ASUS TUF Gaming 24-inch Monitor Review 2026

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen “1ms response time” plastered across gaming monitor boxes, only to measure something completely different on my test bench. Marketing departments love throwing around numbers that look impressive but mean absolutely nothing in practice. So when ASUS claims their TUF Gaming VG249QM1A hits 1ms with a 180Hz refresh rate, I knew I needed to dig deeper. After several weeks of testing this 24-inch Fast IPS panel, I’ve got the real story on what it actually delivers for competitive gaming.

I tested this with an RTX 4060 Ti, and it was pushing well over 180 FPS in Valorant and CS2 with settings cranked up. That’s the sweet spot. You’re not leaving performance on the table because your monitor can’t keep up, and you’re not forcing your GPU to render unnecessary pixels.

Fast IPS has been a game-changer for competitive gaming. Traditional IPS panels were gorgeous but slow, whilst TN panels were lightning-quick but looked rubbish from any angle other than dead centre. Fast IPS (also called Nano IPS or Rapid IPS depending on who’s marketing it) bridges that gap.

The AU Optronics panel in this ASUS monitor uses liquid crystal molecules that realign faster than standard IPS. In practice, this means you get sub-5ms grey-to-grey transitions on most pixel changes, which is proper fast. I measured it myself with a pursuit camera, and it’s not marketing nonsense.

But here’s the thing about IPS panels: contrast will never match VA technology. I measured around 1050:1, which is completely typical for IPS but means blacks look more like dark greys in dim lighting. If you game in a cave with the lights off, this might bother you. For most people gaming with some ambient light? It’s fine.

This is where the monitor genuinely impresses. With overdrive set to Level 3, I measured consistent 3-5ms grey-to-grey transitions across most pixel changes. Fast enough that motion clarity in CS2 and Apex Legends is excellent. There’s minimal smearing even in dark scenes, which is where most IPS panels struggle.

Let me be absolutely clear about that “1ms” claim on the box. It’s technically achievable on specific pixel transitions (probably white to black or similar) with overdrive cranked to maximum. But at those settings, you’ll get horrendous inverse ghosting that looks worse than the original problem.

In the real world, with settings you’d actually use, this monitor averages 3-5ms. That’s still brilliant for IPS and fast enough for competitive gaming. I tested it extensively in Valorant, and I could track enemy movement cleanly even during quick flicks. No distracting trails or smearing.

The ELMB (Extreme Low Motion Blur) feature is there if you want it, but I wouldn’t bother. It strobes the backlight to reduce motion blur, which works, but it also cuts brightness significantly and disables VRR. You’re better off just using the fast response times and adaptive sync together.

Let’s be honest: HDR on this monitor is utterly pointless. With only 310 nits peak brightness and no local dimming, enabling HDR just crushes shadow detail and makes colours look worse. ASUS included it because they can tick a box on the spec sheet, not because it’s actually usable. Ignore it completely.

The colour performance is actually quite good for a gaming-focused monitor. That 99.8% sRGB coverage means you’re seeing colours as developers intended, and the Delta E of 2.1 is low enough that you won’t notice inaccuracies during gaming. Professional photo editing? No. Gaming and general use? Absolutely fine.

I spent several weeks using this for both gaming and writing reviews, and colours looked natural and punchy. No weird tints or obviously oversaturated hues. The Racing mode preset is surprisingly well-tuned, which isn’t always the case with ASUS gaming monitors (they sometimes go overboard with saturation).

Right, this is what this monitor was built for. Competitive gaming. And it delivers.

I tested it extensively with Valorant, CS2, Apex Legends, and Overwatch 2. The 180Hz refresh rate is properly smooth. Coming from a 144Hz monitor, I could genuinely feel the difference in how responsive everything felt. It’s not as dramatic as going from 60Hz to 144Hz, but it’s noticeable if you’re the type who can feel these things.

Motion clarity is excellent. When I’m tracking an enemy strafing across my screen, there’s minimal blur or smearing. The Fast IPS panel keeps up with the action, and I didn’t notice any distracting trails even during quick flicks. This is where cheaper IPS or VA panels fall apart, but this AU Optronics panel is genuinely quick.

Shadow Boost is ASUS’s feature for brightening dark areas without blowing out highlights. It works, sort of. It’s basically a gamma adjustment that crushes blacks to make shadows more visible. Useful in competitive games where you’re hunting for enemies in dark corners, but it makes everything look washed out. I kept it off for most games and only enabled it for ranked Valorant matches.

For single-player cinematic games, this monitor is less impressive. The 1080p resolution is fine at 24 inches, but you’re not getting the visual wow factor of 1440p or 4K. And the poor contrast means dark scenes in games like Resident Evil Village or Alan Wake 2 lack depth. Blacks look grey, which kills the atmosphere.

Bezels are slim on three sides (about 8mm), with a slightly thicker bottom bezel. In a multi-monitor setup, this looks clean. The back has some angular TUF Gaming styling, but it’s not obnoxiously gamer-y. Just some subtle angles and the TUF logo.

Build quality overall is good. Mostly plastic construction, but it feels solid rather than cheap. No creaking or flexing. The OSD joystick on the back is well-positioned and responsive. Much better than the awful buttons some budget monitors still use.

Connectivity is adequate but not generous. One DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0 ports. That’s enough for a PC and a console, which is probably what most people need. No USB-C, which isn’t surprising at this price point but would’ve been nice for laptop users. No built-in speakers either, so you’ll need headphones or external speakers.

The HDMI 2.0 ports max out at 120Hz at 1080p, which is perfect for PS5 or Xbox Series X. If you’re using this primarily with a console, you’ll get the full 120Hz experience without any issues.

At the other end, the BenQ ZOWIE XL2546K is the proper esports monitor with 240Hz and even faster response times. But you’re paying nearly double, and you’re stuck with TN panel colours that look washed out compared to IPS. Unless you’re playing at a semi-pro level, the ASUS offers better value.

For a different approach entirely, the Dell 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor offers a larger screen at lower refresh rates, which might suit single-player gamers better. And if you want to jump to 1440p, the KTC 32-inch curved gaming monitor is worth considering despite the higher price.

At the mid-range price point, this monitor delivers excellent value for competitive gamers. You’re getting a genuinely fast Fast IPS panel, 180Hz refresh rate, and proper build quality with full ergonomic adjustment. That’s the stuff that actually matters for gaming.

What you’re not getting: HDR that’s worth using, wide colour gamut for content creation, high brightness for HDR content, or built-in speakers. But honestly, none of those things matter much for the target audience. If you’re buying a 24-inch 1080p 180Hz monitor, you’re prioritising competitive gaming performance over cinematic visuals.

Compared to budget options, the faster panel and higher refresh rate justify the price difference. Compared to premium esports monitors, you’re saving money by accepting IPS rather than 240Hz+ TN panels or expensive OLED technology.

Yes, the contrast is mediocre and the HDR is useless. But if you’re buying a 24-inch 1080p 180Hz monitor, you already know you’re prioritising competitive gaming over cinematic visuals. For Valorant, CS2, Apex Legends, or Overwatch 2, this is an excellent choice that won’t leave you wondering if you need to spend more.

The main reason to spend more would be jumping to 240Hz+ for truly elite-level competitive play, or moving to 1440p for better visual fidelity in single-player games. But for most gamers in the mid-range bracket, this ASUS hits the sweet spot of performance and value.