First look: TCL is making a calculated move in the budget gaming monitor market by focusing heavily on performance where it matters most. Through its FFALCON brand, the company has introduced the Thunderobot Q5AD YYDS Edition in China, a 24.5-inch display built around a simple idea: competitive players do not need unnecessary extras – they need speed.
At first glance, the specs are familiar. A 1080p resolution on a 24.5-inch panel is hardly cutting-edge in 2026, but that combination continues to hold its place in esports for a reason. Higher resolutions demand more GPU power, and in games where milliseconds matter, players often prioritize frame rate stability over visual sharpness. This monitor is clearly designed with that trade-off in mind.
The Q5AD's standout feature is its refresh rate. It runs at 280Hz out of the box and can be pushed to 300Hz over DisplayPort. That extra headroom helps keep motion smooth when frame rates fluctuate. In fast-paced shooters like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, smoother frame delivery can directly affect reaction time and tracking accuracy. TCL is not trying to reinvent the category here; it is refining a formula that already works.
The panel itself comes from CSOT, TCL's display manufacturing arm, and uses Fast IPS technology. Response time is rated at 1ms gray-to-gray, and the monitor includes overdrive and MPRT+ motion blur reduction.
In practice, these features are designed to keep fast-moving visuals from smearing or trailing, which remains one of the biggest distractions in high-speed gameplay. The overall setup clearly prioritizes motion clarity over richer, more cinematic visuals.
The monitor supports 10-bit color via 8-bit + FRC, and covers 99% of the sRGB color space and 93% of DCI-P3. TCL also claims factory calibration to a Delta E of less than 2, suggesting reasonably accurate color reproduction out of the box. This is not a creator-grade display, but the specifications and calibration help it avoid the overly muted look often found on cheaper panels. Peak brightness is rated at 400 nits, with basic HDR400 certification included, though HDR here feels more like a checkbox feature than a defining one.
The stand uses a compact hexagonal base, a deliberate design choice that frees up desk space. That matters more than it might seem, especially for players who use oversized mousepads and rely on wide arm movements.
Adjustability is limited to tilt, ranging from -5 to 15 degrees, so ergonomics take a back seat. Still, the monitor includes hardware-level low-blue-light filtering and DC dimming to reduce flicker, which should help during longer gaming sessions.
The monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium and is also compatible with Nvidia G-Sync, helping eliminate screen tearing and maintain consistent frame pacing. It also includes a few built-in tools aimed at competitive play, such as a dark scene enhancement feature and a dynamic crosshair overlay. These additions are not groundbreaking, but they align with the monitor's focus on practical utility.
Connectivity is minimal but sufficient. There is a DisplayPort 1.4 input required to reach the full 300Hz refresh rate, alongside an HDMI 2.0 port capped at 240Hz. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also included. On-screen settings are controlled via a standard five-way joystick located on the back of the monitor.
What TCL has put together here is not an attempt to impress on paper. It is a targeted piece of hardware built for a specific type of user – someone who values responsiveness over resolution, and consistency over visual flair. At 599 yuan (about $88), the Q5AD YYDS Edition stays firmly in budget territory while still delivering the core features competitive players actually rely on.
