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I’ve reviewed plenty of 240 Hz QHD OLEDs, but lately, more displays are coming out at 360 and even 480 Hz. To answer the question, “How fast does an OLED need to be?”, I’ve rounded up the LG 27GX790A, Samsung OLED G6, Asus XG27ACDNG, Philips 27M2N8500, and AOC Q27G4ZD.
Pixel Response and Input Lag
Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.
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When you’re counting individual video frames from a 1,000fps video, yes, you can tell the difference between 240-280 Hz and 360 Hz. In practice, you cannot. 240 Hz provides perfect motion resolution. That means there is no loss of detail and no blur from moving objects or panning backgrounds. I’ve observed this in Blur Busters test patterns and in actual content. This also means that you won’t find more smoothness at 280, 360, or 480 Hz. The AW2725D matches motion quality with all the quicker screens, and so does the AOC with its 240 Hz refresh rate.
Input lag is therefore the deciding factor, and there certainly is a difference there. The LG and Philips are my two record holders at 10ms of total lag. So, you’ll need at least 360 Hz to play in that sandbox. But the AW2725D is right in the fray with 17ms, putting it 1ms ahead of the Samsung. I doubt anyone can tell a 1ms difference in input lag, or differentiate between 17 and 18ms. Bottom line, the AW2725D is plenty quick.
Test Takeaway: If smooth motion is your top priority, there is no need to buy an OLED faster than 240 Hz. The AW2725D’s 280 Hz is more than quick enough for perfect motion resolution and blur-free operation. Its input lag is also low enough for competition unless you want the ultimate performance offered by Philips or LG’s 360/480 Hz displays. Which cost $700 and $800, respectively, so there’s that. Performance-wise, the AW2725D is going to be hard to beat.
Viewing Angles
Quantum Dot layers usually create a subtle polarization effect that manifests as a barely visible green tint. The AW2725D shows this trait in a gray test pattern, but it’s nearly impossible to spot in content. Brightness and gamma remain consistent at 45 degrees to the sides. The top view is also solid with slightly reduced gamma and brightness.
Screen Uniformity
To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.
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At 3.96%, the AW2725D has above-average screen uniformity. You won’t see any issues like bleed or glow here. Though this result is sample-specific, I’ve found OLEDs to be very consistent in this test. I haven’t encountered a bad one yet.
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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.