For a display to truly be classified as a gaming monitor, it must be able to run at high refresh rates. With high-end graphics configurations topping 100 FPS in demanding titles at the most taxing detail settings, competitive gamers need panels able to keep up. G-Sync holds a lot of promise by matching the input and output frame rates, but compatible displays are only just now starting to trickle into the market. We expect to see a few press samples soon.

If you need a gamer-oriented screen today, your best bet is one able to refresh at up to 144 Hz. We tested Asus’ VG248QE back in the fall and concluded that it offered fantastic speed, along with surprisingly good contrast and color accuracy. Today, we continue our inquest by reviewing BenQ's 27-inch XL2720Z.
| Brand | BenQ |
|---|---|
| Model | XL2720Z |
| Street Price | $499 |
| Panel Type | TN Film |
| Backlight | W-LED, edge array |
| Screen Size | 27-inch |
| Max Resolution | 1920x1080 |
| Max Refresh Rate | 144 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Native Color Depth | 6-bit w/FRC |
| Native Gamut | sRGB |
| Response Time (GTG) | 1 ms |
| Brightness | 300 cd/m2 |
| Speakers | - |
| VGA | 1 |
| DVI | 1 |
| DisplayPort v1.2 | 1 |
| HDMI 1.4 | 2 |
| Audio In | via HDMI or DP |
| Headphone | 1 |
| USB | v2.0: 1 up, 3 down |
| Media Card Reader | - |
| Panel Dimensions W x H x D w/base | 25.3 x 21.6 x 10.7 in 642 x 548 x 273 mm |
| Panel Thickness | 2.6 in / 67 mm |
| Bezel Width | .8 in / 20 mm |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg |
| Warranty | One year |
There are a couple of features worth mentioning that are not part of the specs. The first of these is Flicker-Free, which is BenQ’s term for an LED backlight that does not use pulse-width modulation. Most monitors reduce their output by cycling the backlight at high frequencies, as high as 20 kHz, in fact. This can sometimes manifest as flicker to more sensitive users. The two ways to combat this problem are to increase the PWM frequency or power the backlight with direct current, as BenQ does. Voltage is kept constant and the backlight is not cycled, regardless of brightness setting, so flicker is not possible even at minimal levels.
The second major feature is Blur Reduction, BenQ's marketing term for backlight strobing. Functionally, it operates like Nvidia's LightBoost technology whereby the backlight is turned on and off between frames to minimize the blur inherent to sample-and-hold display technology like LCD. Since it’s now built into the monitor, you can use it with any graphics card, not just one that’s LightBoost-enabled. Without Blur Reduction, each frame of the image stays on-screen until the next frame is rendered. This is different than CRT or plasma displays that actually go dark between frames. Of course, it’s all happening 60 times per second or more so your eye shouldn't perceive the flicker. Instead, you get smoother motion resolution. The main side-effect is a reduction in light output. But there is a solution in the form of a third-party utility we included in our testing. For the rest of that story, see page nine.
Like Asus' VG248QE and other high-speed monitors, the XL2720Z is a twisted-nematic (TN) panel. In-plane switching (IPS) and its variants have made major strides in most areas of image quality, but speed is not on that list. Today’s reality is that if you want fast response and low input lag, you have to use TN.
The second part of the speed equation is bit-depth. This BenQ monitor uses an AU Optronics six-bit native panel with a frame rate conversion algorithm to create a perceived eight-bit output signal. In practice, it works extremely well. We talked about the banding artifacts that can result from signal compression in Asus VG248QE: A 24-Inch, 144 Hz Gaming Monitor Under $300. We didn’t see any on that display, nor did we see any on this one. By using a six-bit panel, both response time and input lag are significantly reduced.
BenQ includes several more goodies in the XL2720Z that cater to gamers. Let’s take a look.
Unlike most other manufacturers, BenQ packs its monitors flat, rather than in a suitcase-style carton. This means there is a lot more Styrofoam protecting the contents. The panel and its base are completely surrounded by the material. Our sample arrived without a scratch, and we'd expect the same for anyone having their mail-order purchase shipped across the country.
The box contains an IEC power cord for the internal power supply; cables for DVI, VGA, and USB; and a CD with drivers and a user manual. Also included is a nice vinyl cover with a BenQ logo on it and a cutout for the monitor’s carry handle.
Product 360

The bezel is just under 20 millimeters wide all around, which makes it a little slimmer than most. The corners are squared off so you can get multiple screens very close to one another. OSD controls are at the lower-right. However, you won't need them thanks to a very slick device called the S Switch. You can see it attached to the right side of the slim base in the photo.
The screen’s anti-glare coating has a medium rating, meaning it's not too aggressive. Clarity is excellent and only the harshest reflections affect the image.

Like most computer monitors, the XL2720 has a portrait mode. The image flips automatically when you rotate the screen. You’ll notice the base is a little wider on the right side. That’s the S Switch and it comes off easily if you want to run multiple panels in portrait orientation. Further ergonomic adjustments include 5.5 inches of height, 25 degrees tilt, and 90 degrees swivel. All of the movements are smooth and firm, yet the panel stays where you set it.

Here’s a better shot of the base with the S Switch attached. It’s magnetic, so a light tug is enough to pull it off. Connectivity is enabled through the input panel's mini-USB port.
I fell in love with the S Switch right away. It's truly the coolest way to play with an OSD! It can attach to either side of the base, too.

From the side you can see two USB 2.0 ports and another piece of connectivity we like to see: a headphone jack. This is not the slimmest panel, but its flat back facilitates an easy wall-mount.

The upright is very well-designed. There is a generous opening for cable management trimmed in a racy red plastic. At the top is a metal carry handle and a hook that could also help with cable management. If you’d rather use an arm or bracket to support the XL2720Z, four screws give you access to the 100 mm VESA mount.

The input panel is equipped with everything you need to interface with a diverse range of output devices. At the left is a mini-USB port for the S Switch. Then we have DisplayPort 1.2, VGA, DVI, two HDMI ports, and upstream and downstream USB 2.0 connections.
OSD Tour
There are many options in the XL2720Z’s vast OSD, and most of them are aimed at gamers. As we mentioned on the previous page, you can control the menu with five touch-sensitive buttons on the bezel, or do what we did and use the slick S Switch and its scroll wheel.

By the way, the S Switch is ambidextrous. It can be installed on either side of the monitor’s base via magnets.
Pressing any bezel or S Switch button brings up a quick menu.
Depending on your task or game, you’ll be turning the Blur Reduction on and off. And with an on-screen utility you can control the amount of reduction with a slider.
Switching between the picture modes is a little slow because it changes with each click of the wheel.
Display Mode refers to the screen size. The XL2720Z can mimic anything from 17-inch 4:3 aspect up to the full 27-inch native widescreen.
Selecting Menu brings up the full OSD.
The first sub-menu, Display, is for analog signals only. If you use the VGA input, you're able to adjust the position, pixel clock, and phase. Or click Auto Adjustment for a hands-off setup.
Next we have the main calibration controls, plus a number of other options.
When you click an option in the second column of items, a slider or more options will appear. They are always vertically arranged, so scrolling the S Switch's wheel is the fastest way to make choices. In the upper-right corner, you can see the current picture mode. And on the extreme right are icons that indicate the functions of the bezel buttons.
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 white point warmer. It’s designed to combat eye fatigue, though a proper calibration yields the same result.
Black eQualizer adjusts gamma at the low end of the brightness scale. If you’re having trouble seeing shadow detail, raising this control should help.
Blur Reduction is an on/off option and activates the XL2720Z’s black frame insertion feature. Output is cut by almost 58 percent, but motion resolution is visibly improved.
Hue and Saturation only work with analog signals. They’re like the color and tint controls on an HDTV. The XL’s color is pretty accurate in the Standard picture mode, so we suggest leaving these sliders alone.
The Picture menu has a second screen full of options.
AMA stands for Advanced Motion Accelerator. It works like trace-free to reduce ghosting behind moving objects. It doesn’t seem to make any difference when running at 144 Hz.
InstantMode bypasses some video processing to improve input lag. It helped in our 60 Hz tests. But at 144 Hz, it had no effect.
Sharpness is set to a default value of 5 and should be left as-is. Reducing it softens the image and upping the slider creates unnecessary edge enhancement.
There are five gamma presets. The default setting is 3, but we found that to be a little low. Option 4 is right on the correct 2.2 value.
Here are the color temp presets.
Normal is the closest to 6500 Kelvins. If you select User Mode, you can adjust the RGB sliders to your preference. They start at 100 percent, so you can only reduce them. The result will be a small drop in output; just be sure to make Brightness your final adjustment.
The Picture Advanced menu has the rest of the image options.
There are eight picture modes plus three user memories. They differ in color, white point, and gamma, and some gray-out certain controls. Standard gives you access to everything. measuring closest to our standards without calibration. sRGB is very good too. However, it doesn’t offer any RGB adjustments. The FPS and RTS modes alter gamma and should be used as a personal preference. In our response and lag tests, Standard was as fast as any of the gaming presets, though.
Display Mode can change the screen size to suit a particular game application. When you do so, the image is displayed in a window at the center of the screen. There are various size and aspect ratio options from 17” 4:3 to 24” widescreen.
When we unboxed our press sample, it was set to RGB 16-235, which is incorrect for PC applications. Switch it to the 0-255 option to see the full-range signal. Video content is truncated to 16-235, so if you hook up a Blu-ray player, change the option back to its default setting.
SmartFocus is an unusual feature that highlights a user-controlled portion of the screen by darkening and desaturating the surrounding area. It’s designed for use with things like YouTube videos or games played in a windowed mode.
Having user memories on any monitor is extremely handy. Then you can have multiple configurations to switch between depending on application. The three numbered buttons on the S Switch recall those presets with a single click.
There are no speakers on the XL2720Z, so the volume control is for the headphone output. Buzzer refers to the little beep that accompanies each press of the bezel and S Switch keys. You can turn if off if you wish.
The final menu has an input selector and OSD options. The menu always displays in the lower-right corner of the screen so it won’t interfere with most test patterns. You can increase the timeout to as much as 30 seconds and choose between 17 languages.
The Custom Keys refer to the bezel buttons only. The top three can be set for quick access to many monitor functions like brightness or picture mode.
Here is the signal information. We would like to see firmware info as well for reasons we’ll explain later.
BenQ XL2720Z Calibration
After measuring the Standard, sRGB, and FPS1 modes, we settled on Standard as the best starting point for calibration. You have access to all of the necessary controls and it’s pretty close to accurate out of the box. In fact, if you don’t calibrate, just change the gamma preset from 3 to 4 and you’ll be within a stone’s throw of our instrumented results. sRGB locks out the RGB sliders and gamma presets, and the FPS modes lock out the gamma adjustment. Standard also happens to offer the best color gamut accuracy.
To maximize dynamic range at 200 cd/m2, we did a fair amount of back and forth adjustment of the brightness and contrast sliders. The default contrast setting of 50 won’t clip any detail, but it does reduce the accuracy of the 100-percent brightness level. We dropped it to 43 for an almost-perfect grayscale tracking result. Aside from tweaking the RGB controls, the only other change we made was to select the number 4 gamma preset.
| BenQ XL2720Z Calibration Settings | |
|---|---|
| Picture Mode | Standard |
| Brightness | 71 |
| Contrast | 43 |
| Color Temp User | Red 100, Green 98, Blue 96 |
Other settings like Low Blue Light, Sharpness, and Dynamic Contrast should be left at their defaults for best results.
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 doing this 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.
We reviewed another 144 Hz screen back in the fall, Asus' VG248QE, so we're adding it to our comparison group. The rest are QHD and UHD displays already evaluated on Tom's Hardware.

Our measurements come pretty close to BenQ’s spec of 300 cd/m2. That's plenty of light for any gaming or productivity application. There is one caveat though. If you engage the blur reduction feature, output is cut by around 58 percent. Whenever black frame insertion is used in any LCD panel, lower brightness is an unavoidable side-effect. You can mitigate this somewhat by using the Blur Busters Strobe Utility, which we talk about on page nine.
TN panels usually render decent black levels, even with the backlight on maximum.

The XL2720Z cranks out excellent black levels. This is one area where TN panels are still superior to their IPS counterparts. The BenQ also edges out its 144 Hz competitor, Asus’ VG248QE by a hair.
The overall contrast result is quite good.

The BenQ’s max contrast ratio isn’t quite at the top, but it’s very close. Only a handful of monitors of any type can exceed 1000 to 1 when the backlight is turned up all the way.
We believe 50 cd/m2 is a practical minimum standard for screen brightness. Any lower and you risk eyestrain and fatigue. The XL2720Z bottoms out at 66.0294 cd/m2, which is great for playing games in total darkness as long as you don’t use the Blur Reduction feature. As you’ll see below, black levels and contrast hold up extremely well too.

Even though the BenQ finishes last in this group, all of the monitors measure extremely low in our minimum black level test. The VG248QE is still the champ.
Here are the contrast numbers:

BenQ's result beats most of the other monitors we’ve tested. Although we’ve seen a couple of screens score higher (like the Asus), once the contrast ratio is over 1000 to 1, it’s hard to tell a difference in perceived image quality. The XL2720Z demonstrates consistently high contrast performance throughout its entire brightness range.
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 it makes little to no difference on the calibrated black level and contrast measurements.

Calibration usually reduces contrast slightly. But unless the change is greater than about 15 percent, you’re unlikely to see a difference. A result of .2183 cd/m2 is excellent.
The final contrast ratio is only slightly lower than the out-of-box figure.

We are happy to see the trend of consistent contrast performance continue with the XL2720Z. It’s always best to have a screen that delivers the same image quality no matter what the backlight setting. This panel is firmly in that category.
ANSI Contrast Ratio
Another important measure of contrast is ANSI. To perform our test, a checkerboard pattern of sixteen zero and 100-percent squares is measured, giving us a somewhat more real-world metric than on/off measurements because it evaluates a display’s ability to simultaneously maintain both low black and full white levels, further factoring in screen uniformity. 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.

Looking over our data for the past year, a vast majority of tested screens are in a range of 800-900 to 1 for ANSI contrast. The checkerboard pattern we measure is a more real-world representation of actual intra-image contrast. Since the XL2720Z is made from a brand-new panel part, it’s not surprising to see such good engineering and quality control.
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.
The XL2720Z comes set to its FPS1 picture mode, so that’s where we begin our grayscale tests.

This is a fair result, but it could be better. The average error is 3.61 Delta E. Grayscale shifts toward blue as brightness increases. From 50 percent on up, you’re able to see a slight blue tint. Fortunately, you can adjust the RGB sliders in this mode (though you can’t change the gamma preset).
Standard is a better mode to use if you don’t plan to calibrate.

The Standard mode chart is pretty close to some of the professional screens we’ve tested, including those with factory calibrations. All errors are under three Delta E and therefore invisible. At this point, all you need to do is change the gamma preset to 4 and you have a very accurate monitor.
Of course, we aim for the top!

It doesn’t get much better than this. In fact the only monitor we’ve measured that beats the XL2720Z is Samsung's S27B971D. Many gamers don’t consider calibration to be important, but trust us, you’ll have a better experience using a more accurate screen. Flat and neutral grayscale tracking means maximum image depth, natural color, and minimal eye fatigue.
Here is our comparison group:

Grayscale performance in the XL2720Z’s stock configuration is very good. In fact, there are a couple of pricier screens below BenQ's display in the results. Remember, these charts represent the Standard picture mode. The FPS modes are not quite as accurate pre-calibration.
After adjustment, the BenQ comes out a winner.

Another trend we’re seeing in new monitors is near-perfect grayscale tracking after calibration. We only had to change the RGB sliders by a few clicks to achieve our best result. It also helps to reduce the contrast control a little. Trading a little on/off contrast for this level of accuracy is definitely worthwhile.
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.
The different picture modes of the XL2720Z produce varying gamma results. Correct gamma is important if you want to see maximum detail in a gaming environment.

The FPS1 mode yields a fair gamma result. It rides pretty close to 2.2 until 90 percent brightness, where it takes a dip below the line. We measure an error of 7.13 cd/m2.
But again, the Standard mode is preferred for its superior color gamut results, which you’ll see on the next page. Unfortunately, the gamma is not as good as FPS1.

This trace is well below 2.2 across the board, and it doesn’t track well. The maximum error is again at 90 percent, where the XL2720Z measures 12.46 cd/m2 too bright. The image definitely looks flatter with less pop and clarity.
The fix is an easy one.

All you have to do is change the gamma preset from 3 to 4 to bring the gamma tracking up to 2.2. It’s not the flattest tracking we’ve measured, but it comes close. Ninety percent is only off by 2.47 cd/m2; that's a negligible amount.
Here is our comparison group again:

The XL2720Z has some pretty stiff competition in this round-up and it still finishes in third place. A result of .14 represents tight gamma tracking.
We calculate gamma deviation by simply expressing the difference from 2.2 as a percentage.

Even though the BenQ is on the bottom of our test group, we have no issue with its gamma performance. Compared to the rest of our monitor benchmark database, the XL2720Z lands around the middle.
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%). This provides a more realistic view of color accuracy.
The chroma results are the main reason we went with Standard as our preferred picture mode. FPS1 not only locks out the gamma presets, but its color gamut also has a few issues.

The only color that approaches our standard is the green primary. All of the others have either hue or saturation errors, or both. If you look at the 100-percent points (the edges of the triangle), the situation doesn't look too bad. But the lower levels are too high, especially for red and magenta. Color luminance is also low almost across the board. Most of the errors are visible, and the average Delta E value is 4.77.
The Standard mode provides the best chromaticity.

We measured the above result in both the Standard and sRGB modes, which tells us that the XL2720Z is a very accurate monitor when it's set up correctly. As you saw in the grayscale results, choosing the correct options in the OSD means you have a decent panel without calibration and a superb one with. The only real flaw is blue, which is over-saturated at the 80- and 100-percent points. The luminance is reduced to compensate.
Now we return to the comparison group.

We’ve tested several professional monitors that come with factory calibrations and guarantee errors of less than two Delta E. The XL2720Z finishes just over that threshold with a value of 2.20. I consider that to be excellent performance, and I'm glad to see such attention to detail in a monitor aimed at gamers rather than users who require pinpoint color accuracy.
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 XL2720Z is an sRGB-only monitor and it comes pretty close to the 100-percent mark. The slight deficiency comes from under-saturation of red and under-luminance of blue. The other colors hit their marks with near-perfection.
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 the backlight technology as well. And we can see that the anti-glare layer makes a difference too.
Off-axis image quality remains the weak point of TN screens. In our composite photo, you can see an obvious color shift towards red in the horizontal pictures. Even in the head-on shot, there is a slight tint due to the wide-angle lens on our camera. The vertical images don’t show any color issues, but detail in the 11-step grayscale pattern is almost non-existent. It’s very difficult to distinguish the brightness levels from one another.
Since gamers typically sit close to their monitors, 27 inches really does seem to be the practical size limit for a TN panel. If it were any larger, you’d see color tint and detail loss in the sides of your display, even from dead center.
Screen Uniformity: Luminance
To measure screen uniformity, zero 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. Their values are 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.
First up is black field uniformity.

We haven’t tested many TN screens, but the two in this group acquit themselves very well. BenQ’s result is the lowest we’ve recorded to date. There’s certainly no uniformity compensation look-up table needed here!
Next is the white field measurement.

The white field result is right about average for the displays we’ve measured. In the XL2720Z’s case, the center of the screen is slightly hotter than the surrounding zones. It’s extremely hard to see with the naked eye, though. If you could reduce that hotspot to equal the rest, the result would be closer to three percent.
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 simply 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.

The XL2720Z has excellent grayscale tracking, and that performance holds up at all points on the screen. There is no visible color tint anywhere, just a smooth white tone at all brightness levels.
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% white field.
We had to do things a little differently for this review because our pattern generator only goes up to 60 Hz. So, we filmed a mouse movement that triggers the field pattern’s appearance. Since this is less precise than using the generator, we averaged five measurements. Here’s the screen draw result.

We were impressed to see the BenQ edge out Asus in this test. This is why a high-refresh monitor is so good for 3D gaming. There are blur reduction techniques discussed below that you can use to improve motion resolution, but it all starts with a fast panel like the XL2720Z.
Here are the lag results:

A new king of low input lag is crowned! Even a novice gamer like me can appreciate and benefit from this kind of performance. My aim is far more precise. My hit rate is higher. And motion is super-smooth with almost no loss of resolution.
Blur Reduction
BenQ puts a lot of effort into enhancing the gaming experience with its XL2720Z. In addition to the 144 Hz refresh rate, it employs a few extra features to minimize motion artifacts.
The principal one is a strobe backlight. You might associate this terminology with Nvidia's LightBoost, originally developed to improve image brightness with 3D Vision and minimize crosstalk. BenQ calls the feature Blur Reduction, though the fact that some folks like it more or less than LightBoost suggests the two implementations differ. In essence, though, the monitor's backlight turns on and off at a rate that matches its refresh rate. The net effect to the eye is smoother motion.
Of course there is a tradeoff: lower light output. When you activate Blur Reduction on the XL2720Z, brightness is reduced by almost 58 percent. Fortunately, there is a way to adjust this through a third party utility we obtained free from Blur Busters.

If your XL2720Z (or any Z-series BenQ monitor) has the latest firmware (v2.0), you can use this utility to control the persistence and strobe phase, affecting motion, brightness, and crosstalk. The utility is vastly superior to the on/off choice BenQ gives you.
The Persistence slider moves between greater light output and greater blur reduction. You can use the tests at Blur Busters to set this to your liking.
Crosstalk on an LCD manifests as ghosting or faint outlines behind moving objects. Adjusting this slider changes the timing of the backlight’s strobing action, putting it earlier or later in each refresh cycle. Again, check out Blur Buster’s tests to find your preference.
There are a number of the tests at blurbusters.com that demonstrate the effects of blur reduction. In most of them, the XL2720Z’s motion rendering is very smooth, particularly at high refresh rates, even with Blur Reduction turned off. When you increase the pixel-per-frame rate though, switching it on helps improve motion resolution. The most telling examples are the scrolling text tests. At 144 Hz, you can easily read rapidly-moving text. And with Blur Reduction turned on, there is no perceived loss of resolution.
Whenever we publish a display review, we get numerous reader requests to cover more gaming monitors. The problem is there just aren’t that many products out there that truly qualify. Yes, there are inexpensive TN screens with one or two millisecond response times. But in our experience, a panel can’t truly enhance gaming without a fast refresh rate.
Not too long ago, 60 Hz was a well-established standard that forced enthusiasts to play their favorite titles with v-sync disabled (for optimal responsiveness) and suffer tearing, or use v-sync and risk stutter. Doubling the refresh to 120 Hz, and then increasing it further to 144 Hz lessens the impact of tearing with v-sync turned off, since less time passes between cycles. If you prefer playing with v-sync turned on and own a potent graphics configuration, a 144 Hz refresh is going to give you much smoother motion as the monitor and graphics card work at a much higher rate.

We covered Asus' 24-inch VG248QE last year and gave it Tom's Hardware's Smart Buy award. It offered top speed, great contrast, and the added bonus of decent color accuracy. BenQ obviously used that screen as its target when the company conceived the XL2720Z. This product matches or exceeds Asus’ entry in pretty much every way.
In our speed tests, it edges out Asus by a couple of milliseconds, though the win is hardly definitive. Its color accuracy also beats the VG248QE by a small margin. Again, we can't call that a clean sweep. Where BenQ really pulls ahead is the extra screen real estate offered by the XL2720Z. Granted, pixel density suffers when you increase size by three inches without improving resolution. But this is still the new monitor to beat for power users interested in the absolute lowest screen draw and input lag times.
We do recognize the importance of price and perceived value in any monitor we review. A quick search reveals that the only mainstream competitor for the XL2720Z is BenQ’s own XL2720T. For a whopping savings of $10, you get 120 instead of 144 Hz. Naturally, it's hard to claim you get better value by stepping down when BenQ is the only game in town. Of course, there's a lot more money to save if you're willing to go the 24-inch route. And you’ll have a few more choices too (though not many). The unfortunate truth is that while HDTVs are commonly available in 120 or even 240 Hz, computer monitors are not. Screens faster than 60 Hz are just not that plentiful.
BenQ raises the bar higher with its extensive feature set intended for enthusiasts. The company's Blur Reduction (especially with Blur Busters add-on utility) technology is a very effective way to increase motion resolution beyond what’s possible at 144 Hz. And we absolutely love the S Switch. It’s hard to imagine a cooler way to work through a large menu system. And programmable setting presets, a common fixture on HDTVs, are a welcome addition to this computer monitor. We also applaud BenQ’s decision to use direct current rather than pulse-width modulation to control backlight intensity. Even though flicker is not an issue on the other gaming screens we've tested, the XL2720Z should not exhibit the artifact to those who are sensitive to it.
Obviously we’re impressed with this product. We hope it inspires other manufacturers to innovate in the quest for higher refresh rates, creating additional options for the performance-oriented enthusiast market. For its stellar performance, and a truly useful and relevant feature set, we’re giving the BenQ XL2720Z our Tom's Hardware Smart Buy award recognition.




