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The Sceptre C248W-1920RN gets the basics right. Its 24-inch 1920 x 1080 VA panel delivers good contrast and pleasing colors, while the 1800R curve gives the display a more immersive feel than a conventional flat budget monitor.
The 75Hz refresh rate is also useful for everyday gaming, although it falls well short of the 144Hz or higher refresh rates now common on gaming monitors.
What makes the C248W particularly appealing is its design. The slim bezels and silver finish give it a cleaner, more modern appearance than many monitors in this price range. Although not as expansive as the Samsung CRG9 49-inch Curved Ultrawide Monitor we recently reviewed, the C248W is a much more conventional monitor than that super-ultrawide behemoth.
The biggest compromises are the stand and connectivity. You only get tilt adjustment, while the rear panel is limited to HDMI, VGA, a headphone connection and the power input.
So, while this isn’t a monitor for demanding gamers or professional content creators, it makes a lot of sense as an affordable home-office, school or casual gaming display.
Specifications
- Screen size: 24 inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Panel: VA
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Curvature: 1800R
- Refresh rate: 75Hz
- Response time : Up to 8ms
- Brightness: 250 nits
- Contrast ratio: 3,000:1
- Color depth: 16.7 million colors
- Ports: HDMI, VGA, headphone
- VESA: Yes
Design
The C248W looks more expensive than it is. Its slim bezels and silver-colored chassis give it a clean appearance that works well on a home-office or bedroom desk. The 24-inch curved panel also gives the monitor a more distinctive look than the typical flat budget display.
The 1800R curvature isn’t particularly aggressive, but it is noticeable enough to add some immersion when you’re sitting directly in front of the screen.
The biggest weakness is the stand. You can tilt the display, but there is no height, swivel or pivot adjustment. That makes it less flexible than more modern monitors with fully adjustable stands.
Thankfully, VESA mounting support gives you the option of using a monitor arm or wall mount if you want a better ergonomic setup.
Display Quality
he C248W uses a 24-inch VA panel with a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution.
For everyday computing, that is a sensible combination. Text is reasonably sharp at this screen size, while the VA panel’s high contrast helps movies, games and darker scenes look more convincing.
The monitor is rated at 250 nits of brightness, which is adequate for typical indoor use but not particularly impressive. It is best used away from direct sunlight or very bright windows.
Color reproduction is also good enough for general use, gaming and entertainment, although this isn’t a display aimed at professional photo or video editing.
Viewing angles are acceptable, but you can expect some color and contrast changes when viewing the screen from the side.
Productivity Performance
For everyday productivity, the C248W performs well. The 1080p resolution provides enough workspace for documents, spreadsheets, web browsing and general desktop applications, while the 75Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and basic movement feel slightly smoother than on a standard 60Hz monitor.
The VA panel’s strong contrast is particularly useful for watching movies and other video content. The C248W also has relatively low input lag for a budget display, making it responsive enough for casual gaming. However, the monitor’s limitations become more obvious if you expect modern gaming-monitor performance.
Gaming Performance
The Sceptre C248W-1920RN specs include a 5-millisecond (gray-to-gray) pixel response, and the 75Hz peak refresh rate won’t suffice for many games, but it isn’t the worst either. I noticed screen tearing while playing GTA V on the PC and Fallout on the Xbox 360.
Many gamers will be hard-pressed to find graphic solutions to handle 5K gaming, especially with the release of the Pascal-based NVidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphic cards. If you need to enjoy smooth gaming, the Acer Predator XB271HK offers a few excellent features that appeal to gamers.
The Sceptre C248W-1920RN monitor’s 12.8-millisecond input lag (time taken for the monitor to react to a controller command) is relatively short, though it doesn’t beat the 10.6-millisecond standard for most budget monitors. The fastest we’ve had so far is 9.5 milliseconds from the Benq SW2700PT.
The monitor consumes about 37 watts of power while set to Text mode, 33 watts while set to Movie mode, and a paltry 32.7 watts in Power Save mode.
Should I Buy it
Sceptre C248W-1920RN Scorecard
- Design: 4.0/5 – Slim, clean and attractive curved design, although the stand only offers tilt adjustment.
- Value: 4.3/5 – Strong value for a basic 24-inch Full HD monitor with a VA panel and 75Hz refresh rate.
- Performance: 3.8/5 – Good for everyday work, streaming and casual gaming, but 75Hz and 250-nit brightness limit it against newer monitors.
- Overall: 4.0/5 – A solid budget monitor for everyday computing and casual gaming.
Buy the Sceptre C248W-1920RN if you want…
An affordable curved monitor
You want a stylish 24-inch Full HD display without spending much.
A monitor for work and casual gaming
You need a versatile screen for everyday productivity, streaming and occasional gaming.
Don’t buy it if you need…
ompetitive gaming performance
The 75Hz refresh rate isn’t fast enough for serious competitive gaming.
A fully adjustable workstation monitor
The basic tilt-only stand lacks height, swivel and pivot adjustments.
Sceptre C248W-1920RN Verdict
The Sceptre C248W-1920RN isn’t trying to compete with premium gaming monitors, and that’s not where it needs to.
Its appeal is value. You get a stylish 24-inch curved Full HD display, good VA contrast and a 75Hz refresh rate without moving into a much higher price bracket. For everyday productivity and casual gaming, that’s a useful combination.
The lack of ergonomic adjustment and modern connectivity prevents it from being a perfect budget monitor, while serious gamers will want a faster 144Hz-plus display.
But if your priority is an affordable monitor that looks good and handles everyday computing, streaming and casual gaming well, the Sceptre C248W-1920RN remains a solid budget choice.
Also consider…
There is always a better alternative if you’re willing to spend a little more. The ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q, for instance, is about $150 more. For that extra bit of cash, you end up getting a better contrast ratio, a refresh rate of 240Hz, Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, and better connectivity options.
If you work with pictures and require more color control, our Editor’s Choice, the BenQ SW2700PT, is a better option. It delivers accurate colors and has advanced six-axis color adjustments and 14-bit LUT to calibrate hardware.
Price Comparison
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