The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is a premium esports gaming monitor with a 24-inch screen and 360Hz refresh rate. With a 1440p resolution, it's higher-end than the 1080p BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K, and it's a smaller alternative to the 27-inch BenQ ZOWIE XQ2766X. It aims for the sharpest motion on an LCD monitor, as it comes with a TN panel and supports DyAc 3 to reduce persistence blur for improved motion handling. It includes a Color Filter mode that's meant to make it easier to spot opponents in battle royale games, like Fortnite, PUBG, and Apex Legends. It also supports ZOWIE Sync, which allows you to copy settings to another monitor or from a friend's screen.
Our Verdict
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is decent for PC gaming. It performs best for competitive action games thanks to its 360Hz refresh rate, amazing motion handling with minimal blur, and low input lag for a responsive feel. It includes a DyAc 3 backlight strobing feature that aims to reduce persistence blur, but it results in image duplication. It also has picture settings geared towards different battle royale games, like Fortnite and Apex Legends. The biggest downside is its limited picture quality, as it doesn't support HDR at all, has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray, and its narrow viewing angle means the image looks inaccurate from the sides.
High 360Hz refresh rate and VRR support.
Sharp motion handling, especially at high refresh rates.
Low input lag for a responsive feel.
DyAc 3 feature reduces persistence blur.
Backlight strobing has image duplication.
Inverse ghosting and blur at low refresh rates.
No HDR support and limited overall picture quality.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is disappointing for console gaming. It has limited compatibility with consoles, as it doesn't support HDR at all or 4k signals with a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S. It at least supports VRR with consoles to reduce screen tearing. Motion also looks sharp, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel. Unfortunately, though, it has limited picture quality because blacks look gray due to its low contrast ratio, and it lacks a local dimming feature to improve its black levels.
Sharp motion handling, especially at high refresh rates.
Low input lag for a responsive feel.
Inverse ghosting and blur at low refresh rates.
No HDR support and limited overall picture quality.
Limited console compatibility; no 4k support.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is very good for office use. Text looks sharp thanks to its fairly high pixel density, but you may find that its 24-inch screen isn't big enough to multitask. It at least gets bright enough to fight some glare well in moderately lit rooms, and it has minimal reflections, but you may still find that visibility is an issue in sunny rooms. Although it comes with an ergonomic stand, it's less than ideal for sharing your screen with others, as it has a narrow viewing angle, so the image looks washed out from the sides. It also lacks any dedicated work-focused features, like a USB hub.
Sharp text.
Bright enough to fight some glare.
Fantastic reflection handling.
Narrow viewing angle.
No USB hub to connect devices.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is mediocre for content creation. Despite displaying a wide range of colors in SDR, you need to calibrate it to get an accurate image. Without a dedicated sRGB mode, colors are oversaturated out of the box, and it has noticeable white balance and gamma issues. It doesn't support HDR at all, so you can't use it for any content creation that requires HDR signals. Blacks also look gray due to its low contrast ratio, and the image washes out when viewed off-angle because it has a narrow viewing angle.
Bright enough to fight some glare.
Fantastic reflection handling.
Displays wide range of colors in SDR.
No HDR support and limited overall picture quality.
Narrow viewing angle.
No USB hub to connect devices.
Colors are oversaturated before calibration.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X has good SDR brightness. It fights glare well in moderately lit rooms, but visibility is still an issue in sunny rooms. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDR to make highlights pop.
Bright enough to fight some glare.
No HDR support.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X has an excellent response time. Motion looks sharp, particularly at high refresh rates. There's more blur and inverse ghosting as the refresh rate drops, though.
Sharp motion handling, especially at high refresh rates.
Inverse ghosting and blur at low refresh rates.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X doesn't support HDR.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X has decent SDR picture quality. It displays a wide range of colors, but the downside is that blacks look gray due to its low contrast ratio.
Displays wide range of colors in SDR.
Low contrast ratio.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X has fair color accuracy. It doesn't have a dedicated sRGB mode, so colors are oversaturated out of the box. It also has gamma issues, leading to images appearing brighter than intended. Calibrating it fixes these issues, though.
Various calibration settings to improve accuracy.
Colors are oversaturated before calibration.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the 24-inch BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X. There are similar models in the ZOWIE lineup, including a 27-inch model that you can see below, but the results are only valid for this monitor.
| Model | Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XL2566X+ | 24" | 1080p | 400Hz | HDMI 2.0 DyAc 2 Auto Game Mode XL Setting to Share |
| XQ2566X | 24" | 1440p | 360Hz |
HDMI 2.1 DyAc 3 Color Filter ZOWIE Sync |
| XQ2766X | 27" | 1440p | 360Hz | HDMI 2.1 DyAc 3 Color Filter ZOWIE Sync |
Our unit's label indicates it was manufactured in June 2026 in China.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is a high-end gaming monitor geared towards competitive esports gaming. With a 360Hz refresh rate, it offers a smooth gaming feel, and it has a fast response time for sharp motion at most refresh rates. Its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and VRR support also help take advantage of the latest graphics cards. It includes DyAc 3 backlight strobing to reduce persistence blur at a wide range of refresh rates, but it's not perfect, as there's image duplication. An advantage of this monitor is that it has a higher 1440p resolution than other 24-inch ZOWIE models, like the BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K, so images are more detailed.
As this model is meant for esports gamers, it takes a step back from all-around gaming monitors because it doesn't support HDR and has limited picture quality. So, you should only get it if you want some of the best motion handling possible on an LCD display, and you stick to battle royale games that aren't available in HDR. Otherwise, you should look elsewhere for better picture quality, like with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG.
Also see our recommendations for the best 24-25 inch monitors, the best 1440p gaming monitors, and the best high refresh rate monitors.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X and the BenQ ZOWIE XL2586X are both high-end esports gaming monitors. There are some differences between them, as the XL2586X has a faster refresh rate for a smoother feel, while the XQ2566X has a higher resolution for more detailed images. The XQ2566X also has better motion handling. They have different DyAc backlight strobing feature versions, and they both perform similarly as they reduce persistence blur, but they each have image duplication.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X and the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG are both 1440p, 360Hz gaming monitors. The main differences come down to their panel types. The ASUS has an OLED panel with superior picture quality as it supports HDR, and it has deeper blacks, more vivid colors, and highlights that pop. While the ASUS has a faster response time for quicker motion, the BenQ isn't far behind. The advantage of the BenQ is that it has a more versatile backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur at a wider range of refresh rates, including at its max of 360Hz. The BenQ also has a higher pixel density for sharper images, and it doesn't risk burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is a newer and higher-end monitor than the BenQ ZOWIE XL2546K. The XQ2566X features a higher 1440p resolution for more detailed images, and its higher refresh rate results in a smoother gaming experience. The XQ2566X is a bit more well-rounded, too, as it supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take advantage of HDMI 2.1 devices.
The BenQ ZOWIE XQ2566X is newer than the BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K. The main difference is that the XQ2566X has a higher 1440p resolution for a more detailed image, and it supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. While the XQ2566X uses a newer DyAc 3 backlight strobing feature compared to the DyAc+ feature on the XL2566K, both reduce persistence blur with image duplication.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
Test Results
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