RL2455HM is a BenQ professional gaming monitor . Those who follow e-sports most likely saw him at various competitions around the world, especially at major League games. BenQ has earned a reputation as a display maker where every millisecond counts, and the RL2455HM continued that trend by becoming the official monitor for the 2013 Major League Gaming . Although the device is advertised as a screen for RTS games, it is exceptionally good in all game genres, including shooters, fighting games and fast-paced action games.
Interfaces
The monitor allows you to connect up to two HDMI devices, it also has one DVI-D and VGA (D-Sub) connectors. This should be more than enough for most players, given that popular displays like the ASUS VH236H and VH238H have a single HDMI port. There are two speakers for stereo sound, 2 watts per channel. It's a bit, but the volume is enough to not worry about external speakers if higher quality and bass are not required.
Design
The stand and body material are of very good quality. Users are surprised at the ease with which the monitor can be assembled. It is enough to insert the stand into the base and slide it into the rear panel, locking it in place. No tools are needed. The red line of the base of the stand distinguishes the monitor from the simple black appearance of competitors. The display plastic has a matte finish, with the exception of the stand. Many people prefer this surface, since it requires less maintenance and prevents excessive accumulation of fingerprints on the case.
BenQ RL2455HM: panel specifications
The monitor uses a TN matte panel with LED backlighting, which is quite common among displays in this price range. TN-panels are characterized by a short response time, and the manufacturer confirms this by offering 1 ms. This is nice, since most monitors provide at least 2 ms. This time determines how quickly a pixel can change color from black to white or, in this case, from gray to gray. As a result, halos are reduced, which is necessary for players. A display with a resolution of 1080p (1920 x 1080) can correctly scale content in 16: 9 format (for example, 720p) without any serious problems. The dynamic contrast ratio of the panel is 12 million: 1, and the contrast is 1000: 1. The monitor works with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, which can be a disappointment for gamers accustomed to 120 Hz. However, those using the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 or even the newer PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will not be disappointed with 60 Hz.
Buttons
BenQ RL2455HM has large control buttons. Unlike most monitors, they are not associated with specific menu items. This means pressing any of them brings up an on-screen menu. This is very convenient for players in dimly lit or dark rooms, since finding the right button is often a set of trial and error.
BenQ RL2455HM: menu overview
Over the years, the manufacturer has used several different technologies in its professional gaming monitors, which include features such as Smart Scaling, Black eQualizer, AMA, and Instant Modes.
- Smart Scaling allows you to control the display of content on the screen, limiting images of different sizes and proportions.
- Black eQualizer controls black levels, increasing the visibility of dark areas. This feature is useful for gamers who find certain sections of a video game too dark.
- Advanced Motion Accelerator controls the acceleration of the panel, which affects the response time and ghosting.
- Finally, Instant Mode minimizes input latency to almost zero, similar to LG Thru, skipping part of the processing process.
Of course, the monitor also has basic functions, such as dynamic contrast, brightness, color temperature, hue, saturation, etc. By default, switching the signal sources is hidden in the menu, but BenQ RL2455HM allows you to assign up to 3 special keys to call up various display settings.
Viewing angles
TN panels do not differ in the best viewing angles - their gamma curve shifts sharply when viewed from the side. The manufacturer claims that the monitor they are equal to 170/160 degrees. Everything looks great when you look at the screen directly and at eye level, and the aforementioned gamma shift appears when viewed from different angles. BenQ cannot be blamed for this, as this is a flaw in TN technology. The 24-inch size is suitable for gamers who want to play solo, and while the monitor is at eye level, everything looks great.
Black, white and color
The BenQ RL2455HM monitor has many configuration options, so players who want to control all aspects of the image are very lucky. There are several image modes, including standard, movie, photo, sRGB and Eco, RTS1, RTS2 and three player profiles. The differences between them are small, with the exception of Eco, which dims the backlight and oversaturated colors. You can also control black eQualizer, color temperature, hue, and saturation. Some modes, such as sRGB, do not allow you to make some adjustments. Adjusting the color temperature allows you to individually select RGB values, for example, when calibrating the monitor with a colorimeter. Black eQualizer enhances the detail of dark scenes without directly changing the white level. This is achieved by adjusting the gamma curve for dark gray.
Scaling
BenQ RL2455HM has several modes of "smart" scaling, which allow you to process images with different aspect ratios and screen sizes. Although this is a unique feature, it is difficult to recall an application wherever it finds application. The main thing is that the RL2455HM scales to full screen size and 1: 1, which is more than enough for gamers. Owners do not recommend using most of the Smart Scaling modes, since they disable the built-in AMA function, which leads to an increase in blur.
Delays
Since the BenQ 24 ”RL2455HM is designed primarily for players, it is very important that there are no delays. Still, this is the official display of MLG 2013, as well as Street Fighter tournaments. All image modes provide identical values, and it does not matter if Instant Mode is turned on, designed to reduce input delay. RTS 1, AMA = High and enabled Instant Mode lag at least 3 ms, maximum 17.2 ms and an average of 10.2 ms. The average measurement result is 10 ms, which is very good and corresponds to the parameters of other similar displays, such as ASUS VH236H. Users will not have any problems during any serious gameplay, be it a professional gaming tournament or anything else.
Performance
Owners who tested the monitor in Super Street Fighter IV could easily set it up. There were no difficulties with performing time-critical combos. The screen was very clean and responsive. No additional delay was observed when scaling a 720p signal to 1080p. Game on the Xbox 360 with a resolution of 720p is as smooth as with 1080p. This is good news for PlayStation 3 owners who do not have this feature in all games. Users recommend using RTS 1 with AMA = High and Instant Mode enabled.
Motion blur
BenQ 24 ”RL2455HM copes with the movements pretty well, but only with the right settings. The monitor has AMA mode, which is a proprietary version of the manufacturer of the panel overclocking system, which reduces response time to reduce motion blur. He has 3 settings: Off, High and Premium. When AMA is on, a noticeable afterglow is observed, especially in Premium. When disabling the mode, afterglow is not observed, but motion blur increases significantly. Users do not recommend disabling AMA, as it will disorient players. The High setting offers a great balance between these extreme settings.
Verdict
The BenQ RL2455HM is a great monitor for gamers looking for a display with low latency. Its 1080p resolution will be sufficient for users of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The design is reliable, and the screen has many settings. The TN panel is not suitable for those who need accurate color reproduction. The display is aimed at serious players who require an excellent reaction during the game and features such as black eQualizer and Smart Scaling.