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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 GS27QXA is up with the brightest 27-inch QHD screens in its price category. The Xiaomi rides quite a bit higher thanks to its Mini LED backlight. That extra output will cost you around $100 more though. 433 nits is more than enough for any indoor environment and is sufficient for outdoor use in a shaded area like a location video production tent.
Black levels are respectable at 0.3250 nit, resulting in a solid 1,334.2:1 static contrast ratio. This is comfortably above the IPS average of 1,000:1. Note that the G Pro 27i was tested with its zone dimming turned off so all screens above are showing their native contrast performance.
After Calibration to 200 nits



Calibration barely affects the results with no visual change to dynamic range. The GS27QXA remains in third place for both black levels and contrast. This kind of consistency is a very good thing. In the ANSI test, the ratio drops slightly to 1,255.9:1 and still sits in third place. Among IPS monitors, this is excellent performance.
Test Takeaway: At around 1,300:1, the GS27QXA has above average contrast for an IPS monitor. For $269, you won’t do much better. It has higher brightness than most of its competition as well. The value quotient here is quite high.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test PC Monitors
MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor
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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.