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ZOWIE XL2566K E-Sports Gaming Monitor Review: I Am Speed

ZOWIE XL2566K Review

ZOWIE is a monitor brand focused on the e-sports segment. Unlike other gaming monitors that packs in tons of gaming features, the ZOWIE XL2566K focuses on speed only.

ZOWIE XL2566K Specifications

Model NameZOWIE XL2566K Monitor for e-Sports
Screen Size24.5 inches
Aspect Ratio16:9
Resolution1920 x 1080
Refresh Rate360Hz (DP1.4)
120Hz (HDMI 2.0)
Typ. Brightness (cd/㎡)‎320
Contrast Ratio1000:1
Panel Type‎TN

What’s In The Box?

  • ZOWIE XL2566K Monitor
  • S Switch
  • DisplayPort cable
  • HDMI cable
  • Power cable
  • Dust cover
  • Shield

Design

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The ZOWIE XL2566K has a spartan, yet practical aesthetic. The stand has a pentagon base, decorated with a small DyAC+ sticker. The stand itself has red accents around the cable management ring, and on the side you can find a height indicator to help you remember your previous setting as you lug the monitor around.

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At the back you will find a debossed ZOWIE logo, and a pull out hook to hang your headphones. The bottom left corner houses the power button, 5 way navigation toggle, and two rotation keys. A Kensington lock occupies the bottom right.

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In terms of I/O, you get two HDMI ports, one DP1.4 port, headphone jack, and the S-Switch connector. Speaking of the S-Switch, it allows users to easily access the monitor OSD menu without fiddling with the controls at the rear.

The monitor comes with two light shields to block out your surroundings, which also sports the ZOWIE logo on each side.

Display

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The ZOWIE XL2566K is equipped with a 360Hz TN panel. TN panels had a bad reputation for poor colour gamut and viewing angles. The XL2566K inherits the same drawbacks of this panel technology. The colour gamut is just “meh”, and blacks look washed out.

However, TN panels are among the fastest panel technologies out there, and for e-Sports teams, that’s all that matters. The XL2566K excels in this department, motion blur was non-existent, and there was no ghosting at all. You will notice the lack of adaptive sync technologies such as FreeSync or GSync. This is a no frills monitor that prioritises speed and nothing else.

User Experience

E-Sports professionals generally prefer smaller monitors in order to have everything within their field of view. The ZOWIE XL2566K fits the bill with a 24.5 inch display, and comes equipped with shields to help you stay focused. At this size, you can even get very close to the screen, fully immersing yourself in the game without any disturbance.

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In terms of gaming performance, the XL2566K is blazing fast. Games like CS:GO feel buttery smooth with snappy input latency. I can easily score headshots as there is zero motion blur. Games that run higher than 100 fps generally feel quick, reflecting how purpose built this monitor is.

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The ergonomics are great as the stand offers a plethora of adjustments. You can adjust the height, tilt, swing and even rotate the monitor. The adjustment range is wide too, allowing for variety of orientation options.

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The included S-Switch is convenient to have, as I could use it as a controller to toggle the monitor settings. For me personally, I usually set my monitor to my preferred setting and leave it as it is, so your mileage may vary.

Conclusion

Let’s address the elephant in the room. The ZOWIE XL2566K costs a whopping RM2,949. For most gamers out there, that is a difficult pill to swallow. You sacrifice almost every other feature other than speed, and the realistically speaking you are getting diminishing returns once you go higher than 165Hz.

That being said, if you need one of the fastest monitors in the market, whether you are an aspiring e-Sports athlete, or play games professionally, then the ZOWIE XL2566K should be in your short list.

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Written By

Part-time gamer, writer, & full time weird coffee person.

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