There's something to be said for running a Full HD (FHD) display at its native resolution, be it a monitor or HDTV. At 1920x1080, the mainstream adoption of a truly high-definition mode gave us enough screen detail to create film-like picture quality without a glaringly obvious pixel structure. It ushered in a new era where TV and PC content were finally in sync.
But alas, all good things must come to an end, and we know full well that nothing stands still in this business for very long. There is always something better just around the corner. Enter Quad HD (QHD) screens sporting 2560x1440 resolutions. Quad refers to the total number of pixels these displays employ, which is multiplied by the minimum standard for HD: 1280x720. Whereas 720p has a total of 921,600 pixels, QHD has four times that number, or 3,686,400 pixels. This is still a high-end technology though, and monitors sporting QHD resolutions are priced significantly higher than their 1080p counterparts.
It's unfortunate that screens with a 16:10 aspect ratio are becoming as rare as they are, commanding unusually high prices. But the slight loss of vertical resolution you experience on a big 27" monitor running 2560x1440 (corresponding to 16:9) isn't that big of a deal. The greater pixel density means you can sit a little closer to the screen without being bothered by the pixel structure. Both of the monitors we're reviewing today pack 108.8 pixels into every inch, while 27-inch FHD monitors only give you 81.6. By comparison, the 15-inch Apple MacBook with Retina Display has 220 pixels per inch, and the iPhone 5 boasts an incredible 326!
We're looking at flagship models from ViewSonic and Samsung: the VP2770-LED and S27B970D. These are premium products with a price tag to match. When you spend this much, you should expect a high degree of color accuracy, excellent contrast, and plenty of light output. Do these two screens offer more than just extra pixels? Let’s take a look.
ViewSonic VP2770-LED

The VP2770-LED comes securely packaged in a double-layer box. Since you're most likely to purchase this monitor online, its sturdy container is essential. We're glad to see that ViewSonic doesn’t skimp on its bundle either, providing dual-link DVI, DisplayPort, VGA, and USB cables, along with a standard power cord. The setup CD contains all necessary drivers and an electronic copy of the user manual.
This monitor features minimalist industrial styling, with everything enclosed in a matte black non-reflective plastic. The attached base is wide and stable, and it allows for swivel, tilt, rotate, and height adjustment. The bezel is 22 mm wide on all four sides, and the actual image goes right to the edge of the glass, leaving no visible black border. A dark grey ViewSonic logo is stenciled in the center of the bottom bezel. Touch-sensitive menu controls and power button are located to the right of the logo. A small status LED peeks out of the lower-right corner, though it can be disabled in the menu.
Speaking of the menu, its logically-arranged array of controls will be instantly familiar to anyone who has previously owned a ViewSonic monitor. It’s evident from the start that the VP2770-LED is a very solidly-built piece of gear.

The rear panel includes a complement of downward-facing inputs and a 100x100 mm VESA mount. Four screws detach the base if you want to mount this panel on a wall bracket or swing-arm. Inputs include DVI, HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort, and VGA, though only the DVI and DisplayPort inputs support the panel’s full native resolution. USB is enabled through one Type B uplink, two USB 2.0 ports underneath the monitor, and two USB 3.0 ports on the side. We noticed an audio jack as well, which was a bit of a mystery since there are no speakers built in. As it turns out, this is an output for headphones. It may come in handy if you want to connect a DVD or Blu-ray player via HDMI, since that standard includes an audio signal.
Samsung S27B970D

The new Series 9 panel from Samsung is practically drenched in high-end features and aesthetics. The first thing that falls out of the box is a calibration data sheet with the test results of the monitor inside. That’s right folks, each panel is hand-calibrated at the factory before delivery. Priced at $1,199, however, you pay handsomely for that service. This is the first factory-calibrated display we’ve ever tested, so we’ll see how our own results compare to Samsung’s later on in the benchmarks.
Despite all the attention paid to the S27B970D at the factory, its shipping carton is not quite up to the task of protecting such an expensive piece of hardware, and our sample arrived with a hole in the box. The cardboard is simply too thin. Fortunately, the panel was undamaged thanks to the large amount of empty space inside. We urge online buyers to inspect their purchase promptly. Inside is a full kit of cables, including one for DisplayPort, HDMI (with a Mobile High-Definition Link connector), dual-link DVI, and USB. On this monitor, the power supply is located in an external power brick.
Visually, this is one of the nicest-looking monitors we’ve ever seen. The screen is covered by a glass panel that sits flush with a thin, polished-metal bezel. The image border is 24 mm on the sides and top, and 42 mm across the bottom. The glass has a non-reflective coating, though it’s not quite as effective as the plastic covers used on most displays. Depending on your room lighting, you are likely to see at least some reflections. On the plus side, the image is tack-sharp.
The base is a large silver disk around 1.25"-thick, and it performs double-duty as the housing for the input jacks and touch-sensitive control panel. The display is attached to a slim vertical arm, made of metal, which is adjustable for tilt and height. Unfortunately, there is no swivel or rotation on this unit, and since the base is permanently attached, any sort of bracket mount is also out.

The input complement is all-digital; no VGA option is available. The three included ports are HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort. The HDMI input doesn’t support the monitor's full native resolution, but that doesn't appear to be its purpose anyway, since it supports MHL, allowing you to hook up a phone or other device to view its output. More and more portable electronics seem to have this feature nowadays, so it’s nice to see it supported on the desktop end. USB 2.0 is supported as well, with a Type B connector on the back and two Type A ports on the screen's right side. You need to connect the rear port to your PC if you want to use the NCE calibration software. More on that later.
| Brand | ViewSonic | Samsung |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $856 MSRP | $1,200 MSRP |
| Model | VP2770-LED | S27B970D |
| Panel Type | IPS | PLS |
| Backlight | LED | LED |
| Screen Size | 27" | 27" |
| Max Resolution | 2560x1440 | 2560x1440 |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Response Time (GTG), mfr | 12 ms | 5 ms |
| Brightness (cd/m2), mfr | 300 | 285 |
| Speakers | No | Yes |
| VGA | 1 | - |
| DVI | 1 | 1 |
| DisplayPort | 1 | 1 |
| HDMI | 1 | 1 |
| Energy Star-Qualified | Yes | Yes |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Dimensions w/Stand (W x H x D), inches | 25.3 x 18.5 x 13.7 | 25.4 x 18.4 x 9.7 |
| Dimensions w/Stand (W x H x D), millimeters | 642.6 x 464.8 x 348 | 645.2 x 467.4 x 246.4 |
| Warranty | Three years | Three years |
Before we get to the results, let’s go over how we test, and run down some of the unique calibration features of Samsung's S27B970D.
To measure and calibrate monitors, we use an i1Pro spectrophotometer and the latest version of SpectraCal CalMAN software (v5.0.3).

For patterns, we employ an AccuPel DVG-5000 video signal generator. This approach removes video cards and drivers from the signal chain, allowing the display to receive true reference patterns. Connections are made via HDMI.
The AccuPel DVG-5000 is capable of generating all types of video signals at any resolution and refresh rate up to 1920x1080 at 60 Hz. It can also display motion patterns to evaluate a monitor's video processing capabilities, with 3D patterns available in every format. This allows us to measure color and grayscale performance, crosstalk, and ghosting in 3D content via the 3D glasses.
Samsung S27B970D Extras
Before moving on to the benchmarks, we need to talk about some of the unique features of Samsung's S27B970D. This monitor offers five picture modes, all of which have unique properties that affect the test results. The Calibrated mode refers to a factory-adjusted preset that locks out all adjustments, including brightness and contrast. The only way to alter it is to use the Natural Color Expert software with one of four supported color probes. Yes, the i1Pro is one of these. The only mode that allows full access to the controls is Standard, and this is the mode we used in our testing. Even with the NCE software, we weren’t able to achieve better results than we did with a manual calibration in Standard mode.
The table below contains the settings we used to generate our results, so feel free to try them out. They are likely to improve your monitor’s image, although slight variations between samples do exist and no two monitors calibrate exactly the same. A color probe and the appropriate software will always give you the best results.
| ViewSonic VP2770-LED | |
|---|---|
| Mode | User Color |
| Contrast | 70 |
| Brightness | 42 |
| RGB | 98/100/94 |
| Sharpness | 0 |
| Gamma | Standard |
| Samsung S27B970D | |
| Mode | Standard |
| Contrast | 75 |
| Brightness | 84 |
| RGB | 53/46/50 |
| Sharpness | 60 |
| Gamma | 2.2 |
Note that any Sharpness setting above 0 on the ViewSonic causes visible ringing, also known as edge enhancement. This appears as white outlines around black text and other dark objects when they are rendered on a light-colored background.
Before calibrating both panels, we measure zero and 100 percent signals at both ends of the brightness control range. This shows us how contrast is affected at the extremes of a monitor's luminance capability.

The VP2770-LED can output a fair amount of light at its max brightness setting, exceeding ViewSonic's spec by about 10 percent. Luminance over 300 cd/m2 can compete with high ambient light levels in the workspace. The Samsung panel is a little less bright, falling short of the manufacturer’s 285 cd/m2 spec.
Black levels hold up well on both screens, but Samsung does extremely well with a low value of .1605 cd/m2.

The four monitors we've reviewed most recently demonstrate good black levels, even at the highest brightness setting. Among IPS panels, the VP2770-LED and S27970D do extremely well.
Low black levels like these have a positive effect on the overall contrast ratio.

Samsung is the winner here with a high contrast ratio of 1483.3:1, although ViewSonic isn’t all that far behind.
Turning brightness to the minimum setting tells us how a monitor will perform in lower lighting conditions. This is a configuration you might use in a completely darkened room, for example.

While the ViewSonic maintains enough luminance to be practical, the Samsung does not. At just over 58 cd/m2, the S27B970D’s image is just too dim.
However, this does have a positive effect on black levels. The darker your room, the lower you want your black level to be.

Samsung is the black level king, with a result that’s almost immeasurable. We had to average several readings, since the i1Pro was near its lower practical limit. Again, ViewSonic is not far behind.
Both monitors render an extremely high contrast ratio at their minimum brightness settings. While Samsung achieves a high figure, it comes at the expense of a very dim picture.

While you could run the S27B970D this way, the image is very dark and would likely contribute to eye fatigue over time. Turning up the brightness slightly would alleviate this, yet still maintain a very high contrast ratio.
Since we consider 200 nits to be an ideal average for peak output, we calibrate all of our test monitors to that value. In a room with some ambient light (like an office), this brightness level provides a sharp, punchy image with maximum detail and minimum eye fatigue. It's also the sweet spot for gamma and grayscale tracking, which we'll look at on pages five and six.

Achieving exactly 200 cd/m2 is dependent on the resolution of the brightness control. In this case, we went a tad over the mark.
Grayscale calibration does affect the black level. You can see the numbers below are slightly higher than the stock measurements.

Samsung’s black level is most affected by calibration, rising 43 percent from the measurement taken at max brightness. ViewSonic, on the other hand, shows a reduction of nine percent after calibration.
The final calibrated contrast ratio numbers are a bit below other panels we’ve tested.

If ultimate contrast ratio is your goal, the previously-tested ViewSonic VX2770Smh is still the champ. These two QHD monitors both measure a little below average.
Gamma
Gamma is the measurement of luminance levels at every step in the brightness range from 0 to 100 percent. This is important because poor gamma can either crush detail at various points or wash it out, making the entire picture appear flat and dull. Correct gamma produces a more three-dimensional image, with greater depth and pop. Meanwhile, incorrect gamma can negatively affect image quality, even in monitors with high contrast ratios.
We’re now including the gamma tracking charts for all the monitors we test. The yellow line represents 2.2. The closer the white measurement trace comes to 2.2, the better.

The VP2770-LED sticks pretty close to the 2.2 mark. There’s a slight drop at 10 percent, which means the monitor renders that signal level too bright. The rise towards 90 percent means the signal is slightly dark.
Samsung's screen measures slightly better in this metric.

Aside from slight dips at 10 and 90 percent, the S27B970D displays perfect gamma tracking. This is excellent performance.
You can see from the comparison charts that both panels measure extremely well, coming very close to the 2.2 value.

The ViewSonic achieves its best gamma at the Standard setting, while the other two presets are either lower or higher than 2.2. Samsung includes settings for every gamma value from 1.6 to 2.7, and each one measures correspondingly to that value.
Because some monitors fluctuate at different points in the brightness range, we also include the range of gamma values. A lower range number indicates superior gamma tracking.

Both monitors render near-perfect gamma. A range of values that low is invisible to the naked eye, indicating an extremely well-engineered display.
ANSI Contrast Ratio
Another important measure of contrast is ANSI. This is a relatively new benchmark for our monitor reviews. To perform this test, a checkerboard pattern of sixteen 0 and 100 percent squares are measured. This is somewhat more real-world than on/off measurements because it tests a display’s ability to simultaneously maintain both low black and full white levels, and factors in screen uniformity. The average of the eight full-white measurements is divided by the average of the eight full-black measurements to arrive at the ANSI result.

Our result is not entirely surprising, given that both panels maintain lower than average on/off contrast ratios. The previously-tested FHD panels did a little better. Even though the VP2770-LED has a slightly higher on/off number, its ANSI measurement is a little lower than Samsung’s.
All of the IPS panels we’ve tested recently display excellent grayscale tracking, even at stock settings. It’s important that the color of white be consistently neutral at all light levels from darkest to brightest. Grayscale performance impacts color accuracy with regard to the secondary colors; cyan, magenta, and yellow. Since computer monitors typically have no color or tint adjustment, accurate grayscale is key.
ViewSonic VP2770-LED
To perform a manual calibration of the VP2770-LED, we employed the User color mode. The other modes lock out the RGB adjustments. Selecting the sRGB preset also prevents use of the Contrast and Brightness sliders. The pre-calibration chart below reflects the User mode with the RGB controls set to their default positions.

The color of white tends a bit towards blue as the signal level rises. The error becomes visible at 40 percent, and hits a max of just over six Delta E at 100 percent. This is a slightly cool tone and an average out-of-box result.
After calibrating the VP2770-LED, the grayscale tracking is quite excellent. Only small adjustments need to be made to bring everything in line.

Our final settings are Red 98, Green 100, and Blue 94, with contrast set to 70 and Brightness to 42. This is perfect tracking with an average Delta E error of only 0.8604. It doesn’t really get much better than this.
Samsung S27B970D
As mentioned earlier, the S27B970D offers several unique options with its color modes. The first chart is the factory-calibrated mode. As previously stated, the only way to adjust this is to use the Natural Color Expert software with a supported color probe. The chart below represents the monitor in its default state.

The result is somewhat green in hue, with the error increasing as the light level goes up. The error becomes visible at 50 percent and it hits a max Delta E of just under six. Given a choice, we’d rather see blue errors than green because the human eye is most sensitive to green, and therefore better able to detect that error.
This is the Standard mode measurement. The green error is still present, but slightly lower. Visibility doesn’t occur until 80 percent, and the max Delta E is now under four.

If you don’t plan to calibrate the S27B970D, we recommend Standard mode. The color is pretty accurate without adjustment, and you’ll be able to control brightness and contrast.
After a manual calibration, the results are just a hair short of perfect.

Calibrating the Standard mode produces one of the best charts we’ve ever seen. Only zero and 10 percent are over one Delta E, and that can even be attributed to instrument error. While the human eye cannot distinguish between the Samsung and ViewSonic monitors we're measuring, we remain very impressed by this level of accuracy.
All of the monitors we’ve tested recently show an extremely low grayscale error right out of the box. While we recommend calibration of any panel, you can still enjoy an accurate image from any of these screens at their stock settings.

The Samsung S27B970D is the only panel to measure under three (average Delta E). This result is for the monitor’s Standard mode; the factory-calibrated mode measured higher, with an average Delta E of 3.76.
After calibration, both the Samsung and ViewSonic panels had essentially no grayscale error. This is near-perfect performance.

In most cases, calibration will yield a reasonable improvement over the stock image. With the monitors reviewed here, the improvement is more significant. It should be noted that Samsung’s Natural Color Expert software was not able to achieve a grayscale error this low. The best we could do was 2.14 Delta E average. The obvious conclusion is that a manual calibration is preferable for the S27B970D.
Color gamut is measured using a saturation sweep that samples the six main colors (red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, and yellow) at five saturation levels (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%). This provides a more realistic view of color accuracy. Since there are no color management controls on either monitor, we're only showing the post-calibration graphs (although we’re sure they'd look pretty much the same out-of-box).
ViewSonic VP2770-LED
Color luminance is a little low for blue, red, and magenta, and the error increases as the saturation rises. Green, yellow, and cyan maintain almost perfect levels at all saturation points. The net effect on Delta E is small, with the exception of blue, which has visible errors from 40 percent and up. The other colors stay closer to or underneath the visible error level of three. This is a fair result.
Samsung S27B970D
Samsung's S27B970D measures noticeably better than the ViewSonic in its Standard mode. The only color showing any real inaccuracy is blue, but the error is slight. Again, this is mostly caused by its low luminance, especially at 100 percent. Aside from that, this is an extremely accurate panel. We did measure a slightly better result in the sRGB mode, but since this prevented us from correcting any grayscale error, we decided to stick with Standard.
Here is the comparison of post-calibration chromaticity error. Remember that a Delta E value below three is imperceptible to the naked eye.
All of the panels we’ve tested recently have no visible color error. Samsung’s average Delta E value is extremely low at 1.62 in the Standard picture mode. The factory-calibrated mode comes out a bit higher, with a Delta E of 2.69. Coincidentally, ViewSonic also turns out a Delta E value of 2.69. This is excellent performance.
Gamut Volume: Adobe RGB 1998
There are basically two categories of displays in use today: those that conform to the sRGB standard like HDTVs, and wide-gamut panels that show as much as 100 percent of the Adobe RGB 1998 spec.
The VP2770-LED and S27B970D fall into the former category, making them ideal for gaming and video content. Even out of the box, each screen's image will closely match the TV in your living room. If you require a larger color gamut for photo or graphics production, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
We use Gamutvision to calculate the gamut volume based on an ICC profile created from actual measurements. Given the premium price of the Samsung, we expected at least a wide-gamut option. But alas, there isn’t one. Both screens offer about the same gamut size as their competition.
Monitors that display more of the Adobe RGB 1998 gamut are generally priced higher. But they won't look as good in movies or games due to their higher color saturation. Unless the content is actually mastered using the larger gamut (and none presently is), it won’t display correctly on a monitor designed to conform to Adobe RGB 1998. So, it’s important to select a monitor based on its intended use, rather than the size of its color gamut.
Since both panels are IPS-based, we expected to see superb off-axis viewing performance, and we did. While Samsung calls its technology PLS, it works on the same principle.
ViewSonic's VP2770-LED looks every bit as good as the other IPS-based panels we’ve tested recently. There is very little light falloff at the 45-degree mark and there is no perceptible color shift. This is one of the best reasons to put an IPS monitor on your desktop.
Samsung’s off-axis test looks almost exactly like ViewSonic’s. There is little difference between the two monitors. Neither exhibits any color shift as you move off-axis, and the light falloff is relatively linear.
While some monitors are better than others, no LCD panel has perfect screen uniformity, and even samples of the same model can have quite a bit of variation. So, since there’s no solid standard for applying a rating to different monitors, we’ll simply present the results of our measurements.
To measure screen uniformity, zero percent and 100 percent full-field patterns are used, and nine points are sampled. We’re now expressing the values as percentages relative to the center of the screen.
| ViewSonic VP2770-LED | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black Field Uniformity (percentage of center) | ||
| 80.51% | 85.61% | 98.35% |
| 75.18% | 100% | 75.18% |
| 73.20% | 100.51% | 72.72% |
| White Field Uniformity (percentage of center) | ||
| 89.34% | 95.01% | 89.31% |
| 87.84% | 100% | 88.72% |
| 88.00% | 88.87% | 89.00% |
| Samsung S27970D | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black Field Uniformity (percentage of center) | ||
| 87.62% | 97.21% | 89.38% |
| 98.39% | 100% | 93.49% |
| 96.00% | 91.25% | 92.60% |
| White Field Uniformity (percentage of center) | ||
| 97.30% | 98.49% | 95.85% |
| 95.77% | 100% | 94.26% |
| 90.06% | 91.29% | 95.33% |
While both panels display excellent uniformity at their brightness extremes, the Samsung is exceptional. This is likely due to the factory calibration, which includes uniformity in its round of tests. Even though we measure in the Standard mode, the uniformity lookup table in the monitor’s firmware is obviously utilized. It would be quite difficult to improve on this performance.
To perform these tests, we use a high-speed camera that shoots at 1,000 frames per second. Analyzing the video frame-by-frame allows us to observe the exact time it takes to go from a zero-percent signal to a 100% white field.
The pattern generator is placed at the base of the monitor so our camera can capture the precise moment its front-panel LED lights up, indicating that a video signal is being received by the monitor. With this camera placement, we can easily see how long it takes to fully display a pattern after pressing the button on the generator’s remote. This testing methodology allows for accurate and repeatable results when comparing panels.

ViewSonic wins the response time comparison by two milliseconds over the others. And although it still lags behind most TN-based monitors, it does show an improvement in IPS technology. Conversely, Samsung trails the pack in this metric. Now, let’s look at the signal lag measurement.
Keep in mind that this is measuring total lag, with the pixel response time factored in. Of course, your actual mileage will vary depending on the hardware and software configuration used. But because we’re using a pattern generator, we can eliminate these variables.

Samsung moves up in the ranking with its lower input lag time. The AOC screen we tested in AOC I2757Fh And ViewSonic VX2770Smh: Two 27" IPS Monitorsis still on top, but the two screens in this review are only slightly behind. When looking at results from the TN-based monitors we’ve tested, we see these latest IPS panels are inching closer in speed. Their response time is within two or three milliseconds, making that comparison a practical wash.
Input lag is generally greater on IPS-based displays, though not by much. Moreover, it's not simply universal that any given TN panel is faster than any given IPS panel. Ultimately, you need to have extremely fast reaction times to be held back by any of these monitors.
These two monitors represent the high-end of computer displays. With all the advantages of IPS technology and super-high pixel density, these screens pretty much have it all.
Why would you want a QHD (2560x1440) display?
For the additional screen real estate, of course. You can fit quite a few more windows on one of these panels than you can with an FHD (1920x1080) panel. And the high density means that you won’t see any pixel structure, even at one or two feet away. However, there is one caveat, and its impact depends on the quality of your vision.
Why wouldn't you want a QHD screen like one of these two?
Everything gets smaller. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a QHD monitor smaller than 27 inches when you see how tiny fonts become. Our advice is to simply to try before you buy. You don’t want to run any monitor at less than its native resolution. The loss of sharpness is simply too great. So, it is imperative to be sure that you can adapt to what 2560x1440 looks like.
ViewSonic VP2770-LED
Price-wise, the ViewSonic is in line with its competition. While there are cheaper alternatives, you'd be hard-pressed to match the build quality and performance of the VP2770-LED. Its color accuracy is top-notch, it’s bright, and it offers decent contrast. Even without a calibration, the image looks great right out of the box. And if you are a fan of industrial design, this monitor belongs on your desktop.
Samsung S27B970D
For a penny shy of $1200, Samsung delivers a beautiful, high-performing product. You will have to decide if auto-calibration and a slick modern appearance are worth the premium. We would like to see a monitor at this price level offer a wide-gamut option, however. That omission aside, the S27B970D offers near-perfect grayscale and gamma, and excellent color accuracy, either stock or calibrated. Although slightly less bright than the ViewSonic, it still puts out plenty of light for all but the most blazingly-lit rooms. This monitor’s input lag numbers even put it ahead of some TN monitors we’ve tested.
If 1920x1080 pixels aren’t enough for you, these two monitors will thoroughly satisfy your need for more. Apple’s Retina screens still offer the highest pixel density, but QHD is currently it for PC users. This is going to change sooner rather than later. However, if you just can’t wait, we think these displays are well worth a look.





