Verdict: Poor value overall

Don't believe the hype about response times. Lower figures don't guarantee a better TFT, and the BenQ is a classic example. We were expecting a lot from this panel, considering the speedy 12ms response time, and weren't exactly treated to high quality.

Quite apart from the frustrating on-screen menu, which is slow and takes a while to get used to, the BenQ's colour balance is poor. We created a user profile to ensure even RGB levels, but dark greys still had a green tinge, while lighter shades looked blue. Plus, both top and bottom ends of the spectrum were noticeably truncated, leading to a loss of detail in shadows and bright areas. This is most noticeable in games and films, and there's nothing you can do to correct it.

Pixel jitter was evident while using the D-SUB interface, and there's no DVI connector to switch to. There's no height adjustment and the stand doesn't pivot either. The quiet stereo speakers are hardly any consolation for the lack of other features.

The 12ms response time minimises blurring in games and movies, but still doesn't eliminate it.

All things considered, the BenQ just isn't worth £243.

• Cases - 21st November 2008
• Motherboards - 24th October 2008
• Gaming Headsets - 26th September 2008
• Dream PCs - 24th September 2008
• Headphones - 12th September 2008
• Media PC components - 22nd August 2008
• PSUs - 14th July 2008

• Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB - Hard disks / storage
• Asus EAH4870 TOP - Graphics cards
• Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro - Sound cards
• Multiwinia - Games
• Zotac GeForce GTX 260² - Graphics cards
• Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 - Graphics cards
• Scan 3XS X58 Core i7 - Desktop PCs