A gaming monitor isn’t just a fancy way to use your new gaming PC – it’s your window into a world of incredible graphics and innovative game design. And it doesn’t matter how good all your components are if you don’t have a display that’s really doing them justice.
So, to help you decide which gaming monitor is right for you we’ve taken two affordable options from our best gaming monitor buying guide – namely the ViewSonic Elite XG240R and the BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 – and compared them in all the ways that matter, including screen size, picture quality and more.
Today, in 2022, these aren't the absolute best gaming monitors on the market, but they deliver great performance and features for very attractive price points.
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VIEWSONIC ELITE XG240R VS BENQ MOBIUZ EX2710: DESIGN
The XG240R features a 24-inch FHD LED 1080p display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, but you can also buy a larger 35-inch UWQHD version should you want a bit more screen real estate. The XG240R has its own in-built RGB lighting and has been designed to sync with most third-party lighting customisation software so your display will illuminate your gaming space perfectly. It has a fully adjustable ergonomic stand for extra comfortable angles.
Gaming monitor designs are getting bolder and bolder these days, and the EX2710 is no exception with a chunky and angular display with a sharp, triangular base. The red finish on the base is a nice little touch, but it could do with some additional RGB lighting like the XG240R. Nevertheless, that doesn’t detract from its 27-inch FHD LED 1080p display with a lovely 16:9 aspect ratio.
VIEWSONIC ELITE XG240R VS BENQ MOBIUZ EX2710: PICTURE QUALITY
The XG240R has a 144Hz refresh rate as standard, delivering smooth framerates when every second counts in-game. Its rapid 1ms response time also removes blurring, streaking and ghosting and comes with five levels of response (including standard, fast, faster, ultra-fast and fastest) so you can adjust your settings to suit the style of game you’re playing.
Much like the ViewSonic model, the IPS display of the EX2710 comes with the now relatively standard 144Hz refresh rate for smoother framerates with a 1ms MPRT and many other picture quality features. These include support for HDRi (which uses a sensor to adjust on-screen HDR images to fit your ambient light) and support for both HDMI and DP connectivity as standard.
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VIEWSONIC ELITE XG240R VS BENQ MOBIUZ EX2710: COLOUR QUALITY
The XG240R supports 22 customisable levels of black stabilisation, which enables you to adjust the balance of black tones on screen and personalise the level of darkness. Along with the vibrant output of colour detail, this feature gives you heightened visibility when playing particular dark and murky games (we’re looking at you Call of Duty: Warzone).
As you’d expect from an experienced manufacturer like BenQ, the EX2710 has plenty of options when it comes to colour depth and customisation. Firstly, the monitor comes with a Light Tuner feature, where you can choose from 20 colour settings for your favourite genre-related effect. Then there’s a relatively standard Black eQualiser for revealing detail in dark areas without overexposing them with brightness.
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VIEWSONIC ELITE XG240R VS BENQ MOBIUZ EX2710: FEATURES
The XG240R comes with AMD FreeSync technology, which leverages VESA Adaptive-Sync for seamlessly synchronising framerate outputs between your XG240R gaming monitor and your graphics card. It helps provide extra reduction on tearing, stuttering and jerkiness for an even cleaner gaming experience.
In terms of additional and noteworthy features, the EX2710 also boasts support for FreeSync Premium, a helpful Eye-Care system that helps reduce eye strain, headaches and fatigue when playing for long periods. There’s also Quick OSD presents that will adjust your monitor settings to suit a specific game or genre, and improved audio with two 2.5W speakers and a digital signal processor with three custom sound presets.
VIEWSONIC ELITE XG240R VS BENQ MOBIUZ EX2710: PRICING AND VERDICT
The XG240R will set you back around £260/$270, which is very reasonable when you consider this is a mid-market offering with plenty of premium features. With its RGB lighting technology giving extra colour customisation, an impressive Full HD display and an adjustable ergonomic stand, you’re getting a great little gaming monitor for your home setup.
In terms of price, the EX2710 retails for around £250/$300 and you’re getting plenty of premium features for such an affordable price including excellent picture quality, eyecare and adaptive systems and more. It will cost you a little more than the ViewSonic model, but it’s definitely the better monitor of the two when you compare their key features and extras.
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Dom Reseigh-Lincoln has been writing for T3 for over half a decade now, covering everything from mobile phones and laptops right through to video games and gaming peripherals. Purveyor of an excellent beard, as well as some perpetually cheeky offspring, Dom likes to wind down in his spare time by listening to heavy metal.
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