To compare the PG27AQDM’s performance, I’ve rounded up the most recent OLED monitors from my test database. They are a variety of sizes and shapes, and cover prices from about $920 to $2,000. They are Corsair’s Xeneon Flex, Asus’ PG42UQ, Alienware’s AW3423DWF and Aorus’ FO48U. To bring the total to six, I’ve added a Mini LED model, AOC’s PD32M.
Pixel Response and Input Lag
Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.
Response times go hand in hand with refresh rates, but OLED has better motion resolution than LCD just based on visual observation. Translation: if an OLED and an LCD run at the same frame rate, an OLED will look smoother. The Corsair takes the screen draw contest by 1ms, but I cannot visually tell the difference between them.
The PG27AQDM is one of the fastest monitors I’ve ever tested. Only a handful of panels have ever cracked 20ms, and they all run at 360 or 500 Hz. The advantage was plain during gameplay where I could aim precisely, stop exactly where I wanted, and see every detail clearly, whether moving or static. This monitor can play at any level, from casual to professional. And remember, there’s no overdrive or blur reduction here. Those features are unnecessary.
Viewing Angles
Off-axis image quality isn’t a major deciding factor for a monitor this small, but you can see in the photos that the PG27AQDM is on another level from any LCD panel. The head-on and side views are virtually identical, differing only slightly in color temperature. The top view is also very close, with just a small reduction in gamma. Though few users will share a 27-inch monitor, you can do it with this one.
Screen Uniformity
To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.
One of the PG27AQDM’s unnecessary features is its screen uniformity option. I measured my sample with it turned off and got a result well below the visible threshold. 5.89% is among the very best, with no hotspots, bleed or glow, even with all the room lights turned off. It doesn’t get much better than this though the AOC also excels in this test.
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