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BenQ RL2460HT 24-Inch Monitor Review: Is Gaming Good At 60 Hz?

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Does a true gaming monitor need to have a 120 or 144 Hz refresh rate? BenQ’s RL2460HT offers plenty of features that cater to enthusiasts, but it tops out at 60 Hz. Can those extra capabilities compensate, or should you continue your search elsewhere?

BenQ RL2460HT 24” TN Gaming Monitor Review

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.

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Panel TypeTN
BacklightW-LED, edge array
Screen Size24-inch
Max Resolution1920x1080
Max Refresh Rate60 Hz
Aspect Ratio16:9
Native Color Depth8-bit (6-bit w/FRC)
Native GamutsRGB
Response Time (GTG)1 ms
Brightness240 cd/m2
Speakers2 x 2 W
VGA1
DVI1
DisplayPort 1.2-
HDMI 1.42 in, 1 out
Audio In, 3.5 mm1
Headphone1
USB-
Media Card Reader-
Panel DimensionsW x H x D22.7 x 19.7 x 8.4 in579 x 502 x 213 mm
Panel Thickness2.3 in / 58 mm
Bezel Width.8-.9 in / 22-24 mm
Weight13.4 lbs / 6.1 kg
WarrantyOne 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.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

27 Comments Comment from the forums
  • blackmagnum
    Does it even matter when games automatically enable Vsync setting to 60 Hz?
    Reply
  • eldragon0
    Does it even matter when games automatically enable Vsync setting to 60 Hz?
    No, but chances are if you're dropping 300+ on a monitor and genuinely want the extra frame rate you will be the type of person who is ready and expecting to tweak the game's files to run at those frame-rates.
    Reply
  • eldragon0
    Does it even matter when games automatically enable Vsync setting to 60 Hz?
    No, but chances are if you're dropping 300+ on a monitor and genuinely want the extra frame rate you will be the type of person who is ready and expecting to tweak the game's files to run at those frame-rates.
    Reply
  • Heironious
    Yes, it matters. After buying the ASUS VG248 with Lightboost enabled in 2D gaming, I can not go back to a 60hz monitor. Is it really that hard for you to disable Vsync in the games settings?
    Reply
  • envy14tpe
    I think most mid-range gamers go 60Hz TN panel monitors that sell for $150 or less. This monitor seems pretty pricey and is stuck between those and the 144Hz monitors. I don't' think this will sell all that well.
    Reply
  • therogerwilco
    The ZR30W is 2560x1600, yet only 60 hz.

    I achieve first place in multiple games when playing multiplayer, on a regular basis.
    60hz is not the problem, the problem is your system if it CAN'T sustain 60 fps.
    Reply
  • Xivilain
    If your monitor supports 30hz, 60hz, or even 120hz, its nice to see the visual difference they make when compared side by side. I like to show other people this demo to compare FPS:
    http://frames-per-second.appspot.com/
    Reply
  • xenol
    When frame rate time periods start exceeding the fastest reaction times of humans, I start to question whether or not even faster frame rates are necessary.

    I don't think competitive players win because they have 144Hz monitors and can react with all that information being fed to them. I think they win because they are proactive, and that there are many tells anyway to allow someone who's tuned in the game to react quickly.

    I mean, StarCraft has choppy animation that is independent of refresh rates (they look like they move at 20FPS), but there's a lot of high level competition there.
    Reply
  • heydan
    Im still don´t know how people reach the 120-144 fps in any game even at 1080p, maybe they refer to fps higher than 60fps, like 70, 80, and maybe for some old games the 120-144 fps, or they play games with low settings in order to reach those fps?, can someone explain me?, because I can find any review about any high end GPU and found that there´s so little games that achieve 120-144 fps at 1080p with everything max out...
    Reply
  • tipmen
    Im still don´t know how people reach the 120-144 fps in any game even at 1080p, maybe they refer to fps higher than 60fps, like 70, 80, and maybe for some old games the 120-144 fps, or they play games with low settings in order to reach those fps?, can someone explain me?, because I can find any review about any high end GPU and found that there´s so little games that achieve 120-144 fps at 1080p with everything max out...

    You do have a point with newer games that have very nice graphics. Such as, BF, Metro LL, and Arma 3 you need a beefy GPU set up or some people turn down the settings. (Eye candy is nice but if it is going to be a slideshow it isn't worth it) However, older titles such as CS GO where having the higher FPS will give you an edge doesn't take much to get 200+ FPS. Basically computers with at least an i5 and a 6970 or 580 can hit FPS 100+ on older titles. Newer titles i5/i7 (depends on the game if it take advantage of the hyper threading) 7970(280)/290x or 680/780. Crossfire or SLI helps but I personally find the gaming experience smoother playing CS GO on one 7970 instead of two in crossfire. With one I am still well over 100 FPS. When I play BF4 I have crossfire enable and high settings with some things turned down I get over 100FPS on DX11 API. When I try mantle (When it works....) I get an extra 10fps if I am lucky and feels smoother. You also can check Toms GPU charts of even their recently released SMB. I own Asus 144hz and never can go back to playing FPS on something less. I just wish they will catch up to my golden days with the CRTs refresh rates .
    Reply