KTC H27P3 27-inch 5K dual-mode gaming monitor review: Incredible pixel density and flexibility

It’s color accurate out of the box.

Reviews
By published
KTC H27P3
(Image credit: © Tom's Hardware)

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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

Image 1 of 3
KTC H27P3
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The H27P3 is one of the brightest 27-inch LCDs I’ve seen with an edge backlight. Normally, you’d need a full-array Mini LED to get over 400 nits. The black level is even more impressive. When I ran the initial tests, I thought I was dealing with a VA panel, but it is indeed IPS. Its native contrast of almost 2,000:1 is a new record for the category. I consider 1,000:1 to be an average and 1,400:1 to be exceptional. KTC has a winner here.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Image 1 of 3
KTC H27P3
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration consisted only of reducing the brightness slider. No other changes were made. Contrast remains just shy of 2,000:1, and the H27P3 retains first-place status in the black level test. The image is very textural and deep with tremendous dynamic range.

Latest Videos From

ANSI contrast is slightly reduced due to the uniformity issue I noted earlier. Other H27P3 samples might measure better than this. Even with that flaw, it’s still the most contrasty IPS panel I’ve seen in a while. In practice, it’s a difference you can see.

Test Takeaway: The H27P3 has greater contrast than any other IPS monitor I’ve reviewed. It’s tickling the underside of VA territory but delivers much better viewing angles than that technology. With extremely low black levels, the image is more vibrant and realistic. Add 218 ppi pixel density, and you have an incredibly sharp picture that has few, if any, equals.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test PC Monitors

MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor

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.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • voyteck
    On paper, it’s an almost perfect all-rounder, except for the barely functional stand and (probably) the lack of a white version.

    By the way, pixel density isn't only about whether you see individual dots or not; text on, say, a Full HD 15-inch laptop is distorted in the same way as on a 27-inch Full HD monitor (and you sit close enough to notice this just as clearly, provided the scaling remains the same.) And the Ultra HD resolution is not enough even on a 27-inch display since you can easily see that the same letter has different widths. Then come two words: font optimization.

    Although now I wonder if I'd like to play at QHD @ 120Hz in the era of DLSS and frame generation. Since there are still no 5K @ 120Hz displays I think I will stay with UHD, even if I would love to have 5K for copy editing.
    Reply