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I often talk about balanced performance, and the QHD/165 Hz category is still the best place to find it. Ultra HD at 144 Hz is great, but you’ll need an expensive video card to make that happen and it still won’t be as smooth as a good QHD/165 monitor. Not only will you save money on graphics hardware, but the displays are 30 to 50% less expensive.
This means the category is well-stocked with competent screens, so comparisons come down to the minutia. In my experience, overdrive quality and video processing are the deciding factors. If you can also have accurate color that covers a wide gamut, so much the better.
The Gigabyte M27QP checks almost every box. It has one of the largest gamuts in the category, covering nearly 95% of DCI-P3. It has very accurate color right out of the box, so there’s no calibration necessary to maximize image fidelity. And it has plenty of light output, 400 nits, to produce bright HDR. The only downside is black levels which are a bit higher than the competition. This means the contrast is around 800:1 instead of the preferred 1,000:1.
The M27QP’s video processing definitely impresses. You have the choice of a great overdrive, or use Aim Stabilizer Sync (AKA backlight strobe, ULMB, blur reduction) along with Adaptive-Sync. It’s one of the few monitors that can do this. Most require you to choose one or the other. And input lag is very low, almost as low as a 240 Hz monitor. That’s something that will attract competitive players.
When it comes down to versatility and usability, a 27-inch QHD monitor already has an advantage. The Gigabyte M27QP increases that advantage with excellent gaming performance and lots of rich vibrant color. With competitive pricing, it’s definitely worth checking out and is highly recommended.
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