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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.
Many budget monitors merely pay lip service to HDR in that they process the signals but don’t offer any better image quality. The 27G15 is an exception. Not only does it have four HDR picture modes, but you can also turn on an emulation for SDR content. That is a rare thing for any computer monitor. The signal will switch between SDR and HDR automatically if you use the DisplayHDR mode.
HDR Brightness and Contrast
The 27G15 doesn’t offer higher brightness or contrast for HDR content. However, since it already renders over 4,400:1, the impact is there. It’s enhanced by saturated color and accurate luminance tracking. There is no dynamic option available, but in practice, I found the 27G15’s HDR to be satisfying, if not gasp-inducing. It’s more than competent.
Grayscale, EOTF and Color
The secret to the 27G15’s HDR quality is its accurate grayscale, EOTF and color tracking. The grayscale chart has no visible errors and the EOTF sticks close to the reference line. It rides a little under, meaning shadow and mid-tone areas are slightly darker. Since highlights are still bright, this creates a little extra perceived contrast. In other words, HDR looks better than SDR.
HDR color tracking runs to over-saturation, which is typical of the HDR displays I’ve tested. The points are linear, which means there is no loss of detail. Anything encoded in the original content will be visible throughout the brightness range. The HDR picture is more colorful than the SDR version. The 27G15 does a passable job with Rec.2020 color as well by meeting or exceeding the saturation points up to around 85%.
Test Takeaway: The 27G15 has surprisingly good HDR quality for the money. I’ve tested plenty of budget displays that support HDR but do nothing to improve the picture. The 27G15 is an exception to this. Though it doesn’t have a dynamic option, its HDR image is definitely better than SDR, which is also excellent. A picture this good for $140 is truly impressive.
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