This could be the competitive panel of my dreams: the 'world's first esport OLED monitor' looks to be a 540 Hz, 24.5-inch beast

The World's First Esports OLED Monitor: A 540 Hz Beast for Competitive Play

This could be the competitive panel of my dreams: the world's first esport OLED monitor looks to be a 540 Hz, 24.5-inch beast. While I had the chance to experience a 540 Hz monitor from Asus ROG at Gamescom last year, it was a 26.5-inch, 1440p/720p dual-mode model. That one, while impressive, isn't tailored for esports. In my previous discussions, I've pointed out that 720p is too low even for competitive gaming, and the 26.5-inch size is also too large for optimal performance.

For competitive play, the ideal setup is typically a 24–25-inch monitor at 1080p resolution. It seems that Asus ROG is now teasing a new 540 Hz OLED monitor that fits this description perfectly. Though Asus hasn't specified the resolution, it's safe to assume it's 1080p given the size and intended use for esports. The Zowie XL2586X+, which is a favorite among CS2 pros, is 24.5 inches on the diagonal and has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. That seems to be the standard for most high refresh rate esports monitors.

The Evolution of Competitive Gaming Displays

Most high refresh rate esports monitors are TN or IPS panels, but not OLED. For casual esports at home, the choice has been between a TN/IPS panel or a 27-inch OLED. I've tested both and prefer the 24-inch form factor for competitive shooters. However, OLED offers superior vibrancy and motion clarity, which are hard to ignore.

When I tested the Zowie monitor, I could clearly tell the difference between 360 Hz and 600 Hz. If your rig is powerful enough to handle the frames, 540 Hz isn't overkill. The difference isn't as drastic as moving from 144 Hz to 240 Hz or 240 Hz to 360 Hz, but it's still significant for high-level competitive players. Every little bit of performance can make a difference in a game where milliseconds matter.

Why 24.5 Inches Works for Esports

The 24.5-inch size might confuse some who aren't used to it for esports. However, this size can be better for allowing you to take in the entire game scene without moving your eyes too much. After extensive testing with both 24.5-inch and 27-inch monitors, I prefer the 24.5-inch option for playing a tactical FPS like CS2.

With the panel being OLED, I hope that other games and content, such as movies, won't feel too small on it. The vibrancy and snappiness of OLED might help make up for the smaller size. For those of us who are always debating between a fast esports IPS/TN panel and an OLED, it seems Asus ROG will soon have us covered.