The side view is angular and slim. The M27Q X is a bit thinner than typical 27-inch flat panels. Compared to most I’ve reviewed, it’s about one inch shallower. Unfortunately, there are no USB ports on either side.

M27Q X Gaming Monitor (rev. 1.0) - GIGABYTE

Before in this category we recommended the Gigabyte M27Q, but the HP X27q is a better monitor for several reasons. First, it's cheaper, which at this level is a huge price saving – and it performs just as well in key areas like response time performance. Second, it uses a regular RGB subpixel layout, whereas the M27Q uses BGR. This affects text clarity, with the win here going to the HP's more traditional layout. And third, you still get the benefits of an IPS display like excellent viewing angles and solid color quality. If your frame rate is over 200FPS, you can use the Balance mode. At around 60FPS, the best mode is ‘Off.’ And if it’s between 60FPS and 200FPS, the Picture Quality provides the best overall performance. Taking a look at the display itself, the 27-inch “Super Speed” IPS panel technology promises a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, in addition to a VESA DisplayHDR 400 rating—both claims we’ll run tests against later. Fast IPS displays, known under various marketing names, claim to deliver response times four times faster than normal IPS displays, thanks to a thinner liquid-crystal layer and higher driving voltage. The screen supports AMD FreeSync Premium, and is rated for a 1ms gray-to-gray (GTG) response time. The combination of 1440p resolution and 240Hz refresh rate is certainly appealing to gamers who enjoy both crisp details and responsiveness – and have the proper hardware for it. The Gigabyte M27Q-X is one of the cheapest models available with these specs, so let’s see how it compares to pricier alternatives. Image QualityFor 27-inch buyers we're lumping three monitors together because they are basically the same: the Gigabyte M28U, Samsung Odyssey G7 LS28, and MSI Optix MAG281URF. All three use the same 28-inch 4K 144Hz IPS panel from Innolux, and effectively deliver the same response time performance. It's actually a rare case where different monitors use the same panel and perform the same, usually we see different optimizations depending on the manufacturer, but that's not the case here. The stand of the monitor is sturdy and offers height adjustment up to 130mm, tilt by -5°/20° and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility, but you cannot swivel or pivot the screen. There’s a light matte anti-glare coating that prevents reflections without making the image too grainy. We've grouped monitors in five categories: 1080p, 1440p, 4K, ultrawide and HDR, with a few key recommendations on each, depending on the level of refresh rate you are targeting, display size and budget. We are expecting the release of several other HDR gaming monitors throughout the second half of 2022, so if you're on the fence about going ultrawide or don't want the Alienware monitor, waiting may be your next best choice.

M27Q X - Review 2022 - PCMag Australia Gigabyte M27Q X - Review 2022 - PCMag Australia

The 2560×1440 resolution perfectly suits 27″ sized screens as you get a high pixel density of 108 PPI (pixels per inch), resulting in crisp details and text, plenty of screen real estate, no scaling necessary and it’s not nearly as demanding on the CPU and GPU as 4K UHD. The 4K IPS panel is great for productivity work, it has an average contrast ratio for an IPS, decent coverage of DCI-P3, and very crisp text quality. It hits a nice balance between gaming and productivity which gives it some versatility, although brightness could be better in its SDR mode. On the flip side, while the contrast was low, the color gamut results were pretty good, as Gigabyte M27Q X registered 100% of sRGB coverage, 96% of Adobe RGB, and 93% of DCI-P3. These are better results than some other QHD monitors we’ve looked at, like the Razer Raptor 27. These monitors deliver great IPS response time performance and you get a single overdrive mode experience, which means you don't need to tweak settings depending on the refresh rate you're using.

Testing the Gigabyte M27Q X: Refresh Rate Highs, Contrast Ratio Lows

As it’s the case with all IPS monitors, some IPS glow is present. It varies from unit to unit, but it’s manageable in all but the most extreme cases. This means that if you’re using variable refresh rate technology (VRR), AMD FreeSync or NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible, you’ll have to change the overdrive according to your frame rate as well. The first choice to make in the 4K market is sizes: 27-inch monitors tend to be more affordable and offer better performance. However, 32-inch monitors are arguably even better suited for this resolution. This will lead to over-saturation of content made with sRGB color space in mind, but most users will prefer the extra vibrancy even if it wasn’t the creator’s intent. The Alienware AW3423DW is clearly the best ultrawide you can get right now, it's priced well for the features it offers, and it is overall one of the best monitors you can get on the market right now.

M27Q X - Review 2022 - PCMag UK Gigabyte M27Q X - Review 2022 - PCMag UK

Size-wise, the monitor measures in at 21 by 24.2 by 7.6 inches (HWD), about the same size as most other 27-inch monitors we’ve reviewed, like the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD. It’s also only 11.6 pounds, much lighter than the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG or Sony Inzone M9. That’s with the stand, of course. If you choose to ditch the base and fasten your monitor to a VESA mount or arm, the panel alone is a mere 7.7 pounds. Gigabyte has proven a reliable gaming monitor manufacturer, delivering high-refresh-rate QHD monitors at accessible prices. The company delivers again with the Gigabyte M27Q X, a 1440p monitor that, like the Gigabyte Aorus FI32Q before it, comes equipped with just about everything you want and need from a gaming monitor. It may not be a 4K panel, but it more than makes up for its lower resolution in performance, bringing a whopping 240Hz refresh rate and a host of unusual features, including an onboard KVM and plenty of ports. It's a great performer, though low brightness levels and a so-so contrast ratio keep it short of top marks. Keep in mind that we test all of our monitors fresh out of the box at factory settings, so that doesn't mean there aren't ways to improve the brightness level. For example, switching over to the monitor's Movie mode made a significant difference, measuring 430 nits of brightness in SDR mode. Your viewing environment is also important to consider, as a lower brightness reading might benefit a user who is in a well-lit room, for example. HDR is usable in Windows with very little change in color and contrast from SDR. If you need to leave HDR on for video or gaming, it’s perfectly fine for productivity apps. Some monitors wash out the Windows desktop image in HDR, but the M27Q X does not. The M27Q X delivers on its wide gamut promise. Color is bold and vibrant in both SDR and HDR modes. The difference between the two isn’t much, so that’s a downside. If Gigabyte added a dynamic contrast feature for HDR mode, it would give that format more impact. Contrast is just average, which compared to other monitors in this price range is a negative. Though it is close to the 1,000:1 benchmark, newer IPS screens have demonstrated 1,200:1 and even a few are over 1,300:1 so the bar is being raised.We've been testing and reviewing gaming monitors and putting together recommendations for distinct categories including 1080p, 1440p and 4K gaming monitors for the past few years. In this guide, we're going to go through everything we've learned so far and all the latest models we tested to give you comprehensive advice on gaming monitor shopping. Unlike Gigabyte’s M27Q model with a 170Hz maximum refresh rate, the M27Q-X uses a regular RGB subpixel layout, so you won’t have any issues with text clarity. Thanks to its wide Adobe RGB color gamut coverage, decent factory calibration and wide viewing angles, the Gigabyte M27Q-X is suitable for professional color-critical work! Despite not having official G-SYNC Compatible certification by NVIDIA, VRR performance is buttery-smooth with tear-free gameplay up to 240FPS. Input lag is excellent as well at around 2ms of delay, which is imperceptible.

M27Q X Gaming Monitor (rev. 1.0) - GIGABYTE M27Q X Gaming Monitor (rev. 1.0) - GIGABYTE

The monitor also has a built-in KVM switch, allowing you to control two PCs connected to the screen via the same keyboard and mouse. Picture in Picture and Picture by Picture are supported as well. Price & Similar Monitors Depending on your refresh rate, you’ll have to change the overdrive mode for optimal performance. You can ignore the Speed and Smart OD modes as they’re not properly optimized. If you run multiple PCs, an included KVM feature has a USB-C input that can provide power, video and peripheral support. And with two HDMI 2.0 and a DisplayPort 1.4, you can run 10-bit color and HDR up to the full 240 Hz. The M27Q X is a full-featured display that looks to provide an ideal balance of resolution and speed. Assembly and Accessories Further, the monitor has a strong peak brightness of around 450-nits, exceeding the specified 350-nits. So, it will be able to get bright enough for well-lit rooms as its brightness can mitigate glare.

It supports 10-bit color depth via dithering (8-bit + FRC) for 1.07 billion colors and smooth gradients. Non-gaming viewing was great, with no glare detected no matter the viewing angle. And of course, the games looked great, too; I detected no noticeable ghosting when playing Halo Infinite or Guardians of the Galaxy. Moving on, the Gigabyte M27Q-X has a rapid 1ms GtG pixel response time speed for minimal ghosting in fast-paced games. To start with, the Gigabyte M27Q-X is based on an IPS monitor by Sharp (LQ270T1JG29) with a wide 97% Adobe RGB and 92% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage; that’s equivalent to around 140% sRGB gamut size. As a result, you get more saturated and vibrant colors, especially when it comes to greens and blues.