Professional PC FPS players most commonly use a 24–25-inch monitor at 1920×1080 and 240Hz or higher. ZOWIE is particularly prominent in Counter-Strike 2 and VALORANT tournament setups, while ASUS ROG and Alienware offer competing high-refresh models. But a screen supplied for an event is not necessarily the monitor a player chooses at home—and the traditional tournament format is not automatically the best buy for every gamer.
The monitor setup most common among FPS pros
For competitive PC shooters such as Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, Rainbow Six Siege, Overwatch 2, Apex Legends and Call of Duty, the familiar format is a 24–25-inch screen, usually at 1920×1080, with a refresh rate of at least 240Hz. Fast TN panels remain common in esports-focused models, while fast IPS offers a more versatile picture. OLED is increasingly attractive to individual players, particularly for mixed gaming, but is less characteristic of traditional tournament setups.
- Size: 24–25 inches keeps the full image within a compact central viewing area and matches a long-established competitive setup.
- Resolution: 1080p is easier to drive at very high frame rates than 1440p and is standard on many tournament displays. Some players also use stretched or black-bar resolutions in games such as Counter-Strike.
- Refresh rate: 240Hz is an established competitive tier; newer tournament displays reach 360Hz and beyond.
- Useful features: Low input lag, clear motion handling, adjustable height, dependable controls and, for some players, visibility or blur-reduction modes.
This is a pattern, not a rule about what every professional owns or prefers. ZOWIE says that more than 75% of VALORANT pros use its monitors and that most use 24–25-inch displays; these are the manufacturer’s claims, not an independently audited player census. ZOWIE also describes 240Hz or higher as ideal for competitive VALORANT. ZOWIE’s VALORANT monitor campaign
Brands and models associated with competitive FPS
The models below illustrate distinct choices rather than a universal ranking. Tournament partnerships show which displays are supplied at particular events; they do not prove that every player independently selected or owns that model.
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- Configuration：No speakers❗ HDMI 2.0 * 2 (Only Support 1080p 240Hz), DP 1.4 * 2 (Support 1080p 320Hz), VESA 100mm *100mm support ,DP cable * 1 included in package.
| Model | Size and resolution | Refresh rate | Panel or positioning | What it represents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZOWIE XL2586X+ | 24.1-inch class, 1920×1080 | 600Hz | Esports-focused | Selected for major ESL FACEIT Group Counter-Strike competitions in 2026–2027; tournament-oriented motion clarity. |
| ZOWIE XL2566X+ | 24.5-inch class, 1920×1080 | 400Hz | Esports-focused | A high-refresh alternative for players who want ZOWIE’s competitive feature set without moving to the 600Hz tier. |
| ASUS ROG Strix XG248QSG Ace | 24.1-inch, 1920×1080 | Up to 610Hz overclocked | Super TN; ELMB 2 blur reduction | ASUS’s tournament-focused flagship; official monitor for the 2026 PGL season and BLAST Premier 2026. |
| Alienware AW2524HF | 24.5-inch, 1920×1080 | 480Hz native DisplayPort; up to 500Hz overclocked | Fast IPS | A high-refresh option with IPS rather than TN. Dell US listed it at $499.99 when checked in August 2026. |
| Alienware AW2725DF | 27-inch, 2560×1440 | 360Hz | QD-OLED | A higher-resolution, mixed-use direction for players who want competitive speed alongside strong contrast and image quality. Dell’s captured US listing showed $649.99 in August 2026. |
ZOWIE and BenQ
ZOWIE is especially visible in competitive FPS because its monitors and motion-clarity features are built around that use. For 2026 and 2027, ZOWIE is the official monitor supplier for major ESL FACEIT Group Counter-Strike 2 competitions, with the 600Hz XL2586X+ selected for those events. ZOWIE–ESL FACEIT Group partnership announcement
The XL2566X+ offers a 400Hz option in the 24.5-inch, 1080p format. ZOWIE’s DyAc technology is designed to improve perceived motion clarity in fast FPS play; whether blur reduction looks clearer to an individual player is a matter of preference and implementation.
ASUS ROG
The ROG Strix XG248QSG Ace is a 24.1-inch 1080p Super-TN display with a headline maximum of 610Hz in overclocked mode, ELMB 2 motion-blur reduction, VRR support, DisplayHDR 400 and HDMI 2.1. ASUS listed it at $799 in its US store when checked in August 2026. ASUS is the official monitor partner for the 2026 PGL season and BLAST Premier 2026. Check the monitor’s overclock setting, connection and system support before expecting its maximum refresh rate.
ASUS ROG XG248QSG Ace specifications and US listing · ASUS–PGL partnership · ASUS–BLAST Premier partnership
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- OLED Makes All The Difference: With a display of these mammoth-like proportions, everything must look good. The WQHD quantum dot OLED display with true 10Bit is obligated to offer stunning contrast, cinematic color. Image retention-refresh keeps the images from sticking.
- AMD FreeSync Premium Technology: Say “goodbye” to stuttering and tearing. With AMD FreeSync Premium, the monitor’s frames are synced with the graphics card’s frames, which eliminates screen tearing and provides the smoothest gaming experience.
- Fast and Furious: If you want seamless gameplay at ridiculous levels of speed, you’ve come to the right place. With an 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms (G to G) response time, your sessions will be fluid, unbroken and unmatched – with little to no ghosting.
- Brilliant Colors: With the DCI-P3 99% color gamut, Delta E<2, and HDR10, colors are practically bursting out of the screen. Enjoy the best imagery your games have to offer!
- Center of Vision: At 26.5-inches, the X27U is directly in your field of view. Considered a hallmark of eSports tournaments, this is the perfect size to gain an edge over your opponents. The addition of a ZeroFrame design also removes the bezels – giving you have even more visibly over every match and every movement your rivals make.
Alienware
The AW2524HF shows that a 24.5-inch, 1080p high-refresh display need not use TN: it is a fast IPS monitor, with a 480Hz native DisplayPort mode and an overclocked 500Hz mode listed by Dell. The AW2725DF takes a different approach, pairing 1440p and 360Hz with QD-OLED in a 27-inch screen. Prices cited here are US listing observations from August 2026, not guarantees of current price or availability.
Dell Alienware AW2524HF · Dell Alienware monitor listings, including AW2725DF
Why 24–25-inch 1080p remains a tournament staple
A compact screen lets players see the whole image with less eye movement and preserves a setup many have practiced on for years. The 1080p resolution also puts less load on the graphics card than 1440p, making very high frame rates more attainable. In a tournament, familiar screen size and standardized equipment can matter more than maximizing detail.
That does not make 27 inches or 1440p inherently worse for competitive play. A larger, sharper display can be more comfortable for everyday use and more immersive in modern games. It may simply feel less familiar to someone used to a small tactical-FPS screen and demand more GPU performance to sustain very high frame rates.
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- 27-inch Full HD Gaming Monitor: Features 1920x1080 HDR resolution with overclock to ultrafast 380Hz refresh rate designed for professional gamers and immersive gameplay
- ASUS Fast IPS Technology: Enables a 0.3ms response time (GTG) for sharp gaming visuals with high frame rates
- ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB SYNC): Technology enables ELMB together with variable refresh rate, eliminating ghosting and tearing for sharp gaming visuals with high frame rates
- ROG Gaming A.I. Technology: AI-powered features to enhance users' gaming experience
- Exclusive ASUS DisplayWidget Center: Application enables easy OSD access and monitor settings adjustments with a mouse
What 240Hz, 360Hz, 500Hz and 600Hz actually mean
Refresh rate is the maximum number of times per second a display can update. The corresponding interval between refreshes gets shorter as the rate rises:
| Refresh rate | Approximate interval between refreshes |
|---|---|
| 144Hz | 6.94ms |
| 240Hz | 4.17ms |
| 360Hz | 2.78ms |
| 500Hz | 2.00ms |
| 600Hz | 1.67ms |
These intervals describe display refreshes, not total system input latency or a guaranteed improvement in reaction time. The real experience also depends on how quickly and consistently the game produces frames, the monitor’s pixel response and processing, the PC, and the player’s settings. A 600Hz display cannot deliver its full practical advantage if a game runs far below that rate or suffers large frame-time spikes.
For most buyers, a good 240Hz monitor is a more sensible purchase than paying a large premium for 500–610Hz. Consider 360Hz when the PC can sustain high frame rates and the player can perceive and value the difference. A stable 240Hz or 360Hz display can remain entirely competitive; a newer headline number alone does not make an older monitor obsolete.
TN vs. IPS vs. OLED for competitive gaming
| Panel type | Strengths | Trade-offs | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN | Long history in esports displays; competitive motion features such as backlight strobing are common. | Typically weaker color and viewing angles, and less compelling general image quality. | Players prioritizing a familiar tournament-style FPS display and its specific motion modes. |
| Fast IPS | Better colors and viewing angles than TN; available at very high refresh rates. | Motion handling depends on the particular monitor and settings; aggressive overdrive can cause overshoot or inverse ghosting. | Players who want a small, fast competitive screen with more versatile image quality. |
| OLED or QD-OLED | Very fast pixel response, excellent contrast and strong HDR potential. | Burn-in risk requires sensible care; subpixel layouts can affect text rendering; many high-refresh options are 27 inches or larger and 1440p. | Players seeking both competitive performance and premium image quality for other games and media. |
Do not choose solely by advertised “0.1ms,” “0.5ms” or “1ms” response-time figures. Manufacturers may report different test conditions or modes, so those numbers are not a standardized ranking of complete monitors. Likewise, TN is not automatically faster than every modern IPS or OLED display: implementation matters.
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- 27” QHD IPS DISPLAY: Enjoy stunning detail and vibrant color with a 2560x1440 Quad HD resolution on a 27-inch IPS panel, offering wide viewing angles and precise image quality.
- 240HZ REFRESH RATE & 0.3MS RESPONSE TIME: Take competitive gaming to the next level with a blazing-fast 240Hz refresh rate (via DisplayPort) and ultra-responsive 0.3ms MPRT for minimal blur and maximum clarity.
- ADAPTIVE-SYNC SUPPORT: Say goodbye to screen tearing and input lag with Adaptive-Sync for fluid, uninterrupted performance across both AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.
- TILT ADJUSTMENT: Customize your setup with -3° to +21° tilt range for ergonomic positioning.
- ENHANCED GAMING FEATURES: Includes Shadow Control, Game Mode presets, and a user-friendly graphical OSD menu for fast and intuitive performance tuning.
Should you buy the same monitor as a pro?
Only if the pro setup matches your own priorities, PC and games. Use these buying paths as a starting point:
For a traditional competitive FPS setup
- Choose a 24–25-inch 1080p display with at least 240Hz.
- Prioritize consistently high frame rates, low input lag and motion handling you actually like over an extreme refresh-rate specification.
- Try visibility or blur-reduction modes yourself; some players prefer them, while others prefer a different image presentation.
The ZOWIE XL2566X+, XL2586X+, ASUS ROG XG248QSG Ace and Alienware AW2524HF illustrate this category. The 600Hz and 610Hz models are specialist choices for systems that can feed them very high, stable frame rates.
For competitive play plus everyday gaming
A 27-inch 1440p screen at 240–360Hz with fast IPS or OLED may be a better all-round choice. It gives more detail and screen area for general use. The AW2725DF is one 1440p 360Hz QD-OLED example; a 1440p high-refresh IPS display is worth considering if OLED burn-in care or cost is a concern.
For a budget-conscious upgrade
Favor a reputable 240Hz model over an expensive 500–610Hz screen if the latter would strain the budget. A discounted previous-generation 240Hz or 360Hz esports monitor can still suit competitive play; check panel condition, return terms and warranty when buying used. If the PC cannot maintain high frame rates, upgrading the CPU or GPU may be more useful than buying a faster monitor.
Best Value
- PROVIDE THE BEST MOTION CLARITY IN THE INDUSTRY — Compared to any other panel types, a Fast TN panel provides clearer and sharper images.
- SHARPEST AND CLEAREST VISUALS — At the resolutions most commonly used by pro players, our Fast TN panel with native FHD resolution provides better image sharpness.
- OVERSHOOT REDUCED WITH NEWLY DEVELOPED FAST TN PANEL — The latest panel design improves electrical conductivity, enhancing liquid crystal responsiveness and effectively reducing overshoot.
- NEW AUTO GAME MODE AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS COLOR MODES — Automatically switches color modes among different games and use scenarios, optimizing visual performance.
- COMFORT & ADJUSTABILITY — New height adjustment powered by industrial-grade bearing design, allowing easier and smoother adjustment to any preferred height.
For console gaming
A 500–610Hz PC esports monitor is usually a poor match for console frame-rate limits. Look instead for the resolution and refresh rate your console and games support, low input lag, compatible variable refresh rate, and 120Hz support where available. HDMI 2.1 matters when it is required for the console’s desired resolution and refresh combination.
A tournament monitor is not necessarily a pro’s home monitor
Event organizers supply equipment under tournament partnerships, so the display a player uses on stage may reflect the event’s standard hardware or sponsor rather than a personal purchase. ZOWIE’s ESL FACEIT Group agreement and ASUS’s PGL and BLAST Premier partnerships establish tournament presence; they do not establish that every competitor uses that brand at home. A player’s practice monitor can differ, and without a player-specific source it is not safe to infer individual ownership or preference from stage equipment alone.
Monitor choice also depends on game, sponsorship, availability, PC performance, preferred resolution and familiarity. Those factors help explain why there is no single monitor that all professional gamers use—and why copying a stage setup is a preference choice, not a shortcut to skill.
Quick Recap
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