Philips Evnia 27M2N8500 360 Hz QD-OLED review: Unmatched speed and response

The Evnia 27M2N8500 is a 27-inch QHD QD-OLED gaming monitor with 360 Hz, Ambiglow LED lighting, and HDR 400.

Philips Evnia 27M2N8500
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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I’ve observed in the past that OLED gaming monitors, especially 240 Hz QHD models, are hard to differentiate. They are incredibly close in all my video processing and image fidelity tests. They all have perfect black levels and infinite contrast. And though they differ in peak brightness, they are all more than bright enough. The Philips Evnia 27M2N8500 stands out strongly in one area, gaming performance. Taken purely on input lag, it is the best gaming monitor I’ve ever experienced.

Philips Evnia 27M2N8500

(Image credit: Philips)

You’ll have noted by now that I rated the 27M2N8500 4.5 stars. That might be hard to reconcile with my glowing comments about its gaming performance but allow me to explain. As a gaming monitor, it has no equal in responsiveness. It has, by a good margin, the lowest input lag I’ve ever measured. It beats displays with higher refresh rates and is easily the most precise screen I’ve experienced. The half-star deduction is because image accuracy has a little room for improvement.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The 27M2N8500 can be enjoyed without calibration, but I could only reduce the grayscale error. Slight gamma issues in both SDR and HDR modes make some shadow detail hard to see. HDR adjustments in the OSD or each game’s tweaks can compensate for this. So, optimal image quality requires some work.

Though I’ve rated a couple of OLEDs higher, none can boast the low input lag of the Philips Evnia 27M2N8500. It isn’t necessarily from a mainstream display manufacturer, but I suspect when word of its prowess gets out, more eyes will turn in Philips’ direction. And it doesn’t cost more than its slower competitors. Gamers looking for a competitive edge should definitely check it out.

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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.

  • oofdragon
    What's exactly "response time"? Like, how can it be faster than a also OLED but 480hz?
    Reply
  • deesider
    oofdragon said:
    What's exactly "response time"? Like, how can it be faster than a also OLED but 480hz?
    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.

    Their testing methods are explained further here: https://www.tomshardware.com/reference/how-we-test-pc-monitors-benchmarking/4
    Reply