Why Your Monitor Matters More Than You Think
Let’s cut straight to it. You can have the fastest reflexes in your lobby, but if your monitor is showing you frames late, you’re already dead. Competitive esports is a game of milliseconds. That AWP flick in CS2? The Valorant headshot? They happen before your brain even registers the movement. Your monitor is either helping you or actively sabotaging you.
I’ve tested dozens of displays over the past year. Some marketing claims are nonsense. Others genuinely deliver. Here are the seven monitors that actually matter for competitive play in 2024.
1. ASUS ROG Swift Pro PG248QP — The Tournament Standard
This is what pros use. Period. The 540Hz refresh rate sounds like overkill until you realize that every major tournament in 2024 is running these panels. ASUS partnered directly with NVIDIA on the Reflex Analyzer built into this thing, so you’re getting the most accurate latency measurements possible.
The 24.1-inch 1080p TN panel won’t win beauty contests. Colors are acceptable, not stunning. But that’s not why you buy it. You buy it because the pixel response is genuinely under 0.2ms, and the motion clarity makes everything else feel like you’re gaming through syrup.
Best for: CS2, Valorant, and anyone who prioritizes winning over aesthetics.
Price: Around $900
2. BenQ ZOWIE XL2586X — The Newcomer That Shocked Everyone
BenQ has been the esports monitor brand for over a decade. The XL2586X is their answer to ASUS’s 540Hz dominance, and honestly? It’s better in some ways.
The proprietary DyAc 2 tech eliminates motion blur without the input lag that traditional strobing creates. I’ve talked to several semi-pro players who switched from the ASUS purely for this feature. The 24.5-inch screen gives you slightly more real estate without sacrificing pixel density, and the adjustable Black eQualizer is still the best implementation for spotting enemies in dark corners.
One thing worth mentioning — the stand is incredible. You can adjust height, tilt, pivot, and swivel with precision thats missing from cheaper options.
Best for: Players coming from older BenQ monitors who want familiarity with cutting-edge specs.
Price: Around $1,100
3. Alienware AW2524H — The Sweet Spot
Not everyone has $1,000+ for a monitor. The AW2524H delivers 500Hz at a price that actually makes sense. Dell’s build quality is excellent, the IPS panel gives you better colors than TN alternatives, and the 24.5-inch size hits that competitive sweet spot.
The difference between 500Hz and 540Hz? You won’t notice it. I promise. What you will notice is the extra $300-400 in your pocket and the three-year warranty Dell includes. If you’re grinding ranked but aren’t competing for prize money, this is probably your monitor.
Best for: Serious ranked players who want premium performance without the premium tax.
Price: Around $600
4. ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQN — When You Want Both Worlds
Here’s where things get interesting. Maybe you play competitive shooters, but you also want to enjoy single-player games that actually look good. The PG27AQN gives you 1440p resolution at 360Hz, which is a combination that seemed impossible two years ago.
The 27-inch IPS panel is gorgeous. HDR support is legitimate, not the fake HDR that plagues cheaper monitors. And 360Hz is still faster than 99% of players can perceive. You’re giving up maybe 5-10ms of response time compared to the TN panels above, but gaining a display you’ll actually enjoy using for everything else.
If you’re building a low-end gaming PC and wondering about monitors, this probably isn’t your pick. But if your rig can push high framerates at 1440p, the PG27AQN is the versatility king.
Best for: Competitive players who also value visual quality and play multiple game genres.
Price: Around $800
5. ViewSonic XG2431 — The Budget Beast
The XG2431 keeps appearing on pro player setups despite costing half what the top options run. Why? Because 240Hz on a well-tuned IPS panel is genuinely enough for most humans.
ViewSonic’s PureXP+ backlight strobing is surprisingly effective. Colors are accurate out of the box. The 24-inch 1080p formula is proven at this point. You’re not getting the absolute bleeding edge, but you’re getting 90% of the performance for 40% of the price. That math works for a lot of people.
Best for: Players on a budget who refuse to compromise on the fundamentals.
Price: Around $280
6. LG 27GP850-B — The Apex Legends Choice
Battle royale games have different demands than tactical shooters. You need to spot movement across larger distances, which means resolution matters more than pure refresh rate. The 27GP850-B gives you 1440p at 165Hz (overclockable to 180Hz) with Nano IPS technology that makes colors pop.
The 1ms response time claim is actually legitimate on this panel — not the GTG marketing nonsense most brands pull. I’ve seen multiple Apex pro players using these for ranked grinding because the visual clarity helps track targets in chaotic team fights.
The decision between tactical shooters and battle royales is kind of like the debate around bootstrapping versus outside investment — different approaches work for different goals.
Best for: Fortnite, Apex Legends, Warzone players who value spotting enemies at range.
Price: Around $350
7. Samsung Odyssey G7 32″ — The Controversial Pick
I’m going to catch some heat for including a curved 32-inch monitor on a competitive list. But hear me out.
Some players genuinely perform better on larger displays. The G7’s 1000R curve wraps your peripheral vision, and the 240Hz refresh rate is plenty fast. 1440p at this size gives you excellent detail without pixel density issues, and the VA panel’s contrast ratio destroys IPS options for games with dark environments.
Is it tournament legal? Usually not. Will it help you rank up in your bedroom? For some people, absolutely. The immersion factor shouldn’t be dismissed.
Best for: Players who find smaller monitors straining, especially those with larger desk setups.
Price: Around $500
Quick Specs Comparison
| Monitor | Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Panel | Price |
|———|——|————|————–|——-|——-|
| ASUS PG248QP | 24.1″ | 1080p | 540Hz | TN | $900 |
| BenQ XL2586X | 24.5″ | 1080p | 540Hz | TN | $1,100 |
| Alienware AW2524H | 24.5″ | 1080p | 500Hz | IPS | $600 |
| ASUS PG27AQN | 27″ | 1440p | 360Hz | IPS | $800 |
| ViewSonic XG2431 | 24″ | 1080p | 240Hz | IPS | $280 |
| LG 27GP850-B | 27″ | 1440p | 180Hz | IPS | $350 |
| Samsung G7 | 32″ | 1440p | 240Hz | VA | $500 |
The Verdict
Your rank isn’t locked because of your monitor. Let’s be real about that. But if you’re already at a skill ceiling and looking for edges, display technology is one of the few hardware upgrades that genuinely translates to faster reaction times.
For pure competitive performance, the ASUS PG248QP or BenQ XL2586X are unmatched. For the best value, grab the ViewSonic XG2431 and spend the savings on aim training. And if you want a single monitor that does everything well, the ASUS PG27AQN won’t disappoint.
Now stop reading about monitors and go practice your aim.
