The BenQ Mobiuz 24” EX240N is a 24” monitor targeted at the gamer market. Sporting a 23.8” 1080p panel with 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate, and even high-quality Trevolo speakers built in, spec-wise, the BenQ Mobiuz claims to make a great entry-level gaming monitor, all while costing less than $200. But with all the claims, are there any compromises to be made?
Looking around the screen, the BenQ Mobiuz 24” EX240N looks like a fairly standard gaming monitor, although I found the orange highlights on the monitor stand may be a little distracting in some setups. At least in my setup, which has more dark colours than light ones, the splash of colour looked a little out of place. At the bottom of the screen are controls for adjusting the volume of the built-in speakers and the various modes of the BenQ Mobiuz.
With both HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, users should have no problem finding a port to connect the BenQ Mobiuz 24” EX240N to their laptop or desktop computer. Wisely, BenQ has even included an HDMI cable to make the task even more accessible. Although the cable it ships with isn’t long, I had no problem connecting it to my laptop to use it as a secondary gaming screen.
“The colours on the BenQ Mobiuz were vibrant and rich in normal modes…”
The BenQ Mobiuz 24″ EX240N managed to produce vivid and rich colours in normal modes. Objects on the screen often felt true to life, giving a sense of total immersion for both games and media. Whether I was playing a game or just sitting back and enjoying a film, I enjoyed the extent to which the Mobiuz 24″ EX240N brought content to life in front of my eyes. It was a great way to enjoy media, and there is something amazing about enjoying games with an image that feels true to its intent.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the equipment to test the accuracy of the colours, but when I compared it to my Asus Zephyrus G14, I found the colours to be comparable, giving me the impression that the BenQ Mobiuz is comparable and should be a fantastic option for gamers. However, when I activated the built-in HDR modes, I found that the colours were often far too dark for my liking. The content on the screen was very black and didn’t look very realistic, which took away from my personal viewing experience.
When playing games, the BenQ Mobiuz 24” EX240N’s respectable 165Hz refresh rate made my experience in a game very fluid and much more enjoyable compared to my older monitor, which sadly is limited to only 60Hz. Even compared to my laptop’s 144hz screen, the BenQ Mobiuz still had a higher supported refresh rate, although most of the games I play generally do not push the limits of this monitor or even my laptop. The 1ms response time is fantastic to have, especially in various shooters such as Fortnite or GTA V, where quick reactions and response times are required to take down opponents or enemies.
“The BenQ Mobiuz delivers where it needs to, even if the shortcomings I found prevent it from being a must-buy.”
Watching films or videos, especially in high definition, looked exceptionally good on the screen, thanks largely to the high refresh rate; content felt fluid and smooth, although most people won’t need this level of speed for media. This is a monitor built for gaming, and the 1080P 165Hz ensures that as long as you have a GPU to drive it, you should have a fantastic time taking down your opponents without the frame rates slowing you down.
The built-in speakers aren’t overly loud, but they sound respectable for a monitor, though certainly not enough to replace high-end computer speakers. It’s great to see them included, even at this price, but if you really want to immerse yourself in a game or film, and desk space is at a premium, you might want to invest in a good set of headphones, such as the JBL Quantum 910P, to get the most out of the experience.
As a budget monitor, the BenQ Mobiuz 24” EX240N is an excellent choice for someone who needs a responsive monitor with a high refresh rate but doesn’t have a lot of money to spend. I could see myself owning at least two of these to make the most of my desk, but individual needs will vary greatly depending on the use case. The BenQ Mobiuz delivers where it needs to, even if the shortcomings I found prevent it from being a must-buy.
