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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
The M27Q X is an extremely bright monitor with just over 516 nits peak output in SDR mode. It outshines its predecessor, the M27Q, in this regard. With a minimum measured value of 47 nits and a brightness slider with 100 clicks, that’s three to four nits per click. This makes the light level hard to set with precision. I’d rather see a maximum of around 350 nits for SDR and save the higher level for HDR.
The black level is high as expected and the resulting contrast is a tad below average at 992.4:1. This is close to the mark for IPS in general, but the newest panels have been inching closer to 1,200:1 which is visibly better.
After Calibration to 200 nits
Calibration does not result in any change to the contrast ratio, which is a good thing. But the M27Q X is still on the low side of average in this test. Obviously, the VA panels have a technological advantage, but IPS panels can be better than this.
The ANSI contrast value is slightly lower, which is typical for any monitor. In the M27Q X’s case, overall image depth and dimension are good but not great.
Current page: Brightness and Contrast
Prev Page Response, Input Lag, Viewing Angles and Uniformity Next Page Grayscale, Gamma and ColorChristian 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.
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