TCL 27R944K 165 Hz gaming monitor review: Mini LED with high brightness and high performance

Great picture, smooth and responsive gaming

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TCL 27R94
(Image credit: © Tom's Hardware)

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27-inch 4K LCD monitors are relatively rare, so I had to go back a bit in the archives to find comparisons for the 27R94. The group includes Titan Army’s P2712V, Asus’ XG27UCS, Gigabyte’s GS27U, Acer’s XB273K, and Samsung’s 3D G9.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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TCL 27R94
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The 27R94 is the fourth LCD I’ve tested with Nvidia’s LDAT sensor, so that chart includes some screens with higher refresh rates. Here, more Hertz equals fewer milliseconds of gray-to-gray response. The 27R94 is relatively smooth and matches the faster M27T6S. I’d say that HVA’s promise of faster draw times is fulfilled.

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In the lag test, the 27R94 sits at the top of the pack against its nearest competitors. Though the range is tight, gamers looking for every advantage will want to audition this TCL. It’s quick in the test, and it’s quick in practice.

Test Takeaway: The 27R94 is equal to the quickest 27-inch 4K LCDs that I’ve tested. It is also equal in response to faster LCDs that run at 210 Hz. The HVA tech used here delivers on its promise of faster response. And it boasts significantly more contrast and brightness than similar IPS monitors.

Viewing Angles

TCL 27R94

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

While the 27R94’s viewing angles aren’t quite as good as the average OLED, they are as good or better than many IPS panels I’ve photographed. The side view retains full brightness with unaltered gamma and only shows a slight red tint. This is excellent performance. HVA definitely delivers here as well.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

TCL 27R94

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Considering that there are 2,304 LED dimming zones behind the 27R94’s screen, its uniformity score of 11.63% is good. If I were to take the lower right corner zone out of the equation, the number would be closer to 6%.

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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.