UPDATE 28 April 2026
5 models
3 panel types compared
How we test →
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Editor's Pick
Alienware AW2725DF
27 inch · 360 Hz QD-OLED · 1440p · 0.03 ms
The monitor that has dominated the last two years — and why: 360 Hz QD-OLED is the rare combo of "no ghosting like IPS" and "no muddy TN image". 1440p on 27" is the optimal pixel density for CS2 (you can identify players without overloading the GPU), and 0.03 ms response time is physically near-instant. For streamer + player in one, this is the best choice for 2026.
- 360 Hz with real 0.03 ms response (OLED)
- QD-OLED — perfect blacks, high colour saturation
- 27" 1440p — sweet spot for CS2 + other games
- Practically zero motion blur (vs. IPS)
- 3-year burn-in warranty from Dell
- HDR True Black 400 for single-player games in the evening
[ FragLab Score ]
9.3/10
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Top recommendation
[ MATRIX ]Comparison at a glance
|
AW2725DF Alienware |
XL2566K ZOWIE |
PG248QP ASUS |
27GR75Q-B LG |
24G2SP AOC |
| Refresh rate |
360 Hz |
360 Hz |
540 Hz |
240 Hz |
165 Hz |
| Panel type |
QD-OLED |
TN |
TN |
IPS |
IPS |
| Size |
27" |
25" |
24.1" |
27" |
24" |
| Resolution |
2560 × 1440 |
1920 × 1080 |
1920 × 1080 |
2560 × 1440 |
1920 × 1080 |
| Response time |
0.03 ms (GtG) |
0.5 ms (GtG) |
0.2 ms (GtG) |
1 ms (GtG) |
1 ms (MPRT) |
| Motion tech |
Native OLED |
DyAc⁺ (backlight strobing) |
ELMB Sync |
1 ms MPRT mode |
— |
| HDR |
True Black 400 |
✗ |
✗ |
HDR 400 |
✗ |
| Pro user |
Mixed (streaming pros) |
m0NESY · ZywOo · donk |
NiKo · ropz · sh1ro |
— |
— |
| Price |
~ €850 |
~ €600 |
~ €700 |
~ €350 |
~ €180 |
| Direct link |
Amazon→ |
Amazon→ |
Amazon→ |
Amazon→ |
Amazon→ |
[ REVIEWS ]The five monitors in detail
#01
Alienware AW2725DF — Editor's Pick
27" · 360 Hz · QD-OLED · 1440p · 0.03 ms
~ €850
9.3/10
The first 360 Hz QD-OLED monitor from Dell/Alienware was a shock in 2023 — until then you had to choose between "vivid but slow IPS" and "lightning-fast but muddy-grey TN". The AW2725DF combines both: 360 Hz refresh rate (as fast as a top TN), 0.03 ms response (10× faster than any IPS), and an image that also impresses in single-player games. For streamer + player in one, this is currently the best choice for 2026.
Resolution / size2560 × 1440 · 27"
Refresh rate360 Hz
Response time0.03 ms (GtG)
PanelQD-OLED (Samsung)
HDRDisplayHDR True Black 400
Connections2× HDMI 2.1 · DP 1.4 · USB hub
- Strengths
- QD-OLED pixels react in < 0.1 ms — no ghosting like IPS
- Perfect blacks (each pixel can be turned off individually)
- Wide colour gamut: 99% DCI-P3 — top for streaming/editing
- 1440p on 27" = optimal pixel density for CS2 + other games
- 3-year Dell warranty incl. burn-in protection
- Weaknesses
- OLED burn-in risk with static UI elements (Counter-Strike HUD)
- Lower brightness than IPS at full white image (~ 250 cd/m²)
- Pixel anti-aliasing subpixel layout: light colour fringing on text
- Premium price: ~ €500 more than an equivalent TN
- Pros prefer TN for absolute motion clarity (DyAc⁺ narrowly beats OLED)
#02
ZOWIE XL2566K — Tournament Standard
25" · 360 Hz · TN · 1080p · DyAc⁺
~ €600
9.1/10
The tournament monitor. When you watch a Major, the pros are sitting in front of exactly this monitor — IEM, ESL, Blast, PGL all use XL2566K setups. The reason: ZOWIE's DyAc⁺ backlight strobing eliminates motion blur harder than any OLED. 25" with 1080p is the exactly right size for CS2 — you see every player model without turning your head, GPU load stays minimal. m0NESY, ZywOo, donk and ~70% of the top 50 play with it.
Resolution / size1920 × 1080 · 24.5"
Refresh rate360 Hz
Response time0.5 ms (GtG)
PanelTN
Motion techDyAc⁺ (backlight strobing)
StandHeight adjustable · pivot · S-Switch
- Strengths
- DyAc⁺ is the best anti-motion-blur tech on the market
- 1080p on 25" = lowest GPU load for CS2 → maximum FPS
- S-Switch (wired profile switcher) for pro setups
- Bullet-proof build quality — these monitors last 10+ years
- Tournament standard: what you see in pro play
- Weaknesses
- TN panel = matte image look, weaker colours than IPS/OLED
- Bad viewing angles — really only usable head-on
- 1080p on 25" looks grainy for non-CS2 games (Cyberpunk etc.)
- No HDR, no frills — deliberately minimal
- DyAc⁺ only works with strobing on (= brightness halved)
#03
ASUS ROG Swift PG248QP — Maximum Refresh Rate
24.1" · 540 Hz · TN · 1080p
~ €700
8.9/10
540 Hz. As of 2026 that's the highest refresh rate on a consumer gaming monitor — physically built for one thing only: esports competition. You need a GPU that delivers a stable 540+ FPS in CS2 (a 9800X3D + RTX 4070 is enough), then you have the lowest frame-to-photon latency money can buy. NiKo, ropz, sh1ro test with it.
Resolution / size1920 × 1080 · 24.1"
Refresh rate540 Hz (native)
Response time0.2 ms (GtG)
PanelE-TN
Motion techELMB Sync
ConnectionsDP 1.4 · 2× HDMI 2.0
- Strengths
- 540 Hz native — 50% more than 360 Hz competition
- Lowest frame-to-photon latency on the market
- 0.2 ms response gives even TN practically no ghosting
- Weaknesses
- You need stable 540+ FPS — otherwise pointless (mind the engine cap)
- 360 → 540 Hz is barely subjectively noticeable — diminishing returns above 240
- TN image is unusable for non-esports
- 1080p on 24" — clearly too low for modern single-player titles
- At €700 you pay a premium for 50% more Hz you probably can't feel
#04
LG 27GR75Q-B — Sweet-Spot 240 Hz
27" · 240 Hz · IPS · 1440p · 1 ms
~ €350
8.7/10
The "does everything" monitor. 27" 240 Hz IPS at 1440p — fits CS2, Valorant, Apex, Cyberpunk, streaming, office work. If you don't want to deal with 360 Hz vs. OLED debates and just want a good all-rounder, buy this and be happy for 5 years.
Resolution / size2560 × 1440 · 27"
Refresh rate240 Hz
Response time1 ms (GtG)
PanelIPS
HDRHDR 400
StandHeight adjustable · pivot
- Strengths
- Best price/performance in the 240 Hz segment
- IPS colours are sufficient for 99% of players
- 1440p on 27" — optimal for CS2 + single-player games
- FreeSync + G-Sync compatible
- Weaknesses
- Classic IPS glow in a dark room
- 1 ms GtG is marketing — real-world more like 4-5 ms (typical IPS)
- No DyAc equivalent — light motion blur visible
#05
AOC 24G2SP — Budget Champion
24" · 165 Hz · IPS · 1080p · 1 ms
~ €180
8.3/10
The no-nonsense classic. AOC's 24G2 series has been steadily improved since 2019 — the SP version (with speakers) currently sits at ~ €180. 24" 1080p 165 Hz IPS covers 90% of what a hobby player needs. If you're just starting out with CS2 and don't want to drop €600 on a monitor, get this — and buy the premium model in 2-3 years if you know you need it.
Resolution / size1920 × 1080 · 23.8"
Refresh rate165 Hz (165 via DP)
Response time1 ms (MPRT)
PanelIPS
ConnectionsDP 1.2 · HDMI · VGA
ExtrasSpeakers · height adjustable
- Strengths
- Hard-to-beat price/performance ratio
- 165 Hz is plenty for beginners + mid-skill CS2
- IPS colours nicely calibrated out-of-the-box
- Height-adjustable stand included (rare in this price range)
- Weaknesses
- 165 Hz vs. 240+ Hz: real noticeable difference on flicks
- 1 ms MPRT only works with backlight strobing on
- Built-in speakers are unusable (typical monitor speakers)
[ METHODOLOGY ]How we test
Four factors really matter for CS2:
- Refresh rate class: 144 Hz is enough for beginners, 240 Hz is the sweet spot, 360 Hz is premium, 540 Hz is esports-only luxury. The biggest jump you feel is 144 → 240.
- Motion clarity (= response time and strobing): Helps you hit moving enemies. OLED < 0.1 ms is top, TN with DyAc⁺ just behind, IPS lags clearly. "1 ms IPS" is mostly marketing — really 4-5 ms.
- Resolution vs. GPU load: 1080p any GPU can do at 400+ FPS in CS2. 1440p needs an RTX 4060+ for 360+ FPS. 4K is pointless for CS2 — eats FPS without competitive advantage.
- Size: 24-25" is standard for 1080p, 27" for 1440p. At 32"+ you no longer see your peripheral FOV — bad for CS2.
What does not factor into our rating: HDR marketing claims, RGB lighting, frame sync (FreeSync/G-Sync are standard today). Refresh rate and response time are the only values that make a measurable difference for Counter-Strike.
[ FAQ ]Frequently asked
Are 360 Hz really worth it over 240 Hz?
Marginal. Studies show reaction time improvements of ~ 5-8 ms on the 144 → 240 jump, ~ 2-4 ms at 240 → 360 and under 1 ms at 360 → 540. Subjectively: 240 vs. 360 feels "a bit smoother" but isn't the game-changer 144 → 240 was. For Faceit Lvl 8+ and LAN: yes, worth it. For hobby players: 240 Hz is enough.
1080p or 1440p for CS2?
For pure CS2: 1080p on 24-25" — lowest GPU load, maximum FPS, all pros play this way. For CS2 + other games + streaming + office: 1440p on 27". Most players underestimate how GPU-light 1080p is — an RTX 3060 easily hits 400+ FPS in CS2.
OLED burn-in with Counter-Strike — how real?
Real, but overhyped. With 8+ hours daily of static CS2 HUD over 1+ years: yes, you can develop slight traces. With 4-6 h/day and mixed use (browser, other games): no. Modern QD-OLEDs have pixel shift and auto-refresh routines. Dell gives a 3-year warranty specifically against burn-in.
TN, IPS or OLED for CS2?
TN = pro standard: fastest pixels, DyAc⁺ kills motion blur. Trade-off: muddy image, bad viewing angles.
IPS = the sensible all-rounder: good colours, acceptable speed, if you also play other games.
OLED = best image quality + recently also top speed. Burn-in risk, highest price.
Which GPU do I need for 360 Hz?
In CS2 at 1080p Low: any GPU in the RTX 3060 / RX 6600 class or higher hits 360+ FPS. At 1440p Low: RTX 4060 / RX 7600 are enough. At 540 Hz you almost always need an X3D CPU (see our
CPU guide) — the GPU bottlenecks less often than the CPU in CS2.
Why do pros use 24-25" and not 27"?
At 24" you see your entire peripheral FOV without turning your head. At 27" you have to actively move your eyes to the edges — minimal delay when spotting enemies at the edges. At 32"+ the problem worsens. Pro setups have been consistently 24-25" for 15+ years.
Is G-Sync / FreeSync worth it for CS2?
No, at stable 240+ FPS the benefits (tearing reduction) are practically imperceptible. Adaptive sync helps with lower FPS fluctuations. In CS2 you're always running well above the refresh rate — that's why pros prefer backlight strobing (DyAc) over sync.
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