Lenovo Legion R27fc-30 27-inch 280 Hz gaming monitor review: Remarkable performance and value

The Lenovo Legion R27fc-30 is a 27-inch FHD VA curved gaming monitor with 280 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and wide gamut color.

Reviews
By published
Lenovo Legion R27fc-30
Editor's Choice
(Image: © 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
Lenovo Legion R27fc-30
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Lenovo claims 350 nits for the R27fc-30 and my sample exceeded that with 365 nits of peak brightness. That’s about average for the category where most screens max out between 300 and 350. There is more than enough light for any indoor environment, but you’ll want to avoid the sunniest windows for optimal image quality.

The R27fc-30 takes the win for contrast with excellent black levels and a 4,537.2:1 static ratio. LCDs don’t get much better than that. Only an OLED has more dynamic range. This is excellent performance.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Image 1 of 3
Lenovo Legion R27fc-30
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration adds a few points to the contrast value which is now at 4,556.8:1. The R27fc-30’s excellent black levels are the reason for this. It even manages to outdistance its stablemate R25f-30. The GS27FC and 27G15 come close but for ultimate contrast, I’d pick the R27fc-30.

It also wins the ANSI test, which is a little more like real-world content. 3,730.4:1 is one of the best scores I’ve recorded. The R27fc-30 is only exceeded by a few VA screens and any OLED display.

Test Takeaway: The R27fc-30 puts down some of the best LCD contrast numbers I’ve seen of late. With over 4,500:1 static and more than 3,700:1 intra-image, it delivers a deeply vibrant image with convincing blacks and bright highlights. For less than $200, it doesn’t really get better than this.

TOPICS
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.