ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review: 146Hz IPS, ELMB Sync, FreeSync for Gaming

The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review unveils a compelling option for gamers seeking a balance between performance, affordability, and modern features. Designed with a 23.8-inch Full HD IPS panel, a 146Hz overclockable refresh rate, and ASUS’s cutting-edge technologies like Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB Sync), this ASUS TUF Gaming Monitor stands out in the competitive budget gaming monitor market. This in-depth analysis explores its design, display quality, performance, connectivity, and more, while comparing it to similar models to help you determine if this is the best budget gaming monitor 2025 for your needs.

Introduction to the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A

The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review begins with an overview of its purpose: delivering high-performance gaming at an accessible price point. As a 24-inch IPS gaming monitor, it caters to both casual and competitive gamers, offering a 1920×1080 resolution, a 146Hz refresh rate monitor, and a suite of gamer-centric features like ELMB Sync technology and FreeSync Premium monitor support. Whether you’re diving into fast-paced FPS titles or multitasking in a home office, this monitor aims to deliver versatility without compromising quality. But how does it stack up against its peers, and is the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A worth it? Let’s dive into the details.

Why Choose a Budget Gaming Monitor?

In 2025, the demand for affordable yet high-performing monitors is at an all-time high. Gamers, content creators, and professionals seek displays that balance cost with cutting-edge features. The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A positions itself as a 24-inch Full HD gaming monitor review favorite, promising smooth visuals, vibrant colors, and ergonomic design. This article will evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, ensuring you have all the information needed to make an informed decision.

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Design and Build Quality

The design of the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A is both functional and understated, aligning with the TUF Gaming brand’s ethos of durability and performance. The monitor features a sleek, matte-black finish with minimalistic bezels, making it a strong candidate for multi-monitor setups. Its 23.8-inch screen size (marketed as 24 inches) strikes a balance between compactness and immersion, ideal for gamers with limited desk space.

Ergonomic Features

The ASUS TUF Gaming Monitor offers basic ergonomic adjustments, including tilt functionality, allowing users to angle the screen for optimal viewing comfort. While it lacks the swivel, pivot, and height adjustments found in higher-end models like the ASUS TUF VG259QM, the tilt-only stand is sufficient for most gaming setups. The monitor is VESA-compatible (75x75mm), enabling wall or arm mounting for those seeking greater flexibility. This ergonomic design ensures the monitor adapts to various environments, from gaming dens to small offices.

Build Materials and Aesthetics

Constructed primarily from high-quality plastics, the VG249QE5A maintains a lightweight profile at 7.3 pounds, making it easy to reposition. The matte screen surface reduces glare, enhancing visibility in well-lit rooms. The rear panel features a subtle ASUS logo and a futuristic circular base, adding a touch of style without the flashy RGB lighting found in premium models. This minimalist approach enhances its appeal for users prioritizing performance over aesthetics.

Comparison with Competitors

When compared to the ASUS TUF VG249Q1A, the VG249QE5A shares a similar design philosophy but introduces updated features like ELMB Sync technology. Unlike the AOC 24G15N, which offers limited tilt adjustments, the VG249QE5A’s VESA compatibility provides more mounting options. However, models like the ASUS TUF VG259QM boast superior ergonomics with swivel and height adjustments, making them better suited for users needing extensive positional flexibility.

Display Quality and Visual Performance

The heart of the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review lies in its display quality. Built on a 23.8-inch IPS panel, this 24-inch IPS gaming monitor delivers Full HD (1920×1080) resolution with a 125% sRGB color gamut, ensuring vibrant and accurate colors. With a 1000:1 contrast ratio and 300 nits of brightness, it offers solid performance for gaming and media consumption, though it lacks HDR support.

Color Accuracy and Gamut

The gaming monitor color accuracy of the VG249QE5A is a standout feature, covering 125% of the sRGB spectrum and 90% of DCI-P3. This makes it suitable for casual content creation, such as photo editing in Photoshop, though it falls short of professional-grade monitors with AdobeRGB coverage. Out-of-the-box calibration is decent, but users may need to tweak settings via the ASUS DisplayWidget Center for optimal results. Compared to the ASUS TUF VG249Q1A, which covers 92.5% sRGB, the VG249QE5A offers richer greens and deeper colors, though reds and blues may appear slightly less vibrant.

Viewing Angles and Anti-Glare

With 178-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles, the VG249QE5A ensures minimal color shift, making it ideal for collaborative gaming or sharing content with others. The matte screen finish excels at great reflection handling, reducing glare in bright environments. However, in pitch-black conditions, some IPS glow may be noticeable, a common trait of IPS panels. Compared to the AOC 24G15N, which has a slightly better contrast ratio, the VG249QE5A’s viewing angles are superior, enhancing its suitability for console gaming with friends.

Limitations for Media Creation

While the VG249QE5A performs well for gaming and casual use, its 24-inch Full HD gaming monitor review reveals limitations for media creation. The 1080p resolution and smaller screen size restrict workspace for detailed editing tasks. Professionals requiring high pixel density or 4K resolution may prefer monitors like the ASUS TUF VG27AQL1A, which offers a 1440p resolution and wider color gamut.

Gaming Performance

The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review highlights its exceptional gaming performance, driven by a 146Hz refresh rate monitor and a 1ms (MPRT) response time. These specs ensure smooth, responsive gameplay, making it a top contender for ASUS TUF VG249QE5A for competitive gaming.

Refresh Rate and Response Time

The overclockable 146Hz refresh rate delivers fluid visuals, reducing lag in fast-paced games like CS:GO, Valorant, and Overwatch. The 1ms MPRT response time, combined with low motion blur monitor technology, minimizes ghosting, ensuring sharp visuals during rapid movements. Compared to the ASUS TUF VG249Q1A (165Hz), the VG249QE5A’s refresh rate is slightly lower, but its ELMB Sync technology compensates by syncing variable refresh rates with motion blur reduction, a feature absent in the VG249Q1A.

Adaptive-Sync and ELMB Sync

The FreeSync Premium monitor support ensures tear-free gaming with AMD GPUs, while G-SYNC compatibility extends this benefit to NVIDIA users. The ELMB Sync technology is a game-changer, allowing simultaneous use of adaptive-sync and motion blur reduction, a rarity in budget monitors. This feature shines in fast-paced titles, providing buttery-smooth gaming even at high frame rates. Compared to the ViewSonic XG2431, which is Blur Busters-approved for motion clarity, the VG249QE5A holds its own with ELMB Sync, though it may require fine-tuning above 85Hz for optimal performance.

Variable Overdrive and GamePlus

The Variable Overdrive technology dynamically adjusts overdrive settings based on frame rate fluctuations, ensuring consistent performance across various games. Users can customize the overdrive strength via the ASUS DisplayWidget Center, tailoring the monitor to their preferences. The GamePlus feature adds in-game enhancements like crosshairs, timers, and frame counters, developed with input from pro gamers. These tools are particularly useful for best monitor for FPS games, giving players a competitive edge.

Comparison with High-End Models

When pitted against the ASUS TUF VG259QM (280Hz), the VG249QE5A falls short in refresh rate but matches in response time and adaptive-sync capabilities. For budget gaming monitor for PS5, the VG249QE5A supports 120Hz via HDMI, making it a viable option for console gamers, though it lacks the PS5’s VRR compatibility found in newer models like the ASUS TUF VG27AQ3A.

Connectivity and Additional Features

The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A offers robust connectivity options for a budget monitor, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices. Its feature set enhances usability for gaming, entertainment, and business applications.

Ports and Compatibility

Equipped with one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.2, and a 3.5mm audio jack, the VG249QE5A supports extensive connectivity for PCs, consoles, laptops, and tablets. The inclusion of dual 2W speakers provides basic audio output, though their quality is average, suitable for casual use but not for immersive media consumption. Compared to the ASUS TUF VG249Q, which includes a VGA port, the VG249QE5A’s modern ports cater better to current-gen devices.

DisplayWidget Center and Customization

The ASUS DisplayWidget Center software simplifies monitor adjustments, allowing users to tweak color profiles, overdrive settings, and low blue light filters via a mouse. This is a significant upgrade over traditional OSD menus, enhancing user experience. The monitor also features Flicker-Free technology and four low blue light filter settings, reducing eye strain during extended gaming sessions.

Shadow Boost and GameVisual

The Shadow Boost feature enhances visibility in dark game areas without overexposing bright scenes, making it easier to spot enemies in titles like Call of Duty. The GameVisual system offers seven preset modes (e.g., FPS, RTS, Cinema), optimizing visuals for different content types. These features make the VG249QE5A versatile for high refresh rate monitor for PC gaming and media consumption.

Ergonomics and Usability

The VG249QE5A’s ergonomic design prioritizes simplicity, with tilt adjustments and VESA compatibility. While it lacks the full adjustability of premium monitors, its lightweight build and compact footprint suit small desks. The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review notes its suitability for affordable IPS monitor for multitasking, as the IPS panel’s wide viewing angles support collaborative tasks.

Comparison with Ergonomic Alternatives

Compared to the ASUS TUF VG259QM, which offers swivel, pivot, and height adjustments, the VG249QE5A’s ergonomics are limited. However, its VESA compatibility provides flexibility for users with monitor arms. The AOC 24G15N, with similar tilt-only adjustments, lacks the VG249QE5A’s robust software features like ASUS DisplayWidget Center.

Performance for Non-Gaming Tasks

Beyond gaming, the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review evaluates its performance for office work and media consumption. The 1080p resolution and 24-inch screen size are adequate for single-window tasks but may feel cramped for heavy multitasking. The IPS panel’s gaming monitor color accuracy supports casual content creation, but professionals may require higher resolutions.

Office Use

For office tasks, the VG249QE5A’s great reflection handling and 300-nit brightness combat glare in well-lit environments. However, its small screen size limits multitasking compared to the 27-inch ASUS TUF VG279Q3A. The low blue light and Flicker-Free technologies enhance comfort during long work sessions.

Media Consumption

For streaming or watching videos, the VG249QE5A delivers decent performance. Its 125% sRGB gamut ensures vibrant colors, but the low contrast ratio (1000:1) results in grayish blacks in dark rooms. Compared to the ASUS TUF VG249Q1R, which also lacks HDR, the VG249QE5A’s Shadow Boost feature improves dark scene visibility, enhancing the viewing experience.

ASUS TUF VG249QE5A vs. Competitors: In-Depth Comparison

To provide a comprehensive ASUS TUF VG249QE5A vs VG249Q1A comparison, we’ll also compare it to the ASUS TUF VG259QM and AOC 24G15N, focusing on key metrics like refresh rate, response time, ergonomics, and features.

ASUS TUF VG249QE5A vs. ASUS TUF VG249Q1A

Refresh Rate: The VG249QE5A offers a 146Hz refresh rate (overclockable), while the VG249Q1A reaches 165Hz. For most gamers, the difference is negligible, but the VG249QE5A’s ELMB Sync technology provides superior motion clarity.
Color Gamut: The VG249QE5A’s 125% sRGB outperforms the VG249Q1A’s 92.5% sRGB, making it better for color-sensitive tasks.
Ergonomics: Both monitors offer tilt-only adjustments, but the VG249QE5A’s ASUS DisplayWidget Center enhances customization.
Verdict: The VG249QE5A is a better choice for gamers prioritizing motion clarity and color vibrancy, while the VG249Q1A suits those needing a slightly higher refresh rate.

ASUS TUF VG249QE5A vs. ASUS TUF VG259QM

Refresh Rate: The VG259QM’s 280Hz refresh rate dwarfs the VG249QE5A’s 146Hz, making it ideal for competitive gamers. However, the VG249QE5A’s ELMB Sync technology matches the VG259QM’s motion handling.
Ergonomics: The VG259QM’s full ergonomic adjustments (tilt, swivel, pivot, height) outshine the VG249QE5A’s tilt-only stand.
Color Gamut: The VG259QM’s 99% sRGB is slightly less vibrant than the VG249QE5A’s 125% sRGB.
Verdict: The VG259QM is better for professional gamers needing high refresh rates and ergonomics, while the VG249QE5A is a budget-friendly alternative with superior color performance.

ASUS TUF VG249QE5A vs. AOC 24G15N

Refresh Rate: Both monitors offer similar refresh rates (146Hz vs. 144Hz), but the VG249QE5A’s FreeSync Premium monitor support and ELMB Sync technology provide a smoother experience.
Contrast Ratio: The AOC 24G15N’s higher contrast ratio improves dark scene performance, but the VG249QE5A’s Shadow Boost feature compensates.
Ergonomics: Both monitors are tilt-only, but the VG249QE5A’s VESA compatibility and ASUS DisplayWidget Center offer more flexibility.
Verdict: The VG249QE5A is superior for gamers seeking advanced motion handling and software customization, while the AOC 24G15N is better for media consumption due to its contrast advantage.

What Are the Features of the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A?

The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review highlights its key features:

146Hz Refresh Rate (OC): Ensures smooth gameplay for fast-paced titles.
ELMB Sync Technology: Combines motion blur reduction with adaptive-sync for sharp visuals.
FreeSync Premium and G-SYNC Compatible: Delivers tear-free gaming across AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.
125% sRGB Color Gamut: Provides vibrant colors for gaming and casual content creation.
Shadow Boost Feature: Enhances visibility in dark game areas.
ASUS DisplayWidget Center: Simplifies monitor adjustments.
Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free: Reduces eye strain for extended use.
VESA Compatibility: Supports wall or arm mounting.
GamePlus Enhancements: Offers in-game tools like crosshairs and timers.

How Does the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Perform for Gaming?

For ASUS TUF VG249QE5A for competitive gaming, the monitor excels in delivering responsive, tear-free gameplay. The 146Hz refresh rate monitor and 1ms response time ensure minimal lag, while ELMB Sync technology eliminates ghosting. The Variable Overdrive technology adapts to frame rate changes, maintaining smoothness in dynamic scenes. Console gamers will appreciate its budget gaming monitor for PS5 compatibility, supporting 120Hz via HDMI.

Is the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Worth It?

The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review concludes that this monitor is a stellar choice for budget-conscious gamers seeking a 24-inch IPS gaming monitor. Its combination of ELMB Sync technology, FreeSync Premium monitor support, and vibrant colors makes it a versatile option for gaming and casual use. While it lacks the ergonomic flexibility and high refresh rates of premium models like the ASUS TUF VG259QM, its feature set and performance punch above its weight class.

Pros

High refresh rate (146Hz OC) for smooth gameplay
ELMB Sync technology for superior motion clarity
Vibrant 125% sRGB color gamut
FreeSync Premium and G-SYNC compatibility
ASUS DisplayWidget Center for easy customization
VESA-compatible for flexible mounting

Cons

Tilt-only ergonomic adjustments
No HDR support
Average speaker quality
Limited multitasking space due to 1080p resolution

Conclusion

The ASUS TUF VG249QE5A Monitor Review positions this monitor as a top-tier budget option for gamers in 2025. Its 146Hz refresh rate monitor, ELMB Sync technology, and FreeSync Premium monitor support deliver exceptional gaming performance, while the 125% sRGB gamut ensures vibrant visuals. Though it lacks advanced ergonomics and HDR, its feature set, including Shadow Boost feature and ASUS DisplayWidget Center, makes it a compelling choice for best budget gaming monitor 2025. Whether you’re a competitive gamer or a casual user, the VG249QE5A offers unmatched value in the 24-inch Full HD gaming monitor review category.

For those seeking a high refresh rate monitor for PC gaming or a budget gaming monitor for PS5, the ASUS TUF VG249QE5A is a worthy contender. Its blend of performance, affordability, and modern features ensures it stands out in a crowded market, making it a smart investment for gamers and professionals alike.