Pixio PX259 Prime 25-inch 280 Hz Monitor Review: High Performance, Low Price

Most of the performance of pricier rivals

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Pixio PX259 Prime
(Image: © Pixio)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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Pixio PX259 Prime
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The PX259 Prime isn’t super bright but is bright enough. It doesn’t quite hit its 350-nit spec, but 320 nits is still plenty of light for any indoor environment. Black levels are mid-pack in this group, but contrast is a bit below average at 893.8:1. You won’t likely see a difference between it and the BenQ or Asus screens, but the top three monitors will have visibly more depth and deeper black levels.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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Pixio PX259 Prime
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration doesn’t help the contrast equation, unfortunately. We saw a slight drop to 836.6:1 But the PX259 Prime is no longer in last place; it moves ahead of BenQ’s TN panel. This is a monitor you buy for speed and value, not broad contrast.

ANSI contrast is a bit higher at 861.4:1, which speaks to Pixio’s quality control. The panel is smoothly toned with no visible uniformity issues and a sharp image which indicates a tightly fitted grid polarizer. Overall image quality is solid, if not incredible.

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.