I’m a frugal gamer, and I know how challenging it can be to stay within your budget when it’s time to upgrade your gaming monitor. But I also know that an under-performing monitor can make every game less fun. The BenQ Mobiuz 23.8″ monitor promises to be a gaming monitor that delivers high quality at an affordable price point. So, I connected it to my gaming devices and tested it to see if it delivered on the promise.
MOBIUZ EX240N monitor design
The EX240N comes with one HDMI 2.0 cable, power cord, stand, and quick start guide. It’s VESA-compatible, so you can choose to not use the included stand and attach the monitor to a VESA mount instead.
Cable management
For improved cable management, you can route the cables through the stand itself. After routing the cables, the cover is replaced onto the back of the stand. I found that the cover could be dislodged if the cables were moved after routing, but this didn’t affect my gaming experience.
Configuration buttons
The MOBIUZ EX240N has most of its buttons on the bottom of the monitor. The one exception is the HDRi button on the front face of the monitor bezel. I had a little bit of trouble at first using the bottom buttons without being able to directly see them. It took some practice (and a couple of accidental power down mishaps) to remember which one was the power button.
EX240N monitor connectivity options
The BenQ EX240N has two connectivity ports. The HDMI port supports the current 2.0 standard, while the Display Port version is 1.2. You’ll be able to have two devices connected to the monitor. I would have liked to have additional HDMI ports so I could have all my consoles and PC connected to the monitor. It’s easy enough to switch the cable to a different device, of course, or even purchase a port hub, but the convenience of a multitude of ports on one device appeals to a lazy man like me.
EX240N features that support gaming visuals
The BenQ EX240N monitor has plenty of features packed in that help you see and respond to the action in your games more quickly and smoothly than if you had a standard, non-gaming monitor.
VA panel
This MOBIUZ monitor uses a Vertical Alignment (VA) LED panel. The strength of a VA panel is the contrast ratio, which is the difference between the maximum and minimum brightness of the monitor. A high contrast ratio means you’ll be able to read text more clearly, and see sharper images. The potential drawback of a VA panel is that their viewing angles are more narrow. This won’t impact your gaming, since you’re directly facing the screen. But anyone watching your monitor from the side will see a slight decrease in image quality. For my gaming-focused PC set up, this is the right type of LED panel.
HDRi
High dynamic range intelligence (HDRi) is BenQ’s solution to changing light levels in your room. A sensor within the MOBIUZ keeps track of the room’s lighting level. So when the environment’s lighting changes, HDRi automatically adjusts the monitor’s settings. You can turn the HDRi off if you so choose. I set the MOBIUZ up in my living room to test how the HDRi responded to the natural lighting changes throughout the day, and it was impressive. I didn’t need to make any additional adjustments when cloud cover made the room a little darker, or when a sudden burst of sunshine lit the room up.
Refresh rate and MPRT
The refresh rate is how many times per second the image displayed on the monitor is updated. The MOBIUZ EX240N’s refresh rate of 165Hz is above the average gaming monitor rate of 120Hz. You should keep in mind that your refresh rate will be limited by the connected devices capability. For example, the PS5 has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.
The moving picture response time (MPRT) measures how long each individual pixel is visible. The slower the MPRT, the more motion blur you’ll see. The default minimum MPRT is based on the monitor’s refresh rate, which for a 165Hz monitor would be 6ms. The BenQ MOBIUZ is able to lower the MPRT to 1ms by turning off the backlight of the monitor during image changes. I turned the MPRT reduction setting off to test for any change in motion blur, and saw a noticeable increase.
Light Tuner technology
You have the ability to adjust the overall level of brightness of your game, but this can sometimes leave the dark areas too dark or the light areas overly lit. The Light Tuner technology adjusts darker areas of the displayed image to make sure important details are visible. And with 20 levels of brightness, you can choose the exact amount of lighting you need. I’m the type of gamer who hates missing details in the murky dark corners of the game image, so I appreciate the BenQ giving me some help seeing everything.
BenQ MOBIUZ selling features
The EX240N monitor has some additional features that sold me on the value of having this monitor around not just for gaming, but streaming video and reading, too.
treVolo speakers
With its built-in speakers using treVolo sound technology, the BenQ MOBIUZ promises quality sound without additional external speakers. The team at BenQ that designed the treVolo speaker applied their sound expertise to these built-in speakers, to make sure they avoid the usual drawbacks of monitor speakers. I found the quality of the speakers to be good, with no distortion or monitor vibration. If you’re a true audiophile, you’ll want to stick with external speakers. But I appreciate not having another pair of devices cluttering my gaming desk.
Quick OSD and scenario mapping
This combination of features allows you to save your settings for a specific situation, and switch between those saved settings quickly and easily. As someone who hops back and forth from PC to console gaming, I appreciated the fast setting switching.
MOBIUZ eye-careÂ
Staring at a monitor for hours on end is hard on your eyes. We all know that, but we keep doing it anyway. And that’s why I’m happy whenever I review a monitor that is designed to reduce eye strain. How does the BenQ MOBIUZ help your eyes? Well, it reduces the amount of blue light that you see. And it effectively eliminates image flicker. Both of these together reduce the pressure on your eyes to maintain focus during long sessions of gaming. Additionally, the monitor has an eReader mode that balances the text on the screen with the background light, making it easier and more comfortable to read. A colour weakness mode can also be activated for people who have difficulty seeing specific colours. Of all these eye care features, I am happiest about the low blue light. Less blue light means less chance of triggering or aggravating a migraine headache.
Final thoughts
After hours of playing various games, reading text, and watching shows on the BenQ MOBIUZ EX240N, I was impressed. It delivered a good and dependable visual experience in each situation. As I mentioned above, I would have liked additional HDMI ports for convenience. The settings were easy to adjust, though the rear location of the monitor buttons made them slightly less accessible. But overall, the monitor delivers on its promise of good performance at a reasonable price. You should keep this monitor in mind for any gamer in your life who needs a dependable gaming monitor on a tight budget.
