Today's deal features a superb value gaming monitor from Dell that features many specifications that are common on more expensive gaming monitors. So, if you're looking for a new monitor, a second screen, or a main monitor for a low-cost budget gaming setup, this is a great place to start.

You can find this deal over at Dell, where the Alienware AW2724DM is just $199, saving over $180 from its original MSRP. I've seen this monitor on sale on Amazon for $230 before, and currently, you can also find it on sale for $199.

The Alienware AW2724DM is a flat-panel fast-IPS gaming monitor with 27 inches of real estate for your games. Some of the fantastic features of this screen include a fluid 165Hz refresh rate (up to 180Hz when overclocked), HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and a 1ms gray-to-gray extreme response time. The picture has a QHD 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution for sharp images, and with most modern GPUs, you can achieve respectable frame rates on this gaming monitor.

Avoid screen tearing and visual anomalies with VESA adaptive-sync, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, plus compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync tech. The screen has a superb 600-nit brightness and great color accuracy with a DCI-P3 0f 95% and is factory calibrated with an accuracy of Delta E less than two.

Don't forget to look at our Dell coupon codes for January 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Dell.

Right now at Amazon, you can find the Asus TUF gaming VG27AQ3A monitor for one of its lowest prices to date. It usually goes for around $249 but occasionally drops to $199 and today it's back down to that excellent price again. This is the second lowest price we've ever seen for the display and a great offer for this particular monitor given its class and performance specs. It sports a QHD IPS panel, is AMD FreeSync Premium certified, and runs at up to 180 Hz performance.

This gaming monitor from Asus has great specs that are well-suited for both casual and experienced gamers. That said, it's good to get an idea of what features are leading the market and the best way to familiarize yourself with these specs is to take a look at our list of best gaming monitors. There you'll find many of our favorites in various categories like budget displays, curved screens, OLED panels, and more.

The Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A gaming monitor features an LED-backlit IPS panel that spans 27 inches across corner to corner. It has a QHD resolution which measures in at 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. It's accompanied by a high refresh rate of 180 Hz and a response time that can get as low as 1 ms. This sets it apart from your more basic displays, giving it an edge that's hard to ignore if you are on the lookout for a fast 27-inch QHD monitor for under $200.

Asus's gaming display is AMD FreeSync Premium certified for its performance which should ensure a tear-free experience with low latency. It covers 130% of the sRGB color gamut, which seems excellent for the price. Its maximum possible brightness of 250 nits is less impressive, but will probably be OK as long as your gaming room isn't very brightly lit. It has one DisplayPort 1.4 input and two HDMI 2.0 ports for video input. As far as audio support goes, you get both a 3.5mm jack for connecting external audio peripherals as well as two integrated 2W speakers for convenient sound output.

As an Asus TUF Gaming monitor, owners will also benefit from gamer-centric features like Extreme Low Motion Blur, GameFast Input technology, and Shadow Boost.

We're not sure for how long this offer will be made available but you can check it out now at Amazon over at the Asus TUF gaming VG27AQ3A monitor product page.

I love reviewing OLED monitors for two simple reasons: stunning image quality and next-level gaming performance. Their self-emissive pixels, meaning each dot emits its own light, deliver perfect black levels and infinite contrast. At this point, it’s hard to imagine how a video image could look better when it comes to the best OLED gaming monitors.

The real game-changer, though, is their video processing. They refresh the screen so that there is no motion blur. A typical LCD will have some blur until you pass 300 Hz, and even then, it needs overdrive to achieve perfection. An OLED can render flawless motion resolution, where moving objects have the same clarity as static ones at around 150 Hz.

My current benchmark is the 240 Hz OLED category, and it is filled with mainly QHD 2560x1440 pixel panels in the 27-inch size. Price-wise, these are premium displays, but the numbers are slowly trickling downward. I’ll be looking at a new Aorus monitor here, the FO27Q2. It’s a 27-inch QHD 240 Hz screen with Adaptive-Sync, HDR400 and Quantum Dots for an extra wide color gamut. Let’s take a look.

Aorus FO27Q2 Specs

Another great thing about OLED panels is their consistency. I have yet to find one that isn’t exceptional. QHD 240 Hz screens like the FO27Q2 deliver the same gaming feel thanks to their blur-free motion processing. And they all have very wide color gamuts and the same infinite dynamic range. The differences come down to a few milliseconds of input lag and the feature set.

The FO27Q2 excels in all areas. It’s priced competitively at $650 at this writing, and a quick search reveals that its closest rivals also cost around $650. The main attraction, which you’ll soon see on page two, is its extremely low input lag. It set a record in my test, which is no small feat considering it beat monitors with higher refresh rates.

It also boasts a huge color gamut thanks to Quantum Dot tech. These microscopic dots are printed on a layer above the OLED emitters and expand the color gamut by around 12%. That’s a difference that can be seen in a side-by-side comparison. The FO27Q2 covered over 110% of DCI-P3 in my tests. That color is also extremely accurate. It measured so well in my tests that I didn’t bother with a calibration. It could easily serve as a professional display, and with many pro monitors costing thousands of dollars, you can save a lot of money, or buy more FO27Q2s.

The list of feature icons printed on the box is extensive. The FO27Q2 is VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified with 1,000-nit peaks possible in HDR mode. You get FreeSync and G-Sync, a 240 Hz refresh rate, five-watt internal speakers, audio modes, KVM function, PIP/PBP, OSD Sidekick control app and Aorus’ unique Game Assist men,u which contains a PC health dashboard to monitor fan speeds and chip temps.

The FO27Q2’s other unique feature is its resolution switch. It is not a change in refresh rate; there is no 480 Hz mode. But with one button, you can enable a 24-inch FHD or UHD screen. This allows for faster frame rates if you’re running a less-than-stout video card. It also widens compatibility with PC and console gaming systems so you can run an optimal resolution for every situation.

Clearly, there is little the FO27Q2 cannot do and the fact that it costs no more than its competitors is very attractive. Let’s get to the overview and testing.

Assembly and Accessories

The FO27Q2 comes packed in a graphically adorned box with its contents nestled in crumbly foam. The base and upright bolt together and the panel snaps in place. The package is premium with a high-end finish and feel. The cable bundle includes an external power brick plus USB, HDMI and DisplayPort cables. You also get a calibration data sheet specific to each sample.

Product 360

The FO27Q2 uses OLED technology to achieve an elegant aesthetic. From the front, all you see is screen with a thin flush bezel that is barely visible. A small Aorus logo sits on the bottom trim in black chrome. You can also see a small holographic badge at the base of the upright. It alternates between “Aorus” and a graphic, depending on how light strikes it. The screen cover is glossy so take care to avoid sunny windows or bright lamps.

The side view shows the super-thin panel attached to a component bulge. The screen backing is metal finished in a matte crackle. The bulge has a variety of textures, with vertical lines leading up to a shiny band that says Aorus and reflects the lettering in the full color spectrum. There is no LED lighting.

The stand is very solid with a very stable cast aluminum base. The upright is cut out in the middle so you can see the fulcrum moving up and down and there’s a small cable management clip at the bottom. Adjustments include 5.1 inches of height, 5/20 degrees tilt, 20 degrees swivel and a 90-degree portrait mode with smooth and firm movements throughout.

The input panel is up and under the center and features one DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1, a USB-C that supports DP functions, and USB ports, one upstream and two down, version 3.2. They are supported by a KVM function in the OSD complete with a setup wizard. You also get 3.5mm headphone and 3.5mm microphone jacks. The internal speakers play with five watts of power each and deliver decent sound in the upper midrange frequencies without audible distortion. They can be tailored with sound modes in the OSD.

OSD Features

The FO27Q2’s OSD is controlled by a small joystick that sits under the center of the panel. One press summons a quick menu that offers Game Assist, OLED Care and full settings. There are also two buttons that can be programmed for different functions by the user.

The Gaming menu is minimal because an OLED like the FO27Q2 doesn’t need many video processing options. You can adjust shadow detail, add edge enhancement, change the aspect ratio and toggle Adaptive-Sync. The resolution shift is programmed to the button right of the joystick, and it cycles between FHD and QHD modes.

The picture menu has 10 picture modes, each with its own characteristics. Eco is the default, but if you want access to the FO27Q2’s full brightness capability, switch to Standard. Color is then perfect and does not need to be adjusted. If you need a smaller color space, you can select an equally accurate sRGB mode. A gamut option lets you choose Adobe RGB or Display P3 as well. If you want to tweak, color temp and gamma presets are available.

The KVM feature is powerful and easy to set up using the wizard. The idea is to have a single keyboard, monitor, and mouse that controls multiple video sources. This makes it easy to integrate computers, gaming consoles, and video players into the FO27Q2’s ecosystem. PIP and PBP functions are included too if you want to view two sources at once. The internal speakers are of decent quality and include four sound modes that sound subtly different from one another. The Quick Switch refers to the joystick and its directionals. Each one can be programmed for different functions like input or picture mode selection.

Most OLEDs have some sort of variable or constant brightness feature. Variable means you’ll see more pop as highlight areas will be driven more than shadows. Though OLED contrast is always infinite, this option makes the image livelier. The FO27Q2 calls this APL Stabilize and it has three levels. Low is equivalent to constant brightness. The overall light level is lower, but it doesn’t shift with content. High has a more dramatic effect. The OLED Care menu also has various panel-saving features like logo dim and pixel shift. An automatic refresh routine can be run when you’re not using the FO27Q2.

To access Game Assist, press the joystick and click right. There, you’ll find timers and stopwatches, frame counters, aiming points, sniper mode, night vision, and alignment marks for multi-screen setups. You can also turn on the dashboard, which displays fan speeds and temperatures for your CPU and GPU. The info appears in a small corner window.

Aorus FO27Q2 Calibration Settings

There isn’t much to tell here. Set your FO27Q2 to Standard mode and you’re pretty much done. The only decision left is peak brightness, and that setting will depend on your choice of APL Stabilize level. Low uses the least power but limits the peak to around 250 nits. High gives highlight areas more pop but you’ll have to lower brightness to keep the picture from being too bright. I’ve provided two sets of numbers below. Leave the gamma at 2.2 and the color temperature at normal for the most accurate color, grayscale, and gamma tracking. The native gamut covers over 110% of DCI-P3 so if you want to dial it back, there’s a gamut option for Display P3, or you can choose the sRGB picture mode. HDR content switches the FO27Q2 automatically where there are four more presets. Stick with HDR for the best and most accurate image.

Gaming and Hands-on

After setting up the FO27Q2, my first task was to play a few games to get a feel for its video processing. Of course, I had already done the tests so I knew it would be special, and it did not disappoint. Though it’s hard to perceive a difference in feel and response between 240 Hz QHD OLEDs, the FO27Q2 had just a hair more precision. That was evident in how quickly I worked through familiar maps in Doom Eternal’s Horde mode. My aim was spot on over multiple gaming sessions, so I know it wasn’t a fluke. This monitor is a precision tool and will enhance a gamer’s experience no matter what their skill level.

I was able to drive the FO27Q2 at 240 fps without difficulty. If you can keep speeds above 150, there won’t be any motion blur. And at 120 Hz, I saw barely any. Control response is incredible, but you can buy nearly any OLED and experience that. The FO27Q2 is the best choice for those with the quickest possible gaming screen. Currently, there are none quicker.

The picture was stunning in both SDR and HDR modes. The FO27Q2 is at its best in HDR content with APL Stabilize set to High, which delivers the brightest highlights and the most punch. Setting it on Low dulls the picture a bit unless you play in a darkened room, in which case it’s the right choice. The color was stunning no matter what the setting. Quantum Dots are truly worthwhile, and I wouldn’t buy an OLED without them. They’re well worth the extra coin.

The FO27Q2's flat 27-inch panel is ideal for productivity. Its QHD resolution is enough for a 109ppi pixel density, which is high enough to hide the dot structure at close viewing distances. OLED contrast ensures that fine detail is clear and, in many cases, textural.

Physically, the FO27Q2 is a conversation piece. Though its styling isn’t garish, it stands out in a crowd. The thin panel and component bulge are an OLED trademark that many users will recognize. Though there aren’t LED lights, the holographic elements on the base and back add just enough bling. The stand is top quality with firm smooth adjustments and a rugged feel. You’ll be using the FO27Q2 for the long haul.

Takeaway: The FO27Q2 is one of those monitors that does everything well. It’s equally suited for work or entertainment with an efficient form factor and no-nonsense operation. Gaming performance is beyond impressive, even among other OLEDs thanks to ridiculously low input lag. With the lowest value I’ve ever measured, it can even beat the current crop of 480 Hz QHD screens. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with this monitor. It’s as close to perfect as I can imagine.

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Now we get to the fun part: how fast is the FO27Q2? To find out, I compared its test results to five other 240 Hz QHD OLEDs, Dough’s Spectrum Black 27, Pixio’s PX277 OLED MAX, AOC’s AG276QZD2, View Sonic’s XG272-2K and the Asus PG27AQDP which runs at 480 Hz. The results were surprising, to say the least.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

For the PG27AQDP to refresh the screen in 2ms is no surprise; it’s running at twice the rate of the others. What is amazing are the input lag results. The FO27Q2 is officially the most responsive gaming monitor I’ve ever tested. 13ms of total lag is a result I had to verify with more test runs. After shooting 15 videos instead of the usual five, I was convinced. This thing is other-worldly. Of course, there is no motion blur, but that is true of any 240 Hz OLED. But the only monitor even close is the 480 Hz Asus.

Test Takeaway: If low input lag is your priority, it doesn’t get lower than the FO27Q2. It’s blindingly quick and it beats my previous record holder, the 480 Hz Asus PG27AQDP by 2ms. Based on numbers, no faster or more responsive computer monitor currently exists.

Viewing Angles

I’ve already mentioned OLED consistency as a major reason to buy one, and the viewing angle photo shows this. I’ve only observed the most subtle differences between OLEDs screens in this test. QD models often show a slight red tint at 45 degrees to the sides and the FO27Q2 has that if you look closely enough. In actual content, there is no visual difference. This is excellent performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

OLED panels are also consistently uniform in tone. They always ace my test with numbers well under 10%, the visual threshold, and often below 5% like the FO27Q2. My sample looked perfect in every situation with every kind of test pattern and content.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The FO27Q2’s peak brightness depends on your choice of APL Stabilize setting. Aorus rates it for 250 nits showing a full field and I was able to hit that at all settings in the Standard picture mode. To gauge true performance, I always measure 25% windows with the variable brightness engaged. In this case, I set APL Stabilize to High and recorded 454 nits which is typical of most OLEDs in the category. Of the bottom two screens, the AOC has no variable brightness feature and the ViewSonic is less aggressive than the rest. As usual, black levels cannot be measured so neither too can contrast.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration changes nothing in the contrast test, it’s still infinite. I preferred the FO27Q2 set to APL Stabilize High, so I used the second set of brightness values above to set my peak at 200 nits using a 25% window. Black levels are unchanged, so contrast remains unmeasurable for all the screens.

Test Takeaway: The FO27Q2 delivers the same consistent contrast performance as its competitors. You get three variable brightness levels which is more than some that either don’t have the feature or make it simple on or off. You can dial in the picture to your taste and room environment very easily. And it will always look stunning.

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The FO27Q2 is calibrated at the factory if you switch from the default Eco mode to Standard. It is so precise that I could not make an improvement even though RGB sliders and gamma presets are provided. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The FO27Q2’s default measurement runs yields a nearly perfect chart. Grayscale errors are all less than 1dE, which is well under the visible level of 3dE. Gamma rides close to the 2.2 line with a slight rise at 10% and a dip at 90%. These errors are nearly impossible to spot in actual content.

The sRGB mode has visibly perfect grayscale but introduces a couple of gamma anomalies. The 10% step is too light, making some shadow detail less dramatic. The 80% and 90% steps are very light, bumping up highlights and muddying detail slightly.

Comparisons

With the 0.56dE grayscale error, the FO27Q2 wins the out-of-box comparison and slips only to third place when all the screens are calibrated. And it’s only out of first by a hair. Visually, there is no difference between any of the six monitors.

In the gamma test, the FO27Q2 comes closest to the 2.2 reference with a 2.19 result, 0.45% off the mark. The range of values is a little wider thanks to the anomalies I noted in the charts above. Even though it comes last, 0.21 is very tight. The other monitors are just a little better in this test.

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 FO27Q2 has exemplary color accuracy even though its native gamut is a little larger than DCI-P3. Red and green are a bit oversaturated but in a way that is visually appealing. It just looks like a very colorful monitor that no user will complain about. You can dial it back with the DisplayP3 option in the OSD. Or, if you need sRGB, select that picture mode for a perfect result. 0.60dE is one of the lowest gamut test scores I’ve ever recorded.

Comparisons

The OLED monitors I’ve reviewed have been consistently color accurate and the FO27Q2 is no exception. Though it sits in fifth with a 1.91dE score, that’s only because the other screens are so good. Visually there is no difference. You’ll need to see numbers above 3dE to detect errors in content.

Quantum Dot OLEDs push the envelope for color volume and the FO27Q2 goes just a tad further than the rest with a 110.53% score. It and the AOC are QD panels while the rest are not. It bodes well for OLED tech in that it can approach 100% without help. But that extra punch is worth paying for. You can see it plainly in a comparison. You can also see full coverage of sRGB plus a little bonus red. It’s not enough to disqualify the FO27Q2 as a pro screen. This is excellent performance.

Test Takeaway: The FO27Q2 is one of the most colorful and most color accurate monitors I’ve ever tested of any type. It stands out amongst other OLEDs and doesn’t cost any more than the competition. I would pick it for myself based on the color tests alone.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The FO27Q2 supports HDR10 content with an automatic switch and four additional picture modes. It isn’t the brightest OLED I’ve seen but it hangs with the competition and for my office environment, is more than bright enough.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

OLED brightness is a bit variable because when APL Stabilize or Variable Brightness is engaged, the pattern window size makes a difference. I always use 25% to keep tests consistent. The FO27Q2 hits 461 nits and Aorus claims 1,000 nits for a 3% window. My experience leads me not to doubt this. There is a lot of dynamic punch here with bright highlights and deep shadows rich with detail. Another nice bit is that you can control the APL Stabilize in all the HDR modes to find your preferred look. Three of the modes also enable brightness, contrast and level controls if you want to tweak your HDR further. Few monitors offer this level of flexibility.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The default HDR mode, called appropriately “HDR”, is the most accurate of the four. It has visually perfect grayscale tracking and an EOTF that rides close to the reference. Shadows and lower steps are a tad dark but not enough to hide fine detail. There is a slight rise above reference in the mid-tones up to the tone-map transition at 65% brightness. This is the correct value given the measured white level.

In the HDR color tests, the FO27Q2 takes advantage of its large gamut to punch up the vivid factor for all three primaries. Red is especially bold with linear tracking that keeps it from going too far astray of its targets. It’s great to see more than full coverage of green which is a color most LCDs can’t fully render in the DCI-P3 color space. In the BT.2020 test, we see the same slight but linear oversaturation with red covering just over 90%, green at 80% and a little off hue, and blue just over 95%.

Test Takeaway: The FO27Q2 defines the genre for HDR monitors. Though there are brighter models available, there are few that also offer this level of accuracy. It also adds flexibility with three variable brightness options and three modes that allow further adjustment. It truly doesn’t get better than this.

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I’ve said in the past that it’s hard to differentiate between OLED monitors. They all have accurate, saturated color and infinite contrast. They all run with no motion blur at speeds above 150 fps. And they all come with premium builds. Even prices are close, with around a $75 spread from lowest to highest for a given size and resolution.

But if one can be called the best OLED gaming monitor, it’s the Aorus FO27Q2. It has all the traits I just listed, plus a little more color volume and significantly lower input lag.

I measured 13ms of total lag in my tests. This breaks the previous record by 2ms. That alone doesn’t seem huge until you realize that the previous record was held by Asus’ 480 Hz PG27AQDP. The FO27Q2 wins the day at 240fps.

With Quantum Dot tech, it crests the 110% line for color volume with a hair more than the next best AOC AG276QZD2. Since that monitor doesn’t have variable brightness, the FO27Q2 handily beats it in overall picture quality. It also boasts better accuracy than just about anything out there, regardless of screen type. It was so good out of the box that I could not improve it with calibration. For all intents and purposes, its color is flawless for both DCI-P3 and sRGB content. Its infinite contrast delivers benchmark HDR quality with the ability to adjust parameters to the user’s liking.

Aside from a lack of LED lighting, I can’t say anything negative about the Aorus FO27Q2. It’s one of the very best gaming monitors I’ve ever reviewed. Definitely check it out.

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Finding the right panel type for your gaming monitor can make a huge difference in the performance you get and your overall gaming experience. That's why we're excited to share a deal we found on this AOC Q27G3XMN mini-LED gaming display. This monitor usually goes for around $279, but right now, it's available for the lowest price we've ever seen for this gaming display since it was first released. It debuted with a price of $279 so this offer saves you 11% off the going rate.

This gaming monitor sports a 27-inch VA panel that is backlit using mini-LEDs. We have at least one other mini-LED backlit display on our list of best gaming monitors, which is the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8. This monitor stands out with a few different specs and it's worth a look at this price. We recommend checking out the full list to see how the AOC Q27G3XMN stacks up against other monitors leading the market.

The AOC Q27G3XMN features a 27-inch VA panel that's backlit with mini-LEDs. It's capable of reaching a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. It has a high-PPI 2K QHD resolution that measures at 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. Although that's not the densest resolution you can find within 27 inches, it's still far preferable to an FHD standard at the size. It has a high refresh rate that caps out at 180 Hz and a response time that gets as low as 1 ms.

This gaming monitor covers 134% of the sRGB color gamut, which is elevated by the mini-LED backlighting. You also get a handful of video input options to take advantage of, including two HDMI 2.0 ports and two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs. It also has a 3.5mm jack available for connecting external audio peripherals.

This isn't the first time this monitor has dropped to this price, but it is the lowest price it's ever been lowered to. It's unclear how long this monitor will be available, but you can check out the AOC 27-inch mini-LED 2K gaming monitor product page on Amazon for more details and purchase options.

If you've been waiting to pick up a curved gaming monitor, you might want to check out this Amazon offer on the LG 27GS60QC-B Ultragear curved gaming display. The monitor usually costs around $249, but right now, it's marked down to just $156. This is the lowest price for the monitor since it debuted.

You get some good specs worth getting excited about for a gaming monitor in this price range. It's curved, has a dense QHD resolution, and can reach a refresh rate of 180Hz. You should check out our list of best gaming monitors to know how this monitor compares to others leading the market.

The LG 27GS60QC-B Ultragear features a 27-inch VA panel with a curvature of 1000R. It has a dense QHD resolution that measures 2560 x 1440. The refresh rate can get as high as 180 Hz and is paired with a short response time of just 1 ms.

This gaming monitor is AMD FreeSync certified, covers 99% of the sRGB color gamut, and is illuminated with a maximum possible brightness of 300 nits. You get two HDMI ports to take advantage of and one DisplayPort for video input. A 3.5mm jack is available for connecting external audio peripherals as well. The purchase is supported by Amazon's 30-day return policy and a one-year warranty from LG.

Visit the LG 27GS60QC-B Ultragear gaming monitor project page at Amazon for more details and purchase options.

It’s hard to deny that there is something cool about white computer monitors. You don’t see them often, so when a manufacturer embraces one and its unique styling, it can’t help but stand out.

Among the best gaming monitors, performance must be the priority, and Gigabyte’s M27QA ICE provides that for both image quality and gaming feel. It’s a 27-inch IPS panel with QHD 2560x1440 resolution, 180 Hz refresh rate, FreeSync and G-Sync, HDR400, and wide gamut color. Though it has a unique high-end look, it doesn’t come with a premium price. It sells for $280 at this writing, so let’s take a look.

Gigabyte M27QA ICE Specs

If you want a smooth-running gaming monitor and can’t afford an OLED, a fast IPS or VA screen is the next best thing. And for the money, the 180 Hz segment is hard to beat. Its price/performance ratio is highly favorable. The M27QA ICE sits squarely in the middle money-wise at around $280. For that sum, you get better than average IPS contrast. I measured over 1,350:1, ranking it among the very best in its tech genre. That extra depth comes in the form of excellent black levels, which also help bump up color saturation. Though it isn’t a Quantum Dot panel, it fills over 95% of the DCI-P3 gamut, as verified by my tests. Out-of-box accuracy is good enough to make calibration unnecessary.

Gaming performance is solid too with an honest 180 Hz refresh rate achieved without overclock. Adaptive-Sync comes in both forms, and I verified its flawless operation in hands-on gaming tests. Gigabyte provides one of the best overdrives in the business with fixed and dynamic options that do away with nearly all motion blur. If you prefer backlight strobing, that’s here too, with the rare ability to work alongside Adaptive-Sync with no brightness penalty. The M27QA ICE has significant video processing cred.

Physically, you can’t look at it and not be impressed. White monitors are cool because they stand out without a lot of flash. The M27QA ICE’s styling, aside from the color, is understated. But it will go very well with a white PC like Alienware’s offerings or a gaming console. Build quality is high with a stable stand and smooth ergonomics.

Though the price is in the value segment, no features are sacrificed. You get KVM function with USB ports including USB-C which can be a second DisplayPort input. That and two HDMI 2.1 ports mean you can connect to just about anything that outputs a video signal. Gaming features include Gigabyte’s full suite of GameAssist options with frame counters, timers, aiming points, sniper mode and PC health info with chip temps and fan speeds.

For $280, the M27QA ICE delivers a complete gamer’s package that performs well and looks cool doing it.

Assembly and Accessories

The M27QA ICE wears its white-themed styling on the carton which is also white and emblazoned with photos all around. It opens clamshell style to reveal its contents packed in crumbly foam. The stand assembles with a captive bolt and snaps in place. The cable bundle includes an external power brick plus wires for DisplayPort, HDMI and USB-A/B.

Product 360

Though the M27QA ICE’s white finish is unusual, it is also understated enough to evoke the thought that it should just be this way. There’s no reason we can’t have more white monitors. But you will certainly stand out among your friends at a LAN party. The front bezel is thin, flush and black so the only white you see when the picture is on is the trim at the bottom which says “Gigabyte” in gray letters. The base also proclaims “Gaming Series” in case there was any doubt. The image is sharp and bright with no grain from the effective anti-reflection layer.

The panel’s side profile is just 1.7 inches thick, thinner than most 27-inch screens I’ve encountered. The stand is rock solid, providing 5/20 degrees tilt and a 5.1-inch height adjustment. There is no swivel or portrait mode. Movements are very firm with no play or wobble. The M27QA ICE is clearly built for long-term use.

The back also says “Gigabyte” with a few molded-in shapes and generous ventilation across the top. The OSD joystick sits in the usual spot and is the M27QA ICE’s only control key. The input panel is clearly labeled and includes two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one USB-C which can serve as a second DisplayPort input. KVM is further supported by one upstream and two downstream ports, version 3.2. A 3.5mm headphone jack outputs stereo sound and there are no internal speakers.

OSD Features

Pressing the M27QA ICE’s joystick brings up a quick menu with options for KVM and GameAssist. An up-click opens the full OSD. I was surprised to see a white menu with thin black text. Though it fits with the monitor’s styling, it is somewhat hard to read. If the font had a thicker line weight, it would be more visible.

Every menu screen has signal info at the top. You can see the video processing status in the first of seven sections with refresh rate, overdrive and the like. Aim Stabilizer Sync is the backlight strobe, and it works in concert with Adaptive-Sync to completely eliminate motion blur. It has a very slight phasing artifact, which is easier to see in test patterns than in actual content. Or you can use the excellent overdrive, which worked best for me set to Balance. The Smart OD option is dynamic and will vary with refresh rate.

There are nine picture modes in total with Standard being the default and best option. It includes a full set of calibration controls with gamma and color temp presets. There’s also an accurate sRGB mode for those who need color grading capability. The native color gamut covers 95% of DCI-P3, making the M27QA ICE very colorful for both SDR and HDR content.

Quick Switch refers to the joystick directionals and all four can be programmed by the user. This gives quick access to commonly used things like picture mode and input selection. There are three settings memories that can be saved and recalled. This is something all monitors should have, very useful.

GameAssist is a separate menu of gaming aids, including aiming points (green in four shapes), timer, stopwatch, frame counter, sniper mode and PC health data. The M27QA ICE can monitor fan speeds and temps for the CPU and GPU in real-time. The information is shown in a small window in the upper left corner of the screen.

Gigabyte M27QA ICE Calibration Settings

The M27QA ICE is right on the edge of needing calibration but with barely visible errors, the image is pleasing and colorful by default. In the default Standard mode, you get gamma and color temp presets plus RGB sliders for a precise dial-in. I used these to make a small improvement in accuracy. The color gamut covers 95% of DCI-P3 unless you choose the sRGB mode which accurately renders that color space. My recommended settings are below. For HDR signals, there are no adjustments available, and the brightness is locked to 100%. There’s no dynamic contrast, so the picture doesn’t look significantly different.

Gaming and Hands-on

There are many gaming monitors in the “gets the job done” category, but the M27QA ICE goes beyond them with some of the best video processing I’ve seen in a sub-$300 display. The overdrive is more than enough to manage motion blur which was a complete non-factor in my gameplay sessions. If you can drive it at 180fps, there’s no need for anything beyond the Balanced setting with Adaptive-Sync engaged. QHD resolution makes that an easy task.

For slower frame rates, the backlight strobe (Aim Stabilizer Sync) is a great tool because Gigabyte lets you leave Adaptive-Sync turned on. Brightness is automatically maxed so there’s no loss of light output. I noted a slight phasing artifact in test patterns, but it was nearly impossible to replicate this in any games I tried. Doom Eternal has plenty of fine detail that will magnify any anomalies and I saw none. The video processing here is excellent.

Though I noted merely average HDR quality, it is still a little better than SDR thanks to the M27QA ICE’s wide color gamut and solid accuracy. Blue is especially vivid with just the right amount of over-saturation. It makes cold textures like ice and stone more vibrant but not to the point where they look cartoonish. Warm tones are also bolder than their SDR versions. I wished for a field dimming option to make shadow areas more dramatic but there was none.

Turning to workday tasks, I was able to appreciate the M27QA ICE’s styling and unique physical look. I use a white table to test monitors and the white chassis was a perfect aesthetic complement. Paired with a white PC or gaming console, it’s a look I could enjoy without any distraction from what I was doing. The image is crisp and colorful, well suited for documents, spreadsheets and graphics. Photoshop rendered well with enough pixel density (109ppi) for fine editing. The only thing I would change is the menu color. It’s not a big deal because once set up, you don’t spend a lot of time in the OSD. However, a bolder font would be an improvement against its white background. The style choice makes sense, but its execution could be better.

Physically, the M27QA ICE is a solid package. The stand is smooth and sure in its movements. The lack of swivel is unusual but honestly, how often does one swivel a monitor? There’s plenty of height and tilt range to satisfy any combination of desk height and user size. The KVM feature is handy for peripheral support and very easy to set up. The only things missing here are LED lighting and speakers. Neither make an impact on the M27QA ICE’s usability or performance.

Takeaway: The M27QA ICE is a supremely capable gaming and workday monitor that delivers excellent video processing and a satisfying image for less than $300. It excels at everything and only lacks a bit of extra impact in HDR mode because there’s no dimming. But with lots of color, the image is vivid and detailed. It does well for any task or entertainment activity.

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To compare the M27QA ICE’s performance, we have a group of 165 and 180 Hz QHD screens all in the 27-inch size. There’s Lenovo’s G27q-30, ASRock’s PG27QFT2A, Xiaomi’s G Pro 27i, Asus XG27ACS and Cooler Master’s GM2711S.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

The response test indicates how smooth the moving image will be and all the screens here are on the same footing. There are slight differences in overdrive quality, and the M27QA ICE has the best implementation. It’s super smooth on its Balanced setting with almost no motion blur. You can remove all blur using the backlight strobe, but you’ll see a slight phasing artifact.

In the lag test, the M27QA ICE smokes the others with just 19ms total. That puts it on par with 240 Hz monitors and qualifies it for competition. Note that the 165 Hz Lenovo hangs close to the 180 Hz screens at 25ms total lag.

Test Takeaway: The M27QA ICE is one of the quickest and most responsive screens you can buy for less than $300. Its overdrive is nearly perfect, and it allows the backlight strobe and Adaptive-Sync to work together with no brightness penalty and only a slight phasing artifact. At 180fps, it’s on par with many of the 240 Hz screens I’ve reviewed. Only a much faster LCD or OLED will top Gigabyte’s offering.

Viewing Angles

The M27QA ICE delivers decent performance in my viewing angle test. The side photo shows a green tint but no significant loss of light output. Gamma stays solid, meaning there’s no fine detail loss at 45 degrees off-center. The top view also has reasonable gamma with a slight red tint and 40% brightness reduction.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Some of the monitors in the group have visible glow or bleed, but not my M27QA ICE sample. It shows perfect uniformity in all color and grayscale field patterns. The black field has no sign of anomalies, just a smooth tone from edge to edge. This is excellent performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

I measured the M27QA ICE in its default state, Standard mode, gamma 2.2 and Natural color temp. It doesn’t quite get to 350 nits, but it is plenty bright enough for indoor use. Interestingly, I found a little more light when calibrating the User color temp which takes the max just over 350 nits and meets Gigabyte’s spec.

Either way, you get excellent black levels that are only eclipsed by the VA-based Lenovo. So, if you’re an IPS fan, the M27QA ICE is a great choice because it offers around 30% more contrast than the class average.

After Calibration to 200 nits

The M27QA ICE remains consistent after calibration with 1,378.5:1 static and 1,351:1 intra-image contrast, both superb results that are only pipped by the ASRock which also uses IPS tech. If you want the highest possible contrast short of an OLED, the VA Lenovo is a great choice. But you’ll see later that the M27QA ICE is the most colorful non-QD monitor in its class.

Test Takeaway: The M27QA ICE offers class-leading contrast with excellent black levels and decent brightness. You’ll want to engage the User color temp to hit its SDR maximum of 350 nits. At this price point, you won’t find better. Only Mini LED, VA and OLED have more dynamic range, and they cost more in the 27-inch QHD format.

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Gigabyte monitors always deliver accurate color and the M27QA ICE is no exception. You can leave it at default settings and enjoy a bright and colorful picture with sharp detail and a satisfying look for gaming and entertainment.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The M27QA ICE’s initial grayscale run shows slight blue errors in steps from 50 to 100%. This is barely visible in content and even though the average is over 3dE, I consider it a monitor that does not require calibration. Gamma tracks just below the 2.2 line with linear values which means all the detail in the original content will be rendered clearly.

With a few tweaks of the RGB sliders, I’ve removed all grayscale errors with most values below 1dE. Gamma is unchanged so the picture has gained a visible improvement. You can see similar results in the sRGB test. Aside from a slight dip in gamma at 10% (too light) there are no issues worthy of concern. No adjustments are available, but the sRGB mode is qualified for critical applications.

Comparisons

The M27QA ICE’s 3.11dE grayscale error puts it mid-pack in this group of bread-and-butter gaming monitors. Asus is the top finisher with a 0.85dE score. But the Gigabyte’s 3.11dE is still worthy. And with calibration, that number improves to 1.02dE. It’s in last place but since the threshold of visibility is 3dE, all the monitors look the same when showing actual content.

The gamma comparison is much the same, with no outliers among the six screens. The M27QA ICE has a tight 0.10 range of values, and a 2.73% deviation from the 2.2 standard. The actual value is 2.14, which is a tad light but an acceptable performance.

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.

You can see the M27QA ICE’s excellent color volume in the first chart where it covers nearly all of the DCI-P3 gamut with accurate points throughout. Red is a tad undersaturated but green is spot on and covers the entire range, a rarity among wide gamut screens. Blue is a bit off hue and over-saturated which makes skies and oceans a little more brilliant.

Calibration tightens up all the measured points, putting them close to or on their targets. Blue is still a bit too saturated but acceptable in real-world content. Secondary hues are exactly where they should be.

In the sRGB test, you can see slight under-saturation in red’s inner points but 100% hits the bullseye. Magenta is slightly off hue as well. But with an overall error value of 1.4dE, you won’t see a problem. The M27QA ICE is qualified for color-critical apps.

Comparisons

Once again, the comparison is tight with the M27QA ICE right in the thick of competition. A 1.78dE color error is excellent and means you won’t see anything wrong when viewing actual content. Only blue looks a little extra bold but that’s nothing to complain about.

In the volume test, the M27QA ICE delivers greater coverage of DCI-P3 than all but the Xiaomi which has a Quantum Dot layer and a $100 price premium. At 95% coverage of P3 and sRGB, the Gigabyte is well suited for any application, work or play.

Test Takeaway: The M27QA ICE delivers a rich and natural color palette with more volume than anything but Quantum Dot screens. With ideal coverage of both DCI-P3 and sRGB, it is qualified for critical work. It’s accurate enough to satisfy without calibration but can be improved with a few tweaks. In its class, it delivers excellent performance and a bright, colorful and sharply detailed image.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The M27QA ICE supports HDR10 signals by switching automatically to HDR mode. All image controls are grayed out, but I found decent color accuracy and a bright picture.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

The M27QA ICE is like other HDR monitors in this price bracket in that it supports HDR10 but does not offer a significant boost to image quality. Peak brightness is higher than in SDR mode with a measured 442 nits. This provides impactful highlights and saturated color. But black levels are elevated too, so there is no more contrast. Some sort of dynamic dimming would be a welcome addition to provide a broader range here. You can see that the other screens make a better attempt to punch up their HDR image quality. And the Xiaomi uses Mini LED tech to shut off all zones for black signals making its contrast unmeasurable. The M27QA ICE is adequate, but it does not excel.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

In the HDR grayscale test, you can see a slight red push which is a forgivable error. It maintains the picture’s depth and just lends a little extra warmth. There are no means to calibrate HDR, but this performance is typical of budget displays. The EOTF curve tracks right on the reference except for the zero and 5% steps, which are too light. This makes the deepest shadows a little gray but overall, the image is rich with detail and crisply rendered.

In the color test, there is general over-saturation but nothing to cause concern. The M27QA ICE looks similar to other value HDR monitors in that it is very colorful and bright, but only a little more so than its SDR image. Hue tracking is very good, meaning you won’t see any color out of place. It also tracks most of the BT.2020 gamut correctly until it runs out of color at 80% red, 75% green and 95% blue. The large blue primary comes in handy there, giving the M27QA ICE more blue punch than some other HDR screens.

Test Takeaway: The M27QA ICE is in the category of monitors that support HDR but don’t embrace it. It tracks color and luminance accurately so it will show you a good image with correct tone mapping. But since it lacks dynamic contrast, it won’t have much more punch than an SDR picture. There’s a little more color saturation and overall brightness but nothing more.

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With so many OLEDs crossing my desk, it’s easy to become spoiled by premium technology. But when I get a bread-and-butter monitor like the M27QA ICE for review, I’m reminded just how close in capability most displays are. Though it costs less than half the price of a 27-inch QHD OLED, it performs very well.

By focusing on color volume, accuracy and video processing, Gigabyte has endowed the M27QA ICE with everything needed for a superlative gaming experience. The picture is bright, sharp and colorful thanks to plenty of light output and 95% coverage of DCI-P3. Accuracy is good out of the box and better with calibration. Video processing is about as good as it gets outside the OLED realm with precise overdrive and a backlight strobe that works along with Adaptive-Sync and has almost no visible artifacts.

And one cannot deny the M27QA ICE’s styling is compelling. There aren’t a lot of white monitors out there, so if you crave something different, it’s almost a no-brainer purchase. It doesn’t cost a lot and it doesn’t sacrifice anything. There aren’t speakers or LEDs, but there is nothing else missing here that would detract from the gaming experience. It’s a complete gaming display with top performance and a colorful picture. If you can’t afford an OLED but want smooth performance and vivid color, the M27QA ICE is well worth checking out.

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The Black Friday season has arrived and so have the deals, including on this great 34-inch curved gaming monitor from LG. With a VA panel, HDR 10 and 160 Hz refresh, you get a lot of monitor for your money.

The ultra-wide QHD VA panel has a resolution of 3440 x 1440 and an aspect ratio of 21:9, and the screen curves to place you in the middle of the action, (or the middle of a spreadsheet). Using HDMI you get the full 3440 x 1440 resolution at 85Hz, but to unlock the full 160Hz 3440 x 1440 you need to use DisplayPort.

With a 160 Hz refresh rate and 1ms motion blur reduction (MBR), your gaming will be free of ghosting and blur, useful for esports gaming. AMD FreeSync Premium support means that screen tearing, flicker and stuttering are smoothed out, to keep you in the game. There's also an on screen crosshair, for those times when you need accuracy to save the day.

The one-click stand is easy to assemble, and provides a stylish means to support the monitor, but you can also use a VESA mount to connect it to your favorite stand / arm.

Head over to the LG UltraGear QHD 34-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor 34GP63A-B product page for more details and purchase options.

There are many factors to consider when shopping for one of the best gaming monitors, but we can all agree that resolution and refresh rate are two of the most important. Screen size is undoubtedly another essential aspect when selecting a monitor, and that’s where it’s fun to dig for good deals.

How little can you pay and still put a 32-inch 16:9 display on your desk? Gigabyte offers the GS32Q for as little as $209. It’s a QHD IPS panel with 170 Hz, Adaptive-Sync and HDR. Let’s take a look.

Gigabyte GS32Q Specs

When I started reviewing monitors more than ten years ago, a 27-inch IPS QHD panel would run you about $600 and lacked features like fast refresh, Adaptive-Sync and HDR. The fact that I’m sitting in front of a 32-inch IPS screen with 170 Hz, Adaptive-Sync and HDR that costs just $209 can only be called progress.

The GS32Q starts with a quality IPS part that delivers an honest 1,400:1 contrast ratio. This is well above the 1,000:1 average I’ve measured from most IPS monitors. It’s reasonably bright at a tested 327 nits. That puts it in the category of “bright enough.” It has more than enough output for any indoor space. With better-than-average black levels, the picture is very satisfying.

The one thing that needs to be added here is a wide color gamut. That isn’t unusual in the budget monitor genre but some of its slightly more expensive competition deliver more color. The GS32Q manages 75% of DCI-P3 and 102% of sRGB, which matches Gigabyte’s claim.

HDR10 content is also supported with accurate tone mapping but there is no dynamic contrast to help broaden the range from dark to light, so HDR games look much like SDR in practice. On the upside, color is extremely accurate out of the box. Calibration is not required, but Gigabyte provides color temp and gamma options if you want to tweak.

Both G-Sync and FreeSync bolster gaming performance. The GS32Q has not been certified by Nvidia but I observed flawless G-Sync operation in my tests. The native refresh rate is 165 Hz, and an additional 5 Hz is available from an overclock option in the OSD. It worked without issue during my tests. You also get an overdrive option and Aim Stabilizer which is Gigabyte’s version of backlight strobing. It works instead of Adaptive-Sync at the full 170 Hz.

Further gaming enhancements include aiming points, timer, stopwatch, frame counter and display alignment marks. The bezel is thin so if you want to line up two or three GS32Qs, they’ll make a satisfying flight or driving simulator without major dividing lines, or major cost.

What else is missing? There are no internal speakers, USB ports, or LED lights. But everything needed for gaming is there. And for general use, a 32-inch QHD monitor for $209 is never a bad thing.

Assembly and Accessories

The GS32Q comes packed in crumbly foam in three parts which can be assembled without tools. The upright is a short piece that bolts to a sturdy base and snaps onto the bottom of the panel. A 100mm VESA mount is provided but you’ll need to source your own fasteners if you want to use an arm. The power supply is internal and two different IEC cords are included. Also in the box is a DisplayPort cable.

Product 360

The GS32Q is styled like the other displays in Gigabyte’s current GS series. Basic shapes and angles make up the panel which is slimmer than most 32-inch models. A component bulge juts out a bit in the back, which provides plenty of space for ventilation. My sample always ran cool at 170 Hz for long periods.

The stand is basic and includes only a 5/20-degree tilt function. It sits low so you’ll have to tilt the panel upwards to your eyepoint. A small clip goes on the stand for cable management. The screen has a flush bezel just seven millimeters wide with a 23mm strip across the bottom featuring the Gigabyte logo. The logo appears again in the back in larger polished letters set against a matte finish. Materials are solid and substantial and though the package is lightweight, it is also rugged and well-built.

The input panel includes one DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, plus a 3.5mm jack for headphones. Volume and mute controls are in the OSD. There are no internal speakers or USB ports. The control joystick is under the center of the panel and clicks sharply to control all monitor functions.

OSD Features

Clicking the GS32Q’s joystick once brings up a quick menu that offers a power toggle, GameAssist and aiming points. An up-click opens the full OSD.

The usual suite of video processing options is in the Gaming menu, which includes an AMD FreeSync toggle, black equalizer to enhance shadow detail, super resolution which adds unattractive edge enhancement, overdrive, and aspect ratio. Aim Stabilizer is the GS32Q’s backlight strobe and to enable it, you must first turn off Adaptive-Sync. It works up to the maximum 170 Hz refresh rate, but I found it created both ghost and phase artifacts. It improves motion resolution, especially at frame rates below 100fps. There’s no pulse width adjustment, but it only reduces brightness by around 20%. The overdrive is of middling quality in that it reduces blur but also shows some ghosting.

In the Picture menu are seven image presets. Eco is the default, but it limits brightness to around 180 nits, so I recommend switching to Standard for the GS32Q’s full capability. It allows access to all adjustments, which include five gamma options and five color temps. The User Define option has a good set of RGB sliders that allowed me to dial in very precise grayscale tracking. Among the picture modes is an sRGB option. It’s redundant since the GS32Q is an sRGB monitor.

The Display menu has an overclock switch, which would be easier to find if it were in the Gaming menu. You can turn up the heat to 170 Hz here, and despite Gigabyte warning us of possible side effects, it is perfectly stable and reliable.

Big monitors are great for viewing multiple video sources with PIP and PBP, and the GS32Q includes both. The PIP window can be sized and moved around the screen. The System menu has options for the four joystick directions. They can be used for quick access to things like input selection, crosshairs, and the like.

There are four aiming points included, all green, with dot, circle, cross, and chevron shapes. GameAssist also offers timers that count up or down and a frame rate indicator. Alignment marks are handy for multi-screen setups.

Gigabyte GS32Q Calibration Settings

The GS32Q is best enjoyed in its Standard picture mode where no calibration is necessary. Grayscale, gamma and sRGB color are visually spot-on out of the box. I calibrate, when possible, for every review so I employed the User Define color temp to improve the test numbers a bit. My SDR settings are below. For HDR10 content, the GS32Q switches automatically, and no picture adjustments are available. It provides accurate tone mapping, but there is no dynamic dimming to increase contrast.

Gaming and Hands-on

The GS32Q is a very good gaming monitor for the money. There are a few weaknesses, but my play experience was positive. On the upside, it is extremely responsive to control inputs. I base this on aiming precision. I racked up far more hits than misses during fast-paced sessions in shooters like Doom Eternal. Dispatching enemies was relatively easy from distances close and far because I could keep them within the aiming point with little effort.

The negative was motion resolution. Though the 170 Hz frame rate kept things reasonably smooth, it was marred by a little smearing from ghost artifacts. This is tied to the overdrive, which isn’t as precise as it could be. It undershoots, creating black trails behind moving objects. It isn’t a huge problem, but I had to adjust my perception to keep distant details in focus. Aim Stabilizer is a viable alternative because it creates the same level of artifacts, just white instead of black. I recommend using it if you can’t maintain speeds above 100fps. Adaptive-Sync worked perfectly in all situations except where I had to turn it off to use the Aim Stabilizer.

The HDR image was a bit more colorful than its SDR counterpart, but it had no more contrast. The GS32Q has excellent contrast when compared to other IPS screens, but HDR has no dimming option, so dynamic range is the same 1,400:1. It’s bright enough for good gameplay, but shadow areas were more gray than black. Color in all situations was very accurate, natural and well-saturated. I missed the extra gamut coverage in some content, but most games were very satisfying.

For productivity, the GS32Q is hard to beat for the price. Though a 32-inch QHD screen means 92ppi pixel density, I never noticed the dot structure. The image was smoothly toned and well-detailed. No one will complain about clarity here. And that pixel count means high frame rates without the need for an expensive video card.

A 32-inch monitor is perfect for document editing. Comparing two Word files side by side is a snap, and you can view a large spreadsheet with very little scrolling. Web browsing also requires fewer spins of the mouse wheel as you get more screen height than a 34-inch 21:9 monitor offers. The GS32Q’s contrast and accurate color made Photoshop a good fit as well. I could see my graphics in large detail with plenty of toolbars available.

Takeaway: As an everyday monitor, it’s hard to beat the GS32Q’s 32-inches for $209. It has a few flaws for gaming, but with very low input lag, I had a satisfying experience. A dimming option would improve its HDR image, but that still rendered with good color. I also missed the wide gamut I’ve become accustomed to, but for the money, it’s hard to imagine an equal or better 32-inch QHD display.

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To compare the GS32Q’s performance, I’ve rounded up a group of 27-inch and 32-inch screens. For comparison, we have HP’s Omen 32q, Lenovo’s G27q-30, ASRock’s PG27QFT2A, Cooler Master’s GP2711, and Asus’ XG27ACS.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

All the panels refresh in the same 6ms, so by that measure, they are equal. The separator is overdrive quality. Most of these have some adjustments so you can dial in the overdrive according to the refresh rate and prevent overshoot. This is the reason for ghosting artifacts and unfortunately, the GS32Q has only one setting. It isn’t quite there as I saw some ghosting during the review. It’s more obvious in test patterns than in content, but there is room for improvement. The Aim Stabilizer can be used alternately, but it also has some ghosting.

The upside is the GS32Q’s very low input lag. 22ms is excellent in this category and here, it’s only pipped by the ASRock by 1ms. You won’t have any delays when playing your favorite shooter.

Test Takeaway: The GS32Q is a very quick monitor when input lag is considered, but its video processing is middling. I saw ghosting artifacts no matter what setting I used. The Aim Stabilizer (backlight strobe) is handy for frame rates below 100fps, but it also has some ghosting. The overdrive reduces blur but has room for improvement. Overall, the GS32Q is very responsive to control inputs, but quick camera pans are a little soft.

Viewing Angles

The photos of the GS32Q show excellent off-axis performance. The side view is slightly cooler in tone but no less bright. There is no obvious change in gamma, which means the details remain clear. The top view holds up well, too, but goes slightly green. This is excellent performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

My GS32Q sample was nearly perfect in the screen uniformity test, with just a barely visible hotspot in the lower right corner. I could see it in a black field test pattern, but the actual content was not affected. There was no sign of bleed or glow in any test scenario or during gaming. Quality control here is excellent.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

Gigabyte claims 300 nits for the GS32Q, and I measured over 327, which is plenty of light for a 32-inch monitor. In my experience, larger screens don’t need to be set as high, so in this case, even 200 nits is on the edge. In the black level test, the GS32Q is the best IPS screen. The resulting contrast is just behind the ASRock because that monitor is brighter. Visually, you won’t be able to tell the difference between them. VA tech is still the king of this test (after OLED, that is), but the GS32Q is well above the IPS average.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration knocked a few points from the GS32Q’s contrast ratio, but the result of 1,369.2:1 is still top-level in the IPS genre. The ANSI test shows no change in the finishing order, and all the monitors show consistent performance. If you’re comparing just the 32-inch monitors, the GS32Q is more visually appealing than the HP based on contrast.

Test Takeaway: If you want the most contrast and can’t afford an OLED, VA is the next best choice. But if you want IPS, the GS32Q is one of the better examples. It’s bright enough for any indoor space and with around 1,400:1 contrast before and after calibration, it delivers a vivid and deep image with high clarity and saturation.

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The most impressive part of the GS32Q’s test results is on this page. I would normally use the cliché “for the money” here, but I recorded numbers that would embarrass a lot of more expensive displays. All tests below were recorded in the Standard picture mode.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

With all grayscale errors under 3dE, the GS32Q has no visible problems. Gray patterns appear perfectly neutral to the eye, which translates to a colorful and natural real-world image. Gamma tracking is very close to the 2.2 reference, which is also a good thing. You won’t find much better from many other monitors, regardless of price.

Since I had the ability, I calibrated the User Define color temp option and made grayscale tracking a little better. Visually, there is no difference, but pro-level numbers are always impressive when achieved. The GS32Q is a very accurate monitor whether you tweak it or not.

Comparisons

The GS32Q’s default grayscale error of 1.87dE is impressive at this price point. Note that the Asus is around $300 at this writing, so its higher accuracy will cost you. With my new settings in place, the GS32Q rises to second place, leaving all but the Lenovo in the dust. This is certainly impressive for $209.

Though the GS32Q’s gamma tracks right around 2.2 with only a 1.36% deviation, actual value 2.23; its range of values is a little larger than the others. 0.14 is a good result in the broader sense, but this group has tight gamma.

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.

I’m a bit disappointed that the GS32Q is limited to sRGB color but at least it is very accurate. With no adjustments in Standard mode, it has a low average error of 2.04dE. That’s professional display territory. Calibration improves that number to 1.53dE but visually, there is no change. This is excellent performance. I didn’t measure the sRGB picture mode because as you can see, it would be redundant.

Comparisons

The GS32Q’s 1.53dE color score is impressive in that it is only beaten by more expensive screens. In terms of color accuracy, I have no complaints about any of these monitors.

The only bummer about the GS32Q is its sRGB color gamut. Yes, the Gigabyte is the least expensive of these budget screens, but not by a huge margin. Consider that if you bought the HP, you’d get more color but less contrast for around $40 more. Also consider that the GS32Q completely covers sRGB, which is all you need for any SDR game. And as you’ll see in the HDR tests, it tone-maps correctly and accurately hits the color points it’s able to.

Test Takeaway: Though the GS32Q is limited to sRGB, it covers that gamut completely with pro-level accuracy. No calibration is required, and you can tweak if you want to. It’s completely satisfying for any SDR gaming content.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The GS32Q automatically detects HDR10 content and makes the switch without user intervention. All image adjustments are grayed out, but I found it to be accurate enough that it wasn’t a problem.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

No matter what the SDR brightness setting is, the GS32Q maxes the peak white level for HDR mode. And that’s a good thing because it doesn’t have any additional contrast. A field dimming option would be nice here, but there isn’t one. This is not unusual for budget monitors, but the other displays here have more HDR contrast, either through dynamic means or their VA panel parts. The Cooler Master has an advantage with its Mini LED backlight, but it will cost you around $160 extra.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The GS32Q continues its impressive out-of-box accuracy trend in my HDR color tests. Grayscale tracking is without visual flaw through the entire brightness range. EOTF luminance tracking starts out a bit light with elevated values at zero and 5% but then meets the reference line until the tone-map transition at the 65% step. Though there is no additional contrast for HDR content, this accuracy means there is a little more impact. In the gamut tests, the GS32Q shows a little over-saturation of the inner targets until it runs out of color. Since it’s an sRGB monitor, this is the best it can do. The same behavior was observed in the Rec.2020 test.

Test Takeaway: With excellent accuracy, the GS32Q has the potential to be a really good HDR monitor, but its lack of dynamic contrast holds it back. There is a little more impact to the HDR image, but only a little. It supports the HDR standard but doesn’t do it justice.

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Budget gaming monitors always come with qualifiers, so the purchase decision comes down to what you’re willing to give up. Fast refresh and Adaptive-Sync are a must. I would follow these with contrast and color accuracy. If a monitor does those things well, and doesn’t cost a lot, it’s worth considering.

The Gigabyte GS32Q has a firm grip on speed, color accuracy and contrast. Among IPS monitors, it eclipses the 1,000:1 average with 1,400:1. If you want more, VA and OLED are the only options. Color accuracy is nearly at reference level right out of the box, and no calibration is required. If you would like to tweak it, those options are included. The only missing element there is an expanded color gamut. The GS32Q is sRGB only, though it does cover 102% of that gamut.

Its weakness is video processing. The overdrive and Aim Stabilizer backlight strobe both come with some visible artifacts that cause a little softness during fast-paced gaming. However, input lag is extremely low, and this was something I could easily see and benefit from. My movement and aiming precision were very high. And there were no issues with Adaptive-Sync at any time. I never saw a single frame tear.

The GS32Q is also not the best choice for HDR. It supports the standard with accurate tone mapping and color. But it doesn’t have dimming for additional dynamic range and again, is limited to sRGB. But for $209, I can forgive most of these issues. As an everyday monitor, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better 32-inch screen for the money. As a gaming monitor, it is satisfactory, if not life-changing. If you want a 32-inch screen for 27-inch money, it’s worth considering the Gigabyte GS32Q.

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With so many choices available among the best ultrawide gaming monitors, the traditional 32-inch 16:9 screen has become less common. This format has many pluses, with height being the most significant. That extra real estate comes in handy when you want to add document editing and graphics work into your day at the office.

When I received the Titan Army P32A2S2 for review, I thought, “Oh, another 240 Hz QHD monitor.” However, how many of these come in the 32-inch size? The number is relatively small, enough so that this example was a first for me. Lest you think it’s expensive, it is not. The price direct from Titan Army is currently a very reasonable $370. You get an IPS QHD panel with 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and wide gamut color. Let’s take a look.

Titan Army P32A2S2 Specs

The P32A2S2 is billed as a Fast IPS panel, and I found a very well-implemented overdrive and extremely low input lag during testing. If you can run it at the full 240fps, your experience will be incredibly smooth and artifact-free. Adaptive-Sync works for gaming consoles as well as both FreeSync and G-Sync systems. It hasn’t been certified by Nvidia, but I had no issues during my review. The video processing here is top-notch.

The image is also top-notch, with a reasonably bright panel that tops out at a measured 377 nits in SDR mode and 391 nits for HDR content. No dimming or dynamic contrast is available, but contrast is above the IPS average at around 1,300:1. Color gamut volume is also high. I measured over 93% coverage of DCI-P3, which is above average for monitors under $400. Accuracy is fair out of the box and approaches reference level with a small tweak to color temperature.

External features include a solid and adjustable stand and soft LED lighting in the form of two bars across the back. There are no internal speakers or USB ports. But the latest video interfaces grace the input panel. You get two DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

For game enhancements, you get the full suite with aiming points, a refresh rate indicator, timers, and a night vision mode. You can set the crosshairs to change color automatically to remain in contrast with the background.

The P32A2S2 offers tremendous speed, low input lag, and a great picture on a big screen for $370. And as you’ll soon see, it performs well above its asking price.

Assembly and Accessories

The P32A2S2’s carton is so plain, I had to look around the side for the sticker that told me the model number. The look is generic, but most users will be buying these online so it’s of little matter. Crumbly foam protects the contents which require a Phillips-head screwdriver (not included) for assembly. The panel snaps on, and if you prefer to use an arm, a 100mm VESA mount with fasteners is included. A small external power supply delivers the volts, and you get a DisplayPort cable.

Product 360

The P32A2S2 is simply styled with just a green Titan Army moniker at the front. Underneath the bottom right corner, you’ll see a glowing power button. Red means standby, and blue means the power is on. More lighting appears in the back in the form of two thin LED strips that emanate from the central attachment point. Shiny red trim sets off the top of the upright, and the cast aluminum base is finished with a pebble-textured powder coat.

The stand is fully adjustable with 5/15 degrees tilt and 15 degrees swivel along with 3.6 inches of height. Movements are firm and sure but somewhat restrictive. There isn’t much range there, but the panel sits nice and high which is a rarity in my experience. You can set it perpendicular to the desktop and have the screen’s center at eye level.

The input panel is low and centered with the ports facing back instead of down, making it easier to plug cables in and out. You get two HDMI 2.1 and two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs. There are no internal speakers or USB ports, but you can plug headphones into the 3.5mm jack.

OSD Features

The P32A2S2 has four control keys for OSD navigation. The menu has the look of a gaming monitor with its angular shape and bright green outlines. You’ll have no trouble reading it from far away thanks to its high contrast.

Pressing any key reveals a quick menu with input selection and brightness options. You can program the functions of the middle two keys in the OSD. Another press of the leftmost button opens the full OSD with its eight sub-menus.

The P32A2S2 has ten picture modes labeled for specific game types or tasks. Standard is the default and best choice. It comes fairly close to standard for color gamut and gamma, but its grayscale runs a little red. This is easily fixed in the Picture Settings menu by using one of the custom color temp memories. There are also fixed presets and gamma options too. You can access a Low Blue Light mode for reading if you prefer its warmer color temp and reduced brightness.

HDR options are found in the Game+ menu. Auto is the best choice because then the P32A2S2 will switch signal modes automatically. Alternatively, you can choose Game or Movie HDR modes, but I saw little change when I tried them.

In the Picture Enhancement section is the Adaptive-Sync toggle along with contrast, color and shadow tweaks. The Night Vision Mode is a shadow enhancer with fixed and dynamic options. Use it to brighten shadow detail if you can’t see in the dark. The overdrive has four levels. Topspeed reduces blur the most but has a slight ghosting effect. Level 3 strikes the perfect balance and at 240fps, I saw no blur or artifacts. The P32A2S2’s overdrive is superb.

Play enhancements are in the Game Aid section and include a refresh rate indicator that appears in the top right corner of the screen. It’s a good thing the P32A2S2 is large because it’s a big graph that shows the frame rate in real-time with an EKG-like trace. You also get a set of crosshairs that can be fixed in color or made dynamic to remain in contrast with the background. Timer and stopwatch functions help manage your gameplay session. The LED light bars in the back are called Game Illumination. They turn and off and glow a steady red. The middle two control keys can be reprogrammed from their default settings to provide convenient access to things like picture mode, overdrive, HDR and more.

Titan Army P32A2S2 Calibration Settings

The P32A2S2’s image looks a little warm and out of the box, and my initial grayscale measurements showed red errors in most of the brightness range. This is an easy fix in one of the user color temp slots where I only had to reduce the red slider by one click to achieve visual perfection. Gamma is very close to the reference so it can be left on its default setting of 2.2. The one and only color gamut choice covers over 93% of DCI-P3 and will be more than colorful enough for both SDR and HDR content. There is no sRGB mode available. My SDR settings are shown below.

For HDR signals, the P32A2S2 automatically switches if HDR is set to Auto. There are two additional modes called Game and Movie. They make little difference to the image, so I recommend leaving it set to Auto. It too is a tad warm in tone but close enough to reference for a satisfying picture. There is no dynamic contrast or dimming to increase contrast, so the HDR image looks much the same as SDR.

Gaming and Hands-on

Gaming on a large monitor is always more fun whether it’s an ultra-wide or a jumbo 16:9 screen like the P32A2S2. The extra height is a real advantage with flight simulators, but it also helps enhance shooters when the map has a lot of altitude changes. Hopping across different platforms, I could always see above or below my position which gave me an advantage.

The low input lag here is simply astounding. While a few milliseconds may not seem like much, it does manifest in melee scenarios when aiming and avoiding are equally important. Making a quick turn to evade an incoming missile was second nature. And putting the crosshair precisely on the target before firing can only be a good thing. The P32A2S2’s gameplay and feel are among the best I’ve experienced.

I played many rounds of Doom Eternal in HDR mode and was pleased with the saturated color and crisp detail. Though QHD resolution in a 32-inch monitor means 92 ppi, I never noticed any softness or smear. That’s primarily due to the 240 Hz refresh rate and the 240 fps frame rates I maintained in games. You won’t need the very most expensive video card to achieve this thanks to the lower pixel count. The P32A2S2 has a very precise overdrive which keeps motion resolution very high without artifacts. Motion blur is nearly non-existent.

The SDR image is equally colorful, mainly because the P32A2S2 lacks an sRGB mode. I don’t expect most users to mind this. Colorful monitors are a thing today, and nearly all of them maintain their full native gamuts for SDR content. By industry standards, they’re over-saturated, but my picky videophile sensibilities are not offended. The P32A2S2 is very colorful, and its accuracy is more than good enough for a pleasing and satisfying image.

For fine graphics work, I would lean more towards an Ultra HD display in the 32-inch size. The P32A2S2 is good for most Photoshop tasks but if you’re working on fine art photography for example, its pixel density is a bit low. It’s fine for text-based productivity though. I had no problem browsing the web, editing in Word or dealing with spreadsheets.

Takeaway: The P32A2S2 is a solid all-around display with excellent color and very good contrast for productivity. Gaming is a real pleasure thanks to very high motion resolution and super low input lag. You can thank Titan Army’s precise overdrive and its selection of internal components for that. As a gaming display, it is extremely well-suited for competition. For the money, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better 32-inch 16:9 monitor.

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When I went looking for displays to compare the P32A2S2’s performance, I only found 27-inch models in the QHD 240 Hz format. The group is HP’s Omen 27qs, RCA’s M27PG135F, BenQ’s EX270QM, and AOC’s AG274QG and CQ27G3Z.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

Most 240 Hz displays can draw a full white field in 4ms with a few taking 5ms. This difference is hard to see in test patterns or actual content. As long as the overdrive is good, you won’t see much, if any, motion blur at 240fps. The P32A2S2 is in the quick group at 4ms, and its overdrive is excellent. Quick motion was super smooth with no ghosting whatsoever.

Most impressive is the P32A2S2’s very low input lag. I’ve only seen a handful of 240Hz monitors crack the 20ms barrier, notably Titan Army’s own P2510S and a couple of OLEDs. This screen is operating in 360 and 500Hz territory regarding actual response and feel.

Test Takeaway: The P32A2S2 is one of the fastest monitors you can buy regardless of price or refresh rate. While higher frame rates, or an OLED, will be a tad smoother, they won’t necessarily be more responsive to control inputs. In competition, a monitor like this gives a distinct advantage to the player.

Viewing Angles

The P32A2S2 shows off-axis image quality that’s equal to the best IPS screens I’ve photographed. The side view is slightly cooler in tone but has no apparent reduction in brightness. Gamma stays consistent which means the picture does not lose detail or clarity. The top view is visibly green with a 30% light reduction and some loss of detail.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

The P32A2S2 stayed under 10% in my uniformity test which means it has no visible issues when showing a full black field pattern in a darkened room. There were no hotspots, glow or bleed in my review sample. Gray and primary color patterns also looked uniform, and no aberrations were observed.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The P32A2S2 delivers plenty of light output for SDR content with a peak white level of 377 nits. This is very bright, especially for a 32-inch panel. Even with a sunny window in your office, you’ll likely want to turn the brightness slider down to a more comfortable level.

The black level is the best of the IPS screens here at 0.2851 nit. This is excellent performance for the technology and is part of a recent trend towards better IPS contrast. I’ve seen several screens of late that can top 1,200 and 1,300:1 contrast like the P32A2S2.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration doesn’t change the finishing order and even adds a few points to the P32A2S2’s score with a final result of 1,385.3 nits peak SDR brightness. It is far enough ahead of the HP that one would see a difference in a side-by-side comparison. Only the VA-equipped CQ27G3Z has a greater advantage in contrast here.

The P32A2S2’s ANSI score is also impressive at 1,298.8:1. This is the consistency I’d expect from a premium monitor. That it is available in a budget screen is a plus.

Test Takeaway: Among IPS monitors, the P32A2S2 has few equals in contrast. It is possible to buy a brighter screen, but you’ll have to look hard to find more dynamic range. At 1,300:1, it is a class leader, and the image shows this by being vibrant and lifelike.

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The P32A2S2 has ten picture modes but you’ll truly only need Standard for everything, be it games or productivity. It’s reasonable out of the box, but calibration is a simple matter that takes the image to near reference-level.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

A grayscale step pattern shows the P32A2S2’s red tint. It’s visible from the 20% brightness step and increases as you go up. This is a forgivable error because it doesn’t greatly impact image quality. Blue and green errors are more detrimental. Gamma tracks close to the 2.2 reference with a slight rise (too dark) at 70-90% brightness.

Calibration removes all visible grayscale errors and returns a pro-level result. Gamma becomes slightly darker at the top of the brightness range, but this does not negatively impact image quality. This is excellent performance.

Comparisons

The P32A2S2’s default grayscale error of 5.86dE is all due to its red tone. While that number is a bit high, the red error isn’t as grievous as a blue or green one would be. After calibration, the P32A2S2 zips to the top with a superb 0.40dE score. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The range of gamma values is reasonably tight at 0.20 from lowest to highest. That’s an average result. The actual value of 2.27 is a 3.18% deviation from the 2.2 standard. Again, this is a better outcome than if gamma were too low. A slightly dark tone can be compensated for by increasing the brightness control. But a light tone will always look washed out.

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 P32A2S2 starts from a good place in the color gamut test. Red and blue are a touch over-saturated while green is a tad under. These are minor errors that are nearly invisible to the naked eye when viewing actual content. Magenta and yellow are a bit off-hue as well.

Calibration brings everything neatly into line with a visually perfect result. Like the grayscale test, this is a superb gamut chart with every point on target except for a slight over-saturation in the blue primary. My only complaint is that there is no sRGB mode available here.

Comparisons

The P32A2S2’s 1.54dE gamut score is excellent by any measure and good enough for third place in this tight group of displays. It’s a nod to today’s gaming monitor quality when six screens measure so closely. To the naked eye, there is no significant difference.

In the volume test, the P32A2S2 is again mid-pack, but its 93.18% coverage of DCI-P3 is above average. You’ll see a bit less green when looking at the Omen 27qs or the CQ27G3Z. The top three monitors have just a little more red in their palettes. The 138% score for sRGB means the P32A2S2 has no sRGB preset. If you need that gamut, you’ll have to look at a different monitor. However, for critical work in the DCI-P3 space, it is qualified.

Test Takeaway: The P32A2S2 is a 32-inch QHD 240 Hz screen for $370 so it’s already a great value. That it is capable of very accurate and very saturated color is a nice bonus. Calibration is recommended, but all you need to do is lower the red slider one click and you’re there. With decent gamma and satisfying color volume, it delivers an excellent picture well suited for work or play. My only complaint is that there’s no sRGB mode.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The P32A2S2 supports HDR10 content with an automatic switchover as long as HDR is set to Auto, it is by default. The two additional modes, Movie and Game, offer no advantage or disadvantage. The look much the same, so I stuck with Auto for testing and gameplay.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

The P32A2S2 offers a little extra HDR brightness with over 391 nits peak. But since there’s no dimming or dynamic contrast, there isn’t much more impact for HDR content. This is typical of value-oriented displays which support the standard but don’t embrace it. For $370, I can’t complain too loudly.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The P32A2S2 has a red tint in the HDR grayscale test but it’s barely visible in test patterns or content. The errors are mostly below 4dE which is pretty low. The luminance curve stays reasonably close to the reference line. It’s a bit too light in the darkest step which means deep shadow areas won’t quite drop to black. The tone map transition is soft and occurs at the correct level of 65%. Since it’s close to the mark, I didn’t have to make any in-game adjustments to see all available highlight and shadow detail.

In the HDR gamut test, we can see general over-saturation, but the points maintain a linear progression and stay on their hue targets. This gives the HDR image a little more life without affecting detail or clarity. The Rec.2020 chart is much the same until the P32A2S2 runs out of color at 70% green, 85% red and 95% blue. This is typical performance and both the HDR color charts show solid performance.

Test Takeaway: The P32A2S2 is color accurate in HDR mode with good saturation but since there is no dimming or dynamic contrast, the picture only looks slightly more impactful. This isn’t unusual at this price point. The P32A2S2 supports HDR10 with no problems but doesn’t do the standard justice.

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I have always been a fan of 32-inch 16:9 displays, and I use one for my daily work. But as a category, it doesn’t have the vast array of choices found at the 27-inch size. Most 32-inchers are Ultra HD and use more expensive tech like OLED or Mini LED. But for performance gaming, QHD is still the sweet spot for performance and price.

Titan Army is a relative newcomer to the gaming monitor party, but the three displays (so far) I’ve reviewed from them have been excellent performers, especially in overdrive quality and low input lag. The P32A2S2 is one of the quickest monitors I’ve tested at any price. With a near-record 18ms of total lag and artifact-free motion processing, you won’t find much better unless you spend roughly double the money on an OLED.

Image quality gets solid attention as well. The P32A2S2 has better contrast than most IPS panels, around 1,300:1, and a large color gamut too. I measured over 93% coverage of DCI-P3 which is higher than average for budget screens. My only complaint was its lack of an sRGB mode. But I suspect few users will have a problem with that.

If you’ve been pining for a large monitor but want to stick with the 16:9 aspect ratio, the 32-inch Titan Army P32A2S2 is a great choice. It’s one of the few QHD 240 Hz screens in that size and it has gaming performance on par with the very best.

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Titan Army is a relative newcomer to the gaming monitor genre, but it has delivered impressive displays right out of the gate. I recently covered the PA27A2R and found it to be a very capable screen with accurate color and premium video processing at a $200 price point.

Here, I have a new addition to the line, the P2510S. It’s a bit more expensive at $290 to start, but you get a 25-inch IPS QHD panel with 240 Hz, precise overdrive, Adaptive-Sync, HDR, and wide gamut color. And it’s one of the quickest monitors I’ve ever tested. Let’s take a look.

Titan Army P2510S Specs

The P2510S starts with a 25-inch Fast IPS panel running at QHD (2560x1440) resolution. 25-inch QHD monitors are relatively rare. You’ll see later that I could find only 27-inch panels for comparison. Though the screen is a bit smaller, pixel density is higher at 118ppi rather than 109, not a bad thing. I also measured almost 1,200:1 contrast which puts it above the IPS average.

Color is reasonably accurate out of the box, and with a few adjustments, can be made visually perfect. I found some slight gamma errors but nothing that significantly impacted image quality. Color saturation is very high with over 92% coverage of DCI-P3. That’s above average when spending less than $300 on any gaming monitor.

The refresh rate is a native 240 Hz, with no overclock required. And the P2510S has excellent video processing. I found a precise overdrive that operated without visible artifacts, almost completely eliminating motion blur. And input lag is extremely low. You’ll see on page two that this is one of the most responsive gaming monitors you can buy for any price. Adaptive-Sync works flawlessly on G-Sync and FreeSync platforms. It has not been certified by Nvidia.

To keep the price low, Titan Army has left out USB ports, internal speakers, and LED lighting. But there is a complete set of gaming aids that includes aiming points, frame counter, timers, sniper mode, and alignment marks.

If I were to use an automotive metaphor, the P2510S is like a hot hatch. It’s a good basic monitor with performance enhancements in just the right places. It’s a superb gaming display that is something of a sleeper, and it delivers great value in the process.

Assembly and Accessories

Unpacking the P2510S, my first observation was its low weight. I almost thought the carton was empty because it was so light. Removing the panel and minimalist stand doesn’t change that impression. Fear not; once you turn it on, you’ll find very substantial performance. The stand snaps together to create a solid package weighing seven pounds. It could almost be considered a portable monitor. The cable bundle comprises DisplayPort and an IEC cord for the small external power supply.

Product 360

The P2510S features minimal styling with little more than a green Titan Army logo to signal its design intent. The base has lines molded in, and the back of the panel says “25”. And that’s about it. You can see some ventilation slots and the monitor has a generally chiseled look with softened corners. A red clip sits behind the upright to keep cables tidy.

The stand is light and all plastic, but more solid than its light weight suggests. It’s more than capable of keeping the P2510S from wobbling about. It attaches at the panel’s bottom, providing the only adjustment of 5/20 degrees tilt. The fulcrum is low so the screen’s top moves away from the viewer when adjusted. Movement is firm and free of play.

The OSD is controlled by four buttons at the bottom right. The power key is backlit, white for power on and red for standby. If you want to use a monitor arm, a 100mm VESA mount is provided, fasteners not included.

The inputs are up and under and nicely labeled with a color-coded strip. You get two each of HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. There are no internal speakers, USB ports or LED lights.

OSD Features

The P2510S’s OSD is clearly aimed at gamers with its angular aesthetic and bright green outlines. It’s small but very easy to read thanks to high contrast. Pressing any key brings up a quick menu from which you select the home icon (leftmost button) to summon the full OSD.

There are 12 picture modes, with Standard being the default and best choice. All can be calibrated with either individual or global settings. sRGB is the way to the smaller SDR color gamut if you wish. It and Standard are reasonably accurate out of the box, but I found a better image after calibration.

Picture Settings has a full set of image options including dynamic contrast for SDR content, gamma presets and color temps. You can create up to three custom color temps with the included RGB sliders. Three HDR picture modes are provided in the Game+ menu. They are similar in their color rendering but have different luminance curves. Auto is the best choice there.

Game+ has a large array of video processing options and play aids. The overdrive has four options, of which level 3 is the best. It removes nearly all motion blur and works with no ghosting artifacts. In the Game Aid sub-menu are aiming crosshairs, timer, stopwatch, frame counter and multi-screen alignment marks. In System Settings, you can program two control keys for custom functions like brightness or input selection.

Titan Army P2510S Calibration Settings

The P2510S can be enjoyed without calibration, but the image was a tad warm in tone and gamma proved to be darker than standard. I recommend changing gamma to 2.0 and adjusting the RGB sliders to dial in grayscale tracking. This has a positive effect on color as well. When complete, I observed visually perfect results. My SDR settings are below.

HDR signals enable three additional picture modes. Auto is the best choice, but all three have a slight green tint that cannot be compensated for. Tone mapping is correct though which means the HDR image retains full detail. There is no dynamic contras,t though, so HDR games won’t have any additional visual impact.

Gaming and Hands-on

Jumping right into why one buys a 240 Hz monitor, the P2510S is undeniably quick. It gives a similar feel to the 360 and 500 Hz monitors I’ve reviewed. Input lag is so low that onscreen movement seems to anticipate your control inputs. It isn’t quite as smooth as a 240 Hz OLED or 500 Hz LCD, there is a minuscule amount of motion blur. But the control response is truly on another level. This is a fully qualified competition monitor. And consider that most speedy 25-inch screens are much more expensive and run at FHD rather than QHD resolution. The P2510S’s higher pixel density is an asset. And 240 fps can be achieved with a mid-priced video card.

Image quality inspired only praise. I played both at the default picture settings and with my calibration in place. It’s fine without adjustment, but the real difference happened when I changed gamma from 2.2 to 2.0. This brightens the picture considerably and gives it more life. It also makes detail pop and enhances clarity. I highly recommend using my settings above if you can’t calibrate your P2510S.

As an everyday monitor, it’s a bit smaller than what I’m used to, but for those who are space-challenged, it’s ideal. The base is large enough for stability but presents a small footprint. The whole thing weighs just seven pounds, so it won’t wobble even when you’re fragging away the afternoon. The image works well for productivity with clean whites, deep blacks and excellent sharpness.

Though the P2510S isn’t marketed as portable, it’s very light and breaks down easily. The snap-together stand can easily be stowed with the panel in a backpack. The external power supply is small too. It’s completely feasible to tote it to a LAN party without incurring a back injury.

Takeaway: The P2510S offers tremendous gaming performance and excellent picture quality. I could use the “for the money” qualifier, which would be unfair. It’s a really good monitor by any standard. And its compact size and light weight make it totable which is pretty cool. It has a good out-of-box image and benefits from some adjustments. For less than $300, I can’t imagine much better.

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My test database had no 25-inch QHD screens, so I rounded up the latest 240 and 180 Hz 27s to compare the P2510S’s performance. The group is RCA’s M27PG135F, HP’s Omen 27qs, ASRock’s PG27QFT2A, Asus’ XG27ACS and AOC’s CQ27G3Z.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

240 Hz monitors typically refresh in four or five milliseconds. The P2510S is the former group. It has an extremely precise overdrive, so at 240 fps, there’s almost no motion blur. The best part, though, is its extremely low input lag. The P2510S is one of the fastest gaming monitors I’ve ever tested with just 16ms of total lag. It’s quicker than the Asus PG248QP which runs at 540 Hz. Major wow!

Test Takeaway: The P2510S is more than qualified for gameplay at all levels from casual to competitive. Though a higher refresh rate, or an OLED, will render slightly better motion resolution, those displays won’t be as responsive to control inputs. In fairness, this difference will be hard to perceive by all but the best players. But it is significant that there are only two monitors in my database that are quicker, Alienware’s AW2524H at 15ms and Asus’ PG32UCDP, which hits 11ms in its 480 Hz FHD mode.

Viewing Angles

Most IPS screens go a bit green when viewed at 45 degrees to the side but the P2510S has a red tint. This is a good thing because the shift is less visible in actual content. Brightness drops by around 10% and there is some loss of shadow detail. The top view is 50% less bright, looks cool in tone, and has a similar reduction in shadow detail. Overall, this is very good performance in this price segment.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

My P2510S had a slight glow on the left side of the screen when I observed a black field pattern. It was subtle enough that content wasn’t affected. This is a sample-specific issue. Others may measure better than this.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

Though the P2510S isn’t the brightest monitor of the group, it has enough output for use indoors. It exceeds its 300-nit rating and in the contrast test, rises to third place thanks to solid black levels. At 1,157.8:1, it is slightly above the IPS average in this test.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration adds a few points to the P2510S’s contrast score; it’s now a bit shy of 1,200:1, which is excellent performance. The ASRock is a clear over-achiever among IPS screens, but if you want maximum dynamic range in an LCD panel, the VA-based CQ27G3Z is a great choice.

The P2510S maintains consistent contrast in the ANSI test with a score of 1,130.6:1. This shows excellent component selection and quality control on Titan Army’s part. This is a budget screen built to a premium standard.

Test Takeaway: The P2510S has better than average contrast when compared to other IPS monitors. It shows excellent consistency across all the tests which puts it on par with many more expensive displays. It isn’t super bright, but it is more than bright enough for indoor use. With solid black levels, it delivers a satisfying image with good depth and saturation.

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The P2510S ships in its Standard picture mode which is reasonably accurate in the DCI-P3 color space. An sRGB mode is available for those that want it. Any preset can be calibrated to a higher standard.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The P2510S’s default grayscale run shows a bit of visible warmth. If a monitor can’t be perfect, red errors are always preferable. Too much green is more obvious to the user, and too much blue flattens the image. Extra red won’t detract as much. The errors here are small and concentrated in the brighter pattern steps. Gamma is more obviously off the mark. With an average value of 2.39, it is visibly dark in tone. While the wide gamut color helps compensate somewhat, the image lacks verve.

I switched the gamma preset to 2.0, and the image became livelier. A few tweaks of the RGB sliders removed all visible grayscale errors. They are coarse in operation, so it took more trial and error than usual to achieve an excellent result. It’s well worth the effort though. This is very good performance.

The sRGB mode correctly renders that color gamut, but it has similar red errors in its grayscale test. Gamma is off the mark as well with light values at the bottom of the scale and dark ones in the highlight areas. This serves to reduce picture depth, not a good thing. It is possible to correct the grayscale issues, but there are no gamma options in sRGB mode.

Comparisons

The P2510S starts at a respectable 2.97dE grayscale error, placing it third in this group. Visually, it’s just able to get by without calibration. But I recommend using my settings from page one if you don’t have the means to calibrate. It makes a visible improvement to image quality and fidelity.

If you do nothing else, I recommend setting the gamma preset to 2.0. It isn’t perfectly on the 2.2 reference, but it is very close. And the image has more pop as a result. I would wish that there was an option that was right on 2.2 but 2.14 isn’t a bad thing.

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 P2510S has an impressively large color gamut and out of the box, it’s fairly close to spec. You can see a bit of oversaturation in red, and there are hue errors in cyan, magenta and yellow. This is due to the grayscale issues I spoke of earlier. Grayscale calibration puts the secondaries on target while the change to gamma dials in the saturation points. Blue is still a tad under, but green is almost fully covered. This is impressive for a $290 monitor.

The sRGB gamut is spot-on except for blue which is under-saturated. The off-hue points in magenta can be fixed with a grayscale calibration if you want to use this mode. The default error of 2.15dE is quite good though.

Comparisons

The P2510S finished fifth in the comparison with a 1.76dE color error when referenced to DCI-P3. All the screens here are solid performers and very close in accuracy. In terms of visual accuracy, there is no difference between them.

Color gamut volume is also close between the six monitors but the P2510S is solidly in second place behind the RCA. It is one of the most colorful monitors you can buy for less than $300. And it has enough volume to qualify for critical applications.

Test Takeaway: The P2510S doesn’t need calibration, but it will benefit from a few adjustments to color temperature and gamma. It has an impressively large color gamut that is only exceeded by more expensive displays. sRGB is there if you want it and allows calibration which is a rarity. You’ll be hard-pressed to find something better for the money.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The P2510S supports HDR10 signals with an automatic switch as long as you set the HDR option Auto. There are three total HDR picture modes that differ in their tone-mapping and luminance tracking. There is no dynamic dimming available to increase contrast.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

The P2510S manages a tad more brightness in HDR mode with a peak just shy of 378 nits. Black levels are about the same as I saw in SDR mode so contrast is a little higher at 1,323.9:1. You can see the benefit of dynamic dimming in the top two screens which increase their HDR contrast four- and nine-fold. The P2510S has good native performance but is unable to achieve higher potential.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The P2510S shows slight green errors in the brighter steps of the HDR grayscale test. They are visible to the naked eye and cannot be adjusted away. I measured all three HDR modes and found Auto provided the best luminance tracking. Game and Movie were darker in tone with some clipped shadow detail.

The P2510S’s wide color gamut is used to best advantage with full coverage of DCI-P3 and a bit of general over-saturation to provide more vivid hues. This effectively provides a little more impact than SDR. I noted slight hue errors in magenta and yellow due to the grayscale issues. The P2510S tracks Rec.2020 color points with a similar level of over-saturation until color runs out at 85% red, 75% green, and 90% blue. This is typical of all wide gamut monitors I’ve reviewed. Only a very few can cover more of Rec.2020.

Test Takeaway: The P2510S delivers adequate HDR performance which could be made better with the addition of dynamic dimming. In fairness, almost no monitors in this price range have that feature. Tone mapping is accurate, but there is a slight green tint due to grayscale errors that can’t be corrected. There is plenty of nicely saturated color with full coverage of DCI-P3. HDR content is very colorful and bright.

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I have reviewed a lot of gaming monitors at all price points, and I can clearly see a trend forming between OLEDs and LCDs. OLEDs remain at the premium end of both pricing and performance. If you are shopping for an LCD though, it’s getting harder to justify the more expensive fast refresh models. 360 or 500 Hz will cost you at least $500, but there are more and more 240 Hz screens that deliver nearly the same feel for less than $350.

The Titan Army P2510S is a perfect example. It immediately sets itself apart from other speedy 25-inch monitors with QHD resolution. Most of the screens in this genre are FHD. Though the 240 Hz refresh rate isn’t unusual, it has a total lag score of 16ms in my test. I’ve only ever reviewed two quicker displays, the Alienware AW2524H at 15ms and the Asus PG32UCDP at 11ms in its 480 Hz FHD mode. The P2510S is a lot less expensive than either one. In terms of gaming performance and price ratio, it has no equal.

Image quality is good out of the box and better with calibration. Gamma runs a bit dark which is an easy fix and the grayscale is slightly warm. This error is hard to spot in actual content so I can say that the P2510S doesn’t need calibration. With a few adjustments though, it looks significantly better.

Physical features like USB ports and speakers are missing but that’s not unusual at this price. There is a full set of gaming aids though, so everything needed for satisfying play is there. Honestly, once you’ve experienced its quick response, the other stuff won’t matter. If you’re looking for a budget gaming monitor that punches way above its weight class, the Titan Army P2510S is well worth considering.

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Get your hands on this fantastic little gaming laptop from MSI for just a smidgen over that $1K threshold. Don't settle for a last-gen bit of kit, get the latest generation of graphics card for the best experience in your favorite gaming titles, and combine that with a high-resolution QHD screen for scintillating visual fidelity. This has to be one of the best gaming laptop deals available at the moment, and thanks to having reviewed the MSI Katana, we can safely say that you're getting great performance for the price.  

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The hardware specification of this Katana 15 (model: B13VGK-2000US ) includes a 15.6-inch QHD screen with a ‎2560 x 1600 pixel resolution and a fast 165 Hz refresh rate for super-smooth motion in your favorite games.  Inside the chassis of the MSI Katana is a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H processor, Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB NVMe SSD for storing your OS and games library. 

See our review of the MSI Katana 15 for more details and thoughts on this Editor's Choice award-winning product. The review unit we tested was of a much lower spec than today's deal, but our reviewer praised that model (RTX 4050) for its strong 1080p gaming performance, good speakers, and excellent value.  

Some cons highlighted with the MSI Katana 15 were a slightly shorter battery life than we would have ideally desired, a slightly washed-out display, and a garishly designed gaming keyboard. 

If a gaming monitor’s contrast is vital to your buying decision, there are three main categories to consider. At the low end of the price scale is VA technology. You can expect around 3,000:1 native contrast from a typical VA monitor without spending a lot when it comes to the best gaming monitors.

At the other end of the money path is OLED. There is currently no display tech that has greater dynamic range. But it will cost you. In the middle is Mini LED. Most of these have IPS panels, so you know you’re getting good viewing angles. Some have Quantum Dot layers, which deliver the widest possible color gamut. And if you get one with a lot of dimming zones, the dynamic contrast is much broader or infinite in many cases.

Mini LEDs can also be costly, but prices have been falling steadily thanks to increased competition. Not long ago, a 27-inch QHD Mini LED monitor with 384 dimming zones would set you back $1,000. Xiaomi has broken through several barriers to bring you the G Pro 27i. It’s a 27-inch QHD IPS Quantum Dot panel with 180 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR1000, 1,152 dimming zones and a huge color gamut. And it’s hitting the market at an astounding $390. Let’s take a look.

Xiaomi G Pro 27i Specs

The G Pro 27i’s 1,152 dimming zones mean dynamic contrast is exceptionally high. I could not measure the black levels in either SDR or HDR modes. Since the zones are so small, there are none of the halo artifacts sometimes seen in full-array backlight displays. Those Mini LEDs also mean high peak brightness. I measured nearly 1,000 nits in SDR mode and over 1,200 for HDR content. The G Pro 27i is certified for VESA DisplayHDR 1000.

A Quantum Dot layer adds significant color volume. Xiaomi claims 99% coverage of DCI-P3, but my sample topped 111%. Accuracy is reasonably good out of the box, but I found a few minor anomalies that I’ll tell you about later.

Gaming is enhanced by a native 180 Hz refresh rate. The G Pro 27i has not been certified by Nvidia, but I had no trouble running G-Sync and FreeSync at its maximum refresh over a DisplayPort 1.4 connection. You get two DisplayPorts and two HDMI 2.0 inputs that support VRR at 120 Hz for gaming consoles.

Despite its low price, Xiaomi does not sacrifice build quality or styling. The G Pro 27i is a solid package with a quality stand and a white finish that stands out among the sea of black monitors we commonly see. A ring of LEDs in the back adds a nice bit of bling. The only features missing are USB ports and internal speakers.

Quantum Dots, 180 Hz and Mini LED for $390? It almost seems too good to be true, but as I quickly discovered, Xiaomi is very much here to play.

Assembly and Accessories

Xiaomi saves a bit on colored ink by shipping the G Pro 27i in a plain brown carton. You won’t find much besides the monitor in the box which is cushioned with crumbly foam. A wall wart power supply provides the juice, and you get only a DisplayPort cable. The stand is assembled with four bolts that are fixed with the included Phillips head screwdriver. The panel then snaps on.

Product 360

From the front, the G Pro 27i doesn’t call attention to itself. The bezel is flush and narrow, with the only marking being a small Xiaomi logo in white, a G Pro/Mini LED moniker on the left, and a tiny power LED at the right. It glows white, steady for power on, and slow blinking for standby.

Styling is a bit more dramatic in the back with a white upright that announces “Mini LED” in large gray letters and a white rounded rectangle to house the internal components. It says “Redmi 27” so there’s no confusion about screen size. The black circle in the center is ringed by diffused LEDs that can be set to glow in any color.

The stand has a hole for cable management and full ergonomics. Adjustments include 5/20 degrees tilt, 45 degrees swivel, 90-degree portrait mode and 4.8 inches of height. Movements are firm and smooth and better than expected for the price. The G Pro 27i has decent heft as well, and it has a complete package weight of 15 pounds.

The input panel is up and under the center and features two HDMI 2.0 and two DisplayPort 1.4. There is no USB, nor are there internal speakers. You do get a 3.5mm headphone jack though. The power supply is external and rather than the usual brick, it’s a medium-sized wall wart that requires a bit of extra clearance at the outlet.

OSD Features

The G Pro 27i’s OSD has an angular shape that befits a gaming monitor and is all business with signal info at the top and six sub-menus.

The G Pro 27i has four primary picture modes. I say main because in the second menu, Game Mode, there are four additional modes for specific game types. I saw no advantage to anything other than the default Standard preset, and Game Mode was better left off. I also found some quirks that prevented me from achieving a perfect calibration. I’ll talk more about that later.

There are four color temps and five gamma presets, but there’s a catch. If you want to adjust them, you first have to find the Color Space option on the second page and set it to Native. If you leave it on DCI-P3, Adobe RGB or sRGB, you can’t adjust either color temp or gamma. The good news is that Native, once calibrated, has spot-on grayscale and gamma tracking. But it also has an over-saturated color gamut. I suspect most users won’t mind this. The G Pro 27i is extremely colorful thanks to its Quantum Dot technology.

The G Pro 27i’s overdrive is extremely precise and eliminates almost all motion blur on its Fastest setting. There are no visible ghosting artifacts which is a very good thing. This also makes input lag very low. I saw excellent results in my response and lag tests.

Local dimming is available in both SDR and HDR modes and effectively increases contrast. It also shuts off the backlight completely when displaying a full black pattern so I could not measure the contrast ratio. When you turn it off, the panel hits almost 1,300:1 natively which is higher than the IPS average.

The LED ring on the panel’s backside can be set to different colors and effects. Or you can turn it off if you like. The only other feature I found was a refresh rate indicator that tells you the frame rate in real time. There are no aiming points or sniper modes.

Xiaomi G Pro 27i Calibration Settings

The G Pro 27i comes set to its Standard picture mode with the color space set to DCI-P3. This is reasonably accurate, but I recommend a grayscale calibration to remove a slight blue tone. To do this, you must first set the color space to Native to unlock the color temp and gamma options. Gamma is spot-on so there is no need to change the preset. But you’ll need to tweak the RGB sliders in the Custom color temp as indicated below. The tradeoff is that color is a bit over-saturated in Native mode. But I doubt too many users will complain. The G Pro 27i is very colorful.

For HDR content, the option should be set to Auto with Local Dimming on High. This delivers the best tone mapping and the most impact. There are no color adjustments possible and there is a slight green tint to the mid tones.

Gaming and Hands-on

The G Pro 27i is an extremely capable gaming monitor. You can certainly buy screens with higher refresh rates and higher resolution, but Xiaomi has achieved truly balanced performance, especially considering the sub-$400 price tag.

It makes the most of its 180 Hz with a top-shelf overdrive. It’s very precise at removing almost all motion blur without causing any ghosting artifacts. It works best on its Fastest setting at 180 fps so a video card that can keep up is essential. That’s not too hard at QHD resolution. The 109ppi pixel density means a sharp picture with a lighter graphics load.

HDR content like Doom Eternal looks superb. This is Mini LED’s forte and the G Pro 27i does justice to the standard with its 1,152 dimming zones. I tried a few test patterns and saw no visible halo effects. Real-world content was very lively and three-dimensional. If you don’t use the local dimming for SDR content, you must turn it on manually when entering HDR mode. Set it on High for the best picture. Lower settings are a bit murky with clipped shadow detail.

In all cases, HDR color was vibrant and saturated without crossing the line into the cartoon look. The G Pro 27i’s wide color gamut is used to full advantage, but not overdone. My sample’s measured color volume was over 111% of DCI-P3 and it showed. It’s clearly more colorful than just about any other monitor.

Local dimming works fine for SDR content as well. It makes black levels deeper without obscuring fine detail. Native contrast is over 1,200:1 so if you’d rather turn it off, the picture is still very satisfying. Spending time in Word and Excel, I had no problems reading tiny text or seeing the fine lines of a spreadsheet grid.

The specific color modes were handy in Photoshop where I could quickly switch between DCI-P3, sRGB and Adobe RGB. The latter mode is something you won’t find on many newer screens, so I was glad to see that Xiaomi included it.

Takeaway: The G Pro 27i is a great all-around display for work and entertainment in both SDR and HDR modes. It’s an even better gaming monitor thanks to its precise overdrive and flawless Adaptive-Sync operation. Input lag is extremely low, enough to qualify it for competition. Resolution and frame rates are well balanced and motion processing is super smooth. Color is vibrant and saturated, and will no doubt make many users happy. And you get all this for $390, impressive!

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The G Pro 27i’s comparison group is a mix of edge-lit and Mini LED panels running from 165 to 200 Hz. We have Asus’ XG27ACS, ASRock’s PG27QFT2A, Cooler Master’s GP2711 and GP27Q and ViewSonic’s XG341C-2K.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

The G Pro 27i’s 180 Hz delivers a quick panel response of 6ms with the overdrive maxed. This is one of the few monitors that hits a perfect balance of blur reduction without ghosting artifacts. The overdrive speeds are subtly different, but Fastest is the best choice if you’re running at 180fps.

Input lag usually goes hand in hand with refresh rate, but the G Pro 27i makes more of its 180 Hz than the competition. Most notably, the 200 Hz ViewSonic is 7ms behind the Xiaomi, which is tied for the lead here with ASRock. This is a very quick monitor that is completely qualified for esports competition.

Test Takeaway: The G Pro 27i is one of the fastest monitors you can buy for under $400. It has a superb overdrive which keeps motion resolution high. QHD means you won’t need a super expensive video card to achieve high frame rates. There’s no backlight strobe but with video processing this good, it’s completely unnecessary.

Viewing Angles

In my off-axis photos, the G Pro 27i performs like a typical IPS panel. There’s a slight shift to red and green at 45 degrees to the sides but no apparent reduction in brightness. The top view shows reduced gamma and a blue tint with about 50% less light output.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

The G Pro 27i demonstrates decent quality control with visually perfect screen uniformity. The black field pattern shows a slight hotspot to my meter in the upper right, but I could not see a problem when I turned off the lights. With four tiny LEDs in each zone, that’s 4,608 lights to manage. Color me impressed.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

One of Mini LED’s principal features is high peak brightness. This is great for HDR content because it makes highlights pop. But it can be good for SDR too if you have a bright work environment with sunny windows. The G Pro 27i is perfect for this with a peak SDR white point of over 940 nits. This is from a full-field white pattern, and it is searingly bright.

That means a high black level too, but the resulting contrast is almost 1,300:1, which is above the IPS average. You can broaden this by turning on the local dimming. There is no downside to this because all shadow detail is retained, there is no clipping. Even on the low setting, I could not measure the black level so the G Pro 27i’s dynamic contrast is theoretically infinite.

After Calibration to 200 nits

With local dimming off, I adjusted a full white field pattern to 200 nits. This puts the G Pro 27i’s black level on par with the other IPS screens and contrast remains consistent at 1,276.4:1, excellent performance. The ANSI test was also consistent with only a tiny reduction in value, 1,160.2:1. Among IPS monitors, it doesn’t get much better.

Test Takeaway: The G Pro 27i delivers the same excellent contrast performance as other Mini LED monitors for less money. It’s one of the best-performing LCD panels I’ve tested at any price. It has an effective local dimming feature that can be used for SDR content that takes contrast to a very high level with no downside.

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For the G Pro 27i tests, I changed the color space option to Native to have access to all calibration controls. If you set it to DCI-P3, Adobe RGB or sRGB, the color temp and gamma options are grayed out.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The G Pro 27i’s default grayscale tracking result is OK, but calibration is needed to remove a visible blue tint. You can see it in all steps from 40% onward. Gamma is the star here with visually perfect tracking to the 2.2 reference.

With adjustment to the RGB sliders, grayscale is now at reference level with no visible errors. Gamma is unchanged.

If you leave the color space option on DCI-P3, grayscale patterns are visibly purple in tone. This is definitely something that needs to be corrected. Gamma still tracks perfectly though.

The same behavior can be seen in the sRGB mode with a decidedly purple tint visible above 30% brightness. Gamma is mostly on the reference but takes a dip at 10-20%, meaning dark areas of the image are a bit grayer than they should be.

Comparisons

The G Pro 27i’s default grayscale error of 4.00dE is with color space set to Native. If you leave it on DCI-P3, it’s much higher at 5.13dE. For some users, this will be acceptable, and the good part is that color gamut tracking is very accurate. After trying the G Pro 27i out in different modes, I liked the calibrated Native mode with its 0.36dE grayscale error the best. It’s a tad over-saturated but the neutral grays and perfect gamma made the image pop with color and detail.

Gamma tracking in every case is exemplary. The range of values is super low at just 0.05 from lowest to highest. And its actual average of 2.18 is just 0.91% off the 2.2 reference. This is excellent performance.

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 G Pro 27i has a huge color gamut enhanced by its Quantum Dot Film technology. When the color space option is set to Native, you can see that it exceeds the DCI-P3 limits in all colors, especially for blue and magenta. This isn’t strictly correct, but I had no complaint. The inner targets are reasonably close to the mark and track linearly so the picture looks naturally vivid.

Calibration tightens up the secondary hues, but blue and magenta are still over-saturated. If gamut accuracy is required for your application, the DCI-P3 and sRGB options are solid with all points on or close to their targets. Average error levels are below the visible threshold.

Comparisons

The G Pro 27i’s 2.44dE gamut error is measured in the Native color space. It’s mostly on target with some over-saturation in blue and magenta. Overall, though, it’s visually pleasing with a vibrant look.

In the gamut volume test, the G Pro 27i excels with over 111% coverage of DCI-P3. It’s pipped only by the GP27Q, and is well ahead of the other screens. That you get this much color for $390 is certainly impressive. The gamut specific modes, DCI-P3, Adobe RGB and sRGB, are all sufficiently accurate for color-critical work, but their grayscales are a little off the mark.

Test Takeaway: There is no way to calibrate the G Pro 27i and have every parameter on-spec. But the compromise still delivers a bright, saturated and colorful image that will satisfy nearly everyone. You can set more accurate gamut modes, but they have visible grayscale errors that might cause concern. For gaming though, you’ll want the Native color space in Standard mode with the calibration I specified above.

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MORE: How to Choose the Best HDR Monitor

Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

Mini LED is the next best thing to OLED when it comes to HDR. The G Pro 27i delivers on this with its 1,152 dimming zones and peak output well over 1,000 nits. It switches to HDR automatically when HDR10 content is detected and all picture controls except local dimming are grayed out.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

For full-array local dimming monitors like the G Pro 27i, I measure a 25% window pattern. This gave me over 1,200 nits peak which is excellent performance. It easily exceeds the VESA DisplayHDR 1000 rating. Any setting of the local dimming turns off the backlight when a full black field is displayed. This means I could not measure black levels or contrast. It’s easy to see in the above contrast chart that the top four screens are Mini LED. They all have the same behavior. The Asus and ASRock monitors are edge dimming displays, so they have a little more contrast for HDR than SDR, but nowhere near what’s possible from the rest.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The G Pro 27i could use some color adjustments in HDR mode because the grayscale tracking is decidedly red in tone. The errors are visible from 40% and higher brightness. The good part is that the picture still pops. If you’re going to have an error, red is the least offensive. Green and blue issues are more obvious to the naked eye. I measured all three local dimming settings and found the best EOTF from the High option. It’s a tad dark until 50% where it meets the reference, then becomes slightly light up to the 75% tone map transition point. This is decent performance with some room for improvement.

The G Pro 27i takes full advantage of its Quantum Dot film to fill more than 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and a goodly portion of Rec.2020. Tracking is a bit over-saturated in the usual manner of wide gamut monitors. This makes the picture vivid and bright but not overblown. I have no complaints here.

Test Takeaway: The G Pro 27i delivers a superb HDR image with bright vivid color and deep contrast. Black levels are true and shadow detail is well rendered. Highlights pop with more than 1,200 nits of available light. Among HDR monitors selling for less than $400, it has no serious competition.

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Before OLED screens ruled the contrast contest for desktop monitors, Mini LED was king. It’s still a very viable technology, especially when the dimming zone count, and the peak light output, goes over 1,000. It was once a premium category, but now, it has entered the value zone.

The Xiaomi G Pro 27i is groundbreaking in many respects. That it offers Mini LED for under $400 is a major point but it doesn’t stop there. You get 1,152 dimming zones for contrast that can only be exceeded by an OLED. You get tremendous brightness with a VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification and real-world output approaching 1,300 nits. You also get a Quantum Dot film for over 111% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It’s one of the most colorful monitors I’ve ever tested.

It also hits all the marks for a pro-level gaming experience. The refresh rate of 180 Hz may not seem impressive on paper, but it excels thanks to a precise overdrive, one of the best I’ve seen. Motion resolution is nearly free of blur and there are no ghosting artifacts. And you can enjoy Adaptive-Sync on any PC or gaming console through the HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. With super-low input lag, it responds instantly to mouse and keyboard commands. Gamers of all skill levels, casual to professional, will enjoy its premium feel.

If you’ve been longing for the high contrast of an OLED but can’t afford the entry fee, the Xiaomi G Pro 27i is a great value-oriented alternative. It has all the advantages of Mini LED with superb video processing, solid build quality and a nice aesthetic. Gamers on a budget should definitely check it out.

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Today's deal highlights a large 32-inch monitor from LG that can be a new centerpiece for your gaming setup, or a great bedroom monitor for connecting to a game console. Its sleek and stylish design is attractive, but more than that is just the pure size of the screen, with its large 32-inch panel up there with the best gaming monitors, and able to really immerse you in whatever content you're consuming. 

To find this deal, head to Best Buy, where you can save $170 on the LG UltraGear 32GP83B-B - now only $279, reduced from its usual MSRP price of $449. I've seen this monitor fluctuate up and down in price over the last year, but today's deal price is equal to its lowest-ever listing of $279. 

Features and specifications of the LG UltraGear 32GP83B-B include a smooth 165Hz refresh rate, and 1ms gray to gray response time. Plus a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution (QHD) Nano IPS panel, HDR 10, and support for Nvidia's G-Sync adaptive sync tech as well as AMD FreeSync Premium. 

The LG UltraGear comes with a DisplayPort 1.4 and 2 x HDMI ports for connecting up to either your PC or games console. An adjustable stand with tilt and height capability, or standard 100 x 100mm VESA mounting holes for mounting to a monitor arm or wall bracket. With amazing value for money size and specs, this monitor deal is certainly worth considering. 

Asus announced three new monitors in the 27-inch 1440p segment that cater to gamers, as you'd expect from any new reveal during Gamescom 2024. Among them is the ROG Swift PG27AQDP, the company's first 1440p model with a 480Hz refresh rate WOLED panel, a new subpixel layout, and other neat tricks. The others are the Strix OLED XG27ACDNG, a 360Hz refresh rate with a compact design and an upgraded heatsink, and the ROG Swift PG27AQNR, a 360Hz IPS panel-based model. 

Two of its models are OLED-based screens: the 480Hz version ROG Swift PG27AQDP AND the 360Hz version Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. 

Asus jumps on the AI bandwagon on this monitor range like Gigabyte, mentioning it has an AI Assistant with functions like AI Visual, AI Crosshair, AI Sniper, AI Shadowboost, and a MOBA Map helper. AI Crosshair is self-explanatory, as it displays the crosshair for your FPS games. AI Shadow Boost essentially 'cheats' as it makes it easier to spot enemies in dark areas. AI Visual would detect the onscreen display and adjust using either the best default or custom-made monitor preset. MOBA Map Helper creates a small visual in the corner and highlights itself when a group battle is taking place in-game. 

Given the word's overuse by multiple brands, many would be weary of it. Whether these features are useful or if they have actual AI is something we'll know when we test it. 

Asus provides many bells and whistles on the ROG Swift PG27AQDP, one of which is the RWGB subpixel layout designed to display clear text, an issue typically prevalent in OLED monitors. LG also addresses it with an RGBW subpixel layout. This model uses a WOLED anti-glare panel with OLED-Anti flicker and Adjustable HDR. It comes with all the 'AI' functions mentioned above, along with a few others like Uniform brightness and Aspect Control, which lets you change your display to 4:3 aspect ratio, either with 1280 x 960 or 1024 x 768 resolution. This is particularly useful for playing in competitive-level FPS games. This monitor commands a US$ 999 premium, with its specifications mentioned.  

We reviewed the ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM last year, which made good impressions. While the Alienware AW2725DF is recommended in our guides and is priced at $737, we'll just have to see if the extra features with the 480Hz make that extra premium worth it.

The ROG Strix XG27ACDNG is a 360Hz QD-OLED monitor emphasizing a 30% better heat dissipation. Asus claims it will give more desk space due to its compact size and it includes a mobile phone slot. As expected from mid-range models, you don't have all the features from the flagship, so there is no new subpixel layout. It's advertised to have a USB Type-C with 90-watt power delivery. The monitor is expected to be released in early Q4 2024, sometime after two months from now. Specs and pricing have not yet been revealed for this monitor. 

Both OLED monitors have a three-year warranty and are bundled with OLED Care+, which features multiple functions already provided on earlier models and a few new ones, like Taskbar detection, outer dimming detection, and global dimming detection—all to address burn-in issues that are also prevalent with OLED monitors. 

The upcoming ROG Swift 360Hz PG27AQNR IPS monitor will also be released in Q4 2024. It will include a Variable Refresh Rate and multiple I/O ports. Not a lot of information is given about this panel, apart from confirming G-Sync. It's fairly obvious that this will be priced below the mid-range version between the two and perhaps might become one of the options to select from once it's out. 

Based on the survey Steam publishes, QHD resolution is incredibly popular, with many seeing 27 inches as an ideal size monitor for a desk. It is clear Asus intends to cater to many prospective buyers specifically looking for 16:9 27-inch flat monitors with QHD resolution. Other monitor makers are also aware, and hence, in the coming months and next year, there should be a wide range of monitors with this configuration. 

If you want a good gaming rig, you'll need a good gaming monitor as part of your kit. There's no point in splurging on the latest and greatest hardware if you don't have a quality screen to output all that performance to, and one that can keep up with the pace. Thankfully, we've come across an awesome deal on a mid-level gaming monitor that should be more than suitable for most modern gaming needs. Right now at Amazon, you can take home the Asus TUF VG27AQ3A gaming monitor for its lowest price ever—just $199.

This Asus TUF gaming monitor usually goes for around $249, so you're saving $50 off the asking price. It's not the largest on the market, spanning 27 inches across, but it's still pretty big and with a QHD resolution on an IPS panel, the offer is really worth a closer look. Some reckon a 27-inch diagonal and 1440p is the sweet spot. That said, if you want to see what else is on the market, we encourage you to explore our list of best gaming monitors for 2024. 

The Asus TUF VG27AQ3A gaming monitor features a 27-inch IPS panel with a QHD resolution that measures up to 2560 x 1440 pixels. The refresh rate can get up to 180 Hz while the response time can get as low as 1 ms. According to the specs this gaming monitor also features Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync, Freesync Premium, and is G-SYNC Compatible, too.

It offers a breadth of color covering 130% of the sRGB color gamut. However one of its weaker points is the quoted maximum possible brightness of 250 Nits - you won't be using this outside, so it may be OK. There are two integrated 2W speakers for convenient audio output but you can also connect a 3.5mm audio jack for external audio peripherals. It has both a DisplayPort and two HDMI ports for video input, as well.

Visit the Asus TUF VG27AQ3A gaming monitor product page at Amazon for more details and purchase options.

With all the recent press of issues with Intel 13th and 14th generation processors, their failure rates, and crashing issues, it comes as no surprise that consumers will be hesitant about picking up anything with one of these affected CPUs inside, even though reports of mobile CPUs aren't affected by the same issues. So the great news about today's deal is that it contains an AMD Ryzen CPU instead if you're uneasy about shopping for a laptop with Intel inside. Not as common on the market as Intel-based laptop systems, this AMD gaming laptop is still a competent gaming machine and one of the best gaming laptops near a thousand dollars.

Available at Newegg, the Nitro 16 gaming laptop from Acer is on sale for $1,129 — a great value option for a modern gaming laptop that contains Nvidia's latest 40-series graphics and an AMD processor. The hardware packed inside the chassis of the Nitro 16 comprises of an Nvidia RTX 4070, AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS 8-core CPU, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 512GB M.2 SSD for storage.

The Nitro 16 comes with a QHD IPS screen that uses a 16:10 aspect ratio with a 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution. Expect smooth gaming with a fast 165 Hz refresh rate, and good viewing angles. A bright four-zone RGB backlit keyboard and included number pad provide the RGB gamer aesthetic and allow easier key identification in low-lit environments.

We reviewed the Acer Nitro 16 and gave it an Editor's Choice award for its competent gaming performance and excellent entry-level pricing. The unit tested was for a lower-powered SKU than today's deal, making this particular laptop even better value for the price.

The Acer Nitro 16 comes with a great selection of ports, including an HDMI 2.1 port and 5 USB ports that consist of 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x USB 4 port, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, an ethernet (RJ45) port, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. Plenty for all your favorite peripherals.

165 Hz 27-inch QHD gaming monitors have become a bread-and-butter category for players and users looking for the most bang for the buck regarding the best gaming monitors. With high performance, sharp imagery, and low prices, there are many choices, but the differences in quality are small.

If you’re willing to spend a bit extra, you can get a little more speed, 180 Hz, which is worthwhile for its smoother motion processing and slightly lower input lag. I’ve looked at many of these and here I have what might be the best example yet, Asus’ ROG Strix XG27ACS. It’s a 27-inch QHD IPS 16:9 flat panel with 180 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, a wide gamut, and extremely accurate color for around $300. Let’s take a look.

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS Specs

Asus’ ROG Strix line is known for good value, and the XG27ACS carries that mantra. It’s a Fast IPS panel with a one-millisecond gray-to-gray response time, 180 Hz, and certification for both G-Sync and FreeSync variable refresh rate technology. It’s one of the rare gaming monitors that allows Adaptive-Sync and ELMB (blur reduction) to operate simultaneously. Video processing is precise and flexible here, with fine overdrive control and smooth performance.

The XG27ACS is a wide-gamut screen with around 90% measured coverage of DCI-P3. That by itself isn’t a big deal; many monitors in this category boast the same. But Asus has really upped the ante with color accuracy. I found it measured spot on out of the box for grayscale, gamma, and gamut with no calibration required. It’s so close to perfect that I couldn’t make it any better with the included adjustment options.

There is plenty of light output available with a VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification and dynamic contrast for a native ratio of around 1,000:1 and almost 4,600:1 for HDR content. The picture is bright and colorful, with decent black levels and highlights that pop. 109ppi pixel density means a tight dot structure and excellent clarity. It also means you won’t need a premium video card to achieve fast and smooth frame rates. The 180 Hz is available without overclock.

The XG27ACS is well stocked with gaming features. There are aiming points, timers, frame rate counters, and many video processing options. In that regard, it is equal to any ROG Swift display. Some convenience items are left off the list though, like USB ports, LED lighting and internal speakers. There are just three video inputs, one each of DisplayPort, HDMI and USB-C. But in a cool touch, you get a slot for a smartphone in the base. That’s a first, in my experience. And there’s a threaded mount at the top of the stand for webcams or anything with a standard tripod bolt.

Considering the XG27ACS’s color accuracy and performance, it’s a bargain at $300. There are many monitors in this category but this one might be the best of them all.

Assembly and Accessories

The XG27ACS’s carton qualifies as a plain brown wrapper with minimal artwork to suggest its gaming intent. Blocks of crumbly foam protect the three main parts, panel, upright and base. A zippered pouch contains the cable bundle, which includes DisplayPort and IEC power. No tools are required for assembly.

Product 360

The XG27ACS sports a thin flush bezel of eight millimeters around the top and sides. The bottom trim is sculpted with a ROG logo at the center and measures 20mm wide. Controls are around the back right and consist of four large buttons and a joystick. A few thin lines are molded into the plastic in the back, along with a large ROG logo in one corner. You also get white ROG graphics on the upright above the hole for cable management. The base features a large slot for your phone and red trim around the upright’s attachment point.

The stand has full ergonomics with 4.7 inches (120mm) of height adjustment range, 45 degrees swivel, 5/20 degrees tilt, and 90-degree rotation for portrait mode in either direction. Movements are of equal quality to any premium display, including Asus’ ROG Swift models. Build quality is superb, and the XG27ACS is rugged enough for long-term use. Atop the stand is a tripod socket mount with a rubber pad suitable for webcams or anything else you might wish to attach to your monitor.

The input panel is adorned with just one of each video interface. The HDMI 2.0 port tops out at 144 Hz, while the DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C run at the full 180 Hz. USB-C is only for video, it doesn’t support peripherals and there are no additional downstream ports. There are no internal speakers either, but you get a 3.5mm headphone jack.

OSD Features

Looking at the XG27ACS’s OSD, you’d think it is a premium gaming monitor. And given its features and performance, it is in every way except price.

The XG27ACS has one of the most flexible and comprehensive sets of video processing options I’ve ever seen. Variable OD is extremely precise and features 20 levels of overdrive. If you run at 180 fps, number 7 is the sweet spot between blur reduction and visible ghosting. ELMB (Extra Low Motion Blur) is the backlight strobe, and unlike most monitors, it can be used together with Adaptive-Sync/VRR. By selecting ELMB SYNC. You can also turn VRR off and have more control over ELMB with variable pulse width (Clarity Level) and which part of the screen gets more attention (Clarity Position). It works well once you dial it in. Clarity Level reduces blur at the expense of light output. The Position option lets you focus on the top, middle, or bottom of the screen.

GamePlus options are complete with fixed aiming points and a dynamic crosshair that changes color to remain in contrast with the background. You also get timers, a stopwatch, FPS counter, and display alignment marks.

There are nine total picture modes in the GameVisual menu. Racing is the default and best mode. It doesn’t require calibration, nor does it benefit from it. I was unable to make an improvement in any metric. Grayscale, gamma and color are completely free of visual errors. The Image menu has the usual brightness and contrast controls along with the three HDR modes that appear when an HDR10 signal is present. You can turn on the backlight controls in HDR mode if you find the image too bright.

The color menu has every calibration option including selectable color space. Hint: if you want sRGB, pick that mode from GameVisual. It’s perfectly accurate. I recommend leaving the Display Color Space option on Wide Gamut. If you want to tweak, there are color temp presets by Kelvin value plus RGB sliders. And there are six gamma presets too.

Two of the control keys can be programmed to different monitor functions like brightness, input select and others. You can also save settings to two separate memories using Customized Setting. In the final menu, you can reset everything to factory defaults.

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS Calibration Settings

In the XG27ACS’s Racing mode, no calibration is required. You can tweak to your heart’s content, and I did just that, but for me, there was no visual or measured improvement. This monitor is spot-on from the factory. SDR content uses the full native color gamut when the Color Space option is set to Wide Gamut. If you want sRGB, it’s best to use that picture mode from the GameVisual menu. It is also without visual error. It retains access to the Brightness control, so you can equalize light output between modes if you wish. Below, I’ve provided the settings for commonly used peak white levels.

HDR signals get three additional picture modes. Gaming HDR is the default and best choice there. You can turn on access to the brightness slider if you find the image too bright, but this will affect the luminance tracking and reduce HDR impact. It’s definitely a personal preference option.

Gaming and Hands-on

The XG27ACS punches well above its $300 price tag. It has superb video processing with so many flexible options that you are guaranteed to find a perfect balance between smoothness and response. If you can run at 180fps, the best choice is OD on 7 and Adaptive-Sync engaged. I used G-Sync without issue, driven by a GeForce RTX 4090. 180fps is no problem for this system but you can get there with a lesser video card if your budget dictates.

At frame rates below 150, the ELMB is a great option. You can run it along with Adaptive-Sync or turn VRR off and gain options for brightness/clarity and screen zone. For shooters, leaving the position on center screen makes the most sense because that is where the player’s focus is. Having this many choices can be confusing but it’s so much fun trying everything out. The XG27ACS can easily adapt to systems of any performance level from budget to high-end.

The image is stunning regardless of whether you’re playing SDR or HDR games. Color is so well balanced and saturated that you just gaze. Though there are only minor differences between most of the monitors in this category, the XG27ACS is clearly the best in terms of color accuracy, saturation and visual quality.

This quality carries over to workday tasks, which are easily accomplished thanks to the sharp image and vivid color. Word processors benefit from clear type and no obvious jaggies. 109ppi is enough pixel density to hide the dot structure. Yes, Ultra HD will be a bit better, but you won’t get that for $300.

I didn’t miss the USB ports or speakers here. While many monitors have these features, they do not impact their ability to play games or get work done. The XG27ACS has the added bonus of a phone slot in the base and a tripod mount atop the stand. You can install a very nice webcam or microphone. And the phone took a useful place right in front of me, below the screen. Honestly, I had never thought of this one but if more companies did this, it would be a good thing.

Takeaway: The XG27ACS is a $300 monitor that performs like a $600 display. Its color is incredibly accurate, with vivid saturation in both SDR and HDR modes. It has bright HDR with good black levels and bright highlights and more dynamic range than many VA panels. And it has video processing that rivals, and in most cases surpasses, the very best gaming monitors I’ve reviewed. Unless you spend significantly more money on a 240 Hz OLED, you won’t find much better, and certainly not for $300.

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The XG27ACS brings the total of 27-inch QHD 180 Hz screens in my database to four. I’ve brought in ASRock’s PG27QFT2A, Titan Army’s P27A2R and Cooler Master’s GM2711S. To make it six, I’ve added Lenovo’s 165 Hz G27q-30 and MSI’s 170 Hz G272QPF.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

In the screen draw test, all panels post the same 6ms draw time for a full black to white transition. The differences between them are subtle and come down to the quality of overdrive. The XG27ACS has the best of the bunch, with its greater precision and flexibility. 20 OD levels plus multiple ELMB options put it over the top. You are guaranteed to find the right balance with this monitor.

The XG27ACS responds speedily to control inputs with 23ms of total input lag. It’s equaled by the MSI and just pipped by the ASRock. The differences from bottom to top here are small with only 5ms separating the entire field.

Test Takeaway: 180 Hz is only 15 more than 165 Hz but the XG27ACS delivers more with its superb video processing. It is more than worth a few extra dollars for that feature alone. The only way gaming could be better is with a much faster monitor. 240 Hz would be the next starting point, or an OLED. But for $300, you won’t find better.

Viewing Angles

The XG27ACS is one of the better IPS panels I’ve photographed. At 45 degrees to the sides, there is a slight shift to blue and just a 10% reduction in light output. Gamma is constant, meaning there will be no loss of fine detail in actual content. The top view shows hints of red and green with a 50% drop in brightness and a moderately washed-out image due to lowered gamma. In the IPS realm, this is excellent performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Screen uniformity is no problem for the XG27ACS. I noted a slight center hotspot in the measured values, but I could not spot this issue in content. Color was visually perfect from edge to edge as well. There are no flaws worthy of concern here.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The XG27ACS has prodigious output with over 440 nits available for SDR content. This can be achieved with a full screen white field, so there is no variable brightness happening. You can easily make this monitor bright enough for outdoor use or when sitting next to a sunny window. Black levels are about average for IPS tech, as is the contrast ratio of 1,005.7:1. In this group, the Lenovo has a distinct advantage with its VA panel that delivers almost 4,400:1 contrast. And a few IPS monitors boast more dynamic range. The ASRock stands out in particular with almost 1,500:1.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration in the XG27ACS’s case requires reducing the brightness slider to 200 nits. Contrast remains the same, right at the class average of 1,000:1. ANSI contrast is also at the IPS average of just under 1,000:1. The XG27ACS’s 941.8:1 score is a bit behind the other panels with the Lenovo’s VA screen again topping the chart with almost 3,700:1.

Test Takeaway: If you want high contrast, IPS is not the right choice. The XG27ACS delivers strongly in other areas like color and video processing. If you want deep blacks and broad dynamic range, you’ll need VA or OLED for a significant improvement. But for $300, Asus delivers a solid monitor.

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The XG27ACS impressed me right from the beginning with perfect color accuracy. It’s easily the equal of any pro monitor I’ve tested in all image parameters.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The XG27ACS’s default picture mode is Racing, like nearly all Asus monitors, and it is right on the mark for grayscale and gamma tracking. All errors are below 2dE. 3dE is considered the visible threshold. Gamma tracks with the 2.2 reference with only the tiniest deviation at 90% brightness. This error is also completely invisible in content. For out-of-box numbers, it doesn’t get much better than this.

The sRGB picture mode is also right on point. Only a dip in gamma (too light) at 10% mars this measurement run. In content, some shadow areas will look more gray than black. But there is no visible error in grayscale tracking. This means all white, gray and black shades will look neutral. And it tightens up color gamut accuracy as well; you’ll see that shortly.

Comparisons

Since I could not improve the XG27ACS’s grayscale tracking, I charted the same 0.85dE value in the before and after comparisons. The MSI G272QPF exhibits the same high level of grayscale accuracy but falters a bit in the gamma test where it drops to the bottom. The XG27ACS has excellent gamma tracking with an actual average of 2.17 and a tight 0.08 range of values. It is among the very best in this test. This is about as good as it can get, especially for $300.

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.

I’ve tested many monitors that don’t generate a color chart this good AFTER calibration, let alone before. The XG27ACS is superb in both DCI-P3 and sRGB color spaces. In the former, only a slight green under-saturation can be seen in the chart, but the error is too small to spot in content. The sRGB chart is flawless, with every color point on target.

Comparisons

Only a few monitors can even get close to 1dE gamut error. The XG27ACS’s 1.37dE score is in the top percentile of my entire test database of nearly 400 displays. This is with no adjustments whatsoever. Take your XG27ACS out of the box and turn it on and you’ll see the same performance I did, amazing!

In the gamut volume test, the XG27ACS is about average, with just over 90% coverage of DCI-P3. The Cooler Master takes first place with 92.46%, but that difference is small. If you need sRGB for any reason, Asus renders perfection, with just under 100% coverage and no visible errors.

Test Takeaway: The XG27ACS’s overall grayscale, gamma and color performance is second to none in the category of 27-inch QHD gaming monitors. This gives it an edge over its rivals, which is made greater by the superb video processing I observed. It is accurate enough for color-critical work in both DCI-P3 and sRGB realms and requires no adjustment to achieve this.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The XG27ACS offers excellent HDR performance for its class with high brightness, decent contrast and the same accuracy I measured in the SDR tests. HDR10 signals switch it over automatically where you get three additional picture modes and adjustable output if you so desire.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

With over 472 nits peak, the XG27ACS delivers a bright and tactile HDR image. Dynamic contrast is active as a field dimming feature, so contrast improves over SDR to 4,590:1. That beats the VA-based Lenovo in this test. Upon visual observation, the Asus looks better as well, mainly thanks to its greater output. I ran these tests in the Gaming HDR mode which is the default and best choice. If you find it too bright (I didn’t), you can turn on the brightness slider and dial down the fun a bit. This will also dial down the impact of HDR content since the luminance curve is altered from spec.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The XG27ACS generates some impressive HDR grayscale, EOTF and gamut results. There are no visible errors in grayscale whatsoever. The EOTF tracks to the reference and transitions to tone-mapping at around 70%. This is the correct point for the measured black and white levels. In the gamut tests, you can see some over-saturation which is typical for the HDR monitors I’ve tested. The points are linear and follow their hue targets so visually, there is nothing amiss. Rec.2020 content also renders at the same level of accuracy.

Test Takeaway: If you want the very best HDR, Mini LED or OLED is a better choice, but it will cost you a lot more than the $300 Asus wants for an XG27ACS. At that price, you’ll have difficulty finding better HDR. There is plenty of brightness, contrast is as good as any VA panel, and it is very accurate.

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With so many monitors available in the 27-inch QHD class, prices are inevitably lower and performance differences are small. Is it worth paying a few bucks more for 180 Hz versus 165? In the case of Asus’ ROG Strix XG27ACS, the answer is a resounding yes.

The video processing here is some of the very best I’ve seen anywhere. Not only can you run ELMB and Adaptive-Sync together, but there’s also a precise overdrive and strobing options you won’t find anywhere else. There is no scenario where you won’t find the right combination of settings to achieve maximum smoothness, response and excellent gaming feel. Only a much more expensive display can improve upon the XG27ACS for gaming.

Picture quality is also top-notch, thanks to solid contrast and pro-level color accuracy. Calibration is unnecessary and even if you attempt it as I did, there is no improvement. The XG27ACS is measurably and visually perfect right out of the box. And that is true for SDR and HDR. You get plenty of color volume with over 90% coverage of DCI-P3 and an HDR dynamic contrast ratio of 4,590:1.

There are plenty of opportunities to say “for $300” when qualifying the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS’s performance. But it plays better than many gaming monitors I’ve reviewed that cost more. If OLED didn’t exist, you’d need at least 240 Hz, preferably 360 Hz, to beat it. It really is that good. If you’re looking for a budget screen to pair with a carefully built gaming system or console, the XG27ACS is it. Definitely check it out.

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The right gaming monitor can make or break your gaming experience. Knowing what specs to look out for will make a world of difference but if you're looking for a recommendation, today we're pointing our readers to the Samsung Odyssey G50A. This monitor is huge, spanning 27 inches across, and is backed up with an IPS panel with sweet-spot QHD resolution. It usually goes for around $399 but today it's marked down to just $255.

While this isn't quite the lowest price ever for the Samsung Odyssey G50A, it's among the lowest and definitely worth a closer look. Its large size and resolution make it one of the best computer monitors you can find today on sale.

If you're looking for something a little bigger, this might be the upgrade for you. The Samsung Odyssey G50A measures 27 inches across with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio). The refresh rate can get pretty high, reaching up to 165 Hz, while the response time can get deliciously low at just 1 ms. This monitor is both G-Sync Compatible and AMD FreeSync Premium certified, according to the retail product pages. Low input lag will be welcomed by gamers too.

It has a wide gamut, covering 99% sRGB color which is then illuminated by a brightness that caps out at 350 nits, and it supports HDR10. You've got a couple of video input options to choose from including one HDMI port and one DisplayPort input. A 3.5mm jack is included for connecting external audio devices, as well. A fully adjustable stand is provided, and as a flat monitor, this won't be weird to pivot into portrait mode.

Visit the Samsung Odyssey G50A product page at Amazon for more details and purchase options.

Right now at Newegg, the Gigabyte GS32Q32-inch monitor is available for the lowest price we've seen since it first debuted. It usually goes for around $250, but today, it's discounted to $219. However, there's a special promo code that will take the price down even further. Promo code GS32524 will take an additional $20 off the price, but it's part of a limited offer, and we're not sure for how long it will be available.

The monitor is AMD FreeSync Premium certified for its superior performance and high-quality specs. It's backed with some unique features from Gigabyte, like "Black Equalizer" mode, which helps make black colors more pronounced, and a crosshair, which is helpful for FPS games and other gaming-oriented settings.

This Gigabyte monitor is 32 inches wide and built around an IPS panel with a QHD resolution, which measures 2560 x 1440px. Under optimal conditions, the refresh rate can reach as high as 170 Hz, while the response time can reach as low as 1 ms.

The Gigabyte GS32Q has great color support, covering 100% of the sRGB color gamut and reaching a brightness of up to 300 nits. As far as video input goes, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port. A 3.5mm jack is included for connecting external audio peripherals.

For more details, visit the Gigabyte GS32Q 32-inch gaming monitor product page at Newegs. Remember to redeem the offer with promo code GS32524  at checkout.

If you've been holding out for a curved gaming display with high-quality specs to accompany it, you should check out today's deal on the LG 34GP950G-B 34-inc Ultragear gaming monitor. This QHD gaming display debuted with a price tag of around $1,299. However, it's currently discounted to just $549 at Amazon — one of the best prices we've ever seen for this monitor. So far, no expiration has been confirmed for the discount, so we're not sure how long you can pick it up for at this price.

In addition to performance-driven specs like a high pixel density and fast refresh rate, the LG Ultragear also has some design elements that lend to the gaming theme. The LG 34GP950G-B features what's known as Sphere Lighting 2.0. This synchronizes LEDs with audio from games in real time for a more immersive experience.

The LG 34GP950G-B sports a curved 34-inch IPS panel with a QHD resolution that delivers 3,440 x 1,440 pixels. At best, the refresh rate can get up to 144 Hz while the response time can get as low as 1 ms. 

This LG gaming monitor is also certified for Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate. As the top-tier G-Sync compatibility rating, this is welcome for ensuring good gaming performance when driven by a powerful PC. However, G-Sync Ultimate isn't quite as high a spec as it used to be, as you will understand if you follow our link.

There are multiple input options to take advantage of, including both HDMI and DisplayPort inputs for video as well as a 3.5mm jack for connecting external audio peripherals. The monitor covers 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and has a maximum brightness of 400 nits, but that can ramp up to over 600 nits in HDR mode. The purchase is supported by a 1-year manufacturer's warranty from LG as well as Amazon's 30-day return policy.

Visit the LG 34GP950G-B 34-Inch Ultragear QHD monitor product page at Amazon for more details and purchase options.

Today we have a great deal on a gaming monitor with a rapid refresh rate that's ideal for superfast gameplay such as first-person shooters like Valorant, Counter-Strike, and Apex Legends. Not only does the gameplay look smooth and fluid on a fast-refresh monitor, but higher frame generation makes it easier to get those vital shots in thanks to less motion blur and faster response times; don't forget that you do need an appropriately powerful graphics card to make the most out of a high refresh rate monitor.

Normally on sale for $269, which is already a fairly decent price for the specs of this monitor, the Innocn 27G1S Plus is available for only $199 at Amazon when you apply code 27G1SPLUSINC at checkout. As I mentioned, the Innocn 27G1S Plus has some pretty impressive specifications for the price; along with a 27-inch screen, it uses a fast IPS panel with a 1ms response time and sharp QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, 240 Hz refresh rate, and includes HDR and compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync to help reduce screen tearing and input lag.

IPS screens are great for wide viewing angles and the Innocn 27G1S Plus uses a flat panel screen with a wide color gamut of 99% sRGB helping to make your games look their best on screen. HDR can help to enhance the gaming experience further by tweaking the contrast and brightness of the monitor's visuals for a more vibrant display.

There's plenty of connectivity with the Innocn 27G1S Plus. It comes with multiple ports that allow you to hook up a range of devices from a gaming PC to Xbox/PS5 consoles, and TV sticks. It also has 2x HDMI 2.1 ports and 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 ports, plus an audio-out port should you need it. To achieve the max 240 Hz refresh rate, you need to connect via the DisplayPort, as the HDMI 2.1 caps out at 144 Hz.

With so many fast OLEDs becoming available, it’s a great time for gamers looking for the best gaming monitors with the ultimate in performance and image quality. We’re seeing screens in multiple shapes and sizes, but one emerging category is 27-inch flat panels with QHD resolution. Since there are fewer pixels to move about than 4K, QHD affords higher frame rates. Most of them hit 240 Hz, but now, 360 Hz displays are becoming plentiful.

MSI’s entry is the MPG271QRX. Its 27-inch flat panel is a QD-OLED, which means wide gamut color, very wide as you’ll soon see. It also hits 360 Hz, runs both flavors of Adaptive-Sync and supports HDR10 with over 400 nits of peak output. Let’s take a look.

MSI MPG271QRX Specs

This is the second 360 Hz OLED I’ve encountered, the first being Alienware’s AW2725DF. The MPG271QRX is also based on a Samsung Quantum Dot OLED panel. QD-OLED is currently the most colorful of all OLED variants. Indeed, my sample rendered over 109% of DCI-P3. That’s a difference you can plainly see when comparing it to other wide-gamut screens that hit around 90%. The bar is being raised, for sure.

A 360 Hz refresh rate means super smooth motion resolution. With no need for overdrive, OLED as a category is well suited for gaming. It is smoother at a given frame rate than LCD. To match the performance of even a 240 Hz OLED, you’ll need a 360 or 500 Hz LCD. The MPG271QRX delivers all that and low input lag as well. And its QHD resolution is a lighter load for PCs and consoles alike. Two HDMI 2.1 ports also support 360 Hz along with VRR and a 48Gbps data rate. Adaptive-Sync is supported on both FreeSync and G-Sync platforms. The MPG271QRX has not been certified by Nvidia at this writing.

As a premium display, the MPG271QRX offers a full suite of gaming aids, like sniper mode, aiming points, timers, and a frame counter. A cool-looking MSI logo lights up in the back with colored LEDs, and the styling is high-end gaming all the way, with molded-in accents and a stout stand.

The price is around $800, so it is a premium option. But as I’ve said about other OLEDs, once you’ve tried it, you’ll want it. My first impression of the MPG271QRX is no different. It looks as good as all the other OLEDs I’ve reviewed.

Assembly and Accessories

My sample arrived double-boxed with large blocks of crumbly foam inside. The upright, base and panel are substantial and assemble quickly without tools. Bundled cables include HDMI, IEC power and USB. There was no DisplayPort cable with my sample, which is unusual. It is the best way to connect the MPG271QRX.

Product 360

The MPG271QRX embodies classic OLED styling where the panel is attached to a component bulge. The panel is just 4mm thick with a metal backing. The bulge brings the total depth up to 68mm (2.7 inches) which is typical for a 27-inch monitor. The panel incorporates a graphene layer to aid cooling and there is copious ventilation around all sides of the bulge. Heat will never be a problem here.

The bulge features molded textures that form a dragon logo and a brushed finish that easily passes for metal. It’s heavy plastic, but it looks very high-end. The MSI logo sits atop the bulge and lights up in all colors of the spectrum. The color effect is fixed, but you can vary its brightness or shut it off if you wish.

The stand is solid and has full ergonomics. The height adjustment is 4.4 inches, and you get 30 degrees swivel, 5/21 degrees tilt, and a 90-degree portrait mode. Movements are smooth and firm, with the premium feedback expected from a monitor at this price point.

Underneath the center of the panel is a joystick with two flanking buttons. One toggles power and the other activates a desktop control app if you’ve made a USB connection. Further underneath are the inputs. You get two HDMI 2.1 and one each of DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C. All support 2560x1440 resolution up to 360 Hz with Adaptive-Sync and HDR. The USB-C port also supports charging up to 90 watts. Additional USB ports include one upstream and two down, version 2.0, for peripherals. Headphones can be plugged into the 3.5mm audio jack, but there are no internal speakers.

OSD Features

Pressing the MPG271QRX’s joystick brings up a comprehensive OSD with just about everything one could need for gaming and image control.

In the first menu, G.I., are the KVM settings along with a selection of aiming points and a sniper mode. The crosshairs can be a fixed color or set to change with content in real time to maintain a contrasting color. Optix Scope is a sniper mode with three window sizes and three magnifications.

The MPG271QRX has a confusing approach to picture modes. First, in the Gaming menu, are a series of presets that correspond to different game types. Suggestion: stick with Premium Color or User. Then, in the Professional menu, there is another list of presets aimed at productivity. Suggestion: go with User for the full native color gamut or sRGB for the smaller space.

Back to the Gaming menu, Night Vision is a shadow detail enhancer; you won’t need it. A.I. Vision is a subtle dynamic contrast option; you won’t need that either. The MPG271QRX has typical OLED contrast, which is vast. It also has accurate gamma, so it won’t need help in the shadow detail department. Additional options activate a frame counter, countdown timer, and Adaptive-Sync toggle.

The Image menu has three fixed color temps and a user mode. I suggest you stick with the Normal option. It is possible to calibrate the MPG271QRX but choosing Customization cuts light output by half. Luckily, color is on-point out of the box, so you won’t need to make any adjustments for the sake of accuracy. Also here are the two HDR modes, True Black 400 and Peak 1000 nits. The best choice is True Black because it has near-perfect tone mapping.

The joystick can be programmed to quickly access frequently used settings like aiming points, brightness, and picture modes. The final menu, MSI OLED Care, has many options for panel and pixel refresh and other methods of preventing burn-in. OLED burn-in is possible, though difficult to achieve. You can turn on features to detect taskbars, logos and image borders. The MPG271QRX will reduce output in those areas of the screen. With so many ways to maintain the panel, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see a problem.

MSI MPG271QRX Calibration Settings

I wish I could tell you how to calibrate the MPG271QRX, but unfortunately, I can’t recommend that you employ the custom color temp option because it cuts light output by half. It’s also true that no adjustments are necessary. A calibration data sheet is provided with each sample and in my case, the numbers matched up perfectly, even down to the measured color gamut volume of 109%. Stick with the Normal color temp and just adjust the brightness to taste and you’ll be fine. Use either Premium Color or User in the Game menu and set the Professional option to User. That is all. My brightness settings are provided below.

In HDR mode, the True Black 400 mode provides the most accurate luminance tracking, grayscale and color gamut.

Gaming and Hands-on

I’ll get my gaming comments out first. The MPG271QRX performs just like every other fast OLED I’ve reviewed. It’s glassy smooth, incredibly responsive and stunning to look at. OLED as a category is such a tight race that differentiating them comes down to the tiniest things.

The 360 Hz refresh rate is certainly an extra point. The MPG271QRX is a tad quicker than the 240 Hz screens I’ve played on. If you’re looking for every possible advantage, 360 Hz is where you should start. I was able to turn with lightning speed. Once I had the mouse movement in muscle memory, an about-face became second nature. Run-and-gun maneuvers are a breeze on the MPG271QRX.

Frame rates stayed consistently over 320 fps when playing on a GeForce RTX 4090-equipped PC. I saw 345 fps a few times. There is no blur whatsoever. Detail remains consistently sharp in both foreground and background. When you get close to an object, you want to explore its fine textures. The sense of depth is palpable. The MPG271QRX delivers a convincing 3D experience. Shadow areas were well rendered, and I never felt the need for the Night Vision option. The option to change the aiming point color on the fly was interesting. On paper, it seems like a good idea, but I found it distracting in practice. A fixed red or green worked best for me.

The MPG271QRX’s huge color gamut increased the sense of depth. HDR tone mapping is very accurate, so the image always had a natural appearance. It’s possible for a monitor to go too far and take on a cartoonish look, but that was not the case here.

Back to the Windows desktop, I found the MPG271QRX well-suited for non-gaming tasks. A flat 27-inch display is the bread-and-butter choice for an office, so if you need to get work done between frag sessions, this monitor will get you through comfortably and efficiently.

I noted that 200 nits brightness was too much for long work or play sessions. I use this level for testing and most LCD panels are fine left at that setting. But after reviewing several OLEDs recently, I’ve settled on 120 nits as a more practical output level for SDR content. HDR is always best viewed at the monitor’s peak capability and the MPG271QRX’s 450 nits is perfect for bright highlights without any harshness.

Takeaway: The MPG271QRX is an ideal display for work or play. It’s the perfect size for most office environments and its responsive gameplay is matched only by other fast OLEDs.

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The MPG271QRX is one of two 360 Hz monitors in the comparison group along with Alienware’s AW2725DF. At 240 Hz, we have Acer’s X27U, Corsair’s 27QHD240, Asus’ PG27AQDM and AOC’s AG276QZD.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

Though the refresh rates are the same, the MPG271QRX draws a full white screen in 3ms versus the AW2725DF’s 4ms. Both screens are super smooth, and I am hard-pressed to see a difference between them when gaming. Even the slower monitors are smoother than LCDs running at the same speed. Eliminating strobing and overdrive has a significantly positive impact.

In the lag test, we see a glut of screens at 19ms, which is super-fast. That’s what’s needed for pro competition and any of these monitors can qualify. The Corsair might prove too slow for the best players, but if you have a MPG271QRX on your desk, you will have one of the fastest monitors that currently exists.

Test Takeaway: The MPG271QRX delivers typical OLED gaming performance which is better than a premium LCD running at any speed or resolution. You’ll need 360 or 500 Hz just to get in the ballpark of what any OLED running at 240 Hz or higher can achieve. Until the next revolution in display tech occurs, this is as good as it gets.

Viewing Angles

When viewed at 45 degrees to the sides, the MPG271QRX shows no reduction in light output and a slight shift to red. This is typical performance for the OLED and QD-OLED monitors I’ve tested. The top view is a little less bright and also shows a red shift. Neither angle shows any change in gamma, which means no detail is obscured when viewing off-axis.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

I’ve seen solid uniformity results from nearly all the OLEDs I’ve reviewed. The MPG271QRX is well under the 10% mark, where I consider any variation in brightness to be invisible. I measured a 10% field pattern because 0% screens can’t be measured by any known instruments. This is excellent performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

I have observed that QD-OLED panels give up some peak brightness to their non-QD counterparts. But the MPG271QRX’s 248 nits is still plenty of output for an office or media room. The variations seen in the above chart indicate different approaches to engineering. Any OLED is capable of 400 nits in SDR mode, but that choice increases power consumption and shortens panel life. It also increases the possibility of burn-in. Running at a lower level is more practical for the long term. Black levels are, as usual, unmeasurable, as is contrast. All OLED panels are equal in this regard.

After Calibration to 200 nits

The MPG271QRX doesn’t appear to vary brightness with content, so I was able to set 200 nits using a full-field pattern. This makes no difference to black level or contrast measurements. ANSI or intra-image contrast is also unmeasurable.

Test Takeaway: I can’t overstate how much better OLED image quality is over LCD. The MPG271QRX’s true 0% black levels mean the image appears three-dimensional. It’s as if one sees into the monitor rather than looking at an image rendered on a flat surface.

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The MPG271QRX comes out of the box with a precise factory calibration. I was able to replicate the results on the enclosed data sheet. This is fortunate because my attempt at calibration resulted in a reduction in light output.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

You can see in the MPG271QRX’s default grayscale chart that there is no need for adjustment. The Gaming mode is set to Premium Color and the Professional mode is set to User. You’ll see the same result if Gaming is set to User. This is a bit confusing, but the takeaway is to leave the image controls alone. Just set the brightness to taste.

If you want sRGB color, visit the Professional menu and choose that option. It has a slight gamma issue at 10-20%, where the values are too light in tone. This issue is hard to spot in content because contrast is so high. Grayscale is without visible error though, so the mode is completely usable and suited for color-critical applications.

Comparisons

The MPG271QRX’s grayscale error value is the same before and after calibration since I did not calibrate my sample. This was due to its 50% drop in light output and because I couldn’t improve either visually or measurably. Don’t take the final sixth-place result as a negative. The MPG271QRX is very accurate.

There are no issues worthy of complaint in the gamma tests either. Values track tightly with a variation of only 0.04, good enough for first place. The deviation from 2.2 is just 1.82, actual value is 2.16. That’s a tad light but you won’t see that error when contrast is this broad.

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.

QD-OLEDs bring the color, and the MPG271QRX is the very best in the genre. You can see how much extra red and green is present in the default gamut chart. Saturation points are all a bit past their targets, but there is no loss of detail since the progression is linear. Most wide gamut screens can’t fill the green primary, but the MPG271QRX can. Hue points are also on-target, so there is no need for calibration.

The sRGB gamut comes up a tad short in the red primary but the 20 to 80% points are closer to the mark. Other colors are nearly perfect so the MPG271QRX is well suited for color grading work. The overall error is just 1.14dE which is pro-level accuracy.

Comparisons

The MPG271QRX’s last-place finish in the color test is by no means a negative. The other screens were calibrated, and 1.71dE is well below the visible threshold. If you lined up all six monitors, the MPG271QRX and AW2725DF would stand out thanks to their larger gamuts, especially when showing content dominated by red and green. They are clearly out front in the volume calculation, with around 110% coverage of DCI-P3. It truly doesn’t get much better than this.

Test Takeaway: The MPG271QRX is a front-runner in the gamut volume metric along with the AW2725DF. QD-OLED is a significant advancement in display technology, even when compared with typical OLED. It is supremely accurate too with a factory calibration that is verified for each sample. With the MPG271QRX’s premium price comes premium image fidelity.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The MPG271QRX responds automatically to HDR10 signals from games or video with two special picture modes, True Black 400 and Peak 1000 Nits. Stick with True Black, it’s the default. It has the best color and luminance accuracy and will ultimately deliver the best image.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

If brightness is a priority for you, the top three screens have higher peak output than the MPG271QRX, but they have no more contrast. Black levels are the same. The brighter screens might have a little more punch in the highlights, but the QD-OLED panels will have more saturated color. It may be worth doing your own side-by-side comparison to find a preference. In this group you can have extra color or extra brightness but not both.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The MPG271QRX has visually perfect HDR grayscale tracking and a nearly flawless EOTF trace. Shadow areas are a tad dark but not enough to obscure detail. The tone map transition is at 60% which is correct for the measured black and white levels. In the color test, everything is over-saturated, which lends a lot of punch and impact to HDR content. It isn’t strictly accurate, but in practice, it looks very good. Tracking is linear up to the 90-100% points, preserving detail rendering in highlight areas. Hues are on target for all primary and secondary colors. The Rec.2020 test shows the same behavior with an end to the color saturation fun at around 90% for red and 80% for green. Blue makes it up to around 95%.

Test Takeaway: The MPG271QRX has a LOT of color available for HDR content. It tracks well with accuracy that’s similar to what I observed and measured in SDR mode. With true black levels and infinite contrast, it’s the best possible way to enjoy HDR content. And this is true of every OLED I’ve reviewed. The MPG271QRX has more color than others though which puts it a little ahead of the curve.

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After reviewing several OLED displays in short succession, I’m finding myself addicted to them. The combination of deep contrast and rich color is compelling even when I’m just looking at Word, Excel and Photoshop. The image is truly three-dimensional. It feels like I’m looking into the monitor rather than at it.

Gaming is also a completely different experience. I’ve played on many fast LCDs that refresh as high as 540 Hz. They are excellent monitors but not as much fun as an OLED. The fact that there is no motion blur means that moving images have the same resolution as static ones. 240 and 360 Hz refresh rates create input lag so low that I can’t perceive it.

The MPG271QRX is another excellent monitor in a category filled with excellent monitors. At this point, the differences are so small they are almost non-factors. Here, you get 360 Hz and an extra wide color gamut courtesy of Quantum Dot technology. It isn’t super bright, but it is more than bright enough. It delivers superlative HDR and is color-accurate with no need for calibration.

The only flaw I noted was the MPG271QRX’s 50% reduction in light output when selecting the custom color temp option. It can be calibrated, but losing that much brightness was a problem for me. Fortunately, there are no visible color errors in the default picture modes, so this issue is not a deal-breaker.

At this writing, the MPG271QRX is around $800, so it is not a budget display by any means. But it is so capable for both work and play that it’s easy to say you’re getting your money’s worth. If you’re shopping for a flat 27-inch OLED, the MSI MPG271QRX is definitely worth checking out.

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We've featured this fantastic monitor several times when it's been on sale, but now the price has dipped to just $199, which is a great value for money dollar price on what is the perfect mid-ranged specifications for a gaming PC setup. This monitor is a good choice and one of the best gaming monitors whether you're using it for work/productivity tasks or gaming with its crisp resolution and high framerate capability. 

You can pick up the Dell G2724D from Dell for just $199. This is a 27-inch QHD monitor with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 165Hz refresh rate for that liquid-smooth gameplay. You will need a good mid-range graphics card to push this monitor to the limits, and whether you fancy this as the main screen or even as an inexpensive second or third screen for a gaming battlestation, at this price you can't go wrong. 

The Dell G2724D is also Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium compatible for smoother, tear-free gaming potential, as well as having a peak brightness of 400 nits whilst covering 99% of the sRGB color gamut. 

With a choice of video input options, that includes 2 x DisplayPort inputs and 1 x HDMI input. there are plenty of possible setup configurations for your personal setup whatever the scenario. Do remember that you can only get the 165Hz refresh rate over DisplayPort, with the HDMI connection maxing out at 144Hz. The purchase of this monitor is supported by a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty from Dell (See Dell website for more details).

If you've been holding out for a curved gaming display, now is a great time to indulge. Today at Amazon, you can find the Samsung Viewfinity S65UA 34-inch gaming monitor for just $385, one of its lowest prices to date. It usually goes for around $539 which means today's discount saves you 29% off its regular list price.

This gaming monitor isn't just big in size, it's also backed up with plenty of specs that make it well worth a look for gamers who want something a little extra including a curved design and a pixel-dense, ultrawide QHD resolution. It's also AMD FreeSync certified which goes some way to ensure it offers a fast refresh rate and low latency. 

The Samsung Viewfinity S65UA features a 34-inch VA panel with a curvature of 1000R. It has an ultrawide QHD resolution which measures up to 3440 x 1440px. The refresh rate can get as high as 100 Hz while the response time can get as low as 5 ms. You can expect a wide contrast range thanks to its HDR10 support alongside a maximum possible brightness of 350 nits.

There are two input options to take advantage of including one DisplayPort input and one HDMI port. A 3.5mm audio jack is available for connecting external audio peripherals, and there is a USB hub with three USB Type-A 3.0 ports for convenience. Users also have an Ethernet port as well as a USB Type-C port to make use of.

Visit the Samsung Viewfinity S65UA monitor product page at the Amazon store for more details and purchasing options.

AOC launched a new monitor addressing what it considers the gaming sweet spot in 2023. The 27-inch AOC Gaming CQ27G2S/BK has a 1500R curved VA panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution (QHD), a max refresh rate of 165 Hz, and a response time of 4ms GtG. Also key to its appeal is its MSRP, which is set at £219.99 in the UK (£184 before VAT, which is equivalent to $226).

As a gaming monitor, the AOC Gaming CQ27G2S features the firm’s signature G-Menu settings. Within the G-Menu software UI, you can easily switch modes between RTS, FPS, Racing, Gamer 1, Gamer 2, and Off. AOC reckons its profiles are great for Shooters, MMORPG, Action, eSports, RTS, Beat 'em up, and Racing genres.

Technologies supporting more enjoyable gaming experiences, like Low input lag, Game color, Shadow control, Motion blur reduction, crosshairs, and frame counters are all also available.

We mentioned some of the key specs in the intro, but some other things we’d like to highlight are the support for Adaptive Sync, with ranges between 48 and 165 Hz supported. Color gamut is also respectable at 90% DCI-P3; however, the max brightness of the monitor at 250 nits is pretty low. Standard visual ergonomic features like low blue light and flicker-free modes are present, and the screen has an anti-glare coating.

On the topic of ergonomics, it is good to see that the stand supplied with the CQ27G2S offers adjustments for tilt ­4° ±1° ~ 21.5° ±1.5°, height 130mm, and swivel ­30° ±2° ~ 30° ±2°.

No speakers are integrated into the display, but it has audio out, as well as two HDMI 2.0 and one DP 1.4 connector. AOC has kept the price down by not including any USB hub connectivity, but at least it puts both HDMI and DP cables in the box.

We reviewed the predecessor of this monitor, the AOC CQ27G2, in December 2020. Comparing the two, not much seems to have changed since our 4/5 star review, but the differences certainly add up. The most significant differences are the new faster max refresh rate (increased to 165 Hz from 144 Hz), improved contrast, an extended color gamut (from 83% to 90% DCI-P3), and HDR10 compatibility. It is also good to see the launch price significantly lower than its 2020-released predecessor.

Only time will tell if the AOC Gaming CQ27G2S will make it into the ranks of our Best Curved Gaming Monitors.

16-inch laptops are all the rage in the Windows realm, so it’s not shocking to see that size class invade the portable monitor space. Asus is throwing its weight behind 16-inch monitors with the new ZenScreen MB16QHG, priced at $399.

The ZenScreen MB16QHG features a 2560 x 1600 resolution (16:10) IPS panel and doubles the refresh rate of typical portable monitors to 120Hz. Throw in good color performance, a robust stand and one of the brightest panels we’ve seen for a portable monitor, and the MB16QHG has a lot going for it. However, is it impressive enough to be classified as one of the best portable monitors? Let’s dive in. 

Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG Specifications

Design of the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG

The ZenScreen MB16QHG is on the larger side for a portable, although obviously smaller than the 23.8-inch ZenScreen MB249C. I could fit it inside a bag designed for a 15.4-inch laptop.

Like some other ZenScreen monitors, the MB16QHG featured a hinged base rather than a kickstand or detachable/magnetic stand. This makes the unit a bit heavier, but it is solid and provides easy access to the ports. I also like this design arrangement because the cables connect low-down at desktop level and behind the screen. This way, the cables are largely out of sight and out of mind when using the monitor. Some monitors position the ports along the right and left edges of the display panel, making them an eyesore.

The hinge for the display allows it to sit completely vertical or lay down flat against the base (and any angle in between). However, do note that while reclining the display can be performed with one hand, the base is not heavy enough to do the same bringing the display back into the fully upright position. You will need to place one hand on top of the base and use your other hand to adjust the viewing angle. A tripod socket is also integrated into the bottom of the base, which can be used with standard tripods to suit your needs.

Speaking of the base, you’ll find a single full-size HDMI port and a full-function USB-C port on the right. The left side is home to a second USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. I used the included USB-C cable for my testing, as it’s a simple one-cable affair for power, video, and audio. In addition, the OSD joystick and a power button are located on the back of the monitor.

Build quality for the MB16QHG is very similar to other members of the ZenScreen family, meaning it is constructed primarily of plastic to keep costs in check and weight down. However, the plastic construction is not a detriment, as it doesn’t feel cheap, and the graining on the plastic feels premium. However, one oddity is the bottom bezel with an Asus logo in the center. Asus uses a circular milling pattern that cascades out from the logo. While the pattern is meant to bring some visual interest to the design, it reflected light into my eyes as I tried to use the monitor.

Image Quality and Performance of the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG

The MB16QHG uses a 16-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA). 2560 x 1600 is becoming a more common resolution for laptop displays, so it’s not surprising that it would also find its way to portable monitors – after all, they’re using the same panels in most cases.

I used the MB16QHG in conjunction with an Acer Swift Edge 16 laptop. It also features a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 panel, albeit using OLED technology. The two sit nicely beside each other, although the greater contrast of the OLED panel on the Swift Edge 16 was immediately noticeable. However, most folks will use the MB16QHG as a secondary screen; not their primary focus point.

To that end, I used the MB16QHG to add a few additional Microsoft Edge tabs, making it easier to scroll and research information as I wrote documents in Microsoft Word. I also used the monitor to edit Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and greatly appreciated the 2560 x 1600 resolution over similar panels with a 1920 x 1080 resolution.

It should also be noted that the MB16QHG rocks a 120Hz refresh rate, which is a nice upgrade from the run-of-the-mill 60Hz panels that we usually see in the portable monitor space. While 120Hz is nice in fast-paced games, I also appreciated it for more mundane tasks like fast-scrolling in Edge and Google Chrome. Text and images looked crisp while scrolling and lacked the typical hint of blur that usually accompanies scrolling with 60Hz monitors. Even though the MB16QHG boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, it is not Adaptive Sync compliant, meaning that there’s no AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync support.

The MB16QHG stood out in our brightness testing, delivering 417 nits compared to 373.6 nits for the second-place InnoCN 15AF. However, that performance was still well short of the 500 nits that Asus claims the MB16QHG can achieve. To achieve 100% brightness, plug the monitor in with the included wall adapter. Relying on a single USB-C cable to handle all the heavy lifting for power and video limits you to a maximum of 60 percent brightness.

Our instrumented testing also showed that the MB16QHG achieved 116.3 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 163.2 percent of sRGB, which was excellent performance for an IPS panel. Only the InnoCN 15AF with its OLED panel delivered better results.

Panel uniformity was good, and I didn’t notice any backlight bleeding on the monitor.

I used the MB16QHG to watch The Incredibles 2, a favorite in the Hill household, while working on the Acer laptop. Colors looked excellent, and contrast was good in most situations. However, in some of the nighttime scenes, it was readily apparent that the MB16QHG is no match for OLED panels regarding black levels. What looked like true black on OLED panels looked more like a very dark grey on the MB16QHG.

On-Screen Display for the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG

The MB16QHG’s on-screen display (OSD) is visually like other ZenScreen monitors. However, Asus has various methods with its monitors for navigating the OSD. While some ZenScreens use a row of buttons for navigation and executing commands, the MB16QHG uses a 5-way joystick.

Pressing on the joystick brings up the menu. You scroll up or down the available menus using the up/down buttons while pressing in on the center of the joystick serves as the action button. Moving the joystick right activates the next sub-menu, while moving it left acts as a "back" command.

The usual Asus OSD staples include picture modes, blue light filter, color settings, image settings, input select, system setup, menu shortcuts, and a user-customizable favorites menu. The model of the monitor, the current picture mode, resolution, current input and refresh rate are always present at the top of the OSD.

Bottom Line

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a good all-around portable monitor for those needing extra real estate at their desk or when travelling. The 2560 x 1600 resolution affords some extra vertical resolution over QHD panels, and the 16-inch screen size is the perfect match for the growing army of 16-inch laptops arriving in the marketplace.

Although our measured brightness levels came up short of the manufacturer’s claims, it still easily bettered the other monitors gathered in this test. Its color performance was also good, making it suitable for photographers in the field (that’s where the tripod mount comes in handy).

With a price tag of $399, the MB16QHG is by no means cheap. That’s the same price as the ZenScreen MQ16AH (15.6-inch, 1080p, OLED), and $100 more expensive than the ZenScreen MB14AHD (14-inch, 1080p, IPS). However, the MB16QHG offers a slightly bigger screen with a higher resolution. Things get a bit more dicey when you look at some lesser-known competition, like the InnoCN 15A1F, which gives you a punchy 15.6-inch 1080p OLED panel for $169. Sure, you’re giving up quite a bit regarding resolution, but you could buy two 15A1F’s for the price of one MB16QHG and still have money left over.

However, if you’re looking for some additional resolution over 1080p and bumping up to 4K resolution in a portable form factor is overkill for needs, the MB16QHG is worth considering. We just wish it was priced more competitively in the fast-growing portable monitor segment.

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LG has launched three new monitors to join the UltraGear gaming family. The new gaming screens are the LG UltraGear GR83Q-B (27-inch model) and the LG UltraGear GR93U-B (27- and 32-inch models). For a limited time, for the duration of Gamescom, these monitors are 30% off MSRP if you buy direct from LG.com with free fast shipping.

We have seen many extraordinary displays showcased at Gamescom recently, but LG is instead addressing the mass market with these new UltraGear entrants. The specs are decent rather than exceptional, with all three models supporting up to 95% DCI-P3 color and offering VESA DisplayHDR 400 support. As gaming monitors, they all have 144 Hz or better refresh rates, work with desirable technologies like AMD FreeSync Premium, and are Nvidia G-Sync Compatible.

So, we have three new models under two model numbers, and you might not be clear why that is. The answer is that the LG UltraGear GR83Q-B is a QHD gaming monitor with just the 27-inch option, but the LG UltraGear GR93U-B is a UHD monitor available in both 27-inch and 32-inch options. You can see an outline of the specs below, with the corresponding pricing (remember, you can get quite a discount right now).

The above gives just a rough idea of the comparative specs of these models, so let's dive a little deeper with a key specs table:

The above trio might not be the most exciting entrants to the realm of gaming monitors. LG's latest UltraGears eschew the trends of ultra-wide and/or curved displays, so it might suit some that are turned off by these design choices. However, if we get fixed lower prices, not just a short promotion, and these monitors perform well, they could win a place in our Best Budget 4K Monitors 2023 or Best Computer Monitors 2023 lists. Of course, we will only know if these LG monitors are worth recommending after we have had some of them in for review.

Asus has just announced a new curved ultrawide ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM that offers a unique combination of a high refresh rate, ultra-low response time, and very high luminance. The combination should make this a hot product to watch among the best ultrawide gaming monitors and best curved gaming monitors.

The ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM is a 34-inch curved ultrawide monitor offering a 3440x1440 resolution and an 800R curvature. It also offers a variable refresh rate of up to 240 Hz with Nvidia's G-Sync technology and a 0.03 ms response time — which is extremely low, even for OLED panels. Furthermore, the monitor boasts a peak brightness of 1300 nits (albeit on only 3% of the screen), which is higher than most LCDs on the market and unique for a gaming OLED monitor.

An interesting peculiarity of the display is that it comes equipped with a special custom heatsink to keep the operating temperatures of the panel lower and reduce the risk of burn-in.

For those seeking versatile connectivity, the ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM is equipped with a wide array of ports, including DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, and a USB Type-C port, which not only serves as an additional display input but also delivers up to 90W to the host supporting USB Power Delivery. This diverse range of ports makes it possible to connect the monitor to desktop PCs, laptops, gaming consoles, smartphones, and other compatible devices.

To make it easier to use multiple devices connected to a single display, it fully supports picture-in-picture (PIP) or picture-by-picture (PBP) modes. To make things more comfortable, the ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM comes with Smart KVM that now only allows users to control multiple devices using a single set of peripherals but also allows swift file transfers between the two connected devices using USB 3.2 connectivity — eliminating the need for extra hardware or specialized software. 

For now, Asus has not disclosed the price or availability of the ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM. But given the unique capabilities of the display, we expect it to be priced accordingly.

In the unending quest for more desktop monitor real estate, users have turned to several methods to increase their multi-tasking ability. Large screens are one way to solve the problem. A 32-inch 16:9 display is a starting point, and many desks have a small television sitting on them. A good number of 42-inch and larger panels are available in both LCD and OLED forms.

Another method is to line up two or three screens together. Two 27s is common, or three 24s. But then you have that pesky line between screens. No matter how much companies tout their bezel-free designs, there is actually no such thing. There is always a line when it comes to selecting the best gaming monitors.

Now that 21:9 and 32:9 screens exist, there’s a way to get that width without vertical lines. Starting at 32 inches and going all the way to 49, many ultra and mega-wide displays are conveniently curved to keep as much of your work within peripheral vision.

An ideal balance between screen area and physical footprint is the 38-inch 21:9 category. Surprisingly, there aren’t as many choices as you might think, but Dell has had one in its UltraSharp line for a few years. The latest version is the U3824DW, and I’ll be testing it here.

 Dell UltraSharp U3824DW Specs

The U3824DW is a premium enterprise screen with 3840x1600 pixel resolution and a new form of screen technology Dell calls IPS Black. Black refers to lower black levels, and my tests revealed that the U3824DW does indeed have lower black levels and greater contrast than other IPS monitors. Dell claims 2,000:1, which I couldn’t quite reach. But I did record 1,923:1 in the Custom Color mode. That’s a record for IPS native contrast in my experience.

Pixel density is in the sweet spot at 111ppi. That’s a tiny bit more than a 27-inch 16:9 QHD screen. The U3824DW is bigger than two of those though. It’s nearly the equivalent of one-and-a-half 32-inch 16:9 monitors. That’s a lot of uninterrupted screen for sure. The curve radius is a gentle 2300R, meaning a circle of U3824DWs will be 4.6 meters (15 feet) across. There’s no visible image distortion, but the curve is enough that you won’t be constantly swiveling your head to see everything.

Dell sets a high image quality and accuracy standard with all its UltraSharp monitors. The U3824DW is color accurate right out of the box with close conformity to industry standards for white point, gamma and color. Gamut coverage is over 96% of DCI-P3 which puts it in a small group of high-end gaming and professional displays. The only thing missing here is support for HDR10 content.

With so much screen comes a lot of connectivity. There are four total video inputs, two HDMI, one DisplayPort and a USB-C. A KVM feature lets you connect multiple systems to be controlled by a single set of input devices. For that, you get three more USB-C and five USB-A downstream ports. Two internal speakers pump out nine watts of sound each and there’s a headphone jack. Extra enterprise integration comes in the form of an ethernet port that streams up to 2.5GbE for wake-on-LAN and other system convenience features.

The U3824DW is packed with everything needed to get work done and easily multi-task. It’s a premium display selling for $1530 at this writing. It could be considered a good value because it can function as multiple monitors and connectivity hubs. How does it perform? Let’s take a look.

Assembly and Accessories

Kudos to Dell for its continuing use of recyclable packaging. With molded cardboard and almost no plastic inside, the U3824DW is well protected. A large and heavy base keeps the package stable. Bolt on the upright and snap on the panel and you have a nearly 30-pound display built for years of daily use. An IEC cord feeds the internal power supply. You also get one each of HDMI and DisplayPort. The two USB cables are C/C and C/A. The wires are of premium quality, with rugged connectors and thick insulation. A pictorial guide shows you how to set everything up. 

Product 360

The photos don’t really tell the story of how big the U3824DW is. It will demand a full three feet of width with a base that is 15 by 10 inches. The styling is modern and minimalist, with a thin black frame around the image and a silver finish everywhere else. The back of the panel, upright and base are featureless, with only smooth surfaces that blend into their environment. A Dell logo is highlighted in polished chrome in back, but otherwise, there isn’t much else going on.

The stand looks slender but is super solid with firm ergonomics. A 120mm (4.7 inches) height adjustment puts the screen right at the ideal eyepoint at its highest setting, where you can keep the panel vertical. I prefer curved monitors because it puts all parts of the image in the same horizontal plane. You can swivel the U3824DW 30 degrees to either side and there is 5/21 degrees of tilt. If you’d rather use a monitor arm (you’ll need a beefy one), a 100 VESA mount with fasteners hides under the stand’s attachment point.

The input panel takes a large portion of the underside behind the stand. There are two HDMI 2.1 and a single DisplayPort 1.4. One of the USB-Cs also supports video and 90 watts of power for laptops. There are three more USB-Cs plus five USB-A ports (15 watts each). You can also see the aforementioned RJ-45, which IT managers will likely find handy. Three of the USBs are closer to the front of the panel for easy access. You can plug in a phone along with your input devices without reaching up and behind.

OSD Features

The U3824DW has a power button and a joystick for OSD control. Clicking it in any direction summons a quick menu which the user can program. An up-click opens the fully stocked OSD.

The input selector doesn’t just change inputs; it also has USB-C options and can rename the inputs to more useful terms like “PC” or “Laptop.”

The Color menu has six picture modes available. Standard is good enough by default not to require calibration. In Color Temp, you can specify the white point by Kelvin value. Color Space lets you choose from sRGB, Rec.709, DCI-P3 and Display P3. DCI-P3 has a gamma and white point meant to match commercial digital projectors. This is a handy feature for video post-production. Display P3 will give you the U3824DW’s full native gamut. The sRGB mode is also very accurate and can be used for photography or grading in SDR color spaces.

Custom Color includes gain and offset sliders for setting the white point plus hue and saturation controls for all six colors. It uses the native P3 gamut as a starting point. I discovered in testing that it couldn’t improve upon the U3824DW’s already dialed-in color, which is unusual for Dell monitors, but in a good way.

The Display menu has a uniformity compensation feature that my U3824DW sample didn’t require. While it does improve screen uniformity, it also reduces contrast, so I don’t recommend it. Dell power button sync is a slick feature that can turn on USB-connected devices when you turn on the monitor. This is something I haven’t seen before.

The PIP/PBP feature has many options for displaying two video sources simultaneously. There are three different side-by-side modes plus windowed options for all four corners in two sizes.

The USB menu has all the KVM options with a setup guide that works like a wizard to bind USB and video ports for multi-system control. The Ethernet Switch can bind to the KVM feature for automatic, prompted or manual switching between connected systems.

The joystick’s four directions can be programmed to a variety of monitor functions like picture modes, brightness/contrast, input selector and more. You can turn off the power LED if you wish. You can also set the USB ports to stay on when the monitor is in standby to charge devices when you’re away from the desk. The final sub-menu, Others, has LCD conditioning functions and signal information.

Dell U3824DW Calibration Settings

Most Dell monitors I test benefit from calibration in the Custom Color mode, but the U3824DW was an exception. There were no visible color, grayscale or gamma errors in the default Standard mode. Working the RGB gain sliders did not affect any improvement, so I returned to Standard and simply adjusted the brightness to 200 nits. Custom Color increases maximum output by about 30%, so it is useful if you need extra brightness. I also determined that sRGB in the Color Space mode is very accurate. Below are the settings I used for testing. Stick with Standard and find your preferred brightness level for the best image.

Hands-on and Daily Use

I’ll get one thing out of the way up front: the U3824DW is neither a gaming monitor nor meant to be. I played a few rounds of Doom Eternal’s horde mode, just to be sure. On the upside, the audio is superb. I could hear the nine-watt internal speakers' superior dynamic range and frequency response. They will play quite loud without audible distortion. And the sound stage is very wide, which is appropriate for the U3824DW’s prodigious physical width.

But for fast action, it isn’t a great choice. Motion resolution suffers from breakup and jitteriness as one moves the mouse quickly during battle. I adapted to aiming with more input lag than I’m used to, but the blurring of fine detail, especially at a distance, made gameplay difficult. However, if you were to play more static titles, you could appreciate the U3824DW’s excellent contrast and color saturation. It is a good choice for casual games.

It's also a great screen for movies and videos. Sitting three to four feet back fills your peripheral vision and creates a truly immersive feel. I could easily enjoy the U3824DW as a personal home theater display in a small media room or office. My only wish is for HDR support. There is a lot of streamed content out there in HDR10. The U3824DW would be greatly enhanced with that capability.

Image quality in all areas was exemplary. Dell’s IPS Black technology is a real enhancement for the IPS category. I could almost be fooled into thinking that the U3824DW is a VA panel. Black levels are superb, and that extra depth really adds to color saturation. The gamut volume is prodigious and is made more perceptible by that extra dynamic range.

Productivity is what the U3824DW is all about, and there it excels. The PIP/PBP function is super easy to use and automatically sizes different resolutions correctly. It had no problem showing a 1920x1080 pixel secondary window with the correct shape, free of distortion. And this worked in both side-by-side and windowed configurations.

For multitasking, the U3824DW will quickly help you forget about multi-screen setups. There is a ton of flexibility for document organization and management here. The curve is just enough to bring the user into the workspace but not enough to distort things like spreadsheets. I had no trouble working in Word, Excel and Photoshop with three open document windows. With so much screen area, I could leave everything sized large, positioned where I only needed to turn my head slightly to change focus. This was aided by the excellent stand, which puts the screen at just the right height for vertical placement.

Takeaway: The U3824DW isn’t a gaming monitor, but it’s great at everything else one would do with a large computer monitor. It easily takes the place of two, or dare I say, three smaller screens.

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I didn’t have any other 38-inch ultra-wides to compare the U3824DW to, so I created a group that mixes gaming and enterprise products. There’s no reason one can’t use a gaming monitor for everyday tasks. And you get a speedy screen. Those three are Corsair’s Xeneon Flex OLED, Philips’ 34M2C7600 and ViewSonic’s XG341C-2K. The 60 Hz monitors are BenQ’s PD2706UA and Dell’s U3224KB 6K display.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

The quickest monitor here is also the largest, Corsair’s 45-inch Xeneon Flex. It’s also an OLED, so it has a significant advantage for gaming. But if productivity is your only metric, the U3824DW is a better enterprise screen with its KVM and networking features. However, at 60 Hz, it is limited in how smooth it can be. 26ms is the average response time for any 60 Hz monitor, meaning motion resolution is much lower than the faster displays. Dell includes an overdrive which helps a little. It works without visible artifacts, but there’s only so much it can do to mitigate blur. When total control lag is added to the mix, the U3824DW remains average when compared to other 60 Hz monitors.

Test Takeaway: If fast-paced action games are part of your workday, you should buy a gaming monitor. But if you’re all business, the U3824DW has extra features that make it a more useful tool for productivity.

Viewing Angles

The U3824DW’s IPS Black panel retains all the advantages of traditional IPS panels while delivering greater contrast. Off-axis viewing is something a 38-inch ultra-wide needs to do well and the U3824DW certainly does. You can see a slight green shift to the sides, but light output only drops by 10% and gamma stays the same, meaning there is no loss of fine highlight or shadow detail. The top view is about 40% dimmer, and the darkest steps are all but invisible. The U3824DW is very shareable by two or three users, making it well-suited for presentation.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

When I set up the U3824DW, its uniformity compensation was turned on by default. That resulted in a slightly lower 5.34% score but also raised black levels, which reduced contrast. Turning the option off made no visible difference in uniformity but upped contrast by almost 40%. Given the excellent quality control I’ve seen in all Dell UltraSharp monitors, you won’t need the compensation feature. My sample was free from visible flaws.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

Finding the U3824DW’s maximum output level requires changing the picture mode from Standard to Custom Color. By default, I measured 253.2859 nits peak, .1479 nit black and 1712.2:1 contrast. Custom Color with no adjustments gave me the numbers shown above. If you need more than 250 nits, Custom Color can deliver, but you’ll need to calibrate as its white point is visibly green.

In every case, the U3824DW has more contrast than traditional IPS panels. Though not quite in VA territory, Dell’s IPS Black technology makes a visible improvement in image quality thanks to a greater depth of field and color saturation.

After Calibration to 200 nits

I calibrated the Custom Color mode and lost a little contrast. As I’ll show later, the Standard mode has no visible color errors, so there’s little point in calibrating the U3824DW.

You’ve likely already noticed that both Dell monitors in the group have superb contrast numbers. The U3224KB also has an IPS Black panel with a clear advantage over traditional IPS technology. We’re seeing an evolution here, for sure. The U3824DW has one of the best ANSI scores I’ve yet recorded for an IPS monitor.

Test Takeaway: You can almost hit Dell’s claim of 2,000:1 contrast by choosing the Custom Color mode. But without calibration, the image has a slight green tint. Calibration reduces contrast to 1609.6:1, so the best choice is to leave the U3824DW in its Standard mode, which has 1712.2:1 contrast, with no calibration required. It’s a compromise that ensures the best possible color accuracy. 

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The U3824DW includes Dell’s usual picture mode suite that lets you choose between color gamuts or calibration. But unlike most Dells, this monitor performs best when left in its default Standard preset. 

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The U3824DW tells a pretty simple tale about its grayscale and gamma accuracy. There is no benefit to calibrating the Custom Color mode unless you really need another 100 nits of light output. Standard delivers 253 nits peak, which is plenty. It also delivers a visually perfect grayscale and reasonably tight gamma. The tiny green error at the 50% step will be nearly impossible to detect in content.

In the Color Space mode, you can opt for the smaller sRGB gamut. It comes with super accurate grayscale tracking with all errors below 1dE. Gamma tracks similarly to the Standard mode except for a light reading at the 10% step. This is a minor error. Professionals can use the U3824DW’s for color-critical applications without issue.

Comparisons

The U3824DW takes the top spot in the out-of-box grayscale test, even edging out the premium-priced U3224KB. It also beats the gaming monitors here. Of those, only the Philips can get away with no calibration.

After adjustment, the U3824DW falls to fifth place, but visually, it will be hard to discern any issues between any monitors that average lower than 3dE in this test.

The U3824DW’s gamma tracking is nice and tight, just like all the other screens. All six conform closely to the 2.2 standard as well. This renders the comparison a wash, as these monitors exhibit very similar performance in the gamma tests.

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.

Dell promises color accuracy from the U3824DW and clearly, it delivers. Not only is every saturation and hue point on target, but the gamut volume is also very large. There’s a bit of bonus red, not enough to cause a problem, and green is almost fully covered. That is unusual among wide gamut displays, in a good way. If you’re wondering about calibration, that process raised the gamut average error to 2.17dE. That’s the result that sold me on the Standard picture mode.

The sRGB gamut from the U3824DW’s Color Space mode measured very well too. Though there is some over-saturation in the red and blue primaries, the overall error still averages below the visible level. The U3824DW is completely qualified for pro-level color work.

Comparisons

It doesn’t get much better than the U3824DW’s 1.44dE color gamut error, which is an impressive out-of-box result. Any professional monitor would be proud to post numbers this good. Note that the other Dell, the U3224KB, posted a similar out-of-box result but could be calibrated to the higher level of 1.14dE. These are fine differences seen only by the color meter, not by the naked eye. Visually, all the monitors have perfect color.

An enterprise monitor benefits from a large color volume, even if it isn’t strictly accurate in the SDR realm. The U3824DW has a very large gamut with over 96% coverage of DCI-P3. The other Dell takes the prize here, but in fairness, all six screens are close. Anything between 95 and 100% coverage is hard to spot in a visual comparison. It’s also a good thing that sRGB coverage is so close to 100%. The best professional displays go for 100%, no more and no less. The U3824DW clearly achieves that.

Test Takeaway: The U3824DW delivers professional-grade color accuracy and volume right out of the box in its Standard picture mode. Though its design intent is geared toward presentation and productivity, it is fully qualified as a professional display for video and graphics production. 

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Since I mostly review gaming monitors, my recommendations are slanted in that direction. Many good examples can serve admirably for enterprise-grade productivity, or even as a professional screen. But if you also want the convenience and flexibility of KVM, network integration and lots of USB ports, the Dell U3824DW provides those things along with a stunning image. 

Aside from its lack of support for HDR, the U3824DW’s picture is superb. Contrast is approaching VA quality with over 1,700:1 available right out of the box. It isn’t the brightest monitor out there, but with just over 250 nits of peak output, it provides enough light for any indoor environment.

Color is exemplary, with correct rendering of the DCI-P3 gamut and nearly 100% coverage. Accuracy is well within the professional realm. The U3824DW is closer to the reference mark than many of the professional, and more expensive displays I’ve tested. You can just unpack and install it, and do nothing else besides set brightness to taste. Dell’s IPS Black technology is a real enhancement to the IPS genre, adding both depth and color saturation.

The army of USB ports and RJ-45 jack is a real value add for enterprise use. You can hook up as many as four video sources and with eight additional USB ports available, the U3824DW becomes a hub for just about anything you can think of to connect. With a well-designed KVM system and flexible PBP/PIP functions, presentations can be managed with ease.

Aside from action gaming and HDR content, there is nothing beyond the U3824DW’s capabilities. Since it can easily take the place of two or three smaller screens, while adding a wealth of convenience and flexibility, it’s even a decent value. If you need power in your enterprise monitor, the Dell U3824DW delivers it along with a stunning image. Definitely check it out.

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Enthusiasts know that three of the most important criteria for choosing the best gaming monitors are speed, contrast and resolution. All will affect price, so how can one find the best bang for the buck? Where’s the sweet spot where performance and price are most advantageous?

Of the three major panel technologies, IPS, VA and OLED; VA offers the most contrast for the least money. IPS can provide stunning contrast when paired with a Mini LED backlight, but it is expensive. OLED has the greatest dynamic range of all with its infinite black, but it is also expensive. A VA panel can deliver a great picture for relatively little money.

AOC offers a few VA monitors in its budget line and one of the latest examples is the CQ27G3Z. It’s a 27-inch curved monitor with QHD resolution, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR, wide gamut color and retails for less than $400.

AOC CQ27G3Z Specs

The CQ27G3Z doesn’t have much in the bells and whistles department, but like any good budget screen, it delivers it where it counts. The picture is excellent thanks to a VA panel with around 4,000:1 native contrast. It’s curved tightly at 1000R to create a more immersive effect. I put that in the realm of individual preference when talking about any 16:9 aspect curved monitor. There is some slight image distortion with a tight curve in this screen size. But for games, it delivers an enhanced experience.

Color is wide-gamut, with over 86% coverage of DCI-P3. You can find larger gamuts for a little more money, but the extra color is also an enhancement. Accuracy is decent with calibration and there is a usable sRGB mode.

The most significant value-add is the CQ27G3Z’s 240 Hz refresh rate. There aren’t a plethora of 240 Hz QHD screens out there, and most of them are premium displays. AOC is undercutting the competition with a price of $375 at this writing. You also get Adaptive-Sync with FreeSync from 48 to 240 Hz and G-Sync compatibility, as confirmed by my tests. The CQ27G3Z has not been certified by Nvidia.

Additional features are sparse. You get a frame counter and an aiming point. In addition. blur reduction via backlight strobe can be used in lieu of Adaptive-Sync. The full 240 Hz can be enjoyed over the two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs with HDR at QHD resolution, while two HDMI 2.0 ports support 120 Hz operation with VRR for consoles. There are no USB ports or speakers, nor is there LED lighting. But you get a solid package with everything needed for high-performance gaming for less than $400.

Assembly and Accessories

The CQ27G3Z comes from its crumbly foam in three parts. The panel snaps on after attaching the upright to the base with a captive bolt. The panel mount has a 100mm VESA pattern with fasteners included. The power supply is internal, so you get an IEC cord plus DisplayPort and HDMI cables.

Product 360

The CQ27G3Z is attractively styled with simple molded shapes and a smooth curve across the back. Red trim signals its gaming intent, but no additional LED lighting exists. The front bezel is nearly frameless on three sides, with 7mm borders on the top and sides and 23mm on the bottom. The red trim is also visible from the front, with accent strips and a hole in the upright for cabling.

The stand is lightweight and solid with a 5.1-inch (130mm) height adjustment, 40 degrees swivel to either side and 5/23 degrees of tilt. There is no portrait mode. Movements are firmer than the CQ27G3Z’s light weight suggests. Build quality is definitely above the price point here.

The input panel is well stocked with two HDMI 2.0 and two DisplayPort 1.4. You’ll need the latter for full 240 Hz operation with HDR and Adaptive-Sync. The HDMI ports support 120 Hz with HDR and VRR for consoles like the PS5 and Xbox One. There are no internal speakers, but you can plug headphones or powered speakers into the 3.5mm audio jack.

OSD Features

The CQ27G3Z’s OSD is controlled by four keys which you’ll find across the bottom right part of the panel. They are a bit clunky compared to the joysticks found in many of the latest displays. The ribbon-style menu is the same one I’ve used in AOC monitors for the past ten years. It’s intuitive and divided into seven sub-menus.

The Luminance menu controls brightness and contrast, offers seven picture modes, three gamma presets, a dynamic contrast option and HDR modes that appear when an HDR signal is present. I don’t recommend the dynamic contrast as it clips highlight and shadow detail. The CQ27G3Z has plenty of contrast already. The HDR modes are Display, Game, Movie and Picture. The default and best option is Display. It has the best color accuracy but also presents one downside, edge enhancement. I’ll discuss that more in the hands-on section below and in the HDR tests on page five.

In Color Setup, you can adjust the white point with presets or RGB sliders. Also here is the sRGB mode, which has a fixed grayscale. It correctly renders the sRGB gamut if you want to use it for SDR content or color-critical tasks.

Picture Boost is something unique to AOC monitors. You can create a window on the screen, size and move it, and adjust its brightness and contrast independently of the rest of the image. It’s handy for highlighting areas of the picture.

OSD Setup has the expected options but also includes the DisplayPort version and a break reminder. This is a timer that pops up on the screen when it’s time to stop fragging and get a drink or snack.

The CQ27G3Z adds a PIP option; not all AOC monitors have one. You can size and move the window and swap between two video sources.

In Game Setting, you’ll find additional game modes, which are picture presets. Hint, leave this off lest you become lost in the many possible combinations of picture and game modes. The Standard mode from the Luminance menu is all you need. Also here is a three-level overdrive, FreeSync toggle and the frame rate counter. If you’d rather use a backlight strobe for blur reduction, that’s also here with 20 intensity settings. As you increase the value, the screen gets darker, and motion becomes smoother as the pulse width changes. It works well with almost none of the phasing artifacts common to backlight strobes. It is a viable alternative to Adaptive-Sync and overdrive, especially when speeds exceed 200fps.

In the Extra menu, there is an off timer, factory reset and basic signal information. You can also change inputs here or by pressing the leftmost control key.

AOC CQ27G3Z Calibration Settings 

In the CQ27G3Z’s default Standard picture mode, grayscale is a bit green in tone, with visible errors in the brighter parts of the image. Gamma is slightly dark on its number 1 setting, which is fine for a high-contrast panel like this. I achieved much better grayscale with a few tweaks of the RGB sliders in the Color Setup menu. More importantly, color accuracy and contrast are improved as well. My recommended settings are below.

In HDR mode, the default mode, Display, offers the best color accuracy but also adds visible edge enhancement. You can avoid this by selecting the Game mode, which introduces some clipping in the red primary. I’ll explain this with charts on page five. Ultimately, I preferred the look of the Display HDR mode.

Gaming and Hands-on

When considering the CQ27G3Z for daily productivity, I had expected some image distortion given its 1000mm radius, which is tighter than most curved screens. I was pleasantly surprised that I could barely notice a difference. It helps that the screen is 16:9, so you won’t be moving document windows out to the edge of your peripheral vision. After a few hours of use, I concluded that the CQ27G3Z is as useful for work tasks as any other 27-inch flat screen. So, don’t let the curve dissuade you.

The curve is undoubtedly welcome for gaming. Though I would choose a 21:9 monitor over a 16:9 one for play, the CQ27G3Z’s curve clearly enhances the experience. I had no trouble finding a good position for the screen since the stand has plenty of height. I could keep it vertical and have my eyepoint in the center, the optimal setup for curved display gaming.

Once I had spent a few hours playing Doom Eternal and Call of Duty WWII, I found the CQ27G3Z to have excellent feel and response. 240 Hz is clearly smoother than 165 or 144. And with reasonably low input lag, I could keep my aim true and consistent. Stopping on target was easy, and I had no trouble making out fine detail in distant objects thanks to the 109ppi pixel density.

The HDR experience was average compared to all the monitors I’ve experienced, meaning that contrast and color were very good but not at the level of a premium screen. That’s no surprise given the CQ27G3Z’s $375 price tag. When that is considered, it’s a champ. The HDR image popped nicely with clear detail at all brightness levels and nicely saturated color.

During the SDR tests, I noted that calibration is required for best results. The default image is a bit flat, thanks to grayscale errors. But if you plug in the settings above, you’ll see a much better picture.

Video processing delivered an average experience with one positive exception that I’ll note in a moment. Adaptive-Sync worked perfectly on both FreeSync and G-Sync systems. The overdrive is a bit weak because it doesn’t completely remove black trail artifacts from moving objects. But in most cases, this issue did not distract from gameplay. I also noted a better-than-average use of backlight strobing when I tried the blur reduction. Like most monitors, it requires you to turn off Adaptive-Sync but at 240 Hz, but this isn’t a big deal. The CQ27G3Z’s backlight strobe is much better than average because the phasing artifact common to this feature is almost entirely invisible. AOC’s MBR option is one of the best examples of blur reduction I’ve seen.

Test Takeaway: The CQ27G3Z delivers high frame rates with solid video processing and low input lag. Its HDR image is of average quality for the price, but it’s nice that the support is there. Aside from a weak overdrive, it is a good gaming monitor and well-suited for daily tasks. 

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The QHD 240 Hz category isn’t large, so to compare the CQ27G3Z’s performance, I’ve included 165 and 170 Hz monitors. All are 27-inch QHD panels with IPS technology. The AOC is the only VA monitor here. The group is BenQ’s EX270QM, AOC’s AG274QG, HP’s HyperX Armada 27, Cooler Master’s GP27Q and Gigabyte’s M27QP. 

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

I was slightly disappointed to see the CQ27G3Z draw a full white screen in 5ms versus 4ms, but in practice, this is a minor point. The top three screens cost more and will be a touch smoother, but their advantage is small. 5ms is still a guarantee of high motion resolution. The CQ27G3Z’s only flaw here is its overdrive which doesn’t quite clean up the black trail artifacts behind moving objects.

The CQ27G3Z’s overall control lag is mid-pack and trails the 170 Hz Gigabyte by 2ms. That difference is also quite small and as you can see, the other 240 Hz screens aren’t much quicker. All the displays are speedy and will deliver a solid gaming experience, but the CQ27G3Z will do it for a lower cost.

Test Takeaway: Input lag is about average for the class, but the CQ27G3Z suffers from an overdrive with undershoot. Luckily, its backlight strobe feature is better than most, so it can help compensate for losses in motion resolution.

Viewing Angles

If off-axis image quality is crucial to you, VA is rarely the best choice. IPS will always have an advantage when viewed from off-center. The CQ27G3Z shows typical performance in this area. At 45 degrees horizontal, light output is reduced by 40% and the screen has a slight green/red tint. Gamma remains constant, so there is no loss of detail. This behavior is amplified in the vertical plane, where the picture is quite dark with the same green/red tint.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

My CQ27G3Z sample had slight hotspots in its corner zones that I could see in an all-black field displayed with room lighting off. The artifacts were invisible when the lights were on or there was content on the screen. This is slightly below-average performance but is also sample specific. Other CQ27G3Zs may do better in this test.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The CQ27G3Z falls into the “not super bright, but bright enough” category. It’s rated for 300 nits and easily surpasses that with 323. In a super bright environment, it might not excel but for a typical office or media room, there is more than enough light.

In the black level test, it is far darker than any of the IPS screens. Only OLED has more contrast than a VA monitor. Within that category, the CQ27G3Z renders higher than average contrast with nearly 3,900:1 out of the box. That is measured in the Standard mode at default settings.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration manages to increase the CQ27G3Z’s dynamic range by a nice amount. The contrast ratio rises to 4,129.2:1 after adjustments to the RGB sliders. That’s exceptional performance, even among VA panels which rarely crack 4,000:1 in my tests. Good quality control is also demonstrated in the ANSI test with a solid 3,496.2:1 score. Compared to any IPS display, the CQ27G3Z’s image has truer blacks, greater depth and realism. It also has more perceptual clarity. In other words, it looks sharper than an IPS screen of the same size and resolution.

Test Takeaway: The CQ27G3Z delivers a ton of contrast, even compared to other VA monitors. This all-important metric is the key to superior image depth and color saturation, and AOC excels for the price. 

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I tested the CQ27G3Z’s color accuracy in its default Standard picture mode. I left Game mode off as it did not improve performance in any of its presets. 

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The CQ27G3Z’s default grayscale tracking is disappointing with visible errors from 20% and higher. A purple tint can be seen in areas of gray and white which aren’t truly neutral. This makes the image somewhat flat despite solid gamma tracking and high contrast. This monitor’s full potential can only be unlocked with calibration.

Luckily, the RGB sliders offer some relief. Grayscale errors are now reduced to invisible levels and gamma rides closer to the 2.2 reference line. I had to reduce the contrast slider one click, which raised the luminance of the 90% step. This is a minor error but one that should not be there. Though calibration makes an improvement, the CQ27G3Z has some upward potential.

The sRGB preset is slightly warm in tone with red errors in the 30 to 100% steps. Gamma tracks well except for an elevated level at the 10% step. This translates to slightly grayer shadow areas in some content.

Comparisons

The CQ27G3Z is well behind the top three screens for grayscale accuracy, but the other AOC and the Cooler Master aren’t much better when out-of-box performance is compared. All three of the bottom monitors require calibration for the best possible image.

Though the CQ27G3Z is still in last place, calibration has removed any visible grayscale errors from the equation.

The gamma test is a little better. The CQ27G3Z is in the mix for a range of values that are very tight and only spoiled by the 90% error I noted earlier. And its near-perfect average value is a definite plus. I am talking about very fine differences here. Once calibrated, the CQ27G3Z holds its own with the other monitors. This speaks well to the value quotient since it’s the least expensive screen here.

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 CQ27G3Z’s color gamut performance starts at a decent point with only minor errors in the out-of-box test. The grayscale errors noted above contribute to color points that are slightly off their hue targets. But saturation points are close to the mark, which is a good thing.

With the grayscale calibration complete, color errors become invisible. In fact, only green is a tad under-saturated, typical of all wide-gamut monitors, especially those at lower price points like the CQ27G3Z. This is excellent performance.

AOC usually provides a usable sRGB mode, and that statement includes the CQ27G3Z. The red primary is slightly over-saturated but well within the realm of qualification for color-critical use.

Comparisons

The CQ27G3Z’s 1.96dE color error puts it in the middle of the group. All the screens have invisible gamut errors, but the CQ27G3Z is the least expensive option. It delivers superb results for the price.

In the gamut volume test, the CQ27G3Z falls short of the others only in its green saturation. The Cooler Master is an over-achiever here with its Rec.2020 gamut but the other screens just have a bit more green. The difference is small, and users will find the CQ27G3Z very colorful for both SDR and HDR content. And its near-perfect coverage of sRGB is a nice bonus.

Test Takeaway: The CQ27G3Z is a bit disappointing out of the box, with an image that isn’t up to its full potential. A green push contributes to a flat image and off-hue color. With calibration, these issues are resolved with a significant improvement in picture quality. 

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The CQ27G3Z fully supports HDR10 signals with an automatic switchover to the appropriate mode. There, you’ll find four settings called Display, Game, Movie and Picture. Display is the most color accurate so that is what I used for testing. The caveat is that it has visible edge enhancement, which reduces motion resolution slightly for gaming. You can eliminate this artifact in the Game HDR mode, but then there is significant clipping of red detail. I’ll show you this issue in the color charts below.

HDR Brightness and Contrast 

The CQ27G3Z’s HDR luminance performance is solid. It won’t show you searingly bright highlights like the Mini LED-based GP27Q, but it beats the HyperX and Gigabyte screens for HDR contrast. At 330 nits, it’s the least bright screen of the bunch, but with deep blacks and excellent dynamic range, the HDR image is clear and vivid. You won’t find much better than this for less than $400. The only bummer is there is no dynamic field dimming in HDR mode which would broaden the dynamic range even more.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The CQ27G3Z’s Display HDR mode has no grayscale or EOTF tracking issues. The tone is a tad warm but does not negatively impact picture quality. Luminance tracks the reference almost perfectly with a soft transition to tone-mapping at 65%. This is solid performance.

Looking at the color charts, you can see why Display HDR is the preferred mode. Color points are close to targets except for a bit of over-saturation in red. Looking at the DCI-P3 chart in HDR Game reveals a problem. The red points are so over-saturated that 60, 80 and 100% targets are all the same level. This means any red areas past a mid-tone will be lacking in detail. I highly recommend avoiding this mode even though it is the only one free of edge enhancement. For some reason, the Rec.2020 charts are a bit better, so AOC could possibly fix the color issues with DCI-P3 content in the HDR Game mode.

Test Takeaway: The CQ27G3Z doesn’t use a field dimming feature in HDR mode, so there is no more dynamic range. But its VA technology still delivers a decent HDR image that is superior to budget-oriented IPS displays. HDR color is accurate only in the Display HDR mode. The other presets should be avoided. Overall, HDR impact is just OK with an image that looks slightly different than its SDR counterpart.

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Achieving high frame rates at a low price requires some sacrifices. But leaving out the right options means you can get a great gaming monitor for little money. Do you need USB ports or speakers? Do you need perfectly accurate color? Do you need super high brightness or a ginormous color gamut? If the answer to these questions is no, AOC provides a great solution for just $375 at this writing.

The CQ27G3Z doesn’t have any of those things, but it does have a reliable 240 Hz refresh rate, perfect FreeSync and G-Sync operation, decent HDR, color accuracy with calibration, a superb backlight strobe and solid build quality. And its curved screen enhances gameplay. I noted a weak overdrive feature during testing, but in practice, it turned out to be only a minor distraction. Many hours later, after many frags, I was impressed by the performance AOC offers for less than $400.

I noted some visible grayscale errors out of the box. But with calibration, they were eliminated with an improvement in contrast, gamut accuracy and gamma tracking. If you pick up a CQ27G3Z, I recommend using the settings I posted back on page one.

Pixel density is certainly a high point with the ideal 109ppi that every 27-inch QHD panel delivers. That’s a sweet spot for both clarity and frame rates. You can hit 240fps without an expensive video card and the picture is razor-sharp with strong detail and a true three-dimensional look in HDR mode. Though you won’t get the 1000-nit highlights of a Mini LED panel, the CQ27G3Z still makes the image pop.

If you’re in the market for a solid gaming monitor that’s kind to the wallet, the AOC CQ27G3Z is hard to beat for less than $400. Fans of high frame rates and sharp pictures should definitely check it out.

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Undoubtedly, we are in the midst of an invasion, and it’s a good one because it means more OLED monitors are appearing on desktops and in gaming rooms. Regarding ultimate picture quality, OLED panels deliver super-low black levels, tremendous contrast and saturated color. The self-emissive nature of OLED means there is no trickery involved, like with LCDs and their modulating backlights. While Mini LED has made significant strides with its many dimming zones, OLED remains the contrast king.

I’ve looked at a few smaller OLEDS recently, but Philips offered its 42-inch Evnia 42M2N89 for review. It’s a full-fledged gaming screen with 4K resolution, 138 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, wide-gamut color and HDR. It isn’t super bright but will top 485 nits in HDR mode. It also covers nearly all of the DCI-P3 gamut and has some of the most accurate out-of-box color I’ve ever seen. Let’s take a look.

Philips Evnia 42M2N89 Specs

The 42M2N89 is an RGB/W panel which means in addition to red, green and blue sub-pixels, there is an extra white pixel to help increase brightness. That is only somewhat effective as it is not the brightest OLED I’ve seen. The current field of 27-inch OLEDS from Corsair and Asus peak at around 1,000 nits in HDR mode, while this jumbo Philips managed 485 nits in my tests. So, it’s not super bright, but it is bright enough. With incredibly low black levels, its contrast is tremendous.

Color is the 42M2N89’s finest attribute. Philips claims 95% coverage of DCI-P3, and that’s exactly what I measured. Straight out of the box, it delivers nearly perfect numbers with only tiny and invisible errors measured during testing. This is truly a unpack and go product with no tweaking required.

Philips’ usual set of gaming and convenience features are all included. You get aiming points, a sniper mode, Adaptive-Sync and a reliable 138Hz refresh rate. The 42M2N89 is certified FreeSync Premium by AMD, but has not been certified by Nvidia. However, it runs G-Sync just fine over the DisplayPort 1.4 input. And it delivers the same smoothness I’ve observed from other OLED monitors. With no need for overdrive, it maintains high motion resolution and makes more of a given frame rate than a comparable LCD panel.

Philips’ Ambiglow lighting feature is also included. I’ve found this useful during Philips monitor reviews because I can use it as a bias light. By setting the color to white and using a low brightness level, the glow reflected from the wall behind the panel closes my pupils enough to improve the perception of sharpness and contrast. This is something no other monitor manufacturer has in their products. Of course, you can also set Ambiglow to follow the sound and/or video, which creates quite the light show.

In addition to a beefy stand, you get a handheld remote that makes control a breeze. A KVM feature uses the many USB ports to provide easy connections for multiple systems controlled by a single keyboard and mouse. The 42M2N89 delivers a full-featured and quality package for $1,400.

Assembly and Accessories

Most monitors this large are packaged like televisions and stand on non-adjustable feet. The 42M2N89 is in every way a super-sized computer monitor, including the design of the stand. After freeing the contents from the crumbly foam, I bolted the base, upright and panel together using the included hardware and miniature Phillips-head screwdriver. The cable bundle has IEC power, USB-A, B & C, HDMI and DisplayPort. They’re all finished in a light gray to compliment the white panel and base.

Product 360

The 42M2N89 is an all-screen design with a bezel so thin you barely notice it when the power is on. The panel isn’t super-thin like some OLEDs but at only three inches, it can be mounted on the wall using the included adapter bracket. The panel stands off enough to prevent blockage of the Ambiglow LEDs which are arrayed around the component bulge. In the back photo, you can see the OSD joystick and the input panel labels, which are in the traditional up-and-under location.

Inputs include a single DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 and a USB-C, which passes video at 3840x2160 and 138 Hz. There are four downstream and one upstream USB that are supported by KVM options in the OSD. You can bind them to different video inputs to control two systems from a single keyboard, mouse and screen.

The stand is really a jumbo version of the one found with most computer monitors. Typically, large screens like this include fixed feet or legs with perhaps a tilt adjustment. The 42M2N89 has full ergonomics, including a 120mm height adjustment, 5/15 degrees tilt, and 20 degrees swivel. There is no portrait mode.

The remote is handy and includes all necessary controls for OSD navigation, plus audio volume, input selection and picture modes. You’ll want to keep it nearby because, ideally, the seating position will be too far away from the 42M2N89 to use the joystick.

In the side view photo, the bit on top of the upright is not a handle. Try to pick up the monitor by this piece of plastic, and you’ll likely break it. It is a headphone hook. You can also see the hinged attachment point for the panel. I’ve seen this in all the Evnia series monitors and it is a weak point. Though it is metal and seems up to holding everything together, it is a little wobbly due to its relatively small size.

OSD Features

The 42M2N89’s OSD has a game-oriented look with sub-menus along the top and signal info across the bottom. It includes nearly everything needed for gaming and convenience.

The SmartImage menu has every possible image control except for RGB sliders. You can select from five gamma presets and even choose between DCI-P3 and sRGB gamuts. But the color temperature can only be changed using Kelvin value presets. Normally, I would be unhappy about this, but the 42M2N89 is so good out of the box that I can’t complain. The accuracy here is quite impressive.

In GameMode, you can toggle Adaptive-Sync and engage an aiming point. The Smart Crosshair helps change color on the fly to maintain maximum contrast with on-screen content. The change is instantaneous, so you’ll always be able to see the reticle. In this menu, you can also boost shadow detail and engage a sniper mode with three possible magnifications for the center of the screen.

The Ambiglow menu has many color and effect options for the LEDs in the back. I use this in Static Mode, color white, minimal brightness, as a bias light. But you can have the show follow audio, video or both for a super-fun light display that will impress your friends.

Philips takes audio seriously with DTS-tuned integrated 10-watt speakers and five different sound modes. Each has a distinct character achieved by variations in frequency response and phase. You can also adjust a five-band EQ if you want to tweak it manually.

The KVM feature can be used with the USB-B upstream port or the USB-C input. It’s super easy to configure this for two different video sources like a PC and a console. Then, connect your controllers using the four USB-A ports on the bottom.

The 42M2N89 includes a pixel orbiter, screen saver and refresh functions to prevent burn-in. The refreshers run when the panel is in standby. I left the orbiter on all the time and never saw it working. The screen saver blanks the screen after a time of inactivity. The screen also dims after a few minutes when you aren’t doing anything. Though OLED burn-in is possible, it is hard to achieve. I have a nearly three-year-old LG OLED TV showing no signs of image retention whatsoever.

Philips Evnia 42M2N89 Calibration Settings

If you were wondering, you can’t calibrate the 42M2N89. But it’s completely unnecessary as it hits all the marks right out of the box in the default Standard picture mode. My initial tests showed no visible grayscale, gamma or color errors. The native gamut is DCI-P3, and you can switch to sRGB with almost no effect on the other parameters. HDR is similarly precise and offers four additional picture modes. HDR Game is the default and best choice there. Below, I’ve listed the brightness settings for commonly used output level targets. Note that these were determined using 25% window patterns rather than full fields. Like all OLEDs, the 42M2N89 dims as the average picture level increases.

Gaming and Hands-on

As I review more OLED monitors, I find myself wanting one more and more. When a flat 16:9 4K example appears, I’ll likely pull the trigger. The color, contrast and high motion resolution are truly addictive, and the 42M2N89 is no exception.

Its 42-inch size demands that the user make a reality check. You can’t realistically sit two or three feet away from such a large screen. But if your space is large enough to let you sit four or five feet back, it’s perfect. As compelling as 21:9 ultra-wides are, the extra height afforded by a jumbo monitor is a real enhancement to both work and play. Even up close, the pixel structure is not an issue. The 42M2N89 sports 106ppi which is only a tad lower than the 109ppi of a 27-inch QHD panel.

I never noticed any jaggies or other artifacts. Small text was crystal clear and enhanced by the 42M2N89’s tremendous contrast. Blacks are true and deep and add to the sense of depth and dimension. Color is richly saturated and perfectly accurate. It renders a completely natural image that looks right in every respect. Based on my test results, I adjusted the brightness to its maximum and found that it was the right level for both work and entertainment.

A screen as big as the 42M2N89 needs to function as a television. You’d be missing out if you didn’t watch movies on it. I was happy that it was compatible with all video frame rates, including 24p, 50p and 60p. That means you can watch movies and other content in their intended cadences with no processing. So, there won’t be any judder or artifacts associated with frame rate conversion.

Of course, gaming is the 42M2N89’s principal design intent so I spent many hours wading through enemies in Doom Eternal and exploring the lush jungles and ruins of Tomb Raider. Rendered games look incredible with detail and realism that’s next level. Not only are highlights truly three-dimensional, but shadows are also deeply foreboding, and motion is super smooth. No matter how fast I moved the mouse, the image never broke up or became blurry. No LCD can match the gaming feel of the 42M2N89 or any other OLED I’ve tried.

Sound quality is on another level from typical integrated monitor speakers thanks to the extra space afforded by the 42M2N89’s large chassis. Though there are only two speakers, sound stretches beyond the perimeter of the image to create a realistic sense of depth. Each sound mode has its own character, and I couldn’t pick a favorite. I suggest trying them all to see which one fits your room the best.

I also enjoyed the Ambiglow feature as a bias light and its ability to follow sound and video. It would change speed and intensity as I moved through virtual environments, and it gave the impression that the screen was even larger than its physical size. This is a super-cool feature that only Philips offers.

Of special note is the 42M2N89’s stand. Unlike other jumbo screens that just offer non-adjustable feet, the one here is an up-sized version of a traditional monitor stand. That means you can raise the panel up higher to create a centered eyepoint in the vertical position. This meant my peripheral vision was completely covered both horizontally and vertically. With a typical right-on-the-desktop placement, I’d have to sit lower to accomplish the same thing. That’s another thing unique to Philips.

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 The OLED panels I’ve reviewed come in QHD and 4K resolution at refresh rates of 120 to 240 Hz. Sizes range from 27 to 48 inches. The most direct comparison is Asus’ PG42UQ which I reviewed a few months ago. I also have Corsair’s 27QHD240, Asus’ PG27AQDM, Philips’ 34M2C8600 and Aorus’ FO48U.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

Response times are roughly the same for an OLED and an LCD at a given refresh rate. But the OLED is smoother and doesn’t need to rely on overdrive to maintain motion resolution. So, the 42M2N89 is smoother at 138 Hz than even the best LCD running at 144 Hz. Relative to the other OLEDs here, it isn’t quite as smooth as the 175 and 240 Hz screens. And it is visually the same as the 120 Hz Aorus. That extra 18 Hz doesn’t make a significant difference.

When input lag is added to the equation, the 42M2N89 moves up the order. It has a low input lag mode which I switched on for all tests. It has no downside, so you can always leave it engaged. It beat the Corsair by 3ms which is impressive considering the difference in refresh rate. The 42M2N89 is more than qualified for the competition. The only caveat is that you’ll need a stout video card to keep a game running at 138fps in 4K resolution.

Viewing Angles

OLEDs have better off-axis image quality than LCDs because their polarizing layer is much thinner. You can see in the 42M2N89 photos that there is no change in luminance in the horizontal plane, but there is a slight shift to red. Gamma is unchanged so you won’t see any reduction in detail rendering. The vertical view is also good, with a slight reduction in output and a blue shift.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

My 42M2N89 sample showed some unique behavior in the black field pattern tests. Typical OLEDs have unmeasurable black levels, but the 42M2N89 doesn’t shut its pixels entirely off, so I was able to get readings when testing. The blacks are super low, but they are measurable. That is not to say they are visible. Even with all the room lights off, I couldn’t see any light coming from the screen. But this meant I could conduct the black field uniformity test with a zero percent pattern. There were no visible issues, but the meter recorded a 10.9% deviation from the center zone.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

Though it has an extra white sub-pixel, the 42M2N89 isn’t as bright as other OLEDs I’ve tested. But it is bright enough. Like every OLED, it gets brighter as the average picture level decreases. I used 25% window patterns for this test. Peak output in the default Standard picture mode is just under 200 nits for a window and 135 nits for a full white field.

Black levels are just within my meter’s ability to measure as the screen isn’t completely blanked like other OLEDs. Visually there is no difference, but I recorded a super-low 0.007-nit result. That resulted in a 27,726.9:1 contrast ratio. While that may sound like a negative when compared to the other OLEDs, there is actually no visible difference in practice.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Since 193 nits is the 42M2N89’s peak output level, and I couldn’t calibrate it, the second set of results is the same – 0.007 nits black and 27,726.9:1 contrast.

The ANSI result is much higher because the 100% parts of the checkerboard pattern are smaller than a 25% window. They measured around 210 nits average, so the intra-image contrast ratio is higher. Don’t be swayed by the other panel’s infinite contrast and zero black levels. In practice, they don’t look any better than the 42M2N89. It’s just that my instruments are unable to measure their black luminance.

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I was initially bummed that the 42M2N89 cannot be calibrated, but once I measured it, I came away impressed. This is a seriously accurate monitor, as in professional level.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

It is safe to say that OLED panels in general are very color accurate. None of the monitors require calibration and only benefit slightly, if at all, from adjustment. The 42M2N89 has no visible grayscale errors with all dE values under two. Three is the generally accepted level where issues become visible. Lower values are considered visually perfect. I noted two slight aberrations in gamma, slightly light shadows and slightly dark highlights. But these errors are also visually acceptable. This is excellent performance. Because I could not calibrate the 42M2N89, there is no post-calibration test result.

If you switch on the sRGB gamut, it shrinks the color space correctly and the grayscale is unchanged. But gamma becomes more skewed with a visibly lighter shadow area in the 10 and 20% steps. This is a visible error that cannot be corrected. Color-wise, sRGB mode is fine but its gamma issues mean a slightly less punchy image.

Comparisons

Since the 42M2N89 can’t be calibrated, I’ve posted the 1.34dE grayscale error result to both the before and after charts. None of the monitors here have visible grayscale errors, so this comparison is essentially a wash. They all look the same to the naked eye.

The 42M2N89 is only off the 2.2 gamma standard by 0.45%, which translates to a 2.19 actual value. The PG42UQ matches that result with the other monitors slightly more off-target. All have a tight range of values so again; the gamma comparison is largely a wash. They all look the same to the naked eye.

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 42M2N89 absolutely slayed my color gamut accuracy tests with near-perfect results. In the DCI-P3 realm, which corresponds to the Standard picture mode, only the 60 and 80% red targets aren’t perfect. None of the points are off by more than 2dE, which is astounding performance for any monitor. The 42M2N89 is better than many of the professional screens I’ve tested.

In sRGB mode, red, magenta and blue are a tad under-saturated, but the errors are barely visible. The overall average is still well below 3dE, which is excellent.

Comparisons

Like the grayscale results, all the OLEDs are supremely accurate. The 42M2N89 takes the crown in the gamut test but a visual comparison of all monitors would reveal no differences. It truly doesn’t get better than this.

Philips claims 95% coverage of DCI-P3 for the 42M2N89 and it delivers. Like nearly all wide-gamut monitors, the deficiency, however small, is in the green primary. But the error here is so minute that you won’t see it in actual content. All the displays here are fit for color-critical applications. The 42M2N89’s sRGB mode is a bit weak with just under 90% coverage so I would likely choose a different monitor if I needed an accurate sRGB or Rec.709 gamut mode.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

With Mini LED screens hitting 2,000 nits, OLED is considered by some to be inferior for HDR content. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s about dynamic range and because OLED black levels are so low, they will always look better. The 42M2N89 is no exception to this. When an HDR signal is input, it switches modes automatically and offers four additional image presets. I use the default one, HDR Game, for these tests.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

All the OLEDs here were measured using 25% window patterns. The 27-inch models have higher output, but the 42M2N89 is the best of the jumbo screens with over 485 nits peak. I measured the black levels here as the 42M2N89 doesn’t completely shut the screen off, so I recorded an HDR contrast ratio of 20,006.4:1. This is lower than most of the Mini LED screens I’ve tested. Still, visually, their advantage is general brightness, not perceived contrast. It’s always about black levels so the OLED will always win on that score. Like the SDR test, if you lined up all the OLEDs here, they’d look the same in HDR mode.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

I tested the four HDR modes and settled on HDR Game as the most accurate. It realizes the 42M2N89’s full potential for dynamic range and color accuracy. There are no visible grayscale errors and the EOTF tracks to near perfection. Steps up to 45% are a tad dark, then the trace goes slightly light until the tone-map transition at 65%. These are minor errors and in no way detract from the stunning HDR image.

With over 95% coverage of DCI-P3, the 42M2N89 can show all the color mastered into HDR content. Generally, there is a little over-saturation typical of all the HDR monitors I’ve tested. This adds a bit of punch to the image without obscuring detail or overblowing the picture. When the reference is Rec.2020, the 42M2N89 over-saturates similarly until the panel runs out of color at around 85%. This is also typical of the best HDR monitors I’ve tested. The 42M2N89 is as good as it gets in all aspects of HDR performance.

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In the jumbo desktop genre, the two technologies with the best image quality are OLED and Mini LED. OLED is the contrast king, with Mini LED just a bit behind. The question then becomes, how much brightness do you need? Mini LED is very bright, as high as 2,000 nits, while OLED in large sizes might hit 500. But unless you are using your display in a very bright room, that high brightness is unnecessary.

It's obvious that I am partial to OLED, not only for its image quality but its super smooth motion and gaming feel. Every example I’ve reviewed has been a stunner. Philips’ contribution to the genre is no different. I’ve already covered the Evnia 34M2C8600 curved ultra-wide and the 42M2N89 impressed me just as much.

The picture is stunning in every respect. With incredibly low black levels, contrast is superb. As the most important element of image fidelity, OLED and the 42M2N89 get it right every time. Brightness is a bit low in SDR mode but for a typical indoor environment, it’s bright enough.

Color is the standout here. The 42M2N89 can’t be calibrated, which would be a bummer if it were any other monitor. But right out of the box, it delivers reference-level accuracy. Most professional screens, which cost considerably more, can’t boast this level of precision. I could ding it for its under-saturated sRGB mode, but I seriously doubt this will concern anyone looking for a gaming, entertainment and general-use display.

Philips has included every possible convenience feature here as well. You get a handy remote, aiming point and sniper mode. The Ambiglow lighting, something unique to Philips, is useful both as a bias light and as a colorful display. The audio quality is better than many televisions and the stand is just like a quality monitor stand with height, swivel and tilt adjustments.

If you’re comparing the 42M2N89 to a television, remember that as a computer monitor, you not only get the higher 138 Hz refresh rate, but you get DisplayPort which enables G-Sync operation in addition to its FreeSync Premium certification. And at $1,400, it’s a decent value.

You’ll never regret buying a jumbo monitor so if you’re in the market, the Philips Evnia 42M2N89 is a worthy option.

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Asus is launching a new monitor within its popular TUG Gaming range of products, and it looks to pack quite a punch for enthusiasts. The TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A features a 34-inch VA panel with a 3440 x 1440 (WQHD) resolution. And as is often the case with these widescreen monitors, the VG34VQL3A boasts a curved panel, specifically 1500R.

Other features include a 1ms GtG response time, a brightness rating of 400 nits (available in SDR or HDR mode), and Asus claims 125 percent coverage of the sRGB color gamut. The refresh rate maxes out at 180Hz, a healthy boost over standard 165Hz panels. However, we’re beginning to see more gaming monitors in the 34-inch WQHD space with 240Hz refresh rates.

One spec that definitely caught my eye was the contrast ratio. VA panels are known for having excellent contrast. While not as good as Mini LED or OLED, they fair far better than IPS panels regarding black levels. Typical VA panels have a contrast ratio of around 3,000:1, but the VG34VQL3A ups the ante to 4,000:1. 

Asus confirms that the VG34VQL3A is AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certified, but we’re almost certain that it should also work with Nvidia G-Sync on GeForce graphics cards. It’s also TÜV Flicker-free and Low Blue Light certified, supporting the VESA DisplayHDR 400 specification. Extreme Low Motion Blur is supported.

Regarding connectivity, you’ll find two HDMI 2.0 ports and two DisplayPort 1.4 ports. There’s also an onboard USB hub with three USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A) ports for connecting your peripherals. And if you don’t want to hook up a set of external speakers, the VG34VQL3A includes two 2-watt speakers onboard. We doubt that they’ll be enough to satisfy extreme audiophiles, but there’s also a 3.5mm jack for your headphones.

Unfortunately, Asus didn’t provide details on expected pricing or availability for the VG34VQL3A. We're keenly interested to see if it has what it takes to join our list of the best curved gaming monitors in a future review.

With the introduction of a 27-inch OLED panel from LG Display, it’s clear that this technology is not just for niche products. OLED is becoming more common among the best gaming monitors with richly saturated color, infinite contrast and next-level gaming performance. Panel response times are measured in hundredths of milliseconds, and there is no need for trickery like overdrive or backlight strobing.

Recently, I reviewed the first display to use this new panel, Asus’ ROG Swift PG27AQDM. Corsair’s version is called Xeneon 27QHD240, and its model designation doesn’t hint at how special this monitor is. OLED is truly on another plane above Mini LED in picture quality and gaming performance. The 27QHD240 is a QHD panel with 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, wide gamut color and HDR peaks of 1,000 nits. It also boasts a 0.03ms gray-to-gray response and packs it all into a solidly built display that sells for $1,000 at this writing.

 Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240 Specs

Most of the 27QHD240’s specs are the same as the PG27AQDM, so let’s look at the few that are different. Corsair has included two HDMI 2.1 ports versus Asus’ use of HDMI 2.0. However, at QHD resolution, even at 240 Hz, you don’t need the extra bandwidth afforded by HDMI 2.1. Both panels have native 10-bit color and that is fully preserved as well.

The 27QHD240 has a handy KVM feature that adds many USB ports. There are five traditional 3.1 connections plus two USB-C ports, with one offering DisplayPort functionality. The actual DisplayPort input is version 1.4 and employs Display Stream Compression (DSC) to keep input lag low. The 27QHD240 is one of the quickest monitors I’ve tested, even compared to 360 and 500 Hz models.

The panel is certainly the star with its infinite contrast and wide gamut color. Corsair claims 98.5% coverage of DCI-P3, and I measured a hair more than that, 99.01% to be exact. And that color is as close to perfect as it gets. The 27QHD240 doesn’t need calibration, nor does it benefit from it. My sample was optimized to perfection right out of the box.

OLED contrast is legendary in that it cannot truly be measured. No instruments currently available can measure an OLED panel’s black levels. Corsair claims 1,500,000:1 for the 27QHD240, but I cannot measure that. When a pixel is black, it’s off, meaning it emits no light. It’s hard to describe what that means to picture quality other than it’s an image you won’t find anywhere else, even from the very best Mini LED panel. And no extra features are required, like dimming zones or dynamic contrast. This performance is available in both SDR and HDR modes natively.

The 27QHD240’s build quality befits its $1,000 price tag. While this puts it firmly in the premium category, it isn’t a prohibitive sum for what you get. 240 Hz means super smooth motion and gamers will find this monitor suitable for any type of play, from casual to pro-level competition. There are a few cool touches here, too, like an OSD that appears when you put your hand near the control buttons and inputs that face back rather than down for easier access. I love putting displays like this through the wringer, so let’s take a look without further ado.

Assembly and Accessories

Corsair delivers the 27QHD240 in a plain brown wrapper with the panel, stand and base packed in crumbly foam. You won’t know how special it is right away since there are no loud or colorful graphics on the box, nor does the model number indicate that it’s an OLED. When you see the super-thin panel, though, that’ll be the first clue. You can assemble everything without tools into a solid, almost monolithic package. The cable bundle includes USB-A/C and C/C, plus HDMI and DisplayPort. A slim brick functions as the power supply.

Product 360

The 27QHD240 has a semi-matte screen rather than the highly reflective layer on most OLED televisions. There is no downside to this approach. I saw no grain or other artifacts. The image is crystal clear in every respect. The bezel is flush and very thin at 9mm wide at the top and sides and 11mm at the bottom. Controls are underneath, just right of center. When you reach for them, a small menu pops up telling you the function of the two keys and joystick.

Being a 27-inch QHD screen with 109ppi pixel density, the dot structure is visible if you sit closer than two feet away. It’s not 4K, but the difference is slight in a side-by-side comparison, and when there’s any sort of motion, the high refresh rate and super quick panel response ensure a perfectly smooth image.

The side view shows how thin the actual panel is, just five millimeters. A component bulge takes the total depth to 47mm, just under two inches. A 100mm VESA mount hides under the stand’s attachment point with fasteners included for use with aftermarket arms and brackets.

The stand is quite substantial, with a wide upright and deep metal base. The height adjustment is 100mm (3.9 inches) and you get 7/15 degrees tilt, 30 degrees swivel and a 90-degree portrait mode. Movement and build quality are appropriate for a monitor in this price category. You’ll be using your 27QHD240 for many years.

On either side of the upright in the back are numerous connections. On the left side are two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4 and a USB-C that functions as a DisplayPort input. The power supply connects at the bottom of this bank. On the right side is another USB-C for peripherals and charging along with four USB 3.1 downstream ports. The jack panel is finished off with a 3.5mm audio output. There is no internal audio, so use this to plug in headphones or powered speakers.

OSD Features

When you reach for the 27QHD240’s control keys, a small menu indicates the functions and locations of the two buttons and the joystick. This is something I have not seen before. Pressing the joystick brings up Corsair’s simple and intuitive text-based OSD.

The 27QHD240’s OSD is divided into six logically arranged sub-menus starting with Picture. There, you’ll find a full set of calibration options and six image modes. Standard is fully adjustable and employs the native color gamut, which covers almost 100% of DCI-P3. An sRGB mode is also tweakable and has independent color temp and gamma options. This is a rarity, even among pro monitors. I was able to calibrate both gamuts and just switch modes when necessary. HDR signals engage an additional mode that cannot be adjusted. Additional picture options include a refresh rate indicator and aiming points which can be customized for color and shape.

The 27QHD240 has PIP and PBP that let you view two video sources, either side by side or windowed. In System Setting, you can toggle Adaptive-Sync and engage panel maintenance features like a pixel refresh and an orbiter. These operate in the background or when the monitor is in standby mode, and are designed to reduce the effects of image retention. In my own experience, I have not seen any issues with my two-year-old LG television, which is used every day.

Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240 Calibration Settings 

Not only does the 27QHD240 not require calibration, but I was also unable to affect any improvement when I set up both DCI-P3 and sRGB picture modes. You can use Standard for the wider gamut in SDR mode along with the Standard color temp and 2.2 gamma for near-perfect accuracy. The User color temp has precise RGB sliders, which will improve the numbers slightly but not the visuals. If you want to use sRGB color for SDR, that mode is very accurate as well. And you can calibrate the color temp separately if you wish. I’ve provided my settings below. Note that the brightness setting of 31 is derived using a 25% window pattern. It may look too dim when showing actual content. After using the 27QHD240 for a few days, I upped the value to 80. This will depend on the ambient light levels in your particular space.

In HDR mode, there are no color options, only a Contrast slider if you want to dial down the peak brightness. As the 27QHD240 varies brightness depending on the average picture level (all OLEDs do this), I recommend leaving everything on the default values.

Gaming and Hands-on 

If you’ve read my review of the Asus PG27AQDM, you already know what I will say about the 27QHD240. They are the same monitor in every way that matters to gaming. After experiencing several OLED monitors over the past year, I have come to regard this technology as a game-changer, with an emphasis on game. As in, they got it. Quite simply, there is no better gaming experience than an OLED panel running at a high refresh rate.

I’ve said that OLEDs provide smoother motion at a given frame rate than an LCD, and the 27QHD240 holds to this axiom. There is no need for overdrive here. Blur Busters test patterns are literally perfect, with every pixel rendered fully, whether there is motion or not. Resolution is not affected no matter how quickly an object moves or the screen pans.

In shooters like Doom Eternal and Call of Duty WWII, this translates to an almost predictive feel where your control inputs are instantly translated on-screen, and movement is ultra-precise. When you stop moving the mouse, the aim point is exactly where you want it to be. I was able to get deeper into every game I played.

The image is stunning in every respect. HDR is the 27QHD240’s forte, and it proved more than bright enough to render a fully detailed and saturated image in my sunlit office. Any concerns about OLED being dimmer than Mini LED were not a factor for me. Yes, you can get more output from a bright LCD, but not enough to make me choose it over an OLED.

Color saturation was impressive in both SDR and HDR content. It’s easy to choose sRGB for SDR by changing picture modes. But I was happy to keep the larger gamut up too, and I suspect most users will do the same. Only when grading photos did I find it necessary to switch to sRGB. The 27QHD240’s accuracy makes the image very pleasing and easy to look at for hours. A low blue light mode is available, but I never found a need for it.

For both work and entertainment, the 27QHD240 is exemplary in every respect. After spending many hours with it, it is well worth the money. When compared to professional displays, it’s a bargain. You won’t find this level of image fidelity and quality in any LCD.

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Now we get to the fun part; the part where I talk about OLED monitors’ fantastic gaming performance with super low input lag and panel response so fast that there is no loss of motion resolution. I am not exaggerating. All the OLEDs in the 27QHD240’s comparison group offer a similar gaming experience and feel. You will become addicted to any of these screens. In the group are Corsair’s Xeneon Flex, Asus’ PG42UQ and PG27AQDM, Alienware’s AW3423DWF and Philips’ 34M2C8600.  

Pixel Response and Input Lag 

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures. 

My test is a full-screen black-to-white transition which is slower than the gray-to-gray measurement commonly quoted. 5ms is typical for a 240 Hz panel, whether it’s OLED or LCD. But in practice, the OLED is far smoother. No visible loss of motion resolution exists, no matter how fast objects move or the screen pans. You can see this clearly in Blur Busters test patterns and in real-world content. There is nothing that moves like an OLED.

With 26ms of total input lag, the 27QHD240 is plenty quick enough for gamers of all skill levels. While a 360 or 500 Hz panel will have lower control lag, its motion resolution will be a tad lower. I’m talking about tiny differences here but ones that can be seen with the naked eye.

Viewing Angles

OLED offers the best off-axis image quality of any flat panel technology thanks to grid polarization that is much less aggressive than LCD requires. My 27QHD240 sample showed a slightly cool tint at 45 degrees to the side with no reduction in brightness, nor is there a change in gamma. Detail is fully visible when sitting off-center. The top view is also solid with similar behavior and only a slightly lighter gamma. The 27QHD240 is completely shareable.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

No OLED I’ve yet tested has shown any visible screen uniformity issues. The 27QHD240 is one of the best panels, with just 3.55% deviation from center. This is well below the visible threshold. If the worst score is 9.24% from a jumbo 45-inch diagonal panel, that bodes well for the technology as a whole. You won’t see any bleed or glow here.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

All OLEDs, including the 27QHD240, vary brightness according to the average picture level. That means a full-field white pattern will be dimmer than the 25% window I used for testing. A full field measured 192.5 nits, but the true peak white level is over 412. You’ll have to set the brightness by eye to suit your particular environment. I set the brightness slider to 80% in my brightly lit office for a comfortable image.

No matter what, black levels are truly black. They cannot be measured because the pixels are shut off and do not emit light. This yields an infinite contrast ratio, which can be seen in a visual comparison with another monitor. Viewed side by side against a Mini LED with its zone dimming engaged, the 27QHD240, like the other OLEDs, is clearly superior. It truly doesn’t get better than this.

After Calibration to 200 nits

For testing purposes, I set a 25% window pattern to 200 nits. In practice, I would use a higher brightness setting lest the image be too dim for my room. Your mileage will vary. Try a few different settings over a week or two to find the optimal level. Whatever you do, contrast remains the same with zero value black levels. ANSI contrast is also unmeasurable because the black squares in the checkerboard pattern emit no light.

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The 27QHD240 doesn’t need to be calibrated and cannot be improved from its factory state. It arrives out of the box at a very high level of accuracy. It is better than many professional screens I’ve tested in this respect.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking 

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here. 

Though I can improve the chart when calibrating the 27QHD240’s grayscale, the picture is visually the same. The only tiny flaw here is a rise in gamma at the 90% brightness step. And no, you can’t see that error in actual content.

Since I could calibrate the sRGB mode separately, I did so. You’ll notice its default gamma is a bit askew, with too-dark values at 10% brightness and too-light results at 90%. These are minor errors, but I noticed a few highlights that looked a tad washed out. Calibration made a visible difference there, even though grayscale tracking was unchanged.

Since I could calibrate the Standard and sRGB picture modes, I’ve added both results to the comparison charts. There’s clearly no need for calibration, but in sRGB mode, gamma is improved after adjustment, so it’s worth doing if you have the means.

Clearly, gamma is not a problem for any of the panels. The 27QHD240 is last in the range test and third in the deviation test. This means none of the monitors have any gamma issues worthy of concern.

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. 

I was beyond impressed by the 27QHD240’s gamut test results. Few monitors can achieve such low color errors after calibration. These charts show out-of-box numbers that are as close to perfection as possible. Essentially, my RGB adjustments did not affect the gamut values and that is a very good thing. In sRGB mode, I noted some under-saturation in the red primary and slight hue errors in magenta. These issues are not visible to the naked eye.

Comparisons

All the OLED panels I’ve tested, including the 27QHD240, have superb color. It’s well saturated and right on the reference targets. Though these are gaming monitors, they deliver accuracy worthy of any professional display. And they do it for far less money. They’re not inexpensive, but they cost less than many pro screens.

The gamut volume test shows OLED’s capabilities to be more consistently superior to VA and IPS-based LCDs. The 27QHD240 finished fourth here, which is extraordinary considering its coverage is only a hair shy of 100% of DCI-P3. That’s pretty awesome, I’d say. You can expect any OLED monitor to be very colorful. The 27QHD240 is fully qualified for color-critical applications as well.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors. 

HDR is what OLEDs do best. Their naturally infinite dynamic range is a real asset. The 27QHD240 delivers typical performance for the category.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

Corsair claims 1,000 nits for the 27QHD240 when measuring a 3% window pattern. I cannot replicate this, but I measured a 25% window at over 800 nits, so I have no doubt as to this monitor’s capabilities. The Flex and the 27-inch Asus are a tad brighter, but there is no discernible difference when viewing actual content. The bottom three monitors are a bit dimmer overall but still deliver tons of depth and color saturation. Of course, all the panels have infinite HDR contrast thanks to their unmeasurable black levels.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The 27QHD240’s superb color accuracy extends to its HDR grayscale tracking, which is without visual error. There is a slight rise in blue levels as the image brightens, but this does not adversely affect the image. The EOTF tracks close to the reference line except for its slightly early transition to tone-mapping, which is a minor issue.

Color tracking is slightly off the mark at the inner saturation points though it gets closer to targets as saturation increases. Secondary colors are off hue as well. Magenta and cyan are a bit cooler than they should be and yellows have a slight green tint. In content, it’s at the level where the viewer can sense that something’s not quite perfect but can’t tell exactly what. Some tweaking of the 27QHD240’s firmware could resolve this though I cannot call myself dissatisfied, and I doubt any users will complain. Contrast and color saturation are so good that they mitigate these measured errors.

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It’s now possible to buy a 27-inch OLED desktop computer monitor from three different manufacturers: LG, Asus and Corsair. They are the same LG panel at the core but have slightly different feature sets. One thing is certain; their image quality with regard to color and contrast is unmatched. And their gaming performance is on another level from any LCD I’ve experienced, including panels running at 360 and 500 Hz.

The Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240 delivers a gaming experience that non-OLED monitors cannot equal. This is thanks to two major factors, image depth and motion processing. OLED promises and delivers infinite contrast thanks to its true black levels. When a pixel is black, it’s off and emits no light. That is something that must be seen to be fully appreciated. Contrast is king, always, and OLED has more of it than any other technology.

Motion processing is the other element that makes or breaks gaming feel. Much has been done to mitigate motion blur in LCDs, but OLED needs none of those enhancements. At the 27QHD240’s max refresh rate of 240 Hz, it moves objects and pans the camera with no loss of resolution. One can see this clearly in both test patterns and actual content. Precision aiming and movement almost become child’s play.

The 27QHD240’s superb color accuracy is a nice bonus here. With no adjustments whatsoever, it delivered near-perfect color, grayscale and gamma. I saw a few flaws in the HDR gamut test, but honestly, the image is so good I had difficulty spotting any problems. With the ability to choose between DCI-P3 and sRGB modes that are equally accurate, it rivals any professional screen for far less money.

The Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240 is a premium purchase for sure. $1,000 for a 27-inch monitor is not a small sum. But for what you get, it’s a bargain. It blows away any LCD gaming or pro monitor I’ve experienced. If you have the budget and are seeking ultimate image quality, definitely check it out.

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The ultrawide gaming monitor market has exploded in popularity in recent years, and Samsung is taking full advantage with the release of the 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9. Not only is Samsung using OLED technology, which is lauded for its inky blacks and rich colors, but it uses the uncommon Dual Quad HD resolution (5120 x 1440). That works out to an aspect ratio of 32:9 and offers a lot of horizontal real estate to view multiple documents side-by-side. 

But the Odyssey OLED G9 is mostly about gaming, which is confirmed by its 0.03ms response time (gray-to-gray) and 240Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support. As you might expect, the Odyssey OLED G9 employs Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology, which results in a richer color palette and improved brightness over what’s already possible with traditional OLED panels. 

Samsung also claims that the Odyssey OLED G9 is DisplayHDR True Black 400 certified; however, the typical brightness is 250 nits. As is typically the case with these massive ultrawide monitors, this is a curved panel to help slightly wrap the content around your periphery. In this case, it’s a 1800R curve.

Regarding connectivity, Samsung equips the Odyssey OLED G9 with two HDMI 2.1 ports (one full size, one micro) and a single DisplayPort 1.4 connection. There’s also a USB hub for managing your peripherals. Other features include dual 5-watt speakers along with CoreSync and Core Lightning+ for you RGB aficionados out there. 

One other key feature included with the monitor is the Samsung Gaming Hub, which gives direct access from the monitor to game streaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Game Pass, thanks to integrated Wi-Fi.

Samsung has opened up preorders for the Odyssey OLED G9 today, with Best Buy offering it for $2,199. According to Best Buy, preorders will arrive on June 26th. Of course, Samsung is also offering the monitor directly, and from today through June 25th it is offering a $250 electronic gift card with each preorder purchase.

Users in the market for a curved gaming display should take a look at this deal on the LG UltraGear 34GP63A-B QHD 34-inch monitor. This monitor has been going for around $399 lately but today is discounted to just $299 in time for Memorial Day.

The LG 34GP63A-B features a 34-inch VA panel with a curvature of 1800R. It has a QHD resolution which measures up to 3440 x 1440. You can also check out our list of best gaming monitors to see what else is available on the market if you’re looking for something with more specific specs to suit your needs.

The LG UltraGear 34GP63A-B is AMD FreeSync Premium certified which ensures a dense resolution, high refresh rate, low latency, as well as low framerate compensation (LFC) support. It has a refresh rate that can reach up to 160Hz and a gtg response time of 5ms. It covers 99% of the sRGB color gamut, illuminated with a maximum brightness of 300 nits.

There are two HDMI ports available for video input and one DisplayPort input. It has two 7W speakers for integrated audio support but a 3.5mm jack is available for external audio peripherals, as well. The purchase is supported by Amazon’s 30-day return policy as well as a limited 1-year manufacturer’s warranty from LG.

Visit the LG UltraGear 34GP63A-B QHD 34-inch monitor product page at Amazon for more details and purchase options. As of writing, we’re not sure for how long this discount will be offered.

Mini LED, like any bleeding-edge display technology, is part of the premium backlight category. And as such, it commands a higher cost of admission, but that is starting to change. With more and more panels including this high-performance backlight, prices are creeping downwards.

Mini LED is the next step in full-array local dimming where, rather than having a bank of LEDs arrayed at one or two sides of the screen, they are arranged behind the TFT layer in a grid. First, there were 384-zone monitors like Asus’ PG27UQ, and they were awesome. But today, one can spend less money and get a Philips Evnia 34M2C7600. It’s a 34-inch ultra-wide curved VA panel with 1,152 dimming zones. Let’s take a look at this new contender among the best gaming monitors. 

Philips Evnia 34M2C7600 Specs

The name of the game is contrast, and since LCDs have their backlights on all the time, dimming zones are the key to dynamic range. IPS natively delivers around 1,000:1, and VA can muster 3,000:1. But contrast can be theoretically infinite when you selectively dim or shut off individual bits of the screen.

The 34M2C7600 is a curved ultra-wide VA panel with all the features needed in a good gaming monitor. 1,152 dimming zones and a 1,400-nit full-array backlight mean killer HDR. Add an extended color gamut covering almost 97% of DCI-P3, and you have a superlative image for both SDR and HDR content. Accuracy is included, with multiple picture presets that come very close to the mark with no calibration required.

Even without Mini LED trickery, contrast is high at nearly 4,000:1 in my tests. Resolution is WQHD (3440x1440), so pixel density is a tight 109ppi. The curve is 1500R which strikes a nice balance between immersion and image distortion at this size and shape. In other words, there is none of the latter and plenty of the former.

Gaming feel is enhanced by Adaptive-Sync, which works on both FreeSync and G-Sync platforms. The 34M2C7600 has not yet been certified by Nvidia, but AS works over a 48 to 165 Hz range. There is no blur reduction via backlight strobe, but you get a three-level overdrive and reasonably low input lag. In my tests, panel response was on par with other 165 Hz screens. You also get a set of aiming points to help novice players in their favorite shooters.

A feature unique to Philips monitors is Ambiglow. On the surface, it might seem like just an LED lighting effect, but it is so much more. Rather than focus on graphics or projected patterns, Ambiglow throws light onto the surface behind the 34M2C7600 to enhance what’s happening on the screen. You can have several preset effects and colors or let the light shift along with content in real-time. My favorite use of Ambiglow is as a bias light. That’s when you project a white glow behind the monitor that’s around 10% as bright as the set peak white level. There is science behind this which makes a perceptual difference in image quality. More on that later.

The 34M2C7600 is an attractive package, physically and feature-wise, priced around $1,300 at this writing. That’s still premium, but as I indicated earlier, it’s the beginning of a downward creep in cost. Compared to other Mini LED screens, it’s competitive on multiple levels.

Assembly and Accessories

The 34M2C7600’s carton stands out for its lavender color and attractive white graphics. That’s a preview of what’s to come because the monitor is also white. Once the parts are extracted from the crumbly foam, the base bolts onto the upright, then snaps onto the panel. The attachment point is a bit wobbly, but it is robust enough to hold things together securely. The included cables and external power supply are all white. You get USB-A/B, USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort, one of each. A stamped steel adapter with fasteners is also included for use with aftermarket monitor arms or brackets.

Product 360

Admittedly, I’m a sucker for a white monitor. It’s a nice change from black, and it stands out in a good way. The 34M2C7600 adds silver accents on the panel’s bottom trim and the stand. The base has a flecked finish on its plastic cover, which hides a metal core. The upright exposes its aluminum construction and is very solid. The only weak point is how the panel attaches. Rather than a snap-on plate, it uses a plastic tongue that engages the stand. As a result, it’s a little wobbly though I had no problems with ergonomic adjustments. There’s 150mm (5.9 inches) of height plus 20 degrees swivel each way and 5/20 degrees tilt.

The panel cover in the back has a sculpted grid, which I haven’t seen before, dotted by the Ambiglow LEDs. The only style to the lighting comes in a thin vertical strip down the center. The other LEDs are purely there to cast light onto whatever surface is behind the monitor. If you want to use the bias light as I do, the monitor should be within a foot or two of a neutrally colored wall. Choose a white static light that’s around 10% as bright as the monitor’s peak output level. This will close your eyes’ pupils slightly and increase the perception of both sharpness and contrast. It sounds hard to believe. Give it a week, and you will likely be converted. I use bias lights for my television and projection screen at home.

The 34M2C7600’s bottom face includes more Ambiglow LEDs along with a stocked input panel and two grills for the five-watt speakers. They include eq, sound modes and better-than-average audio quality. Inputs are all the latest: two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C. A KVM feature is supported by five USB 3.2 ports, one upstream and four down.

OSD Features

The OSD is accessed by the 34M2C7600’s single control, a tiny joystick/button that also toggles the power. The menu is well stocked, but as you’ll see in a moment, there is one surprising omission.

The OSD has a gaming look with its polygonal shape and status information across the bottom. It’s divided into seven sub-menus, starting with SmartImage. This is Philips’ name for the 11 picture modes. The default is SmartUniformity and it does indeed apply uniformity compensation to the image. My sample was fine without it, and I recommend selecting any other picture mode because SmartUniformity reduces contrast by raising the black level and lowering the white level. In Game 1, the mode I used for testing, contrast is nearly 4,000:1, and the peak white level is nearly 750 nits.

Each mode includes calibration options like color temps and gamma presets, but there is one thing missing – RGB controls. You can specify the white point by Kelvin value or choose options called Preset and Native. Luckily, grayscale tracking is pretty good out of the box, although I would have liked the ability to tweak it. You’ll also notice an sRGB option in this menu. It does not reduce the color gamut size. It’s DCI-P3 for all content, like it or not.

Game Mode features an aiming crosshair with a super cool feature. Turning Smart Crosshair on changes the reticle’s color to ensure it stays in contrast with the background. The transition is instantaneous, so you’ll always be able to see it no matter what. This menu also has a three-level overdrive, which is one of the 34M2C7600’s weaknesses. Every setting causes some ghosting. Too slow, and you get black trails; too fast and they’re white. I found myself using different settings for different games. Your mileage may vary.

SmartFrame creates a window on the screen where you can change its brightness and contrast independently from the rest of the image. In addition, it can be sized and positioned anywhere you wish.

The Ambiglow menu is extensive and has options for color and effect, plus the ability of the LEDs to follow on-screen content in real-time. The possibilities are infinite, or you can turn it off.

Philips has paid attention to audio quality with two five-watt internal speakers. They sound better than average and include five modes and a multi-band equalizer. The modes alter frequency response and phase to create various effects. I could clearly hear the differences, and it was fun to experiment with them.

In the System menu, you can set the HDMI ports to 120 or 165 Hz. 120 is the right choice for consoles. USB Setting includes the KVM options to bind video inputs to USB outputs. You’ll also notice the Local Dimming option. Unfortunately, it is only available in HDR mode where it is very effective. It’s a bummer you can’t also use it for SDR content. At least there’s 4,000:1 native contrast to compensate partially.

Philips Evnia 34M2C7600 Calibration Settings

The 34M2C7600 ships in its SmartUniformity picture mode. It’s fairly accurate, but peak white and contrast are both limited. The panel is perfectly uniform without compensation, so I used Game 1 for my testing and gameplay. It delivers around 4,000:1 contrast for SDR content and peaks at almost 750 nits. The default gamma setting is 2.2, but that proved a tad light. 2.4 is the better choice. For color temp, the Native, Preset and 6500K options are functionally identical. Preset has slightly better gamma so I chose that. Below are my SDR settings derived from instrumented tests.

HDR signals reveal five more picture modes. HDR Game is the default, and it is quite far off the mark for color and grayscale. DisplayHDR 1400 is the better choice. If you want control of peak brightness, there’s an option called Personal that lets you dial down the white level.

The other missing item here is an sRGB mode. There’s an sRGB option in the SmartImage menu, but it doesn’t reduce the gamut volume.

Gaming and Hands-on 

I’ve already talked about the 34M2C7600’s overdrive feature. I use Blur Busters test patterns to find the right video processing settings for all gaming monitor reviews and, in this case, I couldn’t arrive at an ideal configuration. There is no backlight strobe option available, which isn’t a big deal, but it might be a better alternative here. There are three OD (SmartResponse) levels, and the right setting is in the virtual space between Fast and Faster. I used both in different games. Fast creates faint black trails behind moving objects and Faster makes white ones. For dark titles like Tomb Raider, Fast works better to hide the artifact. In the brightly lit arenas of Doom Eternal’s Horde mode, Faster is the right choice. It also depends on how bright you run the monitor.

Ultimately, the 34M2C7600’s stunning image took over my perceptions, and after my initial tweaks, I settled in for many hours of fun. There is more than enough pixel density to produce a sharp image viewed from two to three feet back. The panel’s curve is right in the sweet spot where you can keep everything in focus from edge to edge without any barrel distortion to spoil the suspension of disbelief.

Input lag is low enough that I could not perceive any delay, regardless of how fast the action was. I turned on the smart crosshair for a while and though the color changes ensured I could always see it; it was extremely bright in HDR mode. In fact, I focused on it too much at the expense of situational awareness to the sides. Admittedly, I’m not a frequent user of aiming points.

I set up the Ambiglow feature to deliver a neutral white light on the wall behind the 34M2C7600. There are three intensity settings, so you can tailor it to your room. The middle option worked best in my sunlit office. As a bias light user, I am used to its effect. It makes the image appear sharper and deeper, especially when playing HDR material. I also tried the follow mode, which changes the color and effect to match what’s happening on the screen. It’s a cool gadget, but I found it a little distracting. It will certainly impress your friends.

I was impressed by the image quality throughout my gaming sessions, especially in HDR mode. A 1400-nit peak coupled with 1,152 dimming zones delivers a wide dynamic range. Only an OLED can truly compete with the 34M2C7600’s picture. Color saturation was excellent, bold and rich but never overblown. For SDR content, color is more saturated than the standard, but it was only an issue when editing photos. There, a usable sRGB mode would be welcome but the sRGB option in the OSD doesn’t reduce the gamut size.

For work tasks, the 34M2C7600 is very useful. With 109ppi pixel density, it’s like having two 27-inch QHD screens without the dividing line. Opening multiple documents is what 21:9 screens are made for and it’s easy to work on something while running video or leaving a message window open on the side. It’s super handy in Photoshop to have more toolbars on the screen while working.

There is nothing the 34M2C7600 isn’t good at. Though I noted a few flaws, it proved to be a very flexible and capable display for both gaming and productivity. With an sRGB mode and a better overdrive, it would be a homerun.

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To compare the 34M2C7600, I’ve rounded up a selection of 34-inch ultra-wide VA panels. Not all are Mini LED, but they are all speedy with refresh rates between 144 and 200 Hz. There’s BenQ’s EX3410R, AOC’s CU34G3S, ViewSonic’s XG341C-2K, ASRock’s PG34WQ and the Monoprice 42772.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

The 34M2C7600 delivers typical performance for the category. Its overdrive isn’t the best, with no ideal setting. Set it too weak, and you get black trails behind moving objects. Too fast, and the trails turn white. I used different settings for different games to mitigate the artifact.

The Philips has reasonably low input lag, again at an average level for the category. 31ms is fast enough for all but the most skilled gamers. It worked fine for me as I mowed through monsters in Doom Eternal. If you want the quickest possible experience, the ViewSonic delivers it at 200 Hz, but without Adaptive-Sync.

Viewing Angles

No VA panel has great off-axis image quality, and the 34M2C7600 is similar to its competition. At 45 degrees, the picture gets hazy with a slight green shift and a reduction in gamma. All steps remain visible, but the image is less sharp. The top view is similar, with a 40% reduction in brightness and poor gamma.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

With the 34M2C7600’s uniformity compensation turned on, I measured 4.03%, but in a better picture mode like Game 1, it’s still well within the realm of visual perfection at 8.51%. It’s not worth the reduction in contrast to fix an invisible issue. This is excellent performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

I modified my test procedure in the 34M2C7600’s case to show its full potential. Out of the box in SmartImage mode, it peaks at just under 500 nits with a respectable 2,727.5:1 contrast. But in Game 1 mode, with the brightness maxed and no other adjustments, the peak is much higher at 740 nits with contrast at nearly 4,000:1. This is a much better state of affairs thanks to the lower black level.

After Calibration to 200 nits

I couldn’t calibrate the RGB sliders because there aren’t any. But I changed the gamma to 2.4 and chose the Preset color temp to get a slightly higher contrast. You can see that all the panels have excellent native contrast. It’s a bummer you can’t use the 34M2C7600’s local dimming because it would add a lot of punch to SDR content.

Quality control is excellent, which is indicated by the Philips’ high ANSI contrast value of 3,315.9:1. Despite the lack of an SDR zone dimming option, the monitor looks fantastic with deep blacks, bright whites and plenty of color.

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I’ve already mentioned the 34M2C7600’s lack of RGB sliders. Luckily, three of the color temp presets are close to the mark. There is a little upward potential, but by and large, this is an accurate monitor.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The RGB level chart shows only slight errors at 70% brightness and higher. Since it’s my business to nitpick monitors, I would like to adjust this issue away, but I can’t. However, for most users, there is no visual problem. The grayscale looks neutral, with only a slight warmth. Gamma is a tad light, but it is close enough to the mark for most users’ satisfaction.

Raising the setting to 2.4 improves the gamma and raises the blue levels a tad. Visually, the difference is tiny. It may seem that I’ve taken a step backward with a higher grayscale error, but in practice, anyone, including myself, would be hard-pressed to see a color shift in a side-by-side comparison of actual content. The better gamma is worth a slight compromise in grayscale accuracy.

Comparisons

The 34M2C7600 starts in third place before calibration but slips to last after adjustment, thanks to the lack of RGB controls. This is unusual for Philips; I’ve always found adjustments in their other displays that delivered an improvement. But in the end, I was satisfied with the image. High color saturation and deep contrast more than account for a slight weakness in grayscale accuracy. Gamma performance is very good, with a slight advantage in image quality when the preset is on 2.4. So it compares well with the competition in that test.

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.

Color is an area where I have no complaints about the 34M2C7600’s performance. It covers a huge gamut with bonus red and almost the entire green primary, which is a rarity among wide gamut displays. Accuracy is high, with an average error of just 2.50dE. Calibration changes that to 2.66dE, which is an invisible difference. But I could just see the slight increase in red saturation, definitely a good thing.

As stated earlier, though the OSD has an sRGB option, it doesn’t render that gamut. You’ll be viewing the 34M2C7600’s full native color space for all content, SDR and HDR.

Comparisons

The 34M2C7600’s color accuracy is comparable to the other monitors. There is no visual difference in color accuracy, but you will notice the Philips’ extra color when compared to the AOC, BenQ and ASRock screens. Kudos to Monoprice for delivering high saturation without a premium backlight, but there’s no denying the advantage of the Mini LEDs in the Philips and ViewSonic panels. There is color aplenty here.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The one place where the 34M2C7600, and its Mini LED counterparts, runs away from the competition is peak brightness. DisplayHDR 1400 is the order of the day and that, along with 1,152 dimming zones, makes a huge difference in image quality.

HDR Brightness annd Contrast

When measuring a full field, the 34M2C7600 renders around 1,100 nits, so I reduced the pattern to 25% coverage and got almost 1,500 nits. Small highlights are extremely bright and really help the image pop. Philips has engineered its local dimming very well here. I couldn’t measure the black levels as all unused LEDs are shut off, so the contrast is also unmeasurable. Though the ASRock effectively extends its dynamic range to an excellent 16,907:1, it doesn’t hold a candle, or a diode, to the Mini LED screens. Only a good OLED like Asus’ PG27AQDM can deliver a deeper image than this.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

There are five HDR picture modes, but the only one remotely close to color accurate is DisplayHDR 1400. The default one, Game HDR is extremely red in tone, and the others don’t deliver the proper luminance tracking for optimal performance. You can see visually perfect grayscale tracking from bottom to top and an EOTF that is flawed only in its darkest steps. The 34M2C7600 rises too slowly from black, which means some shadow detail may be hard to see in some games. It’s too bad you can’t use the Shadow Boost feature to fix this, but it is grayed out. Most HDR games have luminance tweaks in their menus, so I turned to dial in the image on a per-title basis.

HDR color is rich and vibrant with excellent saturation tracking. Most points are on target or a little over-saturated which is forgivable. Hues are spot-on, which means the image is always natural and pleasing. The DCI-P3 and Rec.2020 charts exhibit the same performance, which is a good thing. Most HDR content is mastered in the Rec.2020 gamut and the 34M2C7600 comes close to covering it. Thanks to accurate grayscale, luminance tracking and a very wide color gamut, the 34M2C7600 is one of the better HDR monitors out there. It truly does justice to the format.

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Though the idea, and execution of desktop OLED monitors is a good one, we will likely be using LCD panels for the foreseeable future. With their greater brightness and better resistance to image retention, they are a more suitable tool for both productivity and desktop entertainment.

The best way to coax more contrast and better imagery from them is with a full-array backlight with as many dimming zones as possible. Once, 384 was a lot. Today, Mini LED gives us over 1,000. And yes, it’s a lot better. As a premium technology, it’s still costly, but that is changing. Philips looks pretty good with its Evnia 34M2C7600.

If you’re in the market for a 21:9 screen, the 34M2C7600 checks all the right boxes. It’s the right size and curve at 34 inches and 1500R. It’s the right resolution at WQHD, AKA 3440x1440, with 109ppi density. While some users may wish for Ultra HD, there are frame rates to consider. Many affordable video cards can run at 165fps. The only flaw in the 34M2C7600’s video processing is an imprecise overdrive. I wished for a setting between Fast and Fastest to try and mitigate the ghosting artifacts I saw. However, by changing the setting per game, I was able to largely ignore it.

The star is, of course, image quality. With an easily exceeded DisplayHDR 1400 certification, the 34M2C7600 has a stunning HDR image. Its local dimming feature delivered infinite HDR contrast with deep blacks and whites that popped. That kind of dynamic range made the picture look very sharp and detailed. I only wish the local dimming were available for SDR content. The lack of a usable sRGB mode wasn’t a huge problem for gaming but I’d have liked to use it for photo editing.

I also have to mention sound quality one more time. Few monitors’ built-in speakers are more than an afterthought, but the 34M2C7600 delivers leveled-up audio with multiple modes, decent frequency response and a wide soundstage.

Lastly, there is value in Philips’ Ambiglow feature. It’s a beneficial lighting enhancement that goes far beyond the light show included with most gaming monitors. Used as a bias light, it makes the picture look sharper and deeper. And you won’t find it anywhere else.

The Philips Evnia 34M2C7600 brings Mini LED to a slightly better price point and delivers a stunning image with solid gaming performance. It’s built well and attractively styled and includes truly useful LED lighting. If you’re shopping for a 21:9 curved screen and your budget can accommodate a $1,300 monitor, it should be on your radar.

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Now, this is interesting. I recently reviewed the new Philips Evnia 34M2C7600, a 34-inch curved VA Mini LED gaming monitor. And this is a review of the Evnia 34M2C8600. Only one number is different, so why are we here? Because the monitors are so incredibly different. They may look identical on the outside, but the 8600 has a slightly shinier screen coating because it features a QD-OLED panel. OLED gaming monitors can look good with their infinite blacks and bright colors. In addition, their smooth gaming performance delivers superb motion quality without the need for super high frame rates.

Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 Specs

The Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 brings the best technologies from OLED and LCD to bear. It is an OLED in that its pixels, 3440x1440 (WQHD), are self-emissive. And they can be turned off individually to produce perfect, as in unmeasurable, black levels, and therefore, infinite contrast.

Philips adds a quantum dot layer from the LCD world that accomplishes two things. It boosts light output and widens the color gamut. With VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, the 34M2C8600 isn’t exactly a light cannon, but small highlights can be as bright as 1,000 nits. The bigger enhancement, though, is color. I’ve reviewed QD-OLEDs from Alienware, and though they boast large gamuts, the Philips covers over 108% of DCI-P3. Only a few monitors have broken the 100% barrier in my tests. With these technologies in play, you can expect a superlative image.

I’ve been impressed with the gaming prowess of every OLED monitor that’s crossed my test bench, and the 34M2C8600 is no different. OLEDs deliver smoother motion from lower framerates than LCDs, and they don’t need overdrive or strobing to achieve it. The 34M2C8600 runs at 175 Hz but looks as good as a 240 Hz screen in practice. Of course, Adaptive-Sync is included for FreeSync and G-Sync platforms and VRR-capable consoles. HDMI inputs are limited to 100 Hz, but you can run the full 175 Hz through DisplayPort or USB-C. The 32M2C8600 has not been certified by Nvidia, but it runs G-Sync without restriction.

Besides the OLED panel, this monitor is identical in appearance and features to the 34M2C7600 I recently reviewed. It includes Philips’ Ambiglow lighting, which is useful because it can function as a bias light rather than just being there for show. And it’s distinctively styled in white, cables and all, to set it apart from the sea of black displays we’re so accustomed to. At $1,299, it’s priced competitively. Let’s take a look.

Assembly and Accessories

The 34M2C8600 comes out of its crumbly foam packing in three pieces. The panel is heavy, so take care when removing it; you don’t want to mar that shiny screen coating. It doesn’t come with a peel-off film like most OLEDs, so be wary of fingerprints. The base bolts onto the upright then the stand snaps into a slim socket-like fitting. It’s the only weak point here, as it allows a bit of wobble. But it seems sturdy enough for the long haul, and the rest of the chassis is stout. The included cables are all white, and the power supply is internal, so, no brick to find a spot for.

Product 360

If you put the 34M2C8600 and the 34M2C7600 side-by-side, the only hint that something’s different is the 34M2C8600’s shinier screen coating. It isn’t as glossy as a typical OLED TV but will pick up more reflections than an LCD. Nevertheless, it isn’t too hard to find a good spot for the monitor unless you have it near a sunlit window.

The bezel is flush and relatively narrow, with the white plastic backing just visible in front. A silver trim strip on the bottom is faceted to create a chiseled look. If you turn on the Ambiglow lights underneath, they cast a soft glow on the desktop. More lights are in the back, where a multitude of effects and colors are possible. I like to use Ambiglow as a bias light by shining a white light on the wall behind the monitor. The glow around the screen increases the perception of sharpness and contrast. There is science behind this, and it truly does work. I use bias lights with a projection screen and the OLED TV in my living room.

The stand is very solid and made from cast aluminum. The base is also metal with a plastic covering. The package is well built except for the panel’s attachment point, which is a bit narrow for the weight it carries. That allows for some wobble when making adjustments. You get a 150mm (5.9 inches) height range plus 20 degrees swivel and 5/20 degrees tilt.

Philips hasn’t skimped on the 34M2C8600’s sound quality. A pair of five-watt speakers are integrated along with DTS sound modes. They alter phase and frequency response to create different effects. You can also adjust a five-band eq if you like. In practice, they sounded much larger than the confines of the screen, which almost suggest a surround feel. There isn’t a ton of bass, but they play loud without audible distortion.

Underneath, you’ll find two HDMI 2.0 inputs and one DisplayPort 1.4. A USB-C port supports peripherals, charging and provides an additional DisplayPort 1.4. One upstream and four downstream USB 3.2 ports enhance a KVM feature where you can bind USB and video ports together. That lets you control multiple sources with a single keyboard and mouse. It’s all programmable in the OSD. Finally, if you’d rather plug in headphones, there’s a 3.5mm jack.

OSD Features

The 34M2C8600’s OSD is summoned by clicking a tiny joystick, the only control, on the back right corner. The menu is graphically styled for gaming with seven sub-menus and status info across the bottom.

The 34M2C8600 has 10 picture modes suited to different game types, but the best choice is the default, Standard. It comes close to the mark for grayscale, gamma and color. You can dial down the gamut by turning on the sRGB option. It’s reasonably accurate if you want the correct color values for SDR content. There are five gamma presets and eight color temp presets. Unusually, there are no RGB sliders for fine tweaking. But the Native, Preset and 6500K options are close to D65.

Gaming options include an Adaptive-Sync toggle, DarkBoost for shadow detail, a zoom window for sniping, and a cool adaptive crosshair feature. You can have a colored crosshair if you want, or turn on Smart Crosshair and watch it change color to keep it in contrast with the background. It is always visible, no matter what’s happening in the game. Dynamic DarkBoost will vary low-end gamma to help shadow detail remain visible. Since the 34M2C8600 has such deep black levels, some users may want to turn this on to avoid being surprised by enemies in dark places. Sharp Shooter creates a window in the center of the screen with extra magnification, like a sniper scope.

Ambiglow has enough options to keep one busy for hours. You can run the lights in every spectrum color and turn on different effects. Or run the show in concert with your on-screen content. It creates an extension of the image that is great for impressing your friends. You can also turn on a fixed white light at a low intensity to act as a bias light. This will improve the perception of sharpness and contrast if you have a neutral-colored wall about two or three feet behind the 34M2C8600.

The DTS-tuned audio plays from two five-watt internal speakers that are better than those typically integrated into gaming monitors. The sound modes vary phase and frequency response to create sound stages of varying size. For example, Shooting & Action creates a believable surround effect. If you’d rather tweak it yourself, a five-band eq is provided.

The USB ports can be bound to video inputs using the 34M2C8600’s KVM feature. That lets the monitor operate as a hub for a single set of peripherals.

OLED Panel Care has several options to keep burn-in at bay. All OLEDs are susceptible to it though not as acutely as the plasma TVs of old. The orbiter is invisible in operation and shifts the image minutely to prevent static pictures from using the same pixels for too long. Screen Saver dims the picture after a few minutes of inactivity. Pixel Refresh can be run in the 34M2C8600’s standby mode every few hours to condition the panel further. I use similar features with a two-and-a-half-year-old LG OLED TV and it shows no image retention artifacts.

Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 Calibration Settings

Like the 34M2C7600 VA monitor, the 34M2C8600 cannot be calibrated in the traditional manner. There are no RGB sliders, only fixed color temps and gamma presets. Fortunately, the monitor is accurate enough not to require fine adjustment. Three of the color temp options, 6500K, Preset and Native, all match the D65 standard. And the 2.2 gamma preset is indeed 2.2 with only slight variation. The native color gamut is large, over 105% of DCI-P3, and remains in play for both SDR and HDR content unless you use the sRGB option. It reduces saturation appropriately and is useful for photo editing or any other application that requires sRGB or Rec.709.

HDR signals unlock four additional picture modes. The default is HDR Game, but I found better quality using True Black. It also delivers the highest output and the most accurate color & luminance tracking. It is not adjustable but proved accurate in testing. My recommended settings are below.

Gaming and Hands-on

There are some monitors that just spoil you, 360 Hz for sure; even many 240 Hz screens make it hard to go back below 200 fps. But an OLED, even running at just 175 Hz, is a serious spoiler.

Of course, the benefits of infinite contrast to image quality cannot be overstated. Yes, Mini LED comes close. But OLED is the best, and the 34M2C8600 is a shining example. SDR games like Tomb Raider could almost pass for HDR. In fact, it looks better played here than HDR games played on an LCD with an edge backlight. I went back and forth with the sRGB option to give it due diligence. The extra color, though not strictly accurate, is a good thing for gaming. The 34M2C8600 doesn’t overblow its hues when using the full gamut for SDR content. And this remained true when watching a video. sRGB is there if you need it for photo editing or color grading tasks.

HDR is where the real fun begins. I spent hours playing Doom Eternal because the 34M2C8600 does everything well. It looks stunning, enough so that you’d swear it’s Ultra HD. The pixel density is 110ppi, the same as a 27-inch 16:9 QHD screen. Ultra HD is in the 130s for most desktop monitors, so yes, it is potentially sharper. But the 34M2C8600’s OLED contrast more than makes up for it.

Gaming feel is off-the-charts fun as well. 175 Hz won’t deliver this level of smoothness from any LCD panel. But OLED keeps the fastest motion tack-sharp at 175 fps. You won’t need a GeForce RTX 4090 here, as you would with an Ultra HD monitor. There’s no overdrive in play, so ghosting is absent. And you won’t have to give up Adaptive-Sync to turn on a backlight strobe either. The 34M2C8600 does its thing perfectly with no enhancements required.

I used Ambiglow as a bias light and tried the follow video/audio feature. Bias lighting is something I use in other viewing scenarios, so it is a familiar effect. The follow option varies the light and color according to what’s happening on the screen. I’ve used it with other Philips displays, and it seems to work better in the 16:9 aspect ratio. The ultra-wide format fills more of my peripheral vision, so I didn’t notice the LEDs as much unless I turned off all the room lights. It’s fun to play around with and you won’t find it on any other brand.

Productivity is entirely natural with the 34M2C8600. The panel curve is benign in that it neither enhances nor detracts from document editing. There is no image distortion in text-based apps like Word or Excel. Photos and videos look the same as they do on a flat screen. Except, of course, there’s that OLED contrast. It makes text pop and dials up the sharpness to where, again, you’d swear it’s 4K.

If you’re concerned about image retention, Philips has provided a complete kit of panel maintenance options in the OSD. I can’t speak to the 34M2C8600 long-term prospects as it would likely take many months of abuse to cause a problem. My LG OLED TV is about two-and-a-half years old and used for several hours daily. It has no burn-in of any kind.

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To compare the 34M2C8600’s performance, I’ve lined up an almost-all-OLED group that consists of Corsair’s Xeneon Flex, Asus’ PG27AQDM, Alienware’s AW3423DW and AW3423DWF, and as a control, the Philips 34M2C7600 which is a VA Mini LED with similar specs.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

Higher refresh rates mean higher frame rates and smoother motion. But when comparing OLEDs, there is little difference between 175 Hz and 240 Hz. Two LCDs running at those speeds are more obviously different. This is because OLED processes motion better and keeps objects sharp at lower speeds. I have observed this to be true of all the OLEDs I’ve tested.

If input lag is your most important metric, the PG27AQDM is the current king, but the 34M2C8600 isn’t far behind at 27ms total. This difference might be too much for professional gamers, but most players won’t be disappointed at the Philips’ feel or performance. It is very responsive and smooth in all types of gameplay. However, you’ll notice the other Philips is a bit lower in the ranking thanks to its 165 Hz refresh rate. And it is much less smooth than all the OLEDs.

Viewing Angles

Aside from “it’s awesome'' there isn’t much else one can say about the 34M2C8600’s off-axis image quality. This is one of OLED’s major advantages over LCD. The degree of light polarization is far lower, meaning you won’t see any reduction in brightness and just a minimal color shift. You can see a bit of red in both angle shots, horizontal and vertical. But this will be hard to spot in actual content. The 34M2C8600 is very shareable by two users.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Screen uniformity doesn’t get much better than 2.10% deviation. The 34M2C8600 produced one of the lowest values I’ve ever recorded. None of the OLEDs here have any visible glow, bleed or variation, so as a technology, it is more consistent in this test than LCDs. In practice, any number below 10% is visually perfect.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The one place where OLED lags behind LCD is in peak brightness. Some LCD monitors can render over 1,000 nits in a full-field white pattern, where OLEDs can show around 300-400 nits. But they get brighter when the white zone takes up less of the screen.

The 34M2C8600 peaks at 226 nits in SDR mode which is bright enough for any indoor environment. That’s a full-field white number. A 25% window pattern measures just over 400 nits. There’s enough light here for any application. With an unmeasurable black level, contrast is theoretically infinite. As impressive as the 34M2C7600 is, with almost 4,000:1, it can’t compare to any OLED.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Since there are no RGB sliders, calibration of the 34M2C8600 is just setting brightness to 200 nits. I used a full-field pattern to create a fairly bright image. Some users may want to tone this down if their room is darker than mine. The 34M2C7600 maintains strong performance when compared to other LCD panels.

ANSI contrast cannot be determined for any OLED as the black squares are unmeasurable. The 34M2C7600 is a good performer but the OLEDs are on another level. This is a difference that can be seen in content during side-by-side comparisons.

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The 34M2C8600 ships in its Standard picture mode and it is close enough to spec that one can simply set brightness to taste. No RGB sliders are available, but three of the color temp presets render D65.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

By default, the color temp is set to 6500K with gamma at 2.2. Tiny errors at 60, 90 and 100% are nearly invisible in both test patterns and content. Gamma is slightly light at the 20% step and a bit dark at 90%, also a minor error. This is excellent out-of-box performance.

I’ve included the grayscale and gamma run as a post-calibration result, but the only adjustment is a reduction in the brightness slider. That tightens up gamma a bit, but no other changes have occurred.

Turning on the sRGB option shrinks the gamut and leaves gamma and grayscale the same. And that is how it should be.

Comparisons

The other monitors, save the 34M2C7600, can be calibrated to a high standard. Visual differences here are tiny but nit-pickers may take issue with the 34M2C8600’s lack of RGB controls. However, in my experience, it didn’t lessen the gaming experience. Gamma, at any rate, is tight with a small 0.13 range of values and a minor 1.36% variation from the 2.2 reference value.

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.

Aside from a bit of red over-saturation, the 34M2C8600 renders all, and then some, of DCI-P3. Most importantly, it hits all the green points, which most wide-gamut monitors cannot do. The errors are tiny and not visually significant. You’ll see a bit of bonus red in some content but not enough to cause a complaint. You can see that changing the brightness value does not alter the gamut test result.

The sRGB gamut rendering is interesting. Red is quite over-saturated, but blue is under. This is unusual in my experience. The overall error level is low, but in content, you’ll see the extra red and blue will look a little pale. The 34M2C8600’s version of sRGB is superior to that of the 34M2C7600, but neither monitor is really qualified for color-critical work in the sRGB color space. If DCI-P3 is on the menu, you’re fine.

Comparisons

The 34M2C8600’s 1.58dE color error is hard to beat by any monitor except an OLED. The screens I’ve tested so far are all more color-accurate than typical LCDs. At 2.66dE, the 34M2C7600 isn’t far behind though. I’m splitting hairs here.

One of the main promises of quantum dot OLEDs is greater color saturation. You can see that in play from both the 34M2C8600 and the Alienware screens which also have QD layers. But the Philips wins the day by a nose. It is extremely colorful, and that’s something that clearly translates to gaming and productivity. The image is stunning in every respect. Note that even the least colorful screen isn’t far below 100% coverage. That’s well above the norm, which is closer to 90%.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

If HDR brightness is important to you, a Mini LED screen is the better choice. Some of them can exceed 1,400 nits. But dynamic range is the most important thing to me and anyone else seeking maximum image depth. That’s where OLED is unchallenged.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

The 34M2C8600 meets its DisplayHDR 400 certification when measuring a 25% window pattern. Philips specs it at 1,000 nits with a 3% window, but I could not verify this with my equipment. I have no complaints whatsoever. And like any OLED, black levels can’t be measured so the contrast is infinite. I observed the same behavior from the Mini LED 34M2C7600.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

I measured the 34M2C8600’s four HDR modes and settled on True Black as the best. The default setting, HDR Game, is just OK. It rises out of black too quickly, where True Black sticks closer to the reference. This provides a much more dramatic effect. HDR looks amazing here with flawless grayscale and near-perfect luminance tracking. It doesn’t get better than this.

HDR color is over-saturated in the red and green primaries, but the other colors follow their targets closely. The 34M2C8600 tracks better than many of the HDR monitors I’ve tested. This translates to sharp detail, natural hues and content that just looks right. Similar behavior can be seen in the Rec.2020 test, where the red primary almost hits 100%. There is a ton of color here and it shows in everything, games, video, still photos, even the Windows desktop. 

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Philips has come out of the gate swinging with its new Evnia monitors. I was impressed with the Mini LED 34M2C7600, but the 34M2C8600’s QD-OLED panel is simply on another level from any LCD gaming monitor I’ve reviewed. OLED's look and feel will dominate the desktop monitor market as prices move downwards. If you can invest in bleeding-edge display technology, OLED is it.

The 34M2C8600 delivers infinite contrast and a huge color gamut, one that covers more than 108% of DCI-P3, thanks to its Quantum Dot layer. That puts it among the most colorful monitors currently available. Like all OLEDs, its pixels can be turned off to create true blacks. Mini LED has up to 1,196 dimming zones, but a WQHD OLED panel has 4,953,600. So which do you think will look better? And with 1,000-nit highlights in HDR mode, there’s plenty of brightness to spare.

The gaming feel of OLED panels has spoiled me. After playing on many 240 and 360 Hz monitors and even a 500 Hz screen, I have observed that an OLED running at 165 or 175 Hz delivers a similar level of smoothness. The high refresh panels have lower input lag as their only true advantage.

It should be noted that the 34M2C7600 costs the same as the 34M2C8600 at this writing. With identical features and styling, the difference is simply OLED versus VA/Mini LED. Both monitors look amazing, but I’ll choose the OLED every time. Of course, if you need searing brightness, the Mini LED wins. But for the ultimate gaming experience, OLED is king. Those wanting to add a superlative monitor to their gaming system should check out the Philips Evnia 34M2C8600.

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Today at Newegg, users can take home the 27-inch MSI G27CQ4 E2 gaming monitor for one of its best prices yet. This display usually goes for around $250 but today it’s marked down to $230. Using promo code SSCSAA27 at checkout will take the price down to $220. This code is limited and we’re not sure for how long the discount will be made available.

This monitor spans 27 inches across and has a curvature graded at 1500R. It has a WQHD resolution which measures up to 2560 x 1440. It features a VA panel which isn’t quite as enticing as an IPS but given the dense resolution and curved design, it’s a fair tradeoff at this price.

The MSI G27CQ4 E2 is capable of reaching a maximum refresh rate of 170 Hz. It has a console mode that can run at 120Hz with an FHD resolution. The G27CQ4 E2 is illuminated with a brightness that caps out at 250 Nits. The response time is fairly short, measuring at 1ms MPRT.

Users have a couple of video input options to choose from which is handy if you plan to use it with multiple devices. There are two HDMI inputs as well as a Display Port input. It also has a 3.5mm audio jack for external audio peripherals.

To get a closer look at this deal, visit the MSI 27-inch G27CQ4 E2 product page at Newegg for more details and purchase options. It’s not clear how long the $230 price will be made available. Be sure to use promo code SSCSAA27 at checkout to redeem the full offer and take the price down to $220.

Enthusiasts that want a super-wide display to enjoy an immersive gaming experience have a new option: LG’s new 49-inch UltraGear 49GR85DC. The company announced today that the 49GR85DC is now shipping in the United States and will arrive in Europe later this month. Asian customers will have to wait until “later this year” to get their eyes on this ginormous monitor.

With an aspect ratio of 32:9, the 49GR85DC is the equivalent of two 16:9 2560 x 1440 displays placed side by side, giving an effective resolution of 5120 x 1440 (DQHD). In addition, the monitor features a tight 1000R curvature and a VA panel. As you might expect, using a VA panel means that the contrast ratio far exceeds that of traditional IPS panels, coming in at 3,000:1. The 49GR85DC is also no slouch in brightness either, delivering typical brightness of 450 nits. However, you can crank that to 1,000 nits in HDR (the monitor is DisplayHDR 1000 certified).

The 49GR85DC boasts a maximum refresh rate of 240 Hz, with a response time of 1 ms. Of course, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync compliance are included here. Given that this is a gaming monitor, you won’t be surprised to learn that there are RGB elements on either side of the I/O pod that sticks out from the back. Speaking of I/O, there are two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, and two USB 3.0 Type-A ports. Interestingly, LG didn’t opt to include USB-C connectivity or a KVM switch with this DQHD monitor. However, you will find Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture support and a 3.5mm headphone jack for support for DTS:S headsets. 

The 49GR85DC will likely most frequently be compared to the Samsung Odyssey G9. The two monitors are a close match regarding specs (resolution, refresh rate, 1000R curve, 1000 nits max brightness), but the LG has the advantage in pricing. The Odyssey G9 is priced at $1,499, while the 49GR85DC undercuts it by $200 with an MSRP of $1,299 or $1,297.27 at Amazon. With that said, Amazon splits the difference between the two and offers the Odyssey G9 for $1,399.

If OLED technology is more up to your speed, LG also offers the 45-inch UltraGear 45GR95QE, although you’ll have to settle for WQHD (3440 x 1440 resolution).

Philips has launched an innovative new monitor product combining IPS and E-Paper display panels. The new Philips 24B1D5600 features a 23.8-inch IPS panel with 2560 x 1440 pixels, plus a 13.3-inch 1200 x 1600 pixels E-Paper display. Its dual displays are connected with a hinge for viewing angle adjustment and centered on the supplied pedestal stand, with a good selection of I/O.

E-Paper (or E-Ink) displays have some great USPs for certain types of work and content creation. However, for those not wanting to jump into the E-Ink universe with both feet and are on the hunt for a neatly integrated solution, Philips has devised the 24B1D5600 monitor.

Philips says the monitor is for workers who commonly read a lot of content from their screens. It suggests that the E-Paper display with its lack of harsh backlighting, anti-glare, no flickering, and no blue light will help avoid eye strain. Commonly, users might "view vivid colors on the big screen and read long documents on the E-Paper screen," reckons Philips. In summary, Philips says the dual display will be a boon to productivity, ergonomics, and, thanks to the low power usage of E-Paper, sustainability. 

To use the Philips 24B1D5600 monitor, you will need to plug in both displays independently. The larger color display uses a DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, USB-C x 1 (DP Alt mode, Power delivery), while the e-Paper screen has just a USB-C x 1 (DP Alt mode, Power delivery). As well as the physical 45-degree hinge connecting the monitors, you can use Philips SmartRemote software to control the E-Paper display with "an easy to use on-screen menu" with zooming, searching, and page switching controls.

The product sounds very interesting as one of the first of these types of hybrid offerings. However, when we look at the specs, we feel Philips could have made a more convincing effort. With its claims about ergonomics and productivity, we can't help but feel the 23.4-inch color IPS section of this product is a bit small. Many consider 27 inches to be the 1440p sweet spot. Moreover, the IPS panel Philips has chosen has a puny 250 nits of maximum brightness. Its best refresh / response times of 75 Hz / 4ms G2G are adequate for office productivity.

The Philips 24B1D5600 monitor also has hub functionality and a useful stand. Its hub provides USB 3.2 Gen 2 / 10 Gbps, USB-C upstream x 1, USB-A downstream x 4 (with one fast charge B.C 1.2), RJ45: Ethernet LAN up to 1G, Wake on LAN, and Audio out. Meanwhile, the stand can be adjusted for height (100mm), swivel (45 degrees), and Tilt (-5 to 23 degrees).

A quick search suggests that the Philips 24B1D5600 has already been available in Asia for some weeks, priced at a little over the equivalent of $600. We don't have specific US pricing or availability at the time of writing. However, it is more of a curiosity than something that is going to have mainstream appeal, so we advise readers to check our Best Computer Monitors 2023 feature for monitor options.

1440p is also called QHD (quad high definition) or WQHD (wide quad high definition) and is a display resolution that measures 2560 x 1440 pixels. This resolution is also commonly referred to as 2K.

Resolution explains how many pixels a display has in width x height format. The more pixels a display has, the sharper its image quality should be. QHD resolution gets its name for offering four times the definition of standard HD, aka 720p (1280 x 720 resolution).

QHD screens are noticeably sharper than Full HD (FHD), aka 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080) models, which are much more common and cheaper. This higher resolution also makes going to screens larger than 27 inches without seeing individual pixels more feasible when shopping for a PC monitor. However, a QHD screen will eat up more battery with laptops than an FHD display. 

What About WQHD?

You may also see QHD resolution referred to as UWQHD, which stands for wide quad high definition. These two acronyms represent the same resolution; WQHD is a marketing technique to emphasize the wide-screen format of the resolution.

However, vendors will also label ultra-wide monitors as UWQHD even though they don't have 2560 horizontal pixels. This is because they still have 1440 vertical pixels but have more horizontal pixels for a wider aspect ratio than 2560 x 1440's 16:9 aspect ratio. An example would be the 3440 x 1440 resolution in the Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240.

Common Display Resolutions