ASRock PG27QFT2A 180 Hz gaming monitor review: Serious performance and value

27-inch IPS QHD display with 180 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and wide gamut color.

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ASRock PG27QFT2A
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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With fierce competition at the low end of the price scale, only minor differences separate today’s budget displays. The good part is that for less than $200, you can get a 27-inch QHD IPS panel with HDR, wide gamut color, Adaptive-Sync and smooth video processing. That is, if you choose ASRock’s PG27QFT2A.

(Image credit: ASRock)

After playing on a whole bunch of premium OLEDs, I approached the PG27QFT2A with measured expectation. Its video processing impressed me the most. LCD panels rely on overdrive and backlight strobes to mitigate motion blur. The PG27QFT2A handles both with the surety of the best gaming monitors I’ve reviewed. When running at 180 Hz, it has almost no blur at all, with just overdrive and perfect smoothness with the backlight strobe. So many displays fall short of MPRT, but ASRock has implemented it perfectly. The only bummer is you can’t turn up the brightness to compensate for the 30% light loss. But since the overdrive is so good, I can’t imagine a need for the strobe.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The image is also better than one would expect for the price. The PG27QFT2A has greater dynamic range than nearly all the IPS monitors I’ve tested and looks even better when showing HDR content. Thanks to vivid hues, deep blacks, and bright highlights, playing games was a pleasure.

There are a few misses, like the lack of USB ports and tinny internal speakers. But for the money, it’s hard to imagine better. The PG27QFT2A delivers a great gaming experience and is more than fine for work and video content. If you’re watching your budget, definitely check it out.

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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.