[PCM2]

As there are quite a few threads covering these 240Hz+ 1440p gaming models, I thought it might be useful to list some of them here for easy reference. There’s a huge amount of information to absorb in these threads, but there are a lot of useful thoughts there on specific models and comparisons:

https://forum.pcmonitors.info/topic/gigabyte-aorus-fi27q-x-vs-dell-alienware-aw2721d/
https://forum.pcmonitors.info/topic/dell-aw2721d-user-experience/
https://forum.pcmonitors.info/topic/asus-xg27aqm-impressions/
https://forum.pcmonitors.info/topic/asus-pg279qm-impressions/
https://forum.pcmonitors.info/topic/is-the-samsung-odyssey-g7-c27g75t-the-best-27-va-option/

[OneSavi]

Hello all. I’m looking for a 1440p 240Hz monitor. I am wearing the M27Q-X. It is available in my country for around $ 625, while other 1400p 240hz monitors cost $ 875. I also have an Acer Nitro XV272UXbmiipru at the same price as the M27Q-X. Will the M27Q-X be as much or is it worth paying an extra $ 250 for more expensive models such as AlienWare, Asus, etc.

[PCM2]

Hi OneSavi,

I’ve merged your thread with this one as it’s a suitable place. I’d recommend reading through it and also the focused comparisons in other threads linked to in my previous post. The AW2721D is my key recommendation as it offers a decent level of HDR support which is comfortably above the other offerings and is a well-rounded product in many respects. I’d particularly recommend taking a look at this thread, which not only covers the Dell extensively but also includes some points of comparison with the Acer XV272U X (preferred shorthand designation for the Acer model you mentioned).

I haven’t received specific feedback on the Gigabyte M27Q-X, but it most likely uses the same panel as the Gigabyte AORUS FI27Q-X. It has more basic build quality and slightly different ports and associated features, but our review of the AORUS alternative should give a good idea of what to expect from it. I’d also recommend reading through this thread, because it specifically compares the Gigabyte with the Dell Alienware alternative. Whether it’s actually worth spending the extra for the Alienware is really for you to decide, you might be very happy with the M27Q-X.

[OneSavi]

Thank you very much for your answer. I think I will go for this M27Q-X because it is definitely cheaper(250$) than others monitors in my country.

[PCM2]

Understandable. Please feel free to share some impressions here when you’ve had a go with it.

[PCM2]

If you’re still following this thread, do you have any feedback to provide on the M27Q X OneSavi?

I’m not sure which panel this one uses, but my assumption it might be based on the same panel as the FI27Q-X (Sharp LQ270T1JG04) appears to be incorrect. This user has posted an image from the M27Q-X which shows a regular RGB rather than BGR layout. They posted to confirm this on Reddit and left further impressions here which seem positive with respect to colour vibrancy, gaming performance on Apex Legends and text clarity as a software developer.

[PCM2]

I’ve come across a pretty thorough Russian review from 3D News of the M27Q X. Hardware Unboxed (HUB) has also released a review which echoes these findings, some points added in italics. Seems to be a solid option overall and hard to grumble based on the retail price in most regions. Some key points:

– Based on images, appears to use a light to very light matte screen surface. Similar to FI27Q-X.

– RGB stripe subpixel layout (re)-confirmed, not BGR like the M27Q.

– ~1100:1 static contrast (slightly higher than FI27Q-X). HUB measured 1170:1 with their calibrated settings.

– Same peak brightness under SDR as HDR, 460 cd/m² which is pretty generous for SDR. Minimum brightness is 44 cd/m² which is fairly low. This is quite comparable to the FI27Q-X in both respects.

– Gamma on their unit a bit too high ‘out of the box’ – it has additional gamma settings they didn’t appear to test, however. HUB’s unit had pretty good gamma tracking with the default setting, averaging ~2.2 with just a few kinks but nothing of huge concern for general-purpose usage.

– KSF phosphor backlight used with 450nm blue peak (i.e. not adjusted to be ‘less energetic’ than normal). 92.4% DCI-P3 coverage measured (close to specified 92%) alongside 95.6% Adobe RGB. That’s a bit lower than the 94% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RGB we measured on the FI27Q-X. This can vary a bit between units and depending on measuring equipment (HUB measured 93.6% DCI-P3 and 96.8% Adobe RGB) on the M27Q-X. That’s certainly decent Adobe RGB coverage which gives good potential for work within that colour space and provides good vibrancy potential to greens and cyans.

– Pixel responsiveness is comparable to the FI27Q-X based on 240Hz pursuit photos, if not a touch faster for the medium background of Test UFO using the ‘Picture Quality’ setting on M27Q-X and ‘Balance’ setting on FI27Q-X. Using the ‘Balance’ setting on the M27Q-X might be preferred if you don’t mind some overshoot, but only really at 240Hz or a bit below as otherwise overshoot is likely to become overbearing. At 240Hz the overshoot with this ‘Balance’ setting is perhaps less ‘in your face’ than some of the overshoot you’d get using the ‘Speed’ setting on the FI27Q-X, whilst conventional trailing is largely similar elsewhere. The ‘Speed’ setting on the M27Q X is useless due to overshoot.

– As with competing models without G-SYNC modules, it doesn’t deliver a single overdrive mode experience under VRR. The ‘Off’ setting is broadly considered optimal for double digit refresh rates due to overshoot levels there using ‘Picture Quality’. The FI27Q-X’s slowest setting is ‘Picture Quality’ – so they’ve changed the naming really, but that behaves similarly to ‘Off’ on the M27Q X and is your reserve setting for double digit framerates and low overshoot.

– HUB confirmed low input lag, with only a 0.4ms signal delay (main element of input lag you feel).

I’ve also now received confirmation on Twitter that this model uses the Sharp LQ270T1JG29. This panel isn’t used in any other monitor as far as I’m aware, so just like the other Gigabyte models mentioned here the M27Q X is entirely unique. 🙂

[PCM2]

This post adds some thoughts on the MSI MAG274QRX and its comparison with the Gigabyte M27Q X, with both models based on the same panel.

[Anonymous]

I have been looking for a new monitor for the past couple of weeks, 5 full days of research so far and am slowly losing the will to live. I came across this fantastic site tonight and having read several review hope someone can help. A big part of my problem is I don’t really know what I need, the other is that every time I find a monitor that looks fine I find a review that kills it.

I need something for astrophotography processing and gaming. The former often includes an image of black space with say a galaxy in the centre so I worry about bleeding and glow (though my current monitor is IPS).

Gaming is IL2 (flight sim), and perhaps Counter Strike FPS.

Current Monitor – Eizo CS240 24” 1920×1200 10bit 60hz (I use vsync for gaming)

I am looking for a suitable 27” 1440p monitor.

For gaming I have an RTX3060 GPU so am not sure what FPS I can expect with 1440 but anticipate it will fluctuate between 60hz-140hz. Gsync or Freesync needed. I’m not sure I fully understand how VRR works but am assuming it operates at all refresh rates from max down to something below 60hz and just stops tearing when FPS isn’t a multiple of native rates.

For astrophotography I need:
• Full sRGB – this is important
• Good colour accuracy (I have a Spyder X Pro though have no experience of using it outside the dedicated Eizo app – but will learn so it must be possible to calibrate the monitor).
• Good consistency and Blacks, minimal bleeding or glow

I don’t really understand whether I need full 10 bit colour or whether 8bit + FRC is ok. Also, I am only concerned about this for the photos so if it works at 60hz I am happy (I think). Am I right that with 8bit +FRC, the images I save will still be full 10 bit and its just what I see on the monitor that is dithered?

I don’t understand whether I need HDR – I keep seeing that SDR is 8 bit and HDR is 10 bit, but is this just for gaming or would it also be used for photo editing?

These are the top monitors in my list in descending priority:
• Acer Predator XB273U GX – This appears to suit my needs best however I am having trouble finding one for sale so perhaps discontinued. Also I think overclock is locked to normal when VRR is used which is gives poor overshoot at 60hz – so given my FPS may not be much above this perhaps this is a show stopper?
• Acer Nitro XV272U Kvbmiiprzx – Looks like a good contender (?)
• Asus ROG SWIFT PG279QM – expensive, maybe not much different to M27Q X?
• Gigabyte M27Q X – Looks like a good contender (?)
• Alienware AW2721D – There seem to be a lot of poor reviews regarding black consistency and bleeding.
• MAG274QRF-QD – Looks good to me, only ranked lower after seeing other reviews that said some of the above, particularly M27Q X and PG279QM were better.

Some others that I haven’t really looked at in detail but which look interesting:
• AOC Agon Pro AG274Q – there seem to be several variants – all expensive.
• Aorus FI27q-X
• BenQ EX2780Q
• XG272G-2K

So, sorry for this dump of information, I am really struggling. I would be very grateful if anyone can help with me understanding what I do and don’t need, and comment on my list or suggest others for me to research. Is it worth waiting to see what comes out this quarter before Xmas?

I don’t want to pay more than I need but I guess if it made a big difference to quality I could go up to most expensive in my list. However, from what I can gather, the quality seems to be limited by the IPS technology and in terms of colour, consistency, bleeding etc there doesn’t seem to be much difference between £400 and £1000 – perhaps I’m wrong (?). Gaming wise I think anything will be better than the eizo 🙂

[PCM2]

You need to remember that no monitor is perfect and there are no guarantees when it comes to aspects such as backlight bleed. Which can in itself affect the intensity of ‘IPS glow’, too. Some models are more prone to this sort of thing than others, but no model you’re considering is immune to it and it varies between units. The Dell Alienware AW2721D is particularly popular and people are more likely to post negative vs. positive feedback. So you will naturally see a large volume of negative feedback for that one. Don’t take that as meaning it’s likely to be worse than the other options in that respect. I’ve received a lot of direct feedback on this model and I don’t consider it significantly below par in areas such as backlight bleed and dark uniformity in general. The ‘IPS glow’ is a bit more intense than some models in general.

Monitors are also very subjective and very few reviewers are as rigorous as we are when it comes to assessing areas that measurement devices such as colorimeters can’t assist with. Screen surface is very poorly covered but makes a significant difference, for example. The ASUS PG279QM has a rather grainy screen surface, for example, and it’s vastly different to the ‘very light matte’ surface of the AW2721D. Perceived gamma and colour shifts are also important and poorly covered, but all the models you’re considering offer respectable performance in that respect. So perhaps you’d be splitting hairs comparing them and it’s not really worth stressing about in this case. Given the subjectivity and multiple facets to consider, I don’t agree with trying to streamline things into some sort of scoring system. You end up with some apples to oranges and potentially misleading comparisons when you do that. One person’s score would be very different to another’s. I’d instead recommend trying to streamline your choices based on, for example, what we specifically recommend in threads such as this one and in the dedicated recommendations section(s). Those recommendations are based on extensive testing, research and absorbing a huge amount of user feedback.

I really think most of the models you’re considering will deliver a good experience in many respects and will feel like a worthy upgrade from your current monitor for astrophotography. If you get a ‘good unit’, even better of course! In terms of HDR, I don’t really feel any of the options you’re considering are worth buying for that specifically. They use edge-lit local dimming at best and whilst that can enhance the experience (good thread on AW2721D, for example) it doesn’t deliver anything close to a ‘true’ HDR experience. And it introduces inconsistencies which are not attractive for creative purposes – it’s generally only for video editing that HDR would be used creatively, for photo editing that would be rather niche. Some of the options you’re looking at are actually only more expensive than others because they offer a 240Hz+ refresh rate, too. Is that something you’ll actually benefit from? Given your uses I’m not sure it is – you’d need to be gaming at very high frame rates to really start to see and feel the benefits. And it’s only competitive gaming where the benefits would be truly appreciated rather than just a little bonus. You said “perhaps Counter Strike FPS”, so that didn’t sound like you’re a diehard competitive gamer to me – correct me if I’m wrong. The M27Q-X definitely stands out for its price to performance ratio. It’s just a solid all-round performer and priced extremely competitively given its 240Hz refresh rate.

If you compare to the MAG274QRF-QD to the M27Q-X, at casual glance the Gigabyte seem like a clearly superior option. But the MAG274QRF-QD has the wider gamut of the two, especially looking at the red to blue edge and DCI-P3 coverage. This can enhance vibrancy in-game, but you specifically wish to target sRGB for creative purposes and it’s much of a muchness once you’ve tamed the gamut or profiled the monitor. The screen surface is a bit less grainy on the Gigabyte. On the flipside, the MSI offers superior build quality – the stand base of the Gigabyte is particularly basic, as I mention in reviews of other models with a similar design such as the M27Q. The MSI also seems to offer superior QC – including a higher likelihood of decent backlight uniformity. This is actually one of the reasons (but not the only one) I might tell people to consider the MAG274QRX as an alternative, which is MSI’s version of the M27Q-X and uses the exact same panel. The two are compared in this thread. It certainly depends on the price difference, which changes all the time and is frankly hard to keep up with. The case could be made for ‘giving the Gigabyte a try’ if you’re happy to juggle with returns, but that’s something you have to be mentally prepared for with any model.

You’re not going to notice a difference between 8-bit + FRC or ‘true 10-bit’. Dithering is handled extremely well by modern monitors, especially for 8-bit with an additional dithering stage. The output is very similar indeed regardless of how that bit depth is achieved. Given all of this I still consider the MAG274QRF-QD a good choice for a mixture of gaming and content creation. Coming back to my earlier points, don’t let misleading scores suggest otherwise. It’s a monitor with a capable panel that’s put to good use and it will work well for your uses with appropriate tweaking and calibration. There’s plenty of positive user feedback on this model, some of which I’ve received directly, and that’s ultimately helped shape this recommendation. And again, I don’t really see the need for you to consider one of the higher refresh rate options. If you feel it would be nice to have anyway or want to dabble more in the competitive FPS side of things, the MAG274QRX (or M27Q X) could certainly be worth considering instead.

P.S. VRR and its principles are explained in this article. It’s one of those things you’ll probably appreciate more once you get some first-hand experience with it. You won’t get tearing at any refresh rate on a monitor under VRR that has a ceiling of operation (max refresh rate) that’s at least double the floor of operation (lowest refresh rate). Because LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) is used which will keep the refresh rate at an exact multiple of the refresh rate, correctly synchronised to avoid tearing.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for the comprehensive reply, it really was just what I needed. I came across the Mag27QRX after posting last night and have been researching it ever since and I will be buying this today.

It was a tough choice between this and the M27Q X but I like the single overdrive mode and, at least until I upgrade my GPU, I expect refresh rates to be on the low end and the Mag274QRX seems to handle this better.

The Mag274QRF would probably do the job but since I tend to keep monitors for many years the QRX offers some future proofing.

Again, many thanks for your help, I was ready to quit and put off getting a monitor until next year 🙂

[EsaT]

Only self emissive pixel tech like OLED can truly show black.
But OLED has struggled to become something other than vapourware on desktop for years and if you use normal room illumination, LCD’s lack of black isn’t really that visible.
That room illumination (+correct brightness setting) also helps to “IPS glow” of non A-TW polarizer IPS panels.

And anyway VA’s “Black crush” crushing dark shades toward black and actually making darkest shades completely black when viewed from straight angle isn’t really ideal for editing dark content.
Here’s how it behaves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhSLAirsnyw

A-TW polarizer IPS would have been the only LCD worth of development, but that’s been neglected.
Heck, even contrast of IPS could have been doubled with 2000:1 contrast panels announced.
Monitor advance crippling marketroids and penny pinchers would sure deserve some “R. Lee Ermey treatment”.

Though AU Optronics panel in MSI MAG274QRF-QD is at least capable to reaching 1300:1 level contrast, which is better than usual 1000:1.

BTW, If you haven’t done it, you might want to consider imaging open clusters NGC869 and NGC884.
That’s very nice pair of targets for visual observers.

[Temiah]

Hey there again, was the guy who asked about MAG274QRX. Unfortunately, in my region locally they are all sold out and have no shipments yet. Ive been waiting for them to be on sale again but been hearing about the Dell Alienware AW2723DF and was wondering whether I should get this monitor. How does it fair compared to the MAG274QRX?

Thanks!

[PCM2]

Hi Temiah,

I’ve moved your post over to this thread rather than the ~144Hz focused one as you’re clearly considering higher refresh rate options. I’d consider the Gigabyte M27Q X as a more ‘apple to apples’ alternative to the MAG274QRX. The more recent feedback I’ve received on the Gigabyte has been largely positive, so it’s possible the QC has improved a bit since I shared my earlier thoughts. Enough that it’s difficult not to recommend at its asking price (though that can depend on local markets, too). I believe it wasn’t available in Australia when you last posted so assume that is still the case?

The Dell Alienware AW2723DF uses a different panel, without the same generous Adobe RGB coverage. We discussed the impact of this earlier and that may not be an issue for you. You may well like the native representation on the AW2723DF and it has an sRGB emulation mode if you need it. It lacks USB-C, if that’s important to you. It offers better (but still limited) HDR support with VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification. Based on what reviewers and users have reported, the screen surface is what I’d classify as ‘very light matte’ so offers inferior glare handling compared to the Sharp panel (MSI and Gigabyte) but allows somewhat more direct emission of light from the monitor. It’s similar to the AW2721D in that sense. Based on RTINGS testing it seems to be technically a touch slower than those Sharp panel models but still fast – you may not notice this difference, to be honest. Last but not least it includes a shifted peak of blue light which could potentially improve viewing comfort (as per our news piece), though for most people the Sharp panel alternatives are also perfectly comfortable and there are many other factors at play with either model. All in all, if the other options aren’t available and you find the price of this one agreeable then it’s probably worth giving it a go.

[Temiah]

Hey there, thanks for the response and help!

Yes unfortunately, atm the Gigabyte M27Q X is unavailable here in Australia. We only have the Gigabyte M27Q-P.

Also in regards to the preference for refresh rate, I’m not too fussed by refresh rates and don’t mind lower refresh monitors as I mainly play single player RPG games with highest settings so I don’t really see myself ever going to 240hz tbh. The only reason all the monitors I’m eyeing on buying is that it just doesn’t seem any of the 120 – 165hz monitors have the things I’m looking for in a monitor. Things like a single overdrive mode, good colours without skin tones being saturated, decent enough calibration etc.

Thanks for the advice regarding the AW2723DF. Aside from the better HDR support, screen coating and viewing comfort, what would you say it does better then the MAG274QRX? I’m fine with the response times. How does it compare in terms of contrast and colour?

Overall, would you say the AW2723DF is better? Thanks!

[PCM2]

Both models provide a similar contrast experience (based on limited data on the Alienware) and also colour experience, outside of the things already mentioned – including the gamut differences, which certainly changes how things are represented natively. The Alienware doesn’t technically provide the same ‘single overdrive mode experience’ as the MSI, the optimal setting for the highest refresh rates (‘Extreme’) is not useable at lower refresh rates unless you enjoy quite strong overshoot. I’d say the experience it provides is “different to” rather than “better than” than the MSI.

[WildBeagle]

Despite the ridiculous graphics card prices, I finally upgraded the gaming hardware and invested in an RTX 4080.

To enjoy the performance, my old BenQ XL2420Z had to give way.

Based on my minimum requirements:
– flat, not curved
– fav: 27 inch, 1440p, 144Hz+
– open-minded: 32 inches, 2180p, 144Hz+
– Stay under approx. 600 euros in terms of price

In the narrower selection have thus landed the following monitors, which have already been discussed many times in the forum…:

• ASUS XG27AQ
• Gigabyte M28U
• Gigabyte M32U
• Gigabyte M27Q X (not available)
• Gigabyte AORUS FI27Q-X (not available)
• Dell Alienware AW2723DF

Ultimately, I decided on 27 inches, the frames, and the stable construction of the AW2723DF.
Let’s get to my problem. I’m pretty happy with the screen, but when I connect the monitor to my RTX 4080 via Display Port, 1440p and 240Hz, I have a black screen every 1-2 minutes and lines throughout. If I set the refresh rate in Windows to 144Hz and back to 240Hz (2-3 seconds is enough), everything is fine until the PC is restarted and the whole thing starts again.
It seems to be the same problem as reported by users in this forum (Dell Support Forum).

If I connect the display directly to the motherboard (MSI Z790 Tomahawk Wifi, Intel i9-13900K), I have no problems with the RTX 4080 (all driver versions tested), I do. I use Windows 11 Pro.

Is this a common problem with 1440p and 240Hz monitors? I assume this is a driver/software issue, and the monitor and my video card are fine otherwise. But then the question is whether it’s even worth looking for an alternative if there are similar problems. Do I hope the problem solves itself through an update, or do I part with the monitor?

If I’m looking for something new and breaking down my price barrier, then VA and OLED panels will be interesting. Here I would appreciate an assessment of whether something like the LG UltraGear 27GR95QE could be worthwhile in terms of price and performance or whether you should wait a little longer to see what happens in the next 1-2 years.

Thanks already for your insight.

Many greetings

[PCM2]

Hi WildBeagle and welcome,

No, it’s not normal to have screen blanking and screen artifacts of that nature just because the screen is 240Hz. It seems to be an AW2723DF-specific issue. If you’re happy to pay the premium and understand and accept the quirks (weird subpixels, limited brightness compared to LCDs, image retention risk on desktop etc.) then I feel an OLED model like the 27GR95QE could be very enjoyable. I’ve yet to use that model or one of the alternatives such as Acer X27U or ASUS PG27AQDM myself, but I use the AW3423DW as my own monitor most of the time and feel OLED in general can provide a very enjoyable experience.

A few issues people have highlighted with the 27″ OLEDs include the possibility subpixel issues are even more noticeable and annoying on the desktop than QD-OLED. I personally find QD-OLED fine in this respect – I notice fringing in places but don’t find it annoying. There have been quite a few comments suggesting the screen surface is potentially rather ‘aggressive’ and grainy – I’m sensitive to this, not everyone will care. The LG seems to have some potential issues with overshoot at lower refresh rates when using VRR, which is odd for an OLED – but apparently (again, haven’t seen it myself yet) it’s far from extreme overshoot, especially in the triple digits. It just shouldn’t technically be there at all. For some the SDR brightness (<200 nits) will be dimmer than they'd like, though it will still be adequate for most users. I’m also not convinced the HDR would be as spectacular as on the Alienware for a few reasons which I won’t dive into here, either way I feel it will still provide an overall enjoyable HDR experience far beyond the LCD alternatives you’re considering and there aren’t any 27″ QD-OLED alternatives anyway. There could be at some point, but nothing concrete at this stage.

The other route to consider might be a Mini LED option, but there are no 240Hz models currently available. It could be because the technology simply isn’t well-suited to such high refresh rates yet, but I am aware panel manufacturer AUO have high refresh rate (240Hz+) AmLED (Mini LED) in their longer term roadmap. There are no specific panels I’m aware of currently under development, though, and if you feel OLED is right for you I think it might be worth giving that a go.

[WildBeagle]

Thank you for the feedback. I spent a week with the AW2723DF and decided to stick with this model. The problem with black screens and horizontal lines persists when starting at 1440p 240Hz. Constantly manually changing the refresh rate to get around the issue is annoying. Still, I’ve discovered that you can also get around the whole problem by turning the screen on after booting to the desktop. This extra effort is acceptable to me.

Thanks also for the summary on OLEDs. The limited brightness would not be a problem as I like working in dark rooms. However, since I use the screen as my primary display and besides gaming and watching movies, it is also used for work (a lot of text and static images). That’s why the points with image retention and weird subpixels are a significant drawback. I would then expect some kind of perfection at the current price point.

The more practical way will probably be to invest in a larger OLED TV in the foreseeable future, mainly used for media consumption and low fps story-based games. In my opinion, OLEDs are almost perfect for this use case. When the time comes, I will gladly use the recommendations on this site again.

[PCM2]

I’m glad you’re happy with the AW2723DF and have grown to accept that screen blanking issue. Indeed it is a minor annoyance (in my view) – it wouldn’t be if it were something that happened randomly when using the monitor, of course. 🙂

[Author]

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