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The 27M2N8500 ships with a calibration data sheet that shows reasonable accuracy. It doesn’t need adjustment, but a few tweaks will improve the picture.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
I began the tests in the 27M2N8500’s default Standard mode which enables all image adjustments including color temp, gamma and gamut. The first chart shows a slight warmth which is a forgivable error that will be hard to spot in real content. Green and blue tints are more obvious to the user. Gamma is a bit wonky in that it runs too dark until around 60% brightness where it crosses into the too-light range. This is a minor issue that cannot be corrected.
Calibration brings the grayscale errors to less than 1dE, well below the visible threshold. The gamma issue at 90% is a bit lighter which muddles some highlight areas. Though this is far from a deal-breaker, the 27M2N8500 is a bit weaker than others in this test.
The sRGB mode has slightly warmer grayscale tracking and the same gamma errors. No adjustments are available, but it is close enough for most color-critical work.
Comparisons
3.16dE is right on the edge for calibrate or not but since the 27M2N8500 has predominantly red errors, it can be used satisfactorily without adjustment. With a few tweaks of the RGB sliders, the average goes down to 0.36dE, a class-leading result.
The gamma test shows a wider range of values than average with 0.51 separating the highest from the lowest. This is the 27M2N8500’s one weakness. The average value is 2.22 which is just 0.9% off the mark so at least it stays near the spec. But there is some room for improvement.
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Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
The 27M2N8500’s initial color run shows general oversaturation which is typical of Quantum Dot monitors. That’s why I call them “DCI-P3+” screens. The extra color isn’t to spec, but it won’t offend anyone either. The average error of 2.61dE is very good. With calibration, the magenta hue error is fixed, saturation is unchanged, and the average drops to 2.06dE, excellent performance. In the sRGB mode, the error is similarly low at 2.28dE. The 27M2N8500 is qualified for most color-critical work but if you need more precise numbers, the Asus PG27AQDP might be a better choice.
Comparisons
In a group of premium displays like this, the 27M2N8500’s last-place color result is not a negative. 2.06dE is well below the visible threshold. For SDR content, it exceeds the mark for saturation, but I doubt anyone would complain about this. Whether you calibrate or not, it has solid color accuracy.
In the volume test, the 27M2N8500 is just a hair under the first place FO27Q2. In practice, no one can see a difference between 110.53% and 110.33%. The 27M2N8500 is plenty colorful with rich hues and a bright natural presentation. sRGB over-achieves a bit, with 109.73% coverage. That’s due to an oversaturated red primary.
Test Takeaway: The 27M2N8500 is supremely colorful in the manner of all QD-OLED monitors. Accuracy isn’t at the top of the class but for gaming, it will satisfy any player. Only minor gamma issues keep it from perfection.
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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.
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oofdragon What's exactly "response time"? Like, how can it be faster than a also OLED but 480hz?Reply -
deesider Reply
It's the total time from when the video signal changes at it's source, to when the image changes - so it includes any processing time the monitor needs.oofdragon said:What's exactly "response time"? Like, how can it be faster than a also OLED but 480hz?
Their testing methods are explained further here: https://www.tomshardware.com/reference/how-we-test-pc-monitors-benchmarking/4