Bleeding-edge technology is expensive. The LCD video display is nothing new, but there have been many incremental upgrades along the way that improved contrast, color saturation, speed and overall quality. The last few years have seen changes to backlights, first with LEDs replacing fluorescent tubes, then full array zone dimming units. Now we’re seeing things like Mini LED and Quantum Dots that push the contrast and color quotient even further.
In the gaming genre, speed is still king. But the newest consoles and PC video cards have brought Ultra HD, fast refresh, HDR and wide color gamuts to the mainstream. There are many ways to maximize the bang-for-the-buck ratio, but when you want the ultimate in image fidelity, the ViewSonic Elite XG321UG is nearly unparalleled.
At this writing, the XG321UG is the second Mini LED gaming monitor I’ve reviewed. The tech delivers the highest brightness level, greatest contrast, most dimming zones and with Quantum Dots, the largest color gamut available in a desktop LCD computer monitor. Only an OLED has a greater dynamic range, and that technology has a smaller gamut and less brightness.
The XG321UG matches other premium Ultra HD displays with its 144 Hz refresh rate and Adaptive-Sync, both of which worked perfectly in my tests. I was surprised not to see a backlight strobe option or HDMI 2.1, but those are not major omissions. Gaming performance was superb in all respects. Only a 240 or 360 Hz monitor can deliver faster response and that comes with a reduction in resolution.
The most compelling thing here is raw image quality. With those 1152 dimming zones, contrast and depth are better than any other LCD panel I’ve witnessed but one. The XG321UG’s blacks were deep and true, whites were bright and detailed, and color popped like nothing else. Its color gamut is the largest I’ve measured, and it showed in both SDR and HDR content.
At this price point, the only other monitor in ViewSonic’s league is Asus’ PG32UQX, and it costs $400 more. The Elite XG321UG is not an insignificant purchase, but you won’t regret buying the best.
