Lenovo has pushed a surprisingly aggressive gaming monitor into China through its Lecoo sub-brand: the 24.5-inch Lecoo N2521SQ pairs a 2560 × 1440 Fast IPS panel with a 275Hz refresh rate and a price tag of 888 yuan, or about $131. That is firmly in ”how did they get the number that low?” territory for a QHD gaming monitor aimed at players who care more about speed than desk-chic aesthetics.
The catch is exactly where you would expect it. The stand only tilts, there is no mention of AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync, and Lenovo is clearly trimming extras to hit the price. Even so, the spec sheet is more ambitious than many budget 1080p models, which is part of the point: panel prices have been sliding, and Chinese brands have been using aggressive local launches to pressure mainstream gaming monitor makers.
Lecoo N2521SQ specs and gaming features
- 24.5-inch Fast IPS display
- 2560 × 1440 resolution
- 275Hz refresh rate
- 3ms response time, or 1ms in Speed Mode
- HDR support and Game Plus aiming aid
Lenovo says the panel covers 99% of DCI-P3 and 132% of sRGB, with a typical brightness of 300 cd/m2 and Delta E under 2 for color accuracy. Those are respectable numbers for a monitor this cheap, even if the omission of variable refresh support leaves a few question marks for buyers who want smoother frame pacing rather than a pure refresh-rate headline.
Ports and design are basic on purpose
Connectivity is straightforward: one DisplayPort 1.4 input and two HDMI 2.0 ports. That is enough for a gaming PC and a couple of consoles or backup devices, but not much more. In other words, this is a monitor built to do one job well and avoid the kind of feature bloat that usually pushes prices north.
The bigger question is whether this kind of value play stays confined to China or pushes Lenovo to sharpen its wider gaming lineup. Rival brands have been stacking 27-inch QHD panels and higher refresh rates at lower prices for a while, so a sub-$150 275Hz model is less a surprise than a warning shot.
What buyers get for 888 yuan
For 888 yuan, buyers get raw speed, QHD sharpness, and very few luxuries. That formula will appeal to gamers who can live without ergonomic adjustability and premium sync features, and it may force more expensive brands to justify why their similarly specced panels cost so much more.