Ask any hardcore gamer what matters most and nine out of 10 times you’ll most definitely get a one-word answer—speed. True, fast frame rates will not only give you smoother game play but they can also give you an edge over those unfortunate souls who have to endure lagged and choppy motion.
You can spend quite a fortune on a tricked gaming rig but if your monitor isn’t up to the action smoothly, then you won’t be getting the most out of your hardware investment. The Asus VG248QE ensures that you never worry about ghosting, lag, or choppy action.
Design and Features
At 24-inches, the Asus VG248QE is a favorite among gamers. This gaming monitor offers a 1-millisecond (gray-to-gray) pixel response and a 144Hz refresh rate, and it is 3D capable. It offers good (not great) color accuracy and its stand allows you to position the panel in any direction for optimal and comfortable viewing. The Asus VG248QE’s off angle viewing is less than stellar though, and a few more I/O ports would be nice.
As with every Asus monitor I’ve reviewed over the years, the VG248QE presents Splendid Technology, which is honestly just a fancy name for picture presets. This monitor has six presets, including Scenery, Standard, Theater, Game, sRGB, and Night View modes. Other picture settings include Brightness, Contrast, Color Saturation, Skin Tone, and Color Temperature. There’s also a Smart View setting that adds luminance for side angle viewing, but the view from dead center is compromised when this setting is enabled and is best left disabled.
The VG248QE design and features are similar to its bigger sibling, the ASUS VG278HE 27-Inch Monitor. It sports signature thin glossy black bezels, accentuated by a glossy black cabinet. It has a matching stand that is made up of a round base with a Lazy Susan swivel mechanism and a telescoping mounting arm that provides pivot, height and tilt adjustability. on the base is a 3D logo, signifying that the panel supports and is 3D ready. but on the lower side, just like the Asus VG278HE, the monitor doesn’t come with the Nvidia 3D Vision 2 Wireless Glasses Kit needed to view multi-dimensional content, although you can pick one up affordably.
Performance
To a larger extent, the Asus VG248QE is a solid performer. Its color accuracy isn’t terrible but it isn’t ideal either. Somehow, the 1920-by-1080 TN panel produces oversaturated greens, but blues and reds are quite close to perfect, even though greens do appear to be a bit heavy. Just like most TN monitors, the VG248QE has relatively narrow viewing angles. All said,the panel’s 1-millisecond pixel response and 144Hz refresh rate combine to deliver an outstanding gaming experience. As such, expected crisp and stutter-free panning scenes.
This panel has six clearly labeled function buttons (including the power switch) that are conveniently nestled beneath the lower bezel on the right side. Several of the buttons act as hot keys for things like picture presets and the GamePlus feature, which offers a game timer and an aiming scope to help properly zero in on your targets.
All three video inputs are digital (HDMI, DisplayPort, dual-link DVI) and all are located at the rear of the cabinet facing downward. They are joined by an audio input and a headphone jack. There aren’t any USB ports on this model, nor is there an analog video input or a webcam. However, it does include a set of embedded 2-watt speakers that are moderately loud but slightly tinny sounding. The VG248QE comes with a dual-link DVI cable and an audio cable but you’re on your own when it comes to HDMI and DisplayPort cables. The monitor is covered by a three year parts, labor, and backlight warranty.
Summary
The Asus VG248QE is a capable 24-inch monitor that features 144Hz refresh technology and a speedy 1-ms pixel response to deliver smooth game play. It deserves a better rating for the price, but I choose to be selfish thanks to below par viewing angle performance and the lack of the gear needed for 3D gaming. However, if smooth motion handling is a must, this monitor delivers.
Recommended Configuration
ASUS VG248QE 24" Full HD 1920x1080 144Hz 1ms HDMI Gaming Monitor
That said, for the mid-sized gaming monitors, the BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P Gaming Monitor leads the pack, offering very good motion performance and comes with a multitude of I/O ports and a 3D Vision 2 kit, but it’ll cost you a couple of hundred dollars more.
