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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
We’ve rounded up a group of 240 Hz screens to compare the Dark Matter 27’s performance. All run at FHD resolution except the premium AOC PD27 which is QHD. At 25 inches is Aorus’ FI25F, BenQ’s XL2546K and Asus’ VG259QM which runs at 280 Hz. 27-inchers include the Pixio PX279 Prime, the AOC and our review subject.
The Dark Matter 27 is fairly bright at over 430 nits peak in SDR mode. It’s brighter than the Pixio PX279 Prime so there are definitely some internal differences between them. That high intensity backlight puts the Monoprice last in black levels, but its contrast is mid-pack at 1129.5:1. This is a decent number that is a bit higher than the average IPS monitor. The AOC is on a different level with its VA panel at over 3000:1.
After Calibration to 200 nits
Equalizing the backlight level with calibration puts the Dark Matter 27 on top of the black level comparison, at least with regards to the IPS and TN panels. With almost 1300:1 calibrated contrast, the Monoprice is a standout. You can see it is comfortably ahead of the Pixio.
ANSI contrast falls a little but 1132.1:1 is still a great result. Our Monoprice sample showed good uniformity and solid intra-image performance with a checkerboard pattern and with actual content. Though it isn’t in the AOC’s league, it has better image depth than many IPS panels we’ve reviewed.
