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The G27F2 and the Monoprice 42771 were close in the contrast tests, but the gap widens in favor of Gigabyte when the grayscale, gamma and color results are considered.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
The G27F2’s Standard mode delivers decent grayscale tracking that’s just a tad cool in tone. The error is subtle enough that one could enjoy the monitor without calibration. The most impressive thing is the gamma tracking. Rarely do I see such tight adherence to the standard. It rides the 2.2 line almost perfectly.
The RGB sliders are very precise and allowed me to achieve a pro-level calibration with all but one brightness step below 1dE. It doesn’t get much better than that. Gamma is still right on the money. This is phenomenal performance, especially at this price point.
If you want to use the sRGB mode, it has good gamut accuracy, but its grayscale is too cool. The error isn’t huge, but it is more pronounced than the Standard mode, which uses the wider gamut. If you plan any color-critical tasks with the G27F2, a software LUT will be required.
Comparisons
At 3.76dE, the G27F2’s default grayscale error is about average for the category. It’s right on the edge of the calibrate-or-not decision. It will ultimately come down to user preference. If you can make the adjustments, the gain is worth it for a low 0.68dE result. All the monitors except the Pixio make it under 1dE, which is impressive considering all of them cost less than $300.
The best test result is gamma which is about as close to perfect as any monitor can boast. The range of values covers a mere 0.04 and the average is a perfect 2.2. That is the way for a display to make the most of its native contrast. Even though the G27F2 has less dynamic range than a VA screen, it looks nearly as good because every single bit of detail is correctly and clearly rendered, no matter what the output level.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
The G27F2’s default color gamut is so close to standard that it probably doesn’t need calibration. The only issue I see here is the under-saturated red primary. This is unusual in wide gamut monitors as they are more often deficient in green. The G27F2 covers green amply and is slightly over-saturated in blue. The secondaries are only a tad off-hue, but that is fixed with a grayscale calibration which provides a visible gain in color quality.
The sRGB gamut is good too at 2.68dE average error. Red is slightly under the mark with cyan and magenta off their hue targets due to the cool grayscale tracking. It’s a shame that the RGB sliders are unavailable in this mode because they would provide an easy fix.
Comparisons
The G27F2 takes the color accuracy contest with a 1.28dE calibrated score. That’s on par with some professional monitors that cost many times the price. That you can get this kind of color from a $210 display is impressive. Though the Monoprice is a little less expensive, it won’t deliver the same accuracy.
Color gamut volume is also impressive at 91.71% coverage of DCI-P3. Though red is under-saturated, the G27F2 fully covers the green and blue primaries. I would still recommend a software LUT profile for color-critical work in either DCI-P3 or sRGB modes. Both are more than adequate for gaming and general use though.
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