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Brightness and Contrast

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

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Asus ROG Strix XG27AQWMG — (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Asus’ marketing for the XG27AQWMG claims 15% greater brightness from its Tandem OLED panel, but I found a 22% advantage over the next best Aorus. The XG27AQWMG is extremely bright, which makes its variable brightness feature even more useful. You wouldn’t crank it up to maximum when a full field is over 350 nits unless you’re working in sunlight. But when variable brightness is in play, that extra power delivers some spectacular highlights and greater image depth than the competition. It’s hard to say one OLED looks better than another because they’re so close in performance. But this one raises the bar for sure.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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I calibrated with Uniform Brightness off and on. The XG27AQWMG retains independent brightness settings so you can switch back and forth conveniently. At 200 nits, it is comfortable to use in either mode. I left it uniform for productivity and variable for games and video. This flexibility is a standout feature for all Asus OLED monitors. In all cases, black levels and contrast cannot be measured.

Test Takeaway: The XG27AQWMG delivers the same deep contrast and black levels as any OLED, but sets itself apart with higher brightness and a variable brightness toggle. With independent brightness settings, it’s easy to switch back and forth. The extra output adds impact to all content, SDR and HDR.

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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.