BenQ BL2490TC 24" Black

The BenQ BL2490TC is a 24-inch 1080p IPS monitor built for eye comfort and office productivity. It has USB-C, Low Blue Light, and flicker-free tech, but the 250 nits brightness and below-average color make it a poor fit for gaming or creative work. At around $180 USD, it's a solid choice for desk workers with sensitive eyes, but not much else.

Let's be honest about what this monitor is and isn't. The BenQ BL2490TC runs at 1920 x 1080 on a 23.8-inch IPS panel, which gives you a pixel density of about 93 PPI. Text is crisp enough for documents and web browsing, though if you've spent time on a 1440p or 4K display, you'll notice the difference. The 5ms response time is fine for office work and casual video, but this is not a gaming monitor. Fast-paced shooters will show some motion blur, and there's no adaptive sync tech to smooth things out.

In our database, this monitor's performance lands in the 22nd percentile, which means it falls behind most displays we've tested in raw speed and responsiveness. The display quality overall sits at the 39th percentile, so it's below average for the category. The 250 nits brightness is adequate for indoor use but underwhelming if you have a window behind you. Color accuracy is where things get rough: the 16th percentile ranking means this panel won't satisfy anyone doing photo editing or design work. It's a productivity screen, not a creative one.

Compared to the MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2 or the ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMGR, the BenQ BL2490TC is playing a completely different game. Those are 27-inch OLED gaming monitors with high refresh rates and stunning color, and they cost significantly more. The BenQ is a 24-inch productivity panel. It's not a fair fight, and if you're shopping for gaming, the BenQ shouldn't be on your list at all.

Against the Dell S2725QC, the comparison gets more interesting. The Dell is a 27-inch 4K USB-C monitor that costs more but delivers sharper text and better color. The BenQ's advantage is its smaller footprint and eye comfort features. If you have a small desk and sensitive eyes, the BenQ makes sense. If you want more screen real estate and sharper text for document-heavy work, the Dell is the better long-term investment. The LG UltraGear 27G810A-B is another 27-inch option with better gaming performance, but again, it's a different category and price point.

At $180 USD or $170 CAD, the BenQ BL2490TC is priced like a budget monitor but doesn't always deliver budget-level value. The USB-C port is a genuine differentiator at this price, and the eye comfort certification is something you won't find on every cheap panel. But the 250 nits brightness and mediocre color performance mean you're paying for comfort features rather than image quality. If you don't care about eye strain tech, there are cheaper 24-inch 1080p IPS monitors that look just as good or better. If you do care about your eyes during 8-hour workdays, the BenQ makes a stronger case for itself.

The BenQ BL2490TC is a 24-inch 1080p IPS monitor aimed squarely at office workers and students who spend long hours staring at spreadsheets, documents, and the occasional YouTube tab. It's not trying to be a gaming monitor or a color-critical display. It's a practical, no-nonsense screen with a USB-C port and a focus on eye comfort, which is BenQ's whole thing in this segment. At around $180 USD or $170 CAD, it sits in the budget-to-midrange bracket for a 24-inch productivity display.

So is the BenQ BL2490TC good for everyday work? For the most part, yes. You get a 23.8-inch viewable screen, 1920 x 1080 resolution, and an IPS panel that keeps colors and viewing angles decent. The 250 nits of brightness is fine for a typical indoor office, though it won't blow you away in a sun-drenched room. The standout feature here is the eye comfort package: Low Blue Light, flicker-free tech, and a 4 Star Eye Comfort certification. If your eyes feel fried by 3 PM, that's the pitch.

Connectivity is a mixed bag. You get HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C, which is genuinely useful if you want to plug in a modern laptop with a single cable. But there's no USB hub, no daisy-chaining, and the built-in speakers are the kind you'll use once and then immediately switch back to headphones. The 144Hz refresh rate listed in some specs is misleading, this is a 60Hz panel in practice for the vast majority of use cases, and the 5ms response time is standard IPS fare, not a gaming credential.

Skip the BenQ BL2490TC if you're a gamer, a photo editor, or anyone who watches a lot of video content. The 60Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time won't satisfy competitive players, and the 16th percentile color accuracy means your edits will look different on other screens. If you work in a bright room or near a window, the 250 nits brightness will feel dim. For gaming, check out the MSI MAG 271QPX or ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMGR. For sharper text and better color in a productivity monitor, the Dell S2725QC is a stronger pick if you can stretch your budget.

Should you buy the BenQ BL2490TC? If you're an office worker or student who spends 6+ hours a day in front of a screen and your eyes feel strained by the end of the day, this monitor is worth considering. The eye comfort features are real, and the USB-C port is genuinely convenient for modern laptops. The 24-inch size is also a sweet spot for smaller desks and dual-monitor setups.

But if you want a monitor for gaming, photo editing, or watching movies in a bright room, look elsewhere. The 250 nits brightness, below-average color, and 60Hz refresh rate are real limitations. This is a purpose-built productivity monitor, and it does that job reasonably well. Just don't expect it to be anything more.