BENQ Zowie XL2566K 360Hz ESports Gaming Monitor Review

PROS

• 360Hz Ultra High Refresh Rate
• Compact Base Plate
• Incredibly minimal input lag

CONS

• Average viewing angles
• Incompatible with PS5, XBox S and X Series

The 360Hz refresh rate of the BENQ Zowie XL 2566K offers unparalleled smoothness and quick response time for competitive players. Irrespective of whether you're a seasoned professional or a serious amateur, the BENQ Zowie XL 2566K offers several features to help you perform to the best of your abilities. ZOWIE is a brand focused on producing professional esports gear. If you have ever played esports, you've most likely come across ZOWIE's monitors and mice already.

The BENQ Zowie XL2566K features a TN display as opposed to an IPS display, which may confuse you at first.But trust me when I say that it outperforms the competition with its flawless performance. What makes it different from the competitors in the market? Let's find out.

Display

The BenQ Zowie XL2566K features a 24.5-inch TN panel with a Full HD resolution (1920x1080), a refresh rate that maxes out at 360Hz, and a minimum response time of 0.5ms.

In the realm of e-sports, 1080p displays are generally acknowledged. The XL2566K renders 98% sRGB and 74% DCI-P3, which is good for a TN panel, but not as great as an IPS panel. Although it foregoes distinguishing characteristics in favor of faster reaction time and DyAc+ compatibility, it is adequate.

Design and Features

The minimalistic yet elegant all-black design was the first thing that drew my attention.
The ZOWIE branding in red was like a cherry on top of the cake. The XL2566K looks less distracting and cleaner in appearance, with the prime focus being the thin base plate, which I love. Lowkey, I root for every monitor to have such a compact footprint since the amount of space certain displays take up on the desk is inconvenient most of the time., he XL2566K, on the other hand, slays the competition and earns my admiration in this regard.

The Zowie XL2566K's display screen has considerably-sized bezels, but they are not intrusive. And speaking of distractions, we have monitor shields to assist us with laser-sharp focus while gaming.

The monitor's rear-mounted joystick controls and BenQ's S-Remote interface allows quick and easy change of any settings. Now, although there are buttons on the rear side of the monitor to assist in navigating through the settings, the inclusion of the S-Remote (MIDI controller with micro USB type B) simplifies things and allows for on-the-fly use. These settings can be saved as presets and shared with teammates and followers via BenQ's XL Setting-to-Share, which lets you import and export your presets.

The ease with which you can tilt, pan, and alter the monitor, in terms of height, is by far the slickest experience.

It also has dedicated markers to help you navigate to the perfect pan position. But that's not all - towards the back we have a sweet spot to place our headphones once we finish our gaming session.

Performance

First and foremost, the motion clarity is BENQ's biggest strength, achieved through their proprietary DyAc+ technology, as it reduces motion blur seen on the panel. However, the low resolution of the display results in a relatively low pixel density. Because of this, the visuals aren't extremely crisp, but that's a fair trade for its immaculate refresh rate and response time, which ensures a snappy gaming experience. The screen tearing is also minimal courtesy the XL2566K's FreeSync variable refresh rate feature.

First and foremost, the motion clarity is BENQ's biggest strength, achieved through their proprietary DyAc+ technology, as it reduces motion blur seen on the panel. However, the low resolution of the display results in a relatively low pixel density. Because of this, the visuals aren't extremely crisp, but that's a fair trade for its immaculate refresh rate and response time, which ensures a snappy gaming experience. The screen tearing is also minimal courtesy the XL2566K's FreeSync variable refresh rate feature.

Box Contents

The box package contains the S Switch, two plastic monitor shields that can be placed on either side of the panel for enhanced privacy or light filtering, an HDMI 2.0 cable, a DP 1.4 cable, and a power cable. The box basically packs in everything one needs to kickstart their gaming journey. There's also an add-on dust cover which can be used when you plan to take a trip in the real world instead of the simulated one.

Things to consider before buying

The XL2566K is heavily focused at PC gamers since only the DP 1.4 cable delivers 360Hz and the HDMI 2.0 one delivers 240Hz. So if you're gaming on a laptop and looking for a monitor extension, make sure you have display port connectivity to enjoy the full 360Hz.
Despite the fact that this monitor has a variable refresh rate, it neither works with PS5 nor with Xbox Series S&X. The ZOWIE 2566K is compatible with the most recent MacBook which is restricted to 240hz. Although this is a limitation of macOS rather than the display, the MacBook won't be able to refresh at 360Hz.

Verdict: Worth the Hype?

If you're looking for a PC gaming monitor, the ZOWIE XL 2566K's ultra rapid 360 Hz refresh rate and smooth gaming experience might be a match made in heaven for you. However, if you're a casual gamer who occasionally dabbles in video editing and consumes a lot of media daily, you might want to reconsider.

The TN panel may not appear as appealing in comparison to an IPS, but ZOWIE's decision to use 1080p to make it speedier and top it off with the sizzle of a 360 Hz refresh rate to target the niche e-sports enthusiasts is a wise one.
That being said, the ZOWIE XL2556K screams performance and it delivers!

To Recap, if you need customisable features, a compact base, and a smooth tilt/height adjustable display, the XL2566K provides an impeccable gaming experience and becomes an easy recommendation for e-sports enthusiasts.