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Response, Input Lag, Viewing Angles and Uniformity

With so much attention focused on OLEDs, I had to go back in time to find a group of QHD LCDs worthy of comparison to the Q27G4ZMN. They are AOC’s CQ27G4ZH, Titan Army’s P32A2S2, Gigabyte’s GS27QXA, ViewSonic’s XG2736-2K, and the Xiaomi G Pro 27i. Speeds range from 180 to 300 Hz.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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AOC Q27G4ZMN — (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

It’s interesting to see the variance of panel response times and how they don’t stay in lockstep with refresh rates. OLEDs are a bit more consistent. The Q27G4ZMN draws a full white field in 5ms which is quick enough to eliminate most motion blur before the overdrive kicks in. With that engaged, there is virtually no blur, and no artifacts either. The other AOC and the Titan Army are a tad quicker, but the visual difference is minute.

The spread of input lag scores is tight as well. And clearly, refresh rate doesn’t guarantee success. The quickest screen is the 240 Hz ViewSonic, followed closely by the Q27G4ZMN. The other AOC runs at 300 Hz but is no faster. You’ll see no real difference between any of the six monitors in terms of gaming feel and responsiveness. The Q27G4ZMN runs with the best and stands out in other areas that I’ll show you later.

Test Takeaway: The Q27G4ZMN is one of the quickest Mini LED monitors you can buy. It also has an excellent overdrive which runs smoothly and is artifact-free. It’s also one of the least expensive screens in the group so the bang-for-the-buck quotient is extremely attractive.

Viewing Angles

A VA panel’s main weakness is off-axis image quality and the Q27G4ZMN breaks no new ground there. At 45 degrees, you can see a green shift with slightly darker gamma, but peak output remains constant. The top view is around 50% dimmer with very low gamma and a blue shift. This is typical VA panel performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

The Q27G4ZMN’s screen uniformity is about average for its price and technology. The score is 11.25%, which indicates a slight anomaly in the upper right and left corners of my sample. It’s easier to spot in a full black field pattern than in actual content.

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Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.