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I discovered I only had a small number of 240 Hz QHD screens in my test database to compare the PG279QM’s performance. I suspect that number will be changing soon, though, as new speedy models are released. At 240 Hz are AOC’s Porsche Design PD27 and Samsung’s Odyssey G7 C32G75T. At 165 Hz are BenQ’s EX3201R, Corsair’s 32QHD165 and the Razer Raptor 27. All are premium screens with speed and image quality commensurate with their price tags.
Pixel Response and Input Lag
Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.
5ms is typical for a 240 Hz monitor, regardless of resolution. The AOC gives just a bit more at 4 ms, but the PG279QM matches the Samsung frame for frame. Motion is so smooth at 240fps that there’s no need for a backlight strobe and its light-robbing effect. Both test patterns and actual content move with an uncanny sharpness and realism.
The PG279QM is right in the middle of the pack for total input lag. 27ms is competition-worthy for sure. Even top players will be at home dispatching opponents with any of the top four screens. It must be noted how quick the Razer is. Even though its response time is 1 ms slower, it has extremely low input lag putting it on par with the 240 Hz screens. Its actual motion isn’t quite as smooth, but the control response is excellent.
Viewing Angles
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The latest IPS panels deliver excellent off-axis image quality and the PG279QM is no exception. Though you can see a color shift to the side, light only drops by a hair and the grayscale still looks neutral in tone. It’s gone a bit cool, but this won’t affect actual content much. The top view is quite dark with murky detail and a greenish cast.
Screen Uniformity
To learn how we measure screen uniformity,click here.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The black field pattern showed a couple of minor flaws. There was a hotspot in the center of the screen and on the right lower zone. I had to turn off all the room lights to see it with the naked eye. However, there were no problems in actual content. The zone dimming feature can show some light and dark vertical bands depending on the picture but again, this is something you’ll only notice if you’re looking for it.
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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.
Couple of major flaws for me @ an $840 price point: It's way too small, imo, but I'm prejudiced because once you go to 43" you won't go back...;) The HDR is really lacking...HDR 400 is barely into the DisplayHDR spec, frankly. I had a 32" BenQ with HDR 400, and it's nowhere near as nice as my present DisplayHDR 1000 monitor. Last, it's limited to 1440P--I think that 4k is a must in a monitor in this price range. I think that all too often people get side-tracked by supposed Hz of the monitor and forget about everything else...;) It's hard to beat a wide color gamut combined with DisplyHDR1000 certification, imo. Cut this price in half, and it would be far more interesting.
It could be worth explaining that Rec.2020 had been designed to be wider than what any available display is able to reproduce. It had been designed to cater to future improvements in display technology.
Therefore, there is no actual "Rec.2020 display". like there are displays that support 100% sRGB or DCI P3.
