Philips has unveiled the Evnia 25M2N3200U gaming monitor, bringing up to 310Hz refresh rate to budget users. It mimics the excellent motion performance and responsiveness of higher-tier products without breaking the bank. Whether you are into story-driven or highly-competitive esports titles, the 25M2N3200U won’t let you down.
The Evnia 25M2N3200U is powered by a 24.5in Fast IPS panel rated for 300Hz native operation. Those willing can further boost its speed up to 310Hz through overclocking, improving motion clarity ever so slightly. Even in its out-of-the-box state, this monitor is perfectly suited for quick reaction games, be it racing or first-person shooters.
This high refresh is complemented by a typical 1ms GtG response time, which can go as low as 0.3ms using Smart MBR. The latter is a backlight-strobing technology whose job is to reduce the blur that occurs during fast motion. It works by flashing the backlight in sync with the refresh rate of the monitor, resulting in clearer moving objects and less ghosting. Keep in mind however that Smart MBR can’t be enabled alongside G-Sync/Adaptive sync, so you will have to choose between a clear or a tear-free experience.
To make 310Hz refresh possible at this price, Philips had to make cuts somewhere. That place is image sharpness, as the 25M2N3200U only offers FHD (1920×1080) resolution. Mind you, its resulting 90PPI (pixels per inch) is perfectly serviceable, but just not to the level of 1440p and 4K alternatives. On the other hand, Philips advertises a Delta below 2 colour accuracy in the sRGB gamut, which mainly found on higher-tier products.
But that’s not all, the 25M2N3200U also includes VESA’s DisplayHDR 400 certification, giving you popping colours and striking brightness in compatible content. That said, don’t expect an extraordinary HDR presentation as the panel’s maximum brightness tops at 450nits. The same goes for contrast, which sits at 1000:1. Again, these are completely acceptable trade-offs to achieve this refresh rate at this price.
Build-wise, you get Philips’ signature square patterns, topped by a textured charcoal paint job. The stand offers a complete set of adjustments, including up to 130mm height, 90° pivot, 30° swivel, and from -5° to 20° tilt. Lastly, for I/O, there are two HDMI 2.0, one DisplayPort 1.4, plus a 3.5mm audio out. Just note that the HDMI ports are only capable of pushing 240Hz, so DisplayPort will be the way to go.
The Philips Evnia 25M2N3200U will be available from mid-October at £159.99. This puts it among the cheapest in this range, making 144Hz monitors feel archaic by comparison.
