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
Our XG279Q comparison group is populated with DisplayHDR 400-certified screens with a mix of IPS and VA panels. From Gigabyte’s Aorus series are the FI27Q and CV27Q. Then we have the Razer Raptor 27, Dell S3220DGF and BenQ EW3280U.
In SDR mode, all the screens provide ample light, with the XG279Q topping 434 nits peak. Its backlight has a large range that goes down to a minimum of 76 nits, a little too bright for gaming in the dark. Engaging the ELMB Sync drops the peak by only 17% which is barely noticeable. It’s one of the best backlight-strobe features we’ve seen to date.
A bright backlight and an IPS panel add up to high black levels putting the XG279Q in last place among the group. But the resulting contrast is a respectable 1168.7:1, higher than most IPS panels available today.
After Calibration to 200 nits
When all monitors are dialed in to 200 nits, the XG279Q’s black levels are good enough for third place and best of the IPS screens here. Contrast remains strong at 1142.5:1.
It’s rare that any monitor posts an ANSI value equal to or higher than its static score. The XG279Q is a very high-quality panel with excellent quality control and a precisely fitted grid polarizer. That contributes to good intra-image contrast and good screen uniformity as well. Among IPS monitors, it doesn’t get much better.
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