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

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

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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

Brightness is Mini LED’s, and the 27R94’s biggest asset. I measured over 612 nits peak in SDR mode, which is more light than anyone would need indoors. I noted that turning on Local Dimming did not change the peak number; only the black level changed. That means you can get 612 nits with a full field or a window pattern. That’s a lot of brightness. Only Local Dimming Standard delivers a measurable black level. Medium and High completely shut off the backlight. I left LD off for this test and got a native contrast ratio of 2,880.3:1.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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

Calibration has little effect on contrast, which is impressive, since I had to lower the contrast slider to resolve a clipping issue. The 27R94 isn’t quite as dynamically broad as some VA screens, but it has triple the contrast of the average IPS monitor. Turning the Local Dimming to Standard ups the ratio to around 5,000:1 by lowering the black level further.

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ANSI contrast is consistent at 2,566.5:1. This is with LD turned off and I noted that turning it on had no effect on my checkerboard pattern. This is excellent performance.

Test Takeaway: The 27R94 has contrast comparable to other VA Mini LED monitors and around triple the dynamic range of an IPS panel. With SDR brightness over 600 nits, it’s brighter than its nearest competitors and brighter than any OLED I’ve tested.

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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.