KTC H27E6 27-inch 320 Hz QHD gaming monitor review: Super quick and a great value

One of the great things about competition among the best gaming monitors is that more product choices ensure better performance for all. It’s hard to find a bad display, especially in a hot category like 27-inch QHD. These panels are the bread-and-butter tool of choice, whether you’re a casual player or a professional competitor.

Most of these products come from a handful of companies, many of which begin with the letter ‘A’. But once in a while, a new player comes along. I’m checking one out here with my first review of a monitor from KTC, which stands for “Key To Combat.” It’s called the H27E6, and it’s a 27-inch QHD IPS panel with a 300 Hz refresh rate (320 Hz with overclock), Adaptive-Sync, HDR400, and wide gamut color. What of the value part? It costs $270. Let’s take a look.

KTC H27E6 Specs

The H27E6 is well-appointed with performance tech. Resolution is QHD 2560x1440, and the native refresh rate is 300 Hz. That already puts it ahead of nearly every other monitor at a similar price. And a reliable overclock bumps the refresh rate up to 320 Hz. Adaptive-Sync is also included with faultless operation on both AMD and Nvidia platforms. HDMI 2.1 means consoles can join the VRR party too.

The color gamut is also wide. Though there are no Quantum Dots, the H27E6 covers over 101% of DCI-P3, which also puts it ahead of many other screens. I got decent accuracy from my sample after a calibration, more on that later. The picture is very dynamic too, thanks to a class-leading contrast ratio of 1,500:1. Though that isn’t quite in VA or OLED territory, it is higher than nearly all the other IPS panels you can buy.

Features and styling have not been skimped on. You get the usual suite of gaming aids, including aiming points, a timer, and a frame counter. There’s a three-level overdrive with a dynamic option that changes the compensation with the refresh rate. And you get MPRT backlight strobing as an alternative to G-Sync or FreeSync.

The H27E6 sets itself apart from others with white elements on the back, base, and upright, and you get a solid stand with full ergonomics. A handy joystick controls all functions, and there’s LED lighting that you can control from the OSD. The only things left out here are speakers and USB ports.

For $270, the H27E6 offers a lot on paper and looks like a winner. But the proof is in the performance, so for that score, please read on.

Assembly and Accessories

The H27E6 arrives packed securely in crumbly foam and assembles without tools. If you’d rather use your own arm or bracket, there’s a 100mm VESA mount in back, but you’ll need to source your own fasteners. A small external power supply is provided along with a DisplayPort cable.

Product 360

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White displays always stand out, and the H27E6 manages to look different without screaming for attention. From the front, the base is the only obvious white part with a crosshatch pattern molded onto the black upright. In the back, the panel is completely white, as is the back of the stand. Inset around the mount point is more of the crosshatch texture ringed by LED lights. The KTC logo lights up as well. The only other thing in the back is the OSD joystick, which sits in the lower corner.

The stand is of decent quality with just a little wobble, but firm movements that maintain position. You get 5/20 degrees tilt and 45-degree swivel, along with a 90-degree portrait mode and a 5.1-inch height adjustment.

The input panel is under the center of the panel and includes two HDMI 2.1 and two DisplayPort 1.4 ports. G-Sync works only through DisplayPort, but FreeSync will operate over any input. The HDMIs support VRR for consoles as well. You can see a USB port in the photo, but it’s just for firmware updates. There are no internal speakers, but you get a 3.5mm headphone jack.

OSD Features

The H27E6’s OSD is text-based with a KTC logo as the only graphic. It’s the first one I’ve seen with selectable color schemes, there are four to choose from. Pressing the joystick brings it up.

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In the Display menu, you’ll find the H27E6’s seven picture modes. User is the default, and it makes all image controls available. Calibration options are all in the Color menu where you get four fixed color temps and five gamma presets. You can also adjust hue and saturation for all six colors and engage a low blue light mode. The user color temp has a single set of RGB sliders to dial in the white balance.

Gaming Setup has the video processing features with a FreeSync/G-Sync toggle, gaming aids, overdrive and MPRT. The aids include crosshairs (two shapes in five colors), a timer and an FPS counter. The overdrive has three fixed levels and a dynamic option. I found it worked without artifacts at the Standard setting. Dynamic showed slight ghosting, but it stayed consistent with changes in frame rate. You also get MPRT (backlight strobing) that works up to 320 Hz and retains the overdrive. However, you can’t use it with Adaptive-Sync. But it is one of the better examples I’ve seen with only a slight phasing artifact.

The H27E6 supports HDR10 signals with an automatic switch as long as HDR is set to Auto. I saw that I could calibrate white balance in HDR mode, which is something I rarely see. More on that later. Advanced Settings also has the overclock toggle. Turn it on for 320 Hz. My sample ran reliably at that speed for the duration of the review.

KTC H27E6 Calibration Settings

My H27E6 sample needed a bit of tweaking for the best picture. Initial measurements showed that gamma was too light and the color temp was a bit blue. The warm preset was too red, so I worked the RGB sliders to make things right. Light gamma means a washed-out image, so I upped the preset to 2.4, which made a significant difference. My settings are below, and you’ll notice the RGB values for HDR as well. This is one of the only monitors I’ve encountered that includes HDR calibration, and it too makes a positive difference.

Gaming and Hands-on

Playing games on the H27E6 showed me quickly that KTC has gotten the formula right. The image is superb once calibrated and gaming feel is on par with any premium display I’ve encountered.

The picture is superb for SDR and HDR. It needs calibration to get there, but if you’re reading this review, you have the information you need. It’s the only monitor I’ve seen that leaves the RGB sliders active for HDR, so I used them to make a visible improvement in both color accuracy and perceived contrast. It doesn’t have any dynamic dimming for HDR, but the IPS panel renders around 1,500:1, which is 50% better than the class average. If the H27E6 had a Mini LED backlight, it would be a giant slayer.

It also has superb video processing. Panel response is super quick and smooth at 320 Hz, which ran reliably for the entirety of my review. You can set the overclock once and forget it. My test PC, with its GeForce RTX 4090, had no trouble maintaining 320 fps at QHD resolution with Doom Eternal’s detail set to max. Input lag was a non-factor as well. 180-degree turns were instantaneous, literally as fast as I could move the mouse. And it took no time for me to commit those movements to muscle memory so I could stop where I wanted. The H27E6 is a competitor’s weapon for sure.

If you don’t have a high-performance video card, the MPRT feature works very well, as does the overdrive. MPRT cancels out Adaptive-Sync but still lets you use the overclock to 320 Hz. It also retains the overdrive, so you can get excellent motion resolution at lower framerates. If you can keep it above 200 fps, though, stick with AS and overdrive on the Standard setting for tear-free operation.

As a 27-inch flat QHD monitor, it is ideally suited for day-to-day use, with 109 ppi pixel density and a sharp picture. The screen’s anti-glare layer works as advertised without imparting any grain or artifacts. Color is vivid and bright with just the right balance. The native gamut covers 101% of DCI-P3, which makes it a little oversaturated for SDR but pleasing, nonetheless. I tried out the sRGB mode and found its gamma too light, which flattened the image. The gamma presets were grayed out, but I could calibrate grayscale in this mode, which is a standout feature. Most monitors gray out all picture options in their alternate gamut modes.

I enjoyed the H27E6’s styling very much, mainly because its white accents set it apart from the sea of black displays that come across my desk. The white back, base, and stand have just enough black parts to keep it from screaming for attention while still making a nice statement. Physical details are just enough to maintain elegance without becoming gaudy. And finding a lighting feature at this price point is a rarity. The LEDs backlight a half ring and the KTC logo in back. The only things left out here are USB ports and internal speakers.

Takeaway: The H27E6 is an early-effort product with all the refinement of a seasoned model line. It combines excellent picture quality with premium video processing and mature styling. You’d never expect its price to be so low, but it truly delivers a lot for the money. With a bright and colorful picture, and addictive gameplay, it’s sure to have a wide appeal.

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