First, although these LG 24" monitors retail for $299, I was able to pick one up on a price drop for $239 with free shipping and no tax here on Amazon. Most know monitors are one item where the prices fluctuate frequently, and if you are patient, you can score some pretty good deals. With that pricing, it makes this in the same price category of an ASUS VG248QE, which is pretty much the direct "competition" for this LG monitor. Plus, due to the everyday better price, and better marketing and availability of the ASUS, it is the top seller among the 144HZ, 1080p monitors. WIth the price drop here on the LG 24GM77, plus the more features and slightly better contrast / adjustments of the LG, it made picking this up a no-brainer. Then, as you will see, I also think this LG monitor is a better choice than either Benq offering - both the XL2411Z and the XL 2430T.



One important fact about these 24" 144Hz monitors that most don't realize ---- all these "competing" 24" 144hz monitors use the same panel as the underlying build. T he ASUS VG248QE, the LG 24GM77, the BenQ XL2411Z, the BenQ XL2430T, the AOC G2460PG, the AOC G2460PQU, to name a few, ALL have the same panel. That's right - they all use the "AU Optronics M240HW01 V8 panel" - which means essentially they are the same monitor, and what really sets them apart is only hardware features (like a USB port) or software / firmware (like MotionBlur vs LIghtboost vs Blur Reduction). Then, how they handle the color via dithering might be different, and why some say the LG has "better color" than the Benq for instance. But they are ALL built on the same 6 bit + 2bit FRC panel.



Next, there are some very real differences that you should consider when picking out these monitors:



- The BenQ XL2411Z does not have a Display Port. That is an important fact considering DP is the future and DVI is being phased out. This monitor is priced fairly close to the ASUS, and a little less than the LG (retail pricing). Feature-wise, the LG has the edge on both the BenQ and ASUS.



- The BenQ XLX2430T is bug ridden, and is not even able to save its configurations correctly from the OSD menu. This monitor has a lot of great potential and features, but the fact you cannot use the features because of bugs make it way over-priced. Don't believe me? Go read Blur Busters forum, there is a long 20 page thread entitled "Benq XL2430T Settings" which, toward the end, will give you a taste of the issues with this monitor. If you don't mind spending hours and hours installing Tweaks, configuring, taking risks, then this monitor is for you. It's really too bad, this monitor has great potential with its Blur Reduction - but using it is a whole 'nother thing. Also realize the BenQ is the most expensive of the bunch at $349 retail, and is hard to find on sale.



- The LG 24GM77 - this IMHO is the best choice, and it also has 2 USB ports and a headphone jack that is on the side and more accessible than the other monitors. Some say the colors / contrast are better due to the dithering method used (remember, it is the same panel as the ASUS and BenQ), and I found this to be the case in my testing / experience with the Asus, Benq and LG side by side. So I agree with conventional wisdom here - I find the LG has better colors, and better blacks - running the "Lagom" suite of tests also verified the LG is better at contrast and black levels than this ASUS (and the Benq for that matter). Calibrated and configured, they both look good and are comparable, with an edge to the LG. Realize the LG will cost as much as $50 more than the ASUS RETAIL... but of course shopping and being patient can smash any pricing models - I was able to get the ASUS for $235 and an LG for $239. The BenQ XL2430T and the LG24GM77 were a virtual tie in picture quality, but the BenQ retails for $349 and is harder to find on sale.



- The AOC monitors are usually your budget choices and the cheapest price wise. I have never owned one, but realize there is a reason for the low price leader - it is the same panel, but fit, finish, QC and support might not be as good in some instances. Many happy customers with the AOC of course, but have read some instances of the opposite being true. I will reserve any judgment on the AOC models since I have never owned or used one, but will parrot some of the luke warm responses for some of the users on the forums (although that always needs to be taken with a grain of salt).



To add more color, I recently upgraded two home computers to EVGA 1070, and wanted to match those systems with new monitors. I bought three monitors home to try out at 1080p 144Hz - the monitors I tested with these systems were: this ASUS Vf248qe, an LG 24GM77, and the BenQ XL2430T. Before they arrived, I expected the BenQ to lead the pack, and I was wondering how the other two would stack up to the vaunted BenQ XL2430T.... but after setting them up and testing them, I am returning the BenQ XL2430T, and keeping the other two.



Why did the highly touted BenQ XL2430T not make the cut? As already mentioned above, although it has a myriad of configurations and features, firmware bugs and other issues result in the monitor not being able to take advantage of these features, and the monitor is basically gimped / reduced to similar operating features of the the $240 price range monitors. It's a shame also, the 2430T had so much potential, but it is not worth the hassle IMHO. On the other hand, this ASUS, and the LG setup quickly, easily with no issue and just WORK!! Note: I don't use the Lightboost feature on the ASUS, nor the MotionBlur 240 on the LG - this is personal preference.



Anyway, if you are shopping for a 1080p 144Hz monitor, and wondering if the ASUS will do the job, and balking due to all the forums out there calling the ASUS "old tech", etc.... hopefully this helped clear a few things up. The ASUS is a no frills, well priced option that plays at 144Hz well, and in the end just as good as any other choice. It may not have all the bells and whistles, nor have the latest Blur Reduction features, but ask yourself what you really need and don't need, and realize many just turn some of those features off anyways because in real life they cause more issues than they solve sometimes.



What DON'T I like about the ASUS? First, operating the menus - the old "push button" menu operation on the ASUS is counter intuitive, and a pain in the nuggets to use and frustrating at times. Conversely, the best choice for operating OSD menus would be the BenQ XL2430T with the S-Switch - that makes menu operation a breeze. Next, the LG with its joystick is light years better than the ASUS, and another reason I like the LG more. Recall I am returning the Benq due to many other issues, mainly the number of bugs it has in the firmware. (many).



Personally, I rated the ASUS a 4 out of 5, mainly because I think the LG edges it out, and the LG is more a 4.5 out of 5 rating. The LG just had better blacks and contrast. Summary of the LG vs ASUS vs Benq from the two units I received, and set up, testing, gaming, surfing:



- The LG had better blacks - better than both the Benq and ASUS.

- The LG had better contrast - as verified from Lagom and calibration tests

- The LG had a much better menu operation joystick - only the Benq was better, the ASUS is the worst.

- The LG comes out of the box with the best configuration and least tweaking required. BenQ is the worst, and even if you want to use it to its full potential, you are hampered by a myriad of bugs. The ASUS needs adjustment also, however, it is the most lacking in configurability.

- The ASUS does not allow for Gamma mods in Standard Mode, and other options like Sharpness are grayed out The ASUS is a little "gimped" in Standard Mode.

- THe LG has two USB ports, just like the BenQ XL2430T, and ASUS has none.

- The LG USB ports and headphone jack are accessible on the side - the ASUS headphone jack is hard to access. The BenQ has the best accessibility, and includes a Mic port too. (I wish the BenQ didn't have so many issues, and didn't require the user to do the engineers job to make it work - e.g. Tweaks, accounting for bugs, etc).



OK - so what is NOT to like about the LG 24GM77? Well, if you read the reviews on line, some touch on this also - but the biggest issue is the implementation of the DAS Mode and Motion Blur 240 feature on the LG. Simply put, if you want to use MotionBLur on the LG, here is what you have to deal with:



- Motion Blur can only be used in 100Hz and 120Hz mode. This might or might not be an issue for some, but the bottom line it is a limitation.

- Motion Blur cannot be used with DAS enabled - and vice versa. What does this mean, and what is the impact? Well, basically, when MotionBlur is enabled, DAS is disabled and your input lag / response time worsens. How much worse? I have seen some say it goes from like having a 1ms GTG monitor to having a 6ms GTG monitor, and the difference is vast. Others say the impact is real, but not that noticeable. Either way it is real, MotionBlur increases your input lag.

- MotionBlur will impact the brightness and contrast. This is true of most monitors in this class - for instance the BenQ XL2430T also looses considerable contrast / brightness when BlurReduction is enabled. WIth the LG, the Brightness is automatically bumped to 100 when you enable MotionBLur to account for the darkening, and even though it helps I still see some contrast loss. The automatic bump to 100 brightness to me is a little "cloogy" - but then again, most of the implementations of Blur Reduction, Lightboost and Motion Blur all come with trade offs, compromises and negative impact in some ways that make them marginal in their value. As a result, I (or my sons' who are the gamers) just leave these features off and appreciate the inherent gain already realized by the 144Hz monitor.



Overall, I think the LG is the best choice for the reasons mentioned above. Then, if you can get it for $239 with no tax / ship, then it becomes a no-brainer choice. What is interesting, the LG is probably the least known and least purchased of the three monitors which is mainly due to marketing and availability. But for those that chose the LG, you will see mostly high praise for the monitor.



Thanks for reading, happy monitor shopping. Oh, and keep an eye on pricing for this ASUS - about a week ago, Best Buy and Amazon had this for $219 for a couple of days - I jumped on it, and don't regret it. This and the LG I bought seem to fit the bill well for the two gaming boxes that are now equipped for 144Hz and GTX 1070!! As of writing this review, the price of the LG monitor has climbed back up to the $299 range -- when I bought it for $239 from Beach, Amazon, Newegg and BH had it for $249. Who knows when it will see that level again, the monitor prices seem to change frequently..



EDIT::: I wanted to briefly address if this monitor is something you can use on a daily basis, and not just for gaming. Let's just say if you are doing video editing, and need 100% color accuracy, and only have space for ONE MONITOR for both gaming and every day use you would be best served looking elsewhere. All TN panels were not made for this, they are made for the low input lag and are better for gaming. Then, even if you don't do video editing, and you have always worked with an IPS monitor, are a stickler for the finest details of resolution, sharpness and may even like a glossy screen, then again, a TN display may not be the best for you as an EVERY DAY monitor. Again, the assumption is you have to use the same monitor for gaming AND everyday use.



But it doesn't have to be an "all or nothing" proposal in the first place - for instance, my sons' who use these LG's for gaming have a SECOND monitor that is a 60hz IPS monitor. That way, they can decide which monitor they want to use for any particular endeavor. Playing a game and want high refresh? They use the LG. Surfing the web, or doing homework? They have a choice of using the IPS monitor, or even having the luxury of using BOTH!! In other words, if you have the space for two monitors, and you like to game at high refresh rates - get two monitors with dual purpose in mind.



All this being said - if you can only have ONE monitor in your setup, and you want to game at 1080p in high refresh rates - then obviously your choices will be limited. But, realize this LG and even the BenQ XL 2430, are great monitors for TN panels, and although not as crisp as top level IPS in contrast / sharpness quality, they can very well be used as an every day monitor. Depends what your needs are, and MANY people use these TN panels for every day use. END EDIT