KTC 25M1 24.1"

The KTC 25M1 is a speed demon with a stellar 400Hz refresh rate and a 0.5ms response time, landing it in the 96th percentile for performance. Image quality from the TN panel is a major weak point, but if you only play competitive shooters, it's a fair deal at the lower end of its price range. Everyone else should look at a good IPS or OLED.

Performance is where the 25M1 absolutely shines. A 400Hz refresh rate and a 0.5ms GTG response time put it in the 96th percentile of our database, making it one of the fastest gaming monitors you can buy right now. Motion clarity is exceptional, and Adaptive-Sync keeps tearing at bay whether you're on an AMD or NVIDIA card. The catch is you need a beastly GPU to push 400 frames per second in modern titles, and the TN panel's colors and contrast look washed out compared to even a budget IPS screen. It's a one-trick pony, but that trick is pure speed.

Stacked against the OLED competition like the MSI MAG 271QPX or LG UltraGear 27GX790A, the KTC 25M1 looks like a relic in terms of image quality. Those 1440p OLEDs offer infinite contrast and stunning colors, but they cost significantly more and top out at 240Hz or 360Hz. The ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is a direct 1440p 480Hz competitor that makes the KTC's 1080p resolution look rough, but again, at a much higher price. The KTC's only real advantage is its price-to-speed ratio for 1080p purists who want every last frame.

Pricing is all over the map for this monitor, with a wild spread from $331 to over $68,000 across vendors. Obviously, ignore the absurd high-end listings. At the low end around $331, it's a solid value for a 400Hz esports monitor with a great stand and a hood included. You're paying for the refresh rate and response time, not image quality. If you can snag it closer to that $331 mark from a reputable seller, it's a fair deal for a competitive gamer on a budget who doesn't want to pay the OLED tax.

The KTC 25M1 is a monitor with a very specific mission: competitive esports. It uses a 24.1-inch Fast TN panel and pushes a blistering 400Hz refresh rate at 1080p. If you're a serious FPS player who values frame rate and response time above all else, this screen is built for you. It even comes with a shielding hood to block distractions at LAN events or in bright rooms.

But that focus comes with real trade-offs. This is a TN panel, so viewing angles and color vibrancy take a backseat to raw speed. The 1080p resolution on a 24-inch screen is sharp enough for gaming, but don't expect it to pull double duty for color-sensitive creative work. It's a specialist tool, not a versatile all-rounder.

Skip this monitor if you play single-player RPGs, watch movies, or do any photo editing. The TN panel's washed-out colors and poor contrast will ruin those experiences. If you want a fast monitor that also looks good, save up for a 240Hz or 360Hz OLED instead.

The KTC 25M1 is for the competitive gamer who lives inside Counter-Strike, Valorant, or Rainbow Six Siege and doesn't care about anything else. If you want the smoothest possible 1080p experience and a monitor that can keep up with your reflexes, this is a purpose-built tool that delivers. Just know that you're sacrificing picture quality for every one of those 400 hertz.