Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
The Omen 27u has some of the very best out-of-box color accuracy I’ve encountered. In fact, I could not improve its numbers with calibration. So, not only is adjustment unnecessary, but it also provides no benefit.
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
There is only one grayscale chart that matters here, the default one. The Omen 27u is spot-on out of the box and cannot be improved in the tracking test. With all errors under 2dE, that’s a very good thing. Gamma tracks a tiny bit below the 2.2 line, but visually, it is perfect with a very small range of values.
Comparisons
The Omen 27u wins the default grayscale contest and finishes fifth when the other monitors are calibrated. 1.13dE is a visually perfect score, so there will be no perceivable difference between the top five screens. It also fares well in the gamma comparison with the tightest value range and only a 3.18% deviation from 2.2. This is excellent performance, especially considering it comes from the factory this way.
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 Omen 27u’s color gamut accuracy is equally impressive. Again, this is an out-of-the-box test. No adjustments I made could improve the result. Not only is there near-total DCI-P3 gamut coverage, but all points are on target. The boxes represent 1dE, so if the dot is inside or in contact, it’s visually perfect. The average score is among the highest in my database of almost 300 monitors tested since 2013.
Comparisons
This is a very impressive group of gaming monitors. None of them have visible color gamut errors and the Omen 27u is one of the very best. Getting close to 1dE is an achievement for any display, even a professional one. And the HP is the only one here that hasn’t been adjusted from its default settings.
While a handful of the latest extended color screens have larger color gamuts than the Omen 27u, its score of 90.99% is still above average. If you refer to the Calman chart, you’ll notice how perfectly balanced the saturation is, making it look even better. The 27u is well-qualified for color-critical applications. Its only flaw is the lack of an sRGB mode. You’ll need a compensation profile for that task.
