Asus ProArt PA27USD 27-inch OLED review: Precision color with high-speed gaming prowess

Asus combines professional and gaming cred in the ProArt PA27USD.

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Asus ProArt PA27USD
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Maximum Backlight Level

· Maximum White Luminance Native Mode – 446.755 nits

· Maximum Black Luminance Native Mode – Unmeasurable

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· Maximum Contrast Ratio Native Mode – Unmeasurable

· ANSI Contrast Native Mode, Uniform Brightness off – Unmeasurable

· ANSI Contrast Native Mode, Uniform Brightness on – Unmeasurable

The PA27USD is certified for VESA DisplayHDR 400, and it delivers that same brightness for SDR content. Since it has the option for variable brightness, I measured a 25% window pattern to get 446 nits peak. Smaller windows would measure brighter. A full field pattern measured 301 nits. When uniform brightness is turned on, the brightness value in the OSD closely matches the actual light output. In other words, if you want 200 nits, set the slider to 200 nits. In all tests, the black level and contrast ratio cannot be measured by currently available methods.

Test Takeaway: The PA27USD delivers the same brightness and contrast performance as a typical Quantum Dot OLED display. It offers variable brightness which takes peak highlight values over 400 nits. Uniform Brightness delivers around 300 nits peak. The picture is stunning to look at thanks to deep contrast that is unmatched by any other display technology.

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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.