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Overall
The ViewSonic XG240R from the brand’s new Elite series upgrades what we love in the ViewSonic XG2402 with Elite RGB lighting. The monitor adopts a more subtle overall aesthetic save for the chevron-shaped RGB LEDs at the rear. The launch price for the ViewSonic XG240R is slightly higher than its predecessors globally, but it’s a no-brainer if we get the same, if not improved gaming performance that’s pumped up by RGB.
ViewSonic XG240R Specifications
- Screen Size: 24 Inches
- Resolution:1080p FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: Twisted Nematic Film (TN)
- Refresh Rate: 144hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 350 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 2 watts)
- Stand: Height -Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes (-5°/+20°)
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 1, USB 3.0 x 3, 5mm Audio Jack
- Dimension (WxHxD): 22.3″ x 17.1″ x4″
- Weight without Stand: 14.8lbs
Design and Features
The ViewSonic XG240R gets rid of the red streaks and accents in favor of a bolder, all-black appearance. Most of the product is done with a flat texture, save for the majority of the base which has a brushed finish. Unfortunately, the face of the monitor still has thick, single stage bezels which we know many dislike.
We love the fact that the firm toned down its logos to match the monitor’s new appearance. However, one aspect of the monitor we noticed and disliked is the use of OSD buttons instead of a joystick. RGB is a massive contributor in the modernization of today’s gaming gear, so it would have been nice if the display’s functionalities followed suit.
The distinct X-shaped pattern of the brand’s gaming monitors is still prominent on the rear panel. The red branding and streaks are gone and replaced with two boomerang-shaped RGB LED strips. The latter is a decorative feature, but it can also double as bias lighting if its bright enough to add a wreath of illumination to the display.
ViewSonic did not include compatibility with popular RGB ecosystems for the XG240R such as Aura Sync. It makes more sense that the firm partnered with PC aesthetics and peripheral brands instead since RGB is more prominent on keyboards and casing. We think its fantastic that you can control the RGB lighting on this monitor with Razer Chroma, Thermaltake RGB Plus, and Coolermaster Masterplus.
This implementation is more intuitive since you can’t really sync keyboards, mice, headsets and whatnot to your motherboard’s software. Thermaltake and Coolermaster make very competitive RGB products, while Razer’s Chroma technology is one of the best in the business.
The ViewSonic XG240R is supported with a fully ergonomic stand that tilts, swivels, pivots, and lets you adjust height. You also get a carry handle at the top of the upright to make it easy to lug the monitor around for LAN parties or rearranging your game room. The display is also VESA-compliant, so any 100 x 100 aftermarket mount will fit right into the bolt holes at the rear.
The ViewSonic XG240R’s downfiring I/O layout includes DisplayPort 1.2, dual HDMI 1.4 slots, and two USB 3.0 slots. You will also find a 3.5mm jack to go with the 2-Watt speakers which add value to the display but are primarily unsuited to play gaming audio.
Display and Performance
The ViewSonic XG240R sports a 24-inch TN panel from AU Optronics with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 1ms response time, and 144Hz refresh rate. The module is rated to have a typical 1000:1 contrast ratio and a 350cd/m2 backlight that’s more than sufficient for the size. The is comparable to the XG2402’s and isn’t top of the line, but this kind of display can already offer a substantially improved gaming experience.
The ViewSonic XG240R posts excellent imaging scores despite its disadvantage as a TN panel user. Default settings should be good enough for most users, but the display offers more potential when calibrated. The good news is you don’t need a colorimeter since simple OSD tweaking can achieve these results.
The screen can produce 100% of the sRGB gamut with ease, with a decent accuracy of around Delta E 2.3, which is very good for games. The display does have a slight hint of extra color pop in some shades, putting it very close to IPS panels in this regard. Of course, the latter and VA panels will still look richer, but that’s worth ignoring if a TN variant is capable of these scores while being fast.
Contrast tops out at 980:1 while the ViewSonic XG240R’s gamma sits perfectly at 2.2. This combination creates excellent grayscale performance and black depth so games don’t appear watered out while blacks are satisfyingly dark. You can even bump up the contrast to 1180:1 if you use the monitor at its 60 Hz refresh rate.
Playing games like Apex Legends which is a fast-paced title with immersive environments is a treat on the ViewSonic XG240R. The in-game colors are well balanced and bright, while the monitor’s speed takes care of the required responsiveness. The only real issue is the limited viewing angles, but sitting at dead center easily negates that.
The one weakness of the ViewSonic XG240R is its illumination properties which aren’t perfect, but still forgivable. The backlight can only go up to 316cd/m2 instead of 350cd/m2, while panel uniformity had some brightness deviations of up to 14% on the corners. Again, the latter isn’t the worst we’ve seen, but it is slightly noticeable when viewing darker images.
The ViewSonic XG240R handles motion excellently, although you still need to use its Overdrive feature. This variant doesn’t include the superb Rampage Response feature of the XG2402, but its implementation is decent enough. Setting the display to 144Hz and its overdrive to the Faster setting cured the already minimal trailing and smudging we’ve seen.
The feature includes an Ultra Fast preset, but it induces overshoot so it won’t be beneficial for fast-paced users. Overall, the device is excellent even for competitive gamers who are extra sensitive to these flaws.
The ViewSonic XG240R is also a FreeSync-based monitor with a range of 48Hz to 144Hz along with AMD’s LFC technology. The monitor works great with midrange cards like the RX590, but it’s also suitable for Nvidia GPUs which are more popular. This model is tested to be G-Sync compatible, so there should be no issues if you are using a card from the latter.
ViewSonic specifically mentioned that they engineered the XG240R to have the least amount of latency for responsive gaming. The monitor clocks in at only 3ms, making it one of the fastest models in its category.
Thoughts on the ViewSonic XG240R
The ViewSonic XG240R is a fantastic option if you are looking for a 1080p 144Hz display that offers a substantially improved gaming experience. The TN panel’s qualities are outstanding while the monitor’s responsiveness makes it one of the best in the business. The product takes a slight hit to its backlight consistency, but that varies from unit to unit and manufacturing batches.
We also love the design of the ViewSonic XG240R which sets it apart from its predecessors. The monitor shaves off the red accents found on the XG2402 and XG240R to replace it with a unique RGB implementation. Overall, the XG240R is excellent in both performance and value, but its superb design is a very valuable bonus that gamers will love.