In the contemporary environment, companies are shifting their focus towards the e-sports scene, which has experienced tremendous success and growth over the past decade. Consequently, major players in the industry are designing products for e-sport players.
Zowie has become a renowned brand in the e-sports scene by developing products to fulfill the needs of competitive e-sports players and hardware enthusiast.
Specifications
Size | 24.5 Inches |
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Resolution | 1920x1080 |
Refresh Rate | 240Hz |
Panel | TN |
Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
Freesync/Gsync | None. However, it has Zowie's proprietary DyAc functionality. |
Display Area | 543.744 x 302.616‎ |
Response Time | 1ms GtG |
Power Consumption | 55W |
Vesa Mounting | Yes |
Dimensions (HxWxD mm) | 515.43 (Highest) / 445.75 (Lowest) x 569.94 x 226.04‎ |
Net Weight | 7.5Kg |
Contents of the Box
The monitor comes packaged in a sturdy matte-black box which has a minimalistic design.
On the box, you will find an outline of the monitor, BenQ and Zowie’s logo, the model number, and lastly the slogan “Monitor for e-Sports”.
Inside the box you will find:
- Monitor Stand
- Privacy Flaps
- Display Port Cable
- The S-Switch
- Power chord
- Instructions manual
- CD
- Dust Cover
Design
Zowie maintains its philosophy of prioritizing performance and practicality over aesthetics. The XL2546 is fully matte black with few red accents scattered across the chassis.
The monitor has small bezels all around with the bottom one being slightly thicker. You also have the menu buttons on the bottom right side, however with the S-Switch, they are quite redundant.
On the back, you have BenQ’s logo on the monitor stand with a Red Zowie logo on the monitor itself. There is a cable routing hole finished in a glossy red color.
The stand has a nifty feature which allows you to mark the desired position of the monitor, this is especially useful if someone else uses and adjusts the position or you have to dissemble the monitor to move it. However, if you need to mount it on your Vesa stand, then it is compatible.
On the base of the stand, there is a grove made especially to accommodate the S-Switch.
The privacy flaps are a nice addition for scenarios where you’re in a gaming zone with other people or you’re simply trying to reduce to amount of light hitting the screen from the window.
Quirks and Features
The Zowie XL2546 has a plethora of quirks and features which are there to enhance your gaming experience and make your life just a bit convenient.
Ample IO Ports
DVI-DL | 1 |
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HDMI | 2 |
DP1.2 | 1 |
Headphone Jack | 1 |
Microphone Jack | 1 |
The S-Switch
In most monitors, you have to navigate the on screen menu via the buttons present on the monitor. However, with the XL2546 you have the ability to use the S-Switch, developed by Zowie.
Not only can you swift through the menu using the S-Switch but you can change the profile with a click of single button, this is especially convenient when you just want to watch a movie right after being done with a session of CS:GO. It only takes you a moment to get used to the S-Switch, but once you are accustomed to it the difference between using the buttons vs the S-Switch is apparent.
The Headphone Holder
The headphone holder is inconspicuously hidden on the side IO panel. Where you push on the red button and it pops right out. Quite the convenient add-on.
Black eQualizer
In the XL2546, you have an option to brighten darker areas of the screen to give you a competitive edge.
In the loaded presets, the level of the mode changes depending on the preset. In practicality, it does work but at the expense of image quality. An opportunity cost to gain an advantage in the competitive scene.
Vibrancy and Blue Light Settings
There are people who like to adjust the vibrancy while playing games or consuming content, with the XL2546 you can do that on the fly with the S-Switch. Furthermore, it also has an option to regulate the blue light emitted from the screen.
DyAc
Zowie developed the Dynamic Accuracy (DyAc) technology to effectively reduce motion blur in games.
People frequently ask whether to go with G-sync or DyAc
First of all, the aforementioned technologies are drastically different from each other. G-sync and Freesync exist to eliminate screen tearing whereas DyAc is made to eradicate motion blur.
The video below clearly illustrates the benefits of using DyAc.
Screen Quality
Similar to other high refresh rate monitors, the XL2546 also uses a TN panel; thus, it shares the same caveats.
BackLight Bleed
The XL2546 isn’t plagued with the common issue of excessive backlight bleed.
Color
Straight out of the box, the colors on the XL2546 are completely washed out. If you’re shifting from an IPS panel to this one, you will notice a staggering difference. However, if you swift around the settings and chose the Standard Preset, the colors will normalize for the most part. It is important to note that the colors can be further improved by manually calibrating the monitor.
Viewing Angles
One of the caveats of using a TN panel are the mediocre viewing angles. The shift in colors is apparent when you’re sitting slightly off angle. As a person is directly facing the monitor during gaming sessions, this wouldn’t be a huge issue.
Conclusion
The Zowie XL2546 is especially designed for those gamers who do not want to compromise in any aspect. Primarily, this monitor attracts E-sports and FPS gamers as they usually strive to gain as much competitive advantage as they can. The monitor comes with BenQ’s Dynamic Accuracy (DyAc) technology which effectively reduces ghosting and flickering. In addition to that, the XL2546 boasts couple of other neat features including the Black equalizer, headphones holder, privacy flaps, among others. The XL2546 also has its share of caveats including poor viewing angles and mediocre colors. Overall, if you’re in the market for a 240Hz display and your system can properly churn out 240FPS, then you cannot go wrong with this offering by Zowie.
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