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The MAG273R’s HDR doesn’t do much for gaming, but if you want to watch an HDR-encoded movie, it is capable of reasonable accuracy. When the monitor detects an HDR10 signal, it switches automatically into HDR mode. All image adjustments, including brightness, are then locked out.
The MAG273R offers up a little more brightness in HDR mode, just about 337 nits versus the 317 nits we measured for SDR. Since it has decent black levels and over 1,358:1 contrast with HDR, an HDR image will look good but not significantly different from its SDR counterpart. There is no dynamic contrast feature available in HDR mode, so it cannot deliver any greater dynamic range.
The blue error we saw before our SDR calibration is also present in HDR mode, visible from 30-100% brightness. There are no adjustments available to make it better.
The MAG273R’s EOTF luminance curve tracks very well with a sharp transition to tone-mapping at around 65%. HDR content will look fine as a result, though it won’t have any more impact than well-mastered SDR games or videos. Color tracking is also good with most measurements close to their targets. Errors lean toward over-saturation, which results in the image looking more vibrant at a slight cost in detail.
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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.
So I just the mag274 monitor and can't find a review on it from you guys. I wanted to know how to find one or which monitor to base my color calibration off do I use what you guys found for this mag273r? Or a different monitor?
