Introduction
The Sceptre 24″ Curved Gaming LED Monitor (C248W-1920RN) promises to provide an immersive and satisfying gaming experience to gamers on a budget. This 2000-word review comprehensively discusses the monitor’s overall value, design, features, and performance. As a gamer, you can rely on our comprehensive review to help you make an informed decision about whether it is the right choice for your gaming setup.
Design and Build Quality
The Sceptre C248W-1920RN is a striking monitor that boasts of a sleek design. The 24-inch screen has a 1800R curvature that enhances the viewing experience by aligning with the human eye. The monitor has slim bezels, providing a modern look that is perfect for multi-monitor setups.
The build quality of the Sceptre C248W-1920RN is impressive, considering its budget price. The monitor feels sturdy, and its construction highlights no cost-cutting measures. The stand that comes with the display allows tilt adjustments but lacks swivel or height adjustments. However, if you need more flexibility in positioning, you can always use third-party mounting solutions since it is VESA mount compatible.
Display and Resolution
At 1920×1080 Full HD resolution, the Sceptre C248W-1920RN features a 24-inch VA panel. Although it may not match the resolution available on more expensive gaming monitors, the Full HD resolution is suitable for most gaming experiences, particularly on this screen size. The VA panel technology guarantees a good mix of IPS panels’ color accuracy and wide viewing angles with TN panels’ high contrast ratios.
The monitor’s most significant selling point is its 1800R curvature, which creates a more immersive gaming experience. It does not distort on-screen content, and it provides a sense of depth while also improving peripheral vision, notably in first-person games.
Performance and Features
The Sceptre C248W-1920RN has a 75Hz refresh rate, which provides smoother gameplay in comparison to the standard 60Hz refresh rate found in many non-gaming monitors. This feature enhances gaming performance, although it is not as high as the 144Hz or 240Hz refresh rates offered by premium gaming displays.
The monitor also has AMD FreeSync technology, which eliminates screen tearing and stuttering by syncing the monitor’s refresh rate with your GPU’s output. This technology is particularly useful if you have an AMD graphics card, though NVIDIA users can also benefit from FreeSync once they enable the feature in the NVIDIA Control Panel.
The monitor’s 5ms response time may not be the fastest, but it is adequate for most gaming scenarios. Only competitive gamers or those who play fast-paced games, such as first-person shooters, may notice some motion blur or ghosting during gameplay.
Colorwise, the Sceptre C248W-1920RN’s VA panel delivers accurate color and wide viewing angles. The monitor covers roughly 95% of the sRGB color space, meaning it is suitable for casual content creation or media consumption in addition to gaming. The display’s contrast ratio of 3000:1 enhances the overall image quality by providing deep blacks and bright whites.
Connectivity and Ergonomics
The Sceptre C248W-1920RN comes with one HDMI port, one VGA port, and a DisplayPort, making it a decent option in terms of connectivity. While this selection may suffice for most users, multiple HDMI ports’ absence might be a limitation for individuals who need to connect multiple devices, such as a gaming console and a PC. The monitor features a 3.5mm audio output for connecting headphones or external speakers.
The included stand allows tilt adjustment but lacks any swivel or height adjustments, making it unsuitable for some users who require ergonomic setups. If you need a more ergonomic setup, you may need to buy a VESA mount or a third-party stand. The monitor’s OSD (On-Screen Display) menu is user-friendly, and it offers you the flexibility to fine-tune the display to your liking. The menu is navigable using buttons located on the back of the monitor, which may take some time to adapt to, but generally easy to operate.
Gaming Experience and Immersion
The Sceptre C248W-1920RN provides you with an enjoyable gaming experience, particularly for gamers on a budget. The display’s 24-inch curved screen fosters immersive gaming, and the 75Hz refresh rate offers smoother gameplay than standard 60Hz monitors.
AMD FreeSync technology provides a fluid gaming experience, particularly for those with compatible AMD graphics cards, by eliminating screen tearing and stuttering. The 5ms response time may not be the fastest on the market, but it is sufficient for most casual and semi-competitive gamers. Although the Full HD resolution may not be the sharpest, it is still suitable for gaming and multimedia at this screen size.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Affordable: The Sceptre C248W-1920RN offers an impressive gaming experience at an affordable price.
- Immersive: The 1800R curve and curved screen heightens the gaming experience by providing a sense of depth and improved peripheral vision.
- 75Hz Refresh Rate: Provides smoother gameplay compared to the standard 60Hz refresh rate found in many non-gaming monitors.
- AMD FreeSync: This technology eliminates screen tearing and stuttering for a fluid gaming experience.
- Excellent Color Performance: The VA panel provides a good balance of color accuracy, wide viewing angles, and high contrast ratios for a pleasant visual experience.
Cons:
- Limited Stand Adjustability: The stand’s only adjustment on the monitor is tilt, which makes it unsuitable for some users who require ergonomic setups.