HP Z27q 27-inch 5K Professional Monitor Review

Packaging, Physical Layout And Accessories

The Z27q ships in a right-sized carton with more than sufficient protection for the contents. Rigid foam holds the panel in place and the upright and base are already assembled for you. Just snap the two parts together and you're ready to go.

The cable bundle includes exactly what's necessary for the monitor's jack-pack. An IEC power cord provides the current to the internal power supply. A USB 3.0 cable is included along with two DisplayPort connectors. You'll need both of them to run the display at its full 5120x2880 native resolution. Rounding out the package is a CD with documentation and software and a calibration data sheet unique to each sample.

Product 360

There is nothing about the Z27q's styling that lets you know it's different from other monitors. If you placed it next to other business-class displays, it would not stand out. The aesthetic is HP's usual minimalist industrial look, which uses a nice blend of straight lines with gentle compound curves, rounded corners and no sharp edges. Everything is made from high-quality textured plastic and the material befits an expensive product.

The base and upright are solid pieces with firm movements for tilt, height and swivel. There is no portrait mode. The AMD FirePro M6100 graphics in our test system supports portrait mode at the monitor's native resolution, so if you want to use it that way, you'll have to install an aftermarket mount.

The screen's anti-glare layer is very competent at rejecting reflections even in a brightly-lit room. There is no hint of grain or softness in the image, however. Clarity is superb and you can't see the pixel gaps even when you look very closely.

Aside from the bezel you won't see any straight lines on the panel or the upright. Even the base sports a gentle curve from side to side. The Z27q isn't too thick and provides a flat area in its mount if you decide to hang it on the wall. There are two recessed USB 3.0 ports on the left side and two more on the bottom.

Ventilation is accomplished by a single large strip across the back. Even when running all day the Z27q barely exceeds room temperature. Considering it typically draws 75 watts, that's a pretty good endorsement for its cooling solution. You can see the cutouts for the side and bottom-facing input panels.

Inputs consist of just two DisplayPort 1.2 ports. You'll need to connect them both to achieve the Z27q's full 5120x2880 native resolution. That means most mainstream video cards won't cut it. HP has certified most products with AMD FirePro or Nvidia Quadro chipsets will work. We used an HP Zbook 17 G2 with a FirePro M6100 board installed for our tests, and discovered a GTX Titan X will also work.