NZXT Canvas 25F 24.5in 240Hz Gaming Monitor Review

Rating: 8.5.

NZXT has built a solid reputation designing stylish and well thought-out chassis for the gaming PC community. Recently the company has been looking to translate that design-focused DNA to the ultra-competitive market of monitors. We were quite impressed with its first foray into this arena, the NZXT Canvas 27Q. Now we are putting the smaller 24.5in Canvas 25F through its paces. It may only be Full HD, but with a 240Hz refresh it could be a gaming monster.

Although most monitors can be deployed with a desktop stand or an arm, NZXT is explicitly offering the Canvas 25F with a choice between the two. You can even purchase an arm that will accommodate two monitors. But that's not the only trick up this monitor's sleeve, if monitors can have sleeves. The resolution is just 1920 x 1080, which is pretty standard for a panel this size, but the refresh rate of 240Hz is about as fast as you can get, making this screen ideal for fast-paced gaming such as FPS. There is AMD FreeSync Premium, which is the medium tier, offering at least 120Hz, low framerate compensation, tear-free motion plus low flicker and latency. The main feature missing compared to the Pro upper tier is HDR.

The panel type is IPS, but NZXT quotes a 1ms response time, which is probably not grey-to-grey considering the screen technology. Brightness is 400cd/m2 and contrast 1,000:1, which are typical for IPS. The colour gamut is middling, on paper, with 99 per cent sRGB and 83 per cent DCI-P3.

Ergonomics vary depending on the stand you choose. We were sent the Canvas 25F with the mounting arm, about which no adjustment details were supplied, but the options are extensive. For the regular desktop stand, you get height adjustment, tilt, swivel and pivot. The mounting arm also supports pivoting, and there's a comprehensive set of connections, including DisplayPort, two HDMI, and USB Type C. There's a regular USB upstream plus two Type A downstream and a headphone jack.

However, this isn't a cheap screen. The panel on its own is £259, then you add £40 for the stand or £139.99 for the mounting arm. You can choose white or black for the monitor or stand, but the arm only comes in black. At these prices, the NZXT Canvas 25F needs top-notch performance. Read on to find out if it delivers.

Specification:

• Screen size: 24.5-inch, 16:9 aspect
• Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
• Curvature: No
• Refresh rate: 240Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium
• Panel type: IPS
• Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 (typical)
• Brightness: 400cd/m2
• Response time: 1ms
• Display inputs: HDMI 2.0 x 2, DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, USB Type C
• USB hub: Yes, Type B or C input, 2 x USB 3.0 outputs
• Tilt: (with desktop stand) 5 degrees forward, 20 degrees backward
• Raise: (with desktop stand) 120mm
• Swivel: (with desktop stand) 20 degrees left or right
• Portrait: Yes (desktop stand or mounting arm)
• Other: Audio output minijack

Retail Price: £259 (inc. VAT) – panel only

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