back to the Standard mode, we tweaked the RGB sliders and recorded a superb result. With the exception of 0 and 10 percent, all errors are well under one Delta E.
Here is our comparison group:

Since Fighting is the RL2460HT’s default mode, we’re using that as our stock Delta E value. To BenQ’s credit, it doesn't claim this mode meets typical color standards. According to the company's marketing, it was created to help highlight certain colors in fighting games, so there are intentional modifications in play. With that said, 3.65 Delta E is not a bad result in that it’s a barely visible error.

Calibrating the Standard mode vaults the RL2460HT into some impressive (and expensive) company. An average error of .71 Delta E is right up there with all of the pro monitors we’ve tested.
Gamma Response
Gamma is the measurement of luminance levels at every step in the brightness range from 0 to 100 percent. It's important because poor gamma can either crush detail at various points or wash it out, making the entire picture appear flat and dull. Correct gamma produces a more three-dimensional image, with a greater sense of depth and realism. Meanwhile, incorrect gamma can negatively affect image quality, even in monitors with high contrast ratios.
In the gamma charts below, the yellow line represents 2.2, which is the most widely used standard for television, film, and computer graphics production. The closer the white measurement trace comes to 2.2, the better.
Our gamma results presented us with some choices. Like most computer monitors, there are multiple presets available. Only two measure close to our preferred average value of 2.2, though. Neither curve is ideal, so we’re showing you both.

Gamma 3 offers the flattest tracking, but it’s a little too dark at an average of over 2.4. Since the RL2460HT is not super-bright, this gamma preset might make the image a little too dim for some tastes. That was our observation, compelling us to try the Gamma 2 preset as well.

Gamma 2 tracks right around the 2.2 mark. However, it incurs a dip and rise at 10 percent and a hump at 80 percent. Even still, when it comes to watching real-world content, this option looks better. The errors are small, and you might not even be able to distinguish them from a perfectly flat measured trace. In case you’re wondering, sRGB mode generates the exact same result.
Here is our comparison group again:

We include both runs in our round-up so you can make up your own mind which gamma to choose. Gamma 3 has the tightest tracking. Even though its average value is too high (meaning too dark), it’s much more consistent than Gamma 2.
Gamma deviation is calculated by simply expressing the difference from 2.2 as a percentage.

On the other side of the equation, Gamma 2 comes much closer to 2.2 than Gamma 3. Ultimately, that’s why it’s our preference. If you recall the calibration notes from page three, you need to set the brightness, contrast, and RGB sliders differently for each gamma preset. You can’t just switch between them without altering the calibration.
Color gamut is measured using a saturation sweep that samples the six main colors (red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, and yellow) at five saturation levels (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 percent), yielding a more realistic view of color accuracy.
First up is the Fighting mode. Some alterations are made to the standard sRGB color gamut by design.

Red and magenta show the largest deviations, but all of the colors are off in saturation, hue, and luminance by varying degrees. Using the Fighting mode is purely a matter of personal preference. In our experience, games look best when the display is calibrated to a proper sRGB color gamut.

The Standard mode is pretty good overall. Our only real concern is the under-luminance of blue, red, and magenta. Those same colors are over-saturated at the 20-, 40-, 60-, and 80-percent levels. If you only look at the 100-percent saturations, the gamut looks very good.

Calibrating the grayscale improves the gamut results significantly. Now the luminance levels are near-perfect and the saturation problems have been mostly fixed. Red is a little under, but only just. This is a great example of how getting the white point correct can improve a display's total color performance.
Now we return to the comparison group:

An average error of 1.19 Delta E is amazing when you consider that the RL2460HT is the least expensive monitor in our round-up. We wouldn’t expect a gaming monitor to perform this well, but we’ll take it! BenQ really raises the bar here.
Gamut Volume: Adobe RGB 1998 And sRGB
There are basically two categories of displays in use today: those that conform to the sRGB/Rec. 709 standard like HDTVs, and wide-gamut panels that show as much as 100 percent of the Adobe RGB 1998 spec. We use Gamutvision to calculate the gamut volume, based on an ICC profile created from our actual measurements.

The RL2460HT is clearly an sRGB-only display. With a measured error of 1.19 Delta E in our color saturation sweep test, a large gamut volume of 97.72 percent goes hand in hand with that. Few professionals would put this monitor on their short list. But you could use it for video work when the wider Adobe RGB gamut isn’t required.
The more monitors we test, the more we can see that off-axis viewing performance is dependent not only on pixel structure (IPS, PLS, TN, etc.) but also the backlight technology and the quality of the anti-glare layer.
The image above looks a lot like our shots of the XL2720Z. The side views are quite red in tint, with a loss of detail in the darker levels of the pattern. The vertical views look very washed-out, and the dark steps become a uniform shade of gray. If you use the RL2460HT in a multi-monitor setup, place the side screens carefully to maintain image integrity. This remains an issue for TN-based panels. But when you're sitting directly in front of your monitor, the problem isn't as severe.
Screen Uniformity: Luminance
To measure screen uniformity, zero percent and 100-percent full-field patterns are used, and nine points are sampled. First, we establish a baseline measurement at the center of each screen. Then the surrounding eight points are measured and their values expressed as a percentage of the baseline, either above or below. This number gets averaged. It is important to remember that we only test the review sample each vendor sends us. Other examples of the same monitor can measure differently in this metric.
First up is black field uniformity.

We always observe the field patterns with our eyes before measuring them. If either black or white uniformity measures less than 10 percent, it constitutes an invisible error. The RL2460HT’s result of 6.43 percent in the black field test is very good. Even at the highest backlight setting, we couldn’t see any problems.
Here’s the white field measurement:

We were able to see a slightly darker region on the display’s left side. It extended about two inches in from the bezel. In actual content, the error was not visible. The measured result of 11.01 percent is only slightly above our standard. Other samples might measure better than ours.
Screen Uniformity: Color
To measure color uniformity, we display an 80-percent white field and measure the Delta E error of the same nine points on the screen. Then we subtract the lowest value from the highest to arrive at the result. A smaller number means a display is more uniform. Any value below three means a variation that is invisible to the naked eye.

Color uniformity can vary greatly from sample to sample of the same display. The RL2460HT’s result of 1.31 Delta E is invisible to the naked eye, though. Our 80-percent field pattern looks smooth and uniform with no perceptible color tints anywhere on the screen.
To perform these tests, we use a high-speed camera that shoots at 1000 frames per second. Analyzing the video frame-by-frame allows us to observe the exact time it takes to go from a zero-percent signal to a 100-percent white field.
The pattern generator is placed at the base of the monitor so our camera can capture the precise moment its front-panel LED lights up, indicating that a video signal is being received by the monitor. With this camera placement, we can easily see how long it takes to fully display a pattern after pressing the button on the generator’s remote. Our testing methodology allows for accurate and repeatable results when comparing panels.
Here’s a shot of our test setup. Click on the photo to enlarge.
The brighter section of the camera’s screen is what actually appears in the video. You can see the lights of the pattern generator in the bottom of the viewfinder. We flash the pattern on and off five times and average the results.

The best gaming monitors are able to refresh at rates above 60 Hz. The RL2460HT is not one of those. But it still has faster draw time than any IPS monitor we’ve tested. That performance translates to slightly lower motion blur and better resolution of fast-moving objects. While a 144 Hz screen is the best way to reduce motion artifacts, a speedy TN monitor is a solid second choice.
And the lag results:

The BenQ also beats our IPS group in the input lag test. It can’t put up the extreme numbers of a 144 Hz display, but it’s more than fast enough to improve the playability of high-speed titles. Thanks to its excellent clarity, contrast, and color quality, the RL2460HT should satisfy the vast majority of gaming enthusiasts.
So did we miss that high refresh rate found on 120 and 144 Hz displays? Yes, we did. But the RL2460HT still proves to be a capable gaming monitor anyway. It is true that a panel with a quick draw time like this one renders smoother motion than the IPS-based screens we’re more accustomed to. But once you play a first-person shooter at 144 Hz, it's hard to go back.
Motion blur is something that has plagued LCD panels since their inception. Remember that the whole point was to create a TV you could hang on the wall. CRTs, for all of their advantages, became so large and heavy that they reached critical mass. Unfortunately, in slimming down our screens, we had to accept the limitations of sample-and-hold imaging. Sixty hertz is fine when the duty cycle of each frame is only a couple of milliseconds. When that same frame stays in place until the next one comes, blur is the unavoidable result.
LCD manufacturers have evolved their technology to address these issues. Now BenQ and others have found a way to eliminate flicker once and for all. We’re used to the large leaps in performance from each new generation of video board or CPU. But display tech progresses at a somewhat slower pace.

Many users are simply dying to replace their older TN screens with a shiny new IPS model. But as much as that panel technology offers, it doesn’t do so well in the speed department. The three TN-based monitors we’ve tested recently really don’t give up much, if anything, in terms of video performance. Sure, IPS reduces your power consumption and improves off-axis image quality. But is it really better for enthusiasts?
We always talk about how contrast is king and TN still has the edge. IPS is catching up. However, our latest tests show it isn’t quite there yet. Comparisons based on color accuracy are also a wash. The RL2460HT performs nearly as well in that department as some very expensive professional displays. While we don’t expect this monitor to be a fixture in a photographer’s studio, it is certainly worthy of consideration as an addition to the toolkit. Naturally, the, we're looking forward to checking out some of BenQ's professional screens.
The one nit-pick that cropped up in our testing was gamma control. Despite there being five presets, none of them produced a completely correct result with flat tracking. And we were surprised at how each option altered the white balance, brightness, and contrast settings. The easy workaround if you want to switch gammas is to use the convenient settings memories. With three slots available, the RL2460HT still qualifies as an acceptable solution for tweakers.
Feature-wise, the RL2460HT shares quite a bit in common with BenQ's already-reviewed flagship XL2720Z. ZeroFlicker is a significant boon to usability and we’re glad to see the company putting so much effort into eliminating the issues associated with PWM. You give up three inches of screen size, motion blur reduction, and 144 Hz operation for a savings of $253. You could buy a second RL2460HT for that, and we imagine some power users will.
Enthusiasts are clamoring for the promise of G-Sync and its continuously variable refresh rate. Not only does that require a new monitor, though, but you'll also need a compatible Kepler- or Maxwell-based graphics card. There's also the fact that VESA recently added adaptive-sync to DisplayPort 1.2a, which could make similar technology available to a broader range of end-users. If you're not quite ready to bet on one standard or the other, gamers looking for an upgrade would be wise to consider a gaming monitor like the RL2460HT.




