ViewSonic XG2431 240Hz gaming monitor review: Unrivaled champion?
The ViewSonic XG2431 is a budget 240Hz monitor tailored for competitive gaming. The display packs a plethora of features that will appeal to the gaming audience. The list includes support for both AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, quick 0.5ms response time, HDR support, a built-in ergonomic stand, and plenty more.
The result of cramming such features into a budget price — as you guessed it — means ViewSonic had to cut some corners. So, should gamers spend their cash on the highest-end design from an American monitor manufacturer? Answers can vary depending on what the user wants specifically.
ViewSonic was kind enough to send us the XG2431 for review. This article will run it through its paces, testing it from the average gamer's, office user's, and creator's point of view and sharing a thorough overview of what to expect from the panel.
The ViewSonic XG2431 is a solid deal for competitive gamers
The ViewSonic XG2431 is part of the 1080p OMNI lineup from the company. It packs a high 240 Hz refresh rate, which is shaping up to be an optimal refresh rate for competitive games. Most mid-range modern graphics cards like RTX 3080 and RTX 4070 can play competitive titles like CS: GO, Valorant, and Fortnite comfortably at 1080p 240 FPS or higher.
Thus, this monitor ticks the boxes for an intermediate display — a step above the generic 90 to 120 Hz panels and, obviously, a cheaper alternative to the newly launched 500 Hz panels from Dell Alienware and ASUS.
However, ViewSonic has engineered the monitor to appeal to beginners as well. It packs support for wide color gamuts — ranging from sRGB to Adobe RGB — making it lucrative for creators too. While the display was launched for $330, it has dropped to $279.99 these days. This places it in an exciting market segment.
Unboxing
ViewSonic hasn't reinvented the wheel in terms of unboxing. The monitor comes packed in a cardboard box and is well-protected inside.
Out of the box, we get the following items:
- The ViewSonic XG2431 panel
- An ergonomic stand
- Two power cables (One two-pin, one three-pin with grounding)
- DisplayPort 1.4 cable
- USB A/B cable
- Paperwork
Connectivity
The monitor comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4a. Out of the box, it can pack either a DisplayPort or an HDMI cable. Our unit is bundled with a high-quality HDMI cable that can easily handle 4K 60 Hz output on a different panel.
In addition to the display ports, users also get audio output for connecting headphones, a USB Mini-B, and two USB 3.0 Type-A ports. This will allow gamers to connect peripherals like soundbars, USB docks, and others.
The monitor also packs a standard three-pin power connector. The manufacturer has included both a two-pin and a three-pin power cable. Thus, users can power the display depending on the socket they have available.
It also packs a couple of wire bungees that are pretty useful while gaming. Mouse bungees generally sell for over $20 on Amazon. Thus, gamers can save a few bucks with this in-built feature.
Build Quality
The ViewSonic XG2431 packs an all-plastic build. But don't let this fool you. The monitor is super well-built. The panel doesn't flex at all. However, it is a fingerprint magnet, and you avoid touching it as much as possible.
The stand is quite sturdily built as well. The base packs a brushed texture that adds elegance to the overall structure. However, the plastic can get easily scratched, as we found with our review unit.
The stand's pivot follows a similar design language. While it might feel over-engineered, the available adjustment options require such a design. The stand is quite heavy, which can make the monitor a bit difficult to carry around. However, this is nothing unexpected from monitors of this caliber.
Display features and quality
Under its hood, the XG2431 uses a 23.8" Innolux panel. It's an IPS, meaning users can expect exceptional clarity. However, we need to accept that the panel is only FHD, which has its own limitations.
Despite being the most popular resolution on the market, 1080p isn't the sharpest. Couple that with a 24" panel, and you can see how it falls apart, resulting in a somewhat fuzzy text. Nevertheless, turning on Windows ClearType can help with clarity if you are into text-heavy workloads.
However, it's unfair to blow the monitor out of the question just for its resolution. It is BlurBusters 2.0 certified, which ensures fast-moving objects don't deteriorate picture quality.
The display packs an unusually high 240 Hz refresh rate and a <0.5ms response time, which makes it a gold mine for esports gamers. Most modern graphics cards can handle competitive titles like Valorant and Fortnite at 240 FPS. Thus, when paired with this monitor, gamers can enjoy unmatched smoothness.
It supports both AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync. Thus, games running at rather low framerates won't face screen tear issues. The list doesn't end here.
The display is DisplayHDR 400 rated as well. However, HDR performance isn't as good. Although it is a nifty feature to have, we wouldn't recommend using it while watching movies or playing games.
On-Screen Display Controls
The ViewSonic XG2431 packs the company's traditional on-screen display controls, which are fairly easy to navigate. Gamers can find nearly every setting related to the display here.
The control buttons, however, are of poor quality. They are flimsy and not in sync with the quality ViewSonic has committed to with the XG2431. The monitor could have benefited from some better engineering when it came to the button panel. With more panels shifting to a single nipple control design, the presence of over five buttons on this monitor feels a bit dated.
Built-in speakers
The ViewSonic XG2431 also comes with built-in speakers. While the 5W in-built audio devices are enough to serve as a backup, we wouldn't recommend driving them daily.
The speakers pack inferior audio quality and crush the mids and lows. They don't get sufficiently loud, either. Even some cheap $10 speakers from Amazon can outperform what ViewSonic has delivered with this display.
That said, we need to give the speakers some credit for being slightly better than what other FHD monitors pack. Given that most displays on the market don't come with any, it's a nice-to-have option.
Should you buy the ViewSonic XG2431?
The ViewSonic XG2431 does have a lot of points in its favor. However, our single biggest complaint is the resolution. For about $300, gamers can get some quality QHD panels, with some low-end 4K panels also starting from around this bracket. Thus, settling for an FHD display in 2023 can be a difficult decision, more so because the industry is slowly shifting to 2160p.
Yet, for most competitive gamers, FHD still makes a ton of sense because it is such an easy resolution to handle. Gamers who specifically have a use case for the high refresh rate can pick up this panel. It packs nearly every feature one can ask for from a monitor, including HDR, Nvidia G-Sync, and fast response time.
Everyone else, including content creators and casual gamers, should look at 1440p monitors like the Gigabyte M27Q or the LG 32GN650-B.
Conclusion
Product: ViewSonic XG2431 24" 240Hz 0.5ms MPRT Blur Busters approved gaming monitor
Screen size: 23.8"
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080)
Connectors: 2x HDMI, 1x DP, 1x USB mini-B, 2x USB Type-A
HDR support standard: DisplayHDR 400
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