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Viewing Angles, Uniformity, Response and Lag

Viewing Angles

Looking at the flaws in the S2719DGF’s off-axis photo, you can tell that it’s a TN panel. But if you compare it to other TN displays, it fares quite well. There is a green shift and a 40 percent reduction in brightness to the sides, but all the dark steps can be seen clearly. If you view this monitor from 45 degrees, you’ll still see a decent picture. Even the top view is better than other TN screens we’ve photographed. While the image was still largely washed out, we could still see all the brightness steps from light to dark. You won’t have to give up much off-center viewing quality to reap the benefits of the S2719DGF’s extra speed.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Our sample had a few just-visible hotspots in its corners. We could see them in our black field pattern, but at any higher brightness they disappeared. During our gaming sessions, we didn’t experience any issues that detracted from gameplay. While this is a bit below average among our typical review subjects, it is by no means a deal-breaker.

Pixel Response & Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

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In monitors, it seems that once speed goes over a 144Hz refresh rate, the differences in screen response are small to non-existent. You can see in the graphs above that the PG27V’s 165Hz isn’t enough to beat the S2719DGF in our top-to-bottom full-transition test. When checking input lag, our top three screens were within a hair’s breadth of each other. We doubt even the most skilled players are able to detect a 4ms difference.

These charts make a clear case in favor of faster monitors that operate at 144Hz and above. With faster draw times comes lower motion blur. Then, you won’t have to rely on backlight strobes or excessive overdrive to smooth out the action. And input lag is always lower at higher refresh rates. That’s a benefit, even for casual gamers.

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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.