Dell S-Series S2425HSM vs BenQ GW2490T

These two 24-inch monitors look alike on paper: a Full HD IPS panel, a 99% sRGB claim, flicker-free eye care, a stand that rises 110 mm and pivots, two HDMI 1.4 ports, no USB-C and a three-year warranty. The listed prices are close too. The real trade-off is between speed and flexibility. The Dell offers a faster 144 Hz screen with FreeSync, a little more brightness, higher-rated speakers and a fuller warranty; the BenQ offers a DisplayPort input and a bigger set of eye-care and work-mode tools. This comparison covers the 24-inch BenQ; it is also sold as a 27-inch model at a higher price, which the Dell does not match.

Is 144 Hz worth having over 100 Hz?

The Dell runs at 144 Hz with AMD FreeSync, and its sheet says variable refresh also works over HDMI. The BenQ runs at 100 Hz, and its review notes that it offers no adaptive sync. Either is clearly smoother than an ordinary 60 Hz screen for scrolling and mouse movement. The step from 100 Hz to 144 Hz is smaller than the step from 60 Hz to 100 Hz, and for typing, browsing and spreadsheets most people will not notice it.

It matters for casual gaming on a PC that can push frame rates above 100, where FreeSync also helps reduce tearing. Dell quotes 4 ms to 8 ms grey-to-grey depending on the mode and BenQ quotes 5 ms, so neither is aimed at competitive players. If you game even occasionally, the Dell is the better fit. If you do not, this gap should not drive the decision.

Eye comfort: a rating or a toolkit

Both are flicker-free with low blue light. Dell lists a TÜV Rheinland four-star eye comfort rating. BenQ lists TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort 2.0 and Eyesafe 2.0 certification, and adds tools you can use: Brightness Intelligence Gen2, which adjusts brightness to the room, a colour weakness mode, an ePaper mode that imitates a reading page, and an eye reminder. The two certifications come from different schemes, and nothing in the data shows that one monitor tires eyes less than the other.

The practical difference is that BenQ gives you more to switch on, which suits long reading, coding or study days, while Dell gives a rating and a brighter panel at 300 nits against BenQ's 250 nits. Both are enough for a normal room. Brand claims on eye comfort are claims, not test results.

The DisplayPort question

The BenQ has one DisplayPort 1.2 input and two HDMI 1.4 ports. The Dell has two HDMI 1.4 ports and no DisplayPort. If you connect only a PC and one laptop, the Dell is enough, and its HDMI ports carry 1920 × 1080 at 144 Hz. If you have three sources, such as a desktop with a graphics card, a laptop and a console, the BenQ saves you from swapping cables. Neither has USB-C or a USB hub, so neither charges a laptop through the monitor.

Stand, sound and desk space

The stands are close: both rise 110 mm and pivot 90° for portrait use. Dell swivels ±30° against BenQ's ±20°, a small gap. The weight difference is larger: about 5 kg for the Dell with its stand against 6.4 kg for the BenQ, which only matters if you move the monitor often. Both support a 100 × 100 mm wall mount.

On sound, the Dell has two 3 W speakers with five sound presets, and the BenQ has two 2 W speakers and a headphone jack that the Dell sheet does not list. Both sets of speakers are described as fine for calls and casual clips and weak for music. If you use headphones, the BenQ's jack saves reaching behind your PC; if you use the speakers, the Dell's are the higher-rated pair.

Warranty and what happens if the screen fails

Both give three years. Dell's sheet adds Advanced Exchange Service and Premium Panel Exchange, while BenQ's lists the three-year warranty only. The Dell review notes panel replacement as part of the package, which is reassuring on a monitor. Neither sheet describes service-centre reach or repair times, so there is no basis to rank the two brands on after-sales speed. BenQ also lists software for its eye-care tools and picture modes such as Coding and M-book, and the Dell lists a Windows tool for brightness control and window layouts; both are optional extras, not reasons to buy.

What is the same

Both sheets list a Full HD IPS panel on the 24-inch size with about 93 pixels per inch, so text looks clean at a normal desk distance on either. Both claim 99% sRGB coverage and 178° viewing angles, and neither lists HDR support. Those shared points mean picture quality is unlikely to separate them, and the decision rests on refresh rate, ports, eye-care tools and warranty terms.

Which one should you buy?

Choose the Dell S-Series S2425HSM if you play games even occasionally, want the smoother screen, slightly higher brightness, the higher-rated speakers and the fuller warranty, and connect no more than two devices.

Choose the BenQ GW2490T if you read, code or study for long hours and want the extra eye-care tools, if you need a DisplayPort input for a third source, or if you might want the same monitor in a 27-inch size.

On the prices the site holds, the BenQ costs slightly more. That premium is worth paying only if the DisplayPort or the eye-care toolkit matters to you; for a buyer who just wants a comfortable all-round screen, the Dell is the better value because it adds speed, brightness and warranty terms for less. For plain office use, the two are close enough that either will do. Prices change and vary by shop, variant and offer, so check the product pages before you buy.

Read the full Dell S2425HSM review and specifications, the BenQ GW2490T review and specifications, or see every specification side by side on the live comparison page.