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Brightness & Contrast
To read about our monitor tests in depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test Monitors and TVs. Brightness and Contrast testing is covered on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
Today’s group is nearly all business, but since the BE270U is suitable for gaming, we’ve included the AOC AG271QH, a fast refresh G-Sync screen. We also include NEC’s EA275WMi, BenQ’s PD2700Q, Nixeus’ PRO Vue 27P, and the curved AOC C2783FQ VA panel.
The BE270U is spec’d at 350cd/m2 and our sample only misses that figure by a hair. It’s right in the middle of the pack too, so if you need more light, the NEC will provide almost 400cd/m2. At the bottom is the C2783FQ at a relatively low 250cd/m2. Realistically, you rarely need more than 200cd/m2 in even the brightest rooms.
Black levels are pretty close between the IPS panels in the group, but the VA-based AOC is far darker at only .0918cd/m2. That’s the reason for its extraordinary contrast (over 2700:1). The BE270U manages to squeak past 1000:1, which puts it in our favor. The image looks bright and punchy with good depth and nicely saturated color.
Uncalibrated – Minimum Backlight Level
Turning down the backlight takes the BE270U a little below our preferred level of 50cd/m2. To hit that mark, set brightness to 5. Black level stays in its same mid-pack position, and contrast is still about the same as the max number. It’s hard these days to find a monitor that doesn’t offer consistent performance throughout its backlight range, which is a very good thing.
After Calibration to 200cd/m2
We clicked the contrast control down two notches which cost us a tiny bit of dynamic range. The upside was better quality in the brightest whites, a worthwhile trade. You can leave the slider at 50 and maintain a ratio over 1000:1 with no clipping if you wish. The RGB sliders work in both directions, so you won’t give up any performance by calibrating. The BE270U remains in the middle for both black levels and contrast.
ANSI Contrast Ratio
ANSI contrast drops slightly from the sequential number but no more so than the other screens. Our sample has good uniformity and sharp delineation between dark and light content. Intra-image contrast is as good as any high-quality IPS panel we’ve tested. The only way to enjoy significantly better range is with a VA monitor. The AOC C2783FQ excels in this test at more than double the ratio of the others.
