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With OLEDs dominating the gaming monitor world, it’s easy to forget that LCDs are still the most common technology, and they are still improving. And they offer terrific value if you know where to look. It is possible to spend half the price of an OLED and get super low input lag with precise motion processing.
The ViewSonic XG2736-2K is the perfect example of a happy trend. Gaming monitors are getting faster with every new model introduction. For well under $400, you can put a 27-inch QHD IPS panel on your desk with a reliable 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR, wide gamut color and premium gaming performance.
When you consider the two components of monitor speed, panel response and input lag, OLED is the clear winner because it excels at both. But when you don’t have $600 to spend on a gaming monitor, you can get equally low input lag and nearly the same level of smoothness for $320 if you buy an XG2736-2K.
I found almost nothing to complain about during testing. It looks great out of the box and doesn’t need calibration. A few tweaks improve it to an even higher standard. The image is bright, colorful and sharp. QHD provides a tight pixel structure and adds the bonus of high frame rates. The XG2736-2K never wavered in its 240 Hz operation.
With input lag nearly as low as the best OLEDs and an excellent overdrive, I experienced addictive gaming. It’s a pleasure to play on whether your enthusiasm is casual or obsessive. While an OLED provides the ultimate gaming feel, the XG2736-2K delivers most of that for half the money.
If you’re looking for good value in the 27-inch QHD segment, the ViewSonic XG2736-2K is well worth checking out.
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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.