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Brightness & Contrast
To read about our monitor tests in depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test Monitors and TVs. Brightness and Contrest testing is covered on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
We had to reach back in time a bit to find five more 24-inch TN gaming monitors. With such an emphasis on premium displays lately, there aren’t many decent value choices. Today’s group consists of BenQ XL2420G (G-Sync) and XL2430T (144Hz), ViewSonic XG2401 (FreeSync), LG 24GM77 (FreeSync), and Nixeus NX-VUE24A (FreeSync).
The Nixeus is the only screen that doesn’t put out a ton of light. The rest easily exceed 300cd/m2, and the AOC easily beats its claimed brightness spec. The G2460PF’s black levels are only fair but the resulting contrast comes close to our 1000:1 preference. Remember that it’s the least-expensive product here today. This is more than acceptable performance.
Uncalibrated – Minimum Backlight Level
Turning down the backlight to zero only brings output to 164.1621cd/m2. We’d like to see it lower than that; at least 80cd/m2, if not 50. The upside is that light can be very precisely controlled, but if you prefer to play in the dark, the G2460PF might be a little too bright.
This doesn’t help it in the black level contest, but at least contrast remains consistent at a value very close to the maximum number. While that consistency is important, it would be nice to see the deeper blacks that would come with a wider range backlight control.
After Calibration to 200cd/m2
To achieve the best possible gamma and grayscale tracking, we had to drop the contrast control by seven clicks. While this helps color accuracy, it does rob the G2460PF of a little depth. Users may prefer to stick with the Standard mode and simply adjust brightness to taste. The only downside of that approach is slightly warm whites, which isn’t a big deal in this case.
ANSI Contrast Ratio
The ANSI contrast value is a bit higher than the sequential number, which indicates a panel with good quality control and a properly installed grid polarizer. The G2460PF retains good delineation between contrasting objects without resorting to artificial enhancements like sharpness. Overall, we’re seeing the potential for good image depth here.
