The ZOWIE XL2566X+ is a specialist gaming monitor built for competitive FPS players, while providing the clearest and fastest image possible.
It comes with a 400Hz refresh rate, a fast TN panel, and DyAc 2 backlight strobing, making it an excellent choice for Counter-Strike 2 and VALORANT, although its full HD resolution, limited features, and high price mean it might not be the right pick for everyone.
ZOWIE XL2566X+ specifications
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $649.99 |
| Screen size | 24.1 inches |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Panel type | Fast TN |
| Refresh rate | 400Hz |
| Response time | 1ms |
| Brightness | 320 nits |
| Contrast ratio | 1000:1 |
| Adaptive Sync | Yes, with DyAc 2 disabled |
| Ports | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 3x HDMI 2.0 |
| Audio | 3.5mm headphone jack |
| VESA support | 100x100mm |
| Stand adjustment | 155mm height, tilt, and swivel |
| Speakers | No |
| USB ports | No |
The monitor has a 24.1-inch full HD display with a 400Hz refresh rate. You can reach the maximum refresh rate through DisplayPort 1.4, while the HDMI 2.0 inputs are limited to 240Hz.
ZOWIE includes a DisplayPort cable in the box, so you don’t need to purchase another cable to use it at its full speed.
Design and build quality
The XL2566X+ follows the usual ZOWIE design language – large, practical, and solely focused on competitive gaming. You should not go for appearance, as it’s not the first priority here. You won’t get any flashy RGB lighting, curved screen, or glossy finish. Instead, you get a thick black chassis, wide bezels, a sturdy stand, and an included shielding hood, which I decided not to use, well, because of space constraints.
It’s easy to find the design old-fashioned, especially when slim OLED gaming monitors are mostly ruling the market, but that’s not necessarily a problem. The monitor feels built for LAN events and tournaments, and is also the display that was being used at VCT Americas and Pacific Stage 2 this year.
The stand is solid and is one of the strongest parts of the package, and the screen does not wobble easily when you move your mouse aggressively. However, I decided to ditch the stand altogether and opted for a monitor arm instead. One, it saves desk space, and second, mouse movements matter even less now. My keyboard also gets room to breathe, and I can keep it any way I want without the monitor stand blocking it.
The shielding hood is another familiar ZOWIE feature. It attaches to both sides of the display and helps block distractions from nearby lights or people, and is especially useful for LANs or when you really need to focus during tournaments or ranked matches. It can also make the image feel more focused in a brightly lit room.
There is also a small headphone hook at the back of the monitor, which is convenient but doesn’t feel as sturdy as the rest of the build.
400Hz gaming performance
The primary reason to buy the ZOWIE XL2566X+ is its refresh rate. At 400Hz, the screen refreshes around 400 times every second, which reduces the time between individual frames and produces a smoother image when you move your mouse or track a moving opponent.
Before getting my hands on this monitor, I was using ZOWIE’s XL2411P, an ancient monitor I know, and the maximum refresh rate on it is 144Hz. Now, when I have kept both side by side, the difference is clearly visible. I am not exaggerating, but the difference is as dramatic as, if not more, when jumping from 60 to 144Hz. Mouse movement feels more immediate, and fast camera movements appear more controlled.
A 400Hz monitor also demands a powerful PC, and to benefit from it, your system needs to deliver close to 400 frames per second. While that is possible in esports games with suitable hardware and competitive settings, it’s not realistic in every modern AAA game, and that’s alright.
If you’re mostly into VALORANT, Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch 2, and similar titles, the XL2566X+ makes far more sense. However, if you’re like me, who loves graphically demanding single-player games, your expectations shouldn’t be too high.
Input lag is extremely low, and actions appear on screen almost immediately, which is essential in esports titles for aiming, counter-strafing, flick shots, and rapid target switching.
The monitor also supports Adaptive-Sync, which helps reduce screen tearing when the frame rate changes. However, variable refresh rate support is disabled with DyAc 2. You generally need to choose between Adaptive-Sync and the monitor’s backlight-strobing mode.
DyAc 2 and motion clarity
DyAc 2 is probably the most important feature of this monitor after its 400Hz refresh rate. It uses backlight strobing to reduce the blur that appears when your eyes follow a moving object, and it briefly controls the backlight to make moving objects appear sharper.
The result is most noticeable during rapid horizontal movement. In Counter-Strike 2, for example, opponents and crosshair movement remain easier to follow when you quickly check an angle. In VALORANT, it can help during rapid turns, strafing, and weapon sprays.
DyAc 2 works best when your frame rate and refresh rate are stable. You should also expect the screen to become slightly darker when the feature is enabled. Backlight strobing can also create visible artifacts on some displays, especially when the timing between the refresh rate and the strobe is not well controlled.
The trade-off is that DyAc 2 cannot be used at the same time as Adaptive-Sync. If your frame rate frequently changes, Adaptive-Sync may provide a more consistent experience.
Image quality and colours
The XL2566X+ uses a Fast TN panel, a technology that has traditionally been associated with fast response times and weaker image quality, while IPS and OLED monitors are known for better colours and viewing angles.
However, the panel in this monitor is better than older TN displays. When I see this monitor and the XL2411P side by side, I can clearly see ZOWIE has improved its colour performance. The screen looks reasonably vibrant when viewed directly from the front, and colors are more pleasant than the washed-out image from early 144Hz TN monitors.
However, you should draw the line here, as the XL2566X+ is not designed to compete with an OLED for image quality. OLED monitors offer deeper blacks, stronger contrast, wider colour gamuts, and superior viewing angles.
The viewing-angle limitations of TN are still present. The image can change in brightness and colour when viewed from the side or from above. This is not a major issue when you sit directly in front of the monitor, but becomes obvious if you share the screen with someone else. If you want to watch films, edit photos, or enjoy atmospheric single-player games, go for an OLED or good IPS display.
On a 24.1-inch display, full HD remains reasonably sharp and is still widely used in competitive esports. That lower resolution is a deliberate choice. The display suits well if you use 1280 x 960 or similar stretched resolutions in Counter-Strike 2, as well as native 1920 x 1080 in VALORANT.
The XL2566X+ has a rated brightness of 320 nits and a stated contrast ratio of 1000:1. The display is bright enough for indoors, although DyAc 2 reduces brightness slightly. There’s no HDR support, which is understandable for an esports-focused monitor.
Features and controls
ZOWIE’s on-screen display packs useful competitive features, which you can control using the small joystick on the rear of the monitor or the included S Switch, a wired controller that sits on your desk. It comes with a scroll wheel, menu controls, and shortcut buttons for switching between saved display profiles. Although this is much faster than reaching behind the screen, I prefer using the rear joystick and keeping my desk free.
You can save different configurations for the games you mostly play. The monitor includes Black eQualizer, which brightens dark areas without raising the brightness of the entire screen. This comes in handy during competitive shooters, but should not be pushed too far. Excessive brightness can flatten the image and make everything look grey.
One important omission is a built-in FPS counter. These are common features on gaming monitors, and their absence is disappointing, given the price. The monitor also has no speakers and no USB hub.
Ports and console use
The XL2566X+ provides one DisplayPort 1.4 input, three HDMI 2.0 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone output.
DisplayPort is the connection you should use for PC gaming because it supports 1920 x 1080 at 400Hz. HDMI 2.0 is limited to 240Hz, so connecting your gaming PC through HDMI prevents you from using the monitor’s main selling point.
The three HDMI ports are useful if you have multiple devices, but console players should understand the monitor’s limitations. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles can use up to 1920 x 1080 at 120Hz because current consoles do not output games at that frame rate.
This is primarily a PC esports monitor. I have also been using it for playing some recent PS5 games like The Blood of Dawnwalker and Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, and personally, I liked the colors it produced. However, there are more affordable displays that provide a similar console experience if you don’t own a powerful PC.
Is the ZOWIE XL2566X+ good for work?
The XL2566X+ monitor is my primary monitor for everyday tasks, and for me, it’s working great. Text is clear at 1080p, and the 24.1-inch size does not require much desk space; and the matte finish helps reduce reflections.
However, viewing angles are not the best as an IPS panel does better at that while providing more natural colours. I had to tweak the display settings and reduce the brightness to put less strain on my eyes, and so far, it’s working ideally for me.
If you spend most of your day writing articles like me, or editing images, browsing the web, or working with large spreadsheets, a 1440p IPS monitor will generally be more comfortable.
Price and value
The ZOWIE XL2566X+ is an expensive monitor for a 1080p TN display. For competitive players, the price is easier to justify.
The 400Hz refresh rate, excellent motion clarity, low input lag, solid stand, S Switch, and DyAc 2 make it a focused performance tool. If you play ranked FPS games seriously and already own a PC capable of producing very high frame rates, the monitor offers a clear advantage over slower displays.
For everyone else, the value is less convincing. A 240Hz or 360Hz IPS monitor can offer better colours and viewing angles at a lower price. OLED monitors also provide outstanding motion clarity and dramatically better image quality, although they may cost more and introduce concerns such as burn-in.
Verdict
The ZOWIE XL2566X+ is one of the best gaming monitors for serious competitive FPS players. Its 400Hz refresh rate feels smooth, its input lag is extremely low, and DyAc 2 produces impressive motion clarity during fast movement. The Fast TN panel is also better than older TN displays, offering decent brightness, contrast, and colour for esports gaming.
Its weaknesses are easy to understand. The monitor is limited to full HD, lacks HDR, has no speakers or USB ports, and does not include useful extras such as a frame counter or built-in aiming points. Colours and viewing angles are also behind the best IPS and OLED monitors.
Buy the ZOWIE XL2566X+ if you mainly play VALORANT, Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch 2, or other competitive shooters, have a PC capable of reaching very high frame rates, and care more about motion clarity than resolution or cinematic visuals.
Avoid it if you want one monitor for gaming, films, creative work, and general productivity. In that case, a 1440p IPS monitor or OLED gaming display will offer a more balanced experience.
8.5 ZOWIE XL2566X+ Review The ZOWIE XL2566X+ is a premium 400Hz esports monitor built for Esports players, who prioritise speed and motion clarity above all else. Its Fast TN panel, ultra-low input lag, and DyAc 2 technology make fast-paced shooters feel exceptionally smooth and responsive. A superb pick for serious competitive PC gamers with a powerful system. However, its 1080p resolution, modest TN viewing angles, lack of HDR, speakers, and USB ports make it harder to recommend as an all-round display. Pros
- Excellent 400Hz gaming performance
- Outstanding motion clarity with DyAc 2
- Very low input lag
- Strong build quality and smooth height adjustment
- Useful shielding hood and S Switch controller
- Good color performance for a TN monitor
- DisplayPort 1.4 supports the full 400Hz refresh rate
Cons
- Expensive for a 1080p TN monitor
- No HDR support
- No USB ports or built-in speakers
- Viewing angles are weaker than IPS and OLED
- 400Hz requires a powerful PC and very high frame rates
Review unit provided by BenQ ZOWIE.
