AOC CQ27G4ZH Gaming Monitor Review: 300 Hz For Less Than You’d Expect

This is a 27-inch curved VA QHD gaming monitor featuring 300 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, and a wide gamut color range.

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AOC CQ27G4ZH
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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AOC CQ27G4ZH
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The CQ27G4ZH is not exceptionally bright but unless you go for Mini LED, it isn’t vastly different from its competition. It’s easy to see which monitor above has the Mini LED backlight, and the higher price. 352 nits is plenty for any indoor scenario. The screen rejects reflection reasonably well but you should avoid sunny windows.

Black levels are where the CQ27G4ZH stands out as it is the only VA monitor of the group. That gives it terrific dynamic range. The measured ratio of 5,635.2:1 is among the highest I’ve measured from any LCD panel. This can plainly be seen in the image which is deeply dimensional and vibrantly saturated.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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AOC CQ27G4ZH
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

My calibration reduces contrast slightly to 5,482:1 which I could not see in a side-by-side comparison. The other screens fare well when compared to the IPS category but the CQ27G4ZH is on another level that’s only eclipsed by OLED.

The ANSI test yields equally impressive results with the CQ27G4ZH scoring just under 5,000:1 in intra-image contrast. This is due to its deep polarizer which hurts viewing angles somewhat but delivers tremendous dynamic range. Given its size and curvature, this is a worthwhile tradeoff.

Test Takeaway: The CQ27G4ZH compromises off-axis image quality a bit but achieves fantastic contrast that’s among the best I’ve ever seen from any LCD monitor. With deep and detailed blacks, its picture has a tactile quality. And though it’s possible to buy a brighter monitor, the CQ27G4ZH offers more than enough output for any endeavor, gaming or productivity.

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

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.