- Overall
The BenQ GW2480 is a very affordable 1080p monitor designed to satisfy your everyday computing needs at home, in school, or the office. The bezel-free display is excellent for most uses which include office tasks and some casual gaming. There is an ocean of choices in the BenQ GW2480’s segment, but can its qualities place it at the top of the list?
BenQ GW2480 Specifications
- Screen Size: 24 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
- Response Time: 4 ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 250 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 1Watt)
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes 100 x 100
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 1.4x 1, VGA x 1, 5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions(W x H x D): 21.26” x 16.54” x 6.89”
- Weight: 8.47lbs
Design and Features
The BenQ GW2480 follows the brand’s sleek aesthetic treatment for most of its monitors which is composed of modest proportions and minimal extras. The device is finished in a nice to the touch matte black which we think will help in keeping the device clean and looking new. What’s great about this model is its bezel-free design which gives users a maximized view of the 24-inch display.
What we love about BenQ is they almost never drop their quality for their budget range so users can always enjoy a durable product. The BenQ GW2480 doesn’t have any visible manufacturing defects, while its chassis feels sturdy and well-reinforced. You also have to apply a decent amount of force for it to wobble, so the device will not topple easily with regular use.
As mentioned, the BenQ GW2480 is a budget display so it doesn’t come with a lot of convenience features. You have to deal with OSD buttons instead of joysticks or remotes with this variant, unlike their gaming and designer line with features the S-Switch Arc and Hotkey Puck. It’s easy to miss-press the buttons in the dark, but in reality, you mostly only have to adjust the brightness so memorizing a pattern to reach the setting in the OSD should be doable.
The rear of the BenQ GW2480 doesn’t show much, especially since it doesn’ t have a fully ergonomic stand. The latter provides excellent stability for a budget monitor, but its rather limited so taller users or those who want multi-display setups might want a better option. Thankfully, the device is readily compatible with 100 x 100 VESA mounts since the bolt holes are readily exposed at the rear panel.
The BenQ GW2480’s I/O panel is simplified as well, but its got all you will ever need for daily use. The layout includes DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, and VGA for video inputs, along with a 3.5mm audio jack for audio passthrough. That isn’t a lot, but it can accommodate a PC, a console, and a media device at the same time.
There is also a pair of 1-watt speakers on the BenQ GW2480’s bottom corners for basic audio playback. It’s great that they managed to include it in the package despite the price, where most competitors would usually leave it off. However, the pair starts to distort at medium to high volumes, plus it doesn’t have the necessary range and response for entertainment purposes.
Display and Performance
The BenQ GW2480 provides a 24-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 60 Hz refresh rate, and 5 ms response time. A contrast ratio of 1000:1 is also listed along with a modest 250 cd/m2 backlight which doesn’t offer a lot of room for adjustments, but is more than sufficient for daily use. These specifications are basic, but the monitor doesn’t represent specialized uses such as photo editing or competitive gaming.
The BenQ GW2480’s size is perfect for its resolution since there is no need for scaling and details look balanced and crisp enough. Smaller 1080p monitors will look slightly sharper, but we think they look too cramped for daily use. 24-inch 1080p monitors is still widely considered as the universal format, so you can’t go wrong with this model.
The BenQ GW2480 does a decent job when it comes to image quality considering its a very affordable monitor. The IPS panel is only able to produce 93% of the sRGB gamut, but its accuracy falls within an acceptable Delta E of 2.9. Color temperature is very close to the ideal 6500k point, giving us a well-balanced image that isn’t too warm or bluishly cool.
The 27-inch variant, the GW2780, fares a bit better with accuracy, but the BenQ GW2480 posts better contrast. The monitor reached 900:1 at around 40% brightness, reducing the grayish look you would normally get from IPS displays. Gamma is slightly off at 2.1, but it doesn’t wash out the colors up to a noticeable degree.
One prominent issue on the BenQ GW2480 is its IPS bleed, which can be seen on its lower corners. The defect dropped the contrast in that area considerably, plus it creates some visible clouding in dark or all-black images. Take note that this characteristic varies between unit to unit, so be sure to purchase the monitor from a seller with excellent returns and exchanges policies.
The BenQ GW2480 isn’t the fastest monitor the brand can offer, but it can keep up in reducing blurring and ghosting up to a certain degree. You will mostly see trailing and pixel persistence if you swipe the screen too fast, but laid back instances in casual games do not have visible flaws. The monitor has an overdrive feature, but we recommend avoiding its maximum level since it induces massive overshoot which will be detrimental to your viewing experience.
The BenQ GW2480 doesn’t have FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility, so gamers cannot rely on VRR to keep frames smooth and tear-free. But if you think about it, 1080p 60 Hz doesn’t take a lot of GPU horsepower in games, nor is it difficult to tweak the in-game settings for a stable FPS output. Input lag sits at 10ms, so delays won’t be more noticeable than the limited refresh rate.
Thoughts on the BenQ GW2480
The BenQ GW2480 is an excellent budget monitor for any type of use such as school work, document processing, or even casual gaming. The IPS screen isn’t as vibrant as some models we’ve tested, but its scores fall within acceptable limits for daily use. Features are limited, but you can’t argue with the price or find a better-equipped model in the same range.
There are some limitations with the BenQ GW2480, such as its poor ergonomics or its middling scores in colorimeter scans. But we think it’s easy to overlook them, especially if you are in the market for a reliable and easy to own display.
About the Author:
Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since his junior high years. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews which accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
George says
For the same price, which is better, the BenQ GW2480 or the Dell S2421HN?