Gigabyte M27Q X Review: Balancing Speed, Resolution and Color

A 27-inch QHD/IPS panel with 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and extended color.

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Gigabyte M27Q X
(Image: © Gigabyte)

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In the $650 to $750 price bracket, there are two major display options. You can go for a 25-inch FHD/360 Hz display or a 27-inch QHD/240 Hz screen. For most gamers, the performance advantage of the 360 Hz panel will be minimal if any. It’ll take some serious skill for an extra couple of milliseconds of lag to make a difference in competition. 240 Hz still delivers tremendous motion clarity and a smooth experience.

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The Gigabyte M27Q X is a worthy upgrade from its 170 Hz predecessor. Though the M27Q is a bargain, the X model's extra speed is easy to see in gameplay. And it’s a benefit. That super-low input lag is a real asset when the action gets intense.

The other advantage of the M27Q X over 360 Hz screens is color. Wide gamuts haven’t quite made their way to the faster refresh category yet, so if you want DCI-P3, QHD is the way to go. Though the Gigabyte comes up slightly short in red, it fills out the gamut volume with green and blue. And overall accuracy is excellent. No calibration is required in the Standard picture mode, which is nice. And if you make some adjustments, you’ll see one of the most accurate grayscale performances of any monitor I’ve ever reviewed.

If RGB lighting effects are important to you, there are none to be had here. But a collection of unique and substantive gaming aids more than make up for that. The Dashboard feature with its CPU and GPU monitoring is something you won’t find with any other brand. And the ability to use blur reduction along with Adaptive-Sync is a rarity. My only complaint here is the lack of punch in HDR mode. You get a bit of extra color but no more contrast. Though HDRt is supported, the M27Q X doesn’t do it justice.

If you’re looking for maximum gaming speed and performance, and FHD resolution won’t cut it for you, the 240 Hz QHD category is an appealing alternative. The Gigabyte M27Q X is an excellent example of the genre and early adopters will want to check it out. I had a ball gaming with it, and you will too.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

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.