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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level



The Q27G4ZD doesn’t have a variable brightness option. Therefore, it measures the same whether field or window patterns are used. It peaks around 254 nits, which isn’t super bright, but it is bright enough. I would not use it in my sunny office at full honk because it would be fatiguing after a short while. It’s easy to tell which screens have variable brightness. The Aorus and Asus both peak at well over 400 nits. Whatever your preferred light level, blacks are unmeasurable, so contrast is theoretically infinite.
After Calibration to 200 nits



Calibration produces no change in contrast or black levels. Setting the Q27G4ZD is easy because you will see uniform brightness in all content. This holds true for HDR as well; I’ll talk more about that on page five. ANSI contrast is also unmeasurable since the black squares of the checkerboard pattern don’t register on my light meter.
Test Takeaway: The Q27G4ZD’s lack of variable brightness might be an issue for some users, but it doesn’t make a difference in SDR content. There is plenty of light available here and no matter what output level you choose, black levels and contrast are the same as any OLED, theoretically infinite.
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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.