What It Means When 300Hz and 240Hz Hit the Budget Shelf
Ultra-fast gaming monitors are affordable displays that pair 1080p resolution with refresh rates of 240Hz or higher, aiming to reduce input lag and motion blur so competitive players can see and react to on-screen action more clearly than on standard 60Hz or 144Hz screens. Until recently, this kind of speed demanded mid-range or premium budgets. Now, a 24-inch ASUS TUF Gaming Fast IPS monitor delivers 240Hz at USD 99.99 (approx. RM460), while TCL’s FFALCON Thunderobot Q5AD YYDS Edition reaches 300Hz for about USD 88 (approx. RM405). Both target players of fast shooters who care more about frame rate than resolution. This shift pulls esports-grade responsiveness into the same price range as many basic 1080p office monitors, changing what “entry-level” performance means for a budget gaming monitor.
ASUS TUF: 240Hz Fast IPS at the $100 Line
ASUS’s 24-inch TUF Gaming model sets a clear benchmark for a 240Hz under $100 option. It uses a Fast IPS panel with a quoted minimum response time of 0.3ms, plus ELMB Sync to cut down motion blur during rapid flicks and camera turns. The 1920×1080 resolution keeps GPU load modest, which helps competitive players maintain the frame rates needed to match the 240Hz refresh. Adaptive sync support covers both FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility, giving smooth gameplay across different graphics cards. According to FullCleared, this TUF Gaming monitor drops to USD 99.99 (approx. RM460) with a significant discount, pushing high-refresh IPS performance into budget territory. ASUS also includes DisplayWidget Center software, so users can tweak display settings on their desktop instead of wrestling with on-screen buttons and nested menus.
TCL FFALCON’s 300Hz Play: Faster Than Many Mid-Range Screens
TCL’s FFALCON Thunderobot Q5AD YYDS Edition pushes the idea of a budget 300Hz gaming monitor even further. This 24.5-inch 1080p gaming monitor uses a CSOT-made Fast IPS panel that runs at 280Hz by default and can be overclocked to 300Hz through DisplayPort. Thunderobot rates response time at 1ms gray-to-gray and adds MPRT-Plus motion blur reduction and overdrive settings to sharpen fast movement. Color performance is better than many low-cost esports screens: 10-bit (8-bit + FRC), 99% sRGB and 93% DCI-P3 coverage, factory-calibrated to Delta E < 2, with 400-nit peak brightness and HDR400 support. The introductory price is listed at 599 yuan, roughly USD 88 (approx. RM405), placing 300Hz territory below the cost of many established 144Hz and 165Hz mid-range monitors that still use similar 1080p panels.
Fast IPS, 1080p and HDR400: How the New Budget Formula Compares
Both the ASUS TUF and Thunderobot Q5AD show how Fast IPS panels now dominate the affordable ultra-high-refresh space. Fast IPS keeps response times close to TN-level while offering better viewing angles and more colorful images, and manufacturers are pushing these panels up to 240Hz and 300Hz without moving beyond 1080p. That 1080p gaming monitor resolution remains standard at these prices because it keeps GPU demands moderate and frame rates high, which matters more than pixel density for competitive play. A notable addition at the low end is HDR support: Thunderobot’s inclusion of DisplayHDR 400-level capabilities shows that basic HDR400 is no longer limited to pricier models. Color accuracy figures, 10-bit support through FRC, and gaming extras such as dark scene boosters and crosshairs further narrow the feature gap between budget esports screens and traditional mid-range options.
Should Budget Gamers Chase 300Hz Over 240Hz?
For many players, a 240Hz under $100 display like the ASUS TUF already provides a major upgrade over 60Hz or 144Hz. The jump to a 300Hz gaming monitor such as the Thunderobot Q5AD YYDS Edition gives even lower frame times and could help elite players squeeze out marginal gains in aiming and tracking, as long as their hardware can consistently push frame rates near the panel’s limit. Fast IPS panels in both monitors keep motion clear, while 1080p resolution ensures that mid-range GPUs can keep up. HDR400 and decent color coverage make these screens usable for content and media, not only shooters. For most budget gamers, a well-tuned 240Hz Fast IPS panel will feel transformative; those focused solely on esports performance and chasing every millisecond may find the 300Hz option worth the small extra investment.