BenQ GW2491 23.8" 100 24" Review

The BenQ GW2491 is a solid budget IPS monitor that makes one smart upgrade: a 100Hz refresh rate for smoother everyday use. Its display is just okay, but the eye comfort features are top-notch. At a refurbished price near $100, it's a fantastic value for a second screen or basic office work. Gamers and anyone needing a bright screen should skip it.

Let's talk about the BenQ GW2491. This is a 24-inch, 1080p IPS monitor that's trying to do one thing really well: be a solid, no-nonsense screen for your desk. It's not trying to win any esports tournaments or be the centerpiece of a Hollywood color grading suite. It's the monitor you buy when you just need a reliable second screen, or a primary one for work, without any fuss.

Who is this for? Honestly, it's for the budget-conscious office worker, the student setting up a home desk, or anyone who needs an extra monitor that won't break the bank. The 100Hz refresh rate is the interesting bit here. It's a small step up from the standard 60Hz you find on most basic office monitors, promising a slightly smoother feel when scrolling through documents or web pages. It's a nice little quality-of-life upgrade.

The whole package is built around BenQ's 'EyeCare' philosophy. You get flicker-free backlighting, a low blue light mode, and even a weird but potentially useful 'ePaper' mode that turns the screen monochrome for reading. It's clear this monitor is designed for people who stare at screens all day and just want their eyes to hurt a little less by 5 PM.

Performance-wise, the GW2491 sits in a comfortable middle ground. Our database puts its overall performance score right around the 53rd percentile. That translates to 'perfectly fine for everyday tasks.' The 100Hz refresh rate is its main performance claim, and it does deliver a perceptibly smoother cursor movement and window dragging compared to a 60Hz panel. It's not a gaming monitor, but that extra fluidity is nice for general desktop use.

Where it shows its budget nature is in the display specs. The 250-nit brightness is just okay, and it lands in the 23rd percentile for display quality overall. This means it can struggle in very bright rooms, and the contrast isn't going to blow you away. The 99% sRGB color coverage is solid for the price, ensuring colors look accurate and natural for web browsing, office apps, and casual media consumption. Just don't expect the punchy, vibrant HDR you see on pricier screens.

Here's where things get weird. The listed price range across vendors is absolutely bonkers, from $75 to over $35,000. Ignore the high end; that's clearly a data error or a placeholder. The real value conversation happens at the low end. If you can find this new for around $120-$150, or better yet, snag a refurbished unit for closer to $75-$100, it becomes a very compelling buy. At that refurbished price, you're getting a reliable IPS panel with better-than-60Hz motion and good connectivity for less than a cheap keyboard. Just make sure you're buying from a reputable seller with a good return policy.

Stacked against common competitors, the GW2491 carves out a specific niche. Compared to something like an LG UltraGear or MSI MAG monitor, you're giving up high refresh rates (144Hz+), faster response times, and gaming features for better eye care and a lower price. Those are pure gaming displays; this is not.

A more direct competitor might be a basic 24-inch IPS from Dell or HP. The BenQ often beats them on paper with its 100Hz panel and thinner bezels, but might lose on brand reputation for business use or warranty support. Compared to an ASUS ProArt, you're giving up professional color accuracy and calibration. The BenQ's trade-off is clear: you sacrifice peak display performance and fancy features to get a smoother, more comfortable viewing experience on a budget.

Hardcore gamers should look elsewhere. The 5ms response time and lack of adaptive sync (like FreeSync or G-Sync) mean you'll get more motion blur and potential screen tearing than on a dedicated gaming monitor. Also, if your workspace is flooded with natural light, the 250-nit brightness will be a constant frustration. You'll be cranking the brightness to max and still squinting.

Professional photographers, video editors, or graphic designers should also skip this. While color accuracy is good, the monitor lacks hardware calibration options, wide color gamuts like DCI-P3, and the high brightness needed for HDR work. For those users, a monitor like an ASUS ProArt or Dell UltraSharp, while more expensive, is a necessary tool for the job.

If you need a secondary monitor, a budget-friendly primary screen for office work and web browsing, or you're particularly sensitive to eye strain, the GW2491 is an easy recommendation. Its combination of 100Hz smoothness, good connectivity, and legit eye comfort features is hard to beat at the right price. Just pair it with a monitor arm if you need height adjustment.

However, if you're a gamer, a content creator needing color-critical work, or you work in a very bright environment, you should look elsewhere. The brightness and response time aren't up to snuff for those uses. For those folks, spending a bit more on a proper gaming monitor or a brighter, more adjustable business panel would be a much better investment.