High Refresh on a Budget: What These Monitors Are Really For
A budget gaming monitor with a high refresh rate display is an affordable screen aimed at gamers who want smoother motion and lower input lag without paying premium monitor prices, balancing refresh speed, resolution, panel technology, and color accuracy to deliver competitive performance for less. At the sub-USD 150 (approx. RM690) mark, Lenovo’s Legion 24-1r and 27-1r chase pure value with 280Hz IPS at Full HD and ultra-low response times. Philips’ 27M2N5500X and TCL’s Thunderobot 25Q6A Pro cost more, but they push into affordable 1440p monitor territory with Fast IPS gaming panels and, in TCL’s case, Mini LED backlighting. In short: Lenovo is for tight budgets, Philips for esports purists who can stretch their budget, and TCL for image-quality nerds who still care about speed.
| Spec | Philips 27M2N5500X | TCL Thunderobot 25Q6A Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 27-inch | 24.5-inch |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 (1440p) | 2560 x 1440 (1440p) |
| Panel type | Fast IPS gaming panel | Fast IPS with Mini LED backlight |
| Refresh rate | 400Hz native, up to 425Hz | 360Hz |
| HDR | DisplayHDR 400 | DisplayHDR 600 |
| Gamut coverage | 100% sRGB, 97% DCI-P3 | 99% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 |
| Approx. price | USD 280 (approx. RM1,280) | USD 244 (approx. RM1,115) retail; subsidised from ~USD 192 (approx. RM875) |
Philips 27M2N5500X: Esports Speed and Solid 1440p Value
Philips’ 27M2N5500X is the most aggressive high refresh rate display in this group: a 27-inch 1440p Fast IPS panel that hits 400Hz natively and can be overclocked to 425Hz. At roughly USD 280 (approx. RM1,280), it is not a gaming monitor under $150, but it undercuts many traditional esports-focused 1440p screens while adding HDR400 and G-Sync compatibility. Color performance is excellent for the price: 10-bit support, 100% sRGB and 97% DCI-P3 with factory ΔE < 2 mean it can double as a creator display when you are not grinding ranked matches. According to one source, "Philips has introduced a new 27-inch gaming monitor ... with a 1440p resolution with a 425Hz refresh rate". The trade-off is that its HDR400 certification and standard edge-lit backlight limit true HDR impact. Competitive players prioritising motion clarity over deep contrast will find this a strong mid-budget pick; budget-first shoppers should still look at Lenovo.
Lenovo Legion 24-1r & 27-1r: True Budget Kings Under $150
Lenovo’s Legion 24-1r and 27-1r are the only options here that qualify as a gaming monitor under $150: the 23.8-inch model costs USD 99 (approx. RM455), and the 27-inch variant sits around USD 116 (approx. RM535). Both use IPS panels at 1920 x 1080 resolution with native 280Hz refresh and response times down to 0.5ms MPRT. This makes them ideal for budget competitive players in games like Valorant or Counter-Strike, where hitting extremely high frame rates at 1080p is realistic with mid-range GPUs. Brightness is a strong 400 nits, and they cover 99% sRGB, but HDR is absent and 1080p on 27 inches can look soft. One quotable summary from the coverage states: "The Lenovo Legion 24-1r will cost 669 yuan, equivalent to $99, yet offers a 23.8-inch IPS panel running at up to 280Hz". If you want the smoothest experience for the least money and can accept Full HD and basic image quality, Lenovo’s duo are easy recommendations.
TCL Thunderobot 25Q6A Pro: Mini LED Luxury, Still Fast
TCL’s Thunderobot 25Q6A Pro hits a sweet spot between Philips’ raw speed and Lenovo’s bargain pricing. It brings a 24.5-inch 1440p Fast IPS panel and a 360Hz refresh rate, which is still more than enough for competitive play. The headline feature is its Mini LED backlight: 180 local dimming zones, a dynamic contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, peak brightness of 800 nits, and DisplayHDR 600 certification. This makes it the best choice for players who care about dark-scene detail, punchy highlights, and more convincing HDR while still enjoying esports-level motion clarity. Official retail is around USD 244 (approx. RM1,115), with subsidised launch pricing starting near USD 192 (approx. RM875). Compared with Philips, you sacrifice some refresh headroom but gain better contrast and HDR; compared with Lenovo, you step up in resolution, backlight tech, and color accuracy at a higher, but still relatively accessible, price.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Lenovo Legion 24-1r if you want the cheapest high refresh rate display and play mainly competitive games at 1080p on modest hardware.
- Skip the Lenovo Legion 27-1r if you are sensitive to image sharpness and do not like 1080p stretched across a 27-inch panel.
- Buy the Philips 27M2N5500X if you are an esports-focused player who can afford more than $150 and wants a 27-inch affordable 1440p monitor with up to 425Hz and good color performance.
- Skip the Philips 27M2N5500X if you care more about HDR impact and deep blacks than hitting the absolute highest refresh numbers.
- Buy the TCL Thunderobot 25Q6A Pro if you want a Fast IPS gaming panel with Mini LED backlighting, strong HDR, and 1440p resolution while still enjoying 360Hz smoothness.
- Skip the TCL Thunderobot 25Q6A Pro if your priority is spending under $150 and you are willing to trade away HDR and 1440p to save money.
- Buy the Lenovo Legion 27-1r if you want a larger, low-cost 280Hz budget gaming monitor and do not mind sticking to Full HD resolution.
