[elioncho]

Hi guys,

I recently bought an ASUS FullHD 1080p 144Hz 1ms 27″ (VG278Q) monitor. My first impression is that image quality is not that good, specially for work. I found out that 1080p for a 27″monitor is not good, it makes things looks grainier. I have a good pc (Geforce 1060 6GB GPU) so I want something that definitely works well and takes advantage of the GPU…BUT, I can’t imagine working on this computer. Is there a monitor out there that can offer the best of both worlds? Thank you,

Elias

[PCM2]

Hi Elias and welcome,

There are many monitors that would offer a superior performance for both productivity and gaming than the ASUS VG278Q. What is your budget and what are your size requirements (or an acceptable size range to you?) In the meantime, a good model to consider for this would be the Dell U2518D which is featured in the recommendations section.

[elioncho]

Thanks for the nice welcome. I’m looking into the 27″-32″ inch category (more towards 27). My budget is 300-600 dollars. I plan to sale my ASUS VG278Q after choosing a new monitor.

[PCM2]

Yes, I feel a 2560 x 1440 model would be appropriate given your preferred size range, budget and requirement for a good pixel density. The Dell UltraSharp models are good all-rounders. The newest model (not widely available yet) being the U2719D, followed by the U2717D and U2715H. The most noticeable change between these models is that the bezel has become more slender and so has the screen itself, certainly with the newest model. The base size is also smaller (narrower) so it takes up a bit less desk space. The 17D was also calibrated a fair bit better (generally) than the 15D and I would assume the 19D is similar if not better in that respect than the 15D.

For your uses I think you’d be fine with any of these models and they’d be massively superior to the VG278Q. The other model I’d keep in mind is the BenQ GW2765HT which is generally very affordable but not so widely stocked these days. The newer BenQ EW2770QZ is good as well, if you can tolerate the fixed (tilt-only) stand. You can replace that with a VESA 100 x 100mm alternative if you need to, but I know that’s not ideal and is an extra expense.

[elioncho]

Thanks for the info. It looks like 2560 x 1440 is the way to go for a 27 inch panel, but I plan to do gaming at FullHD (1080p) for better performance. So I have a couple of questions:

1) If my monitor’s native resolution is 2560 x 1440 and I downscale to 1080p for gaming, am I going to get a negative impact on image quality because I’m not running games in the monitor’s native resolution?

2) The monitors you mention have a max. refresh rate of 60hz and no G-Sync option. My graphics card will be able to render games higher than 60 frames per second. If I choose to go with one of this models, am I wasting my GPU power? Will I miss something noticeable at 60Hz and no G-sync option?

3) Which option best accommodates for work? Glossy or Matte? Does Matte invalidates the whole purpose of an IPS monitor?

Thanks,

[PCM2]

1) Yes. The monitor uses an interpolation process and this is rarely perfect, the image is always softer than running that resolution natively on a model of similar size. This varies between monitors, some are better than others. The Dell models tend to be quite decent for that, similar to the BenQ EW2770QZ. Refer to the relevant section of that review for an idea of what to expect.

2) On one hand you’re talking about needing to run some games at 1920 x 1080 for performance reasons. On the other you’re wondering if 60Hz will be enough at 2560 x 1440. That’s quite a range. I’ll tell you, a GeForce GTX 1060 will not make very good use of refresh rates much above 60Hz at that resolution. And you’d need to spend significantly more for a model with significantly higher refresh rate or G-SYNC support and would need to make other sacrifices. I don’t really think you’d make good use of such a monitor.

3) Personal preference, they both have clear pros and cons. Clearly matte does not ‘invalidate’ an IPS monitor because the vast majority are matte and it has no bearing on colour consistency which is their main strength. All of these models have light to very light matte anti-glare screen surfaces, anyway.

[elioncho]

Hi, thanks for your input!

Regarding answer #1: This is the only thing that bothers me because I plan games in HD because my GPU will hopefully provide a higher framerate in that resolution. Could it be that bothersome for me to notice? And that leads me to answer#2:

That’s quite a range. I’ll tell you, a GeForce GTX 1060 will not make very good use of refresh rates much above 60Hz at that resolution. And you’d need to spend significantly more for a model with significantly higher refresh rate or G-SYNC support and would need to make other sacrifices.

Can you further explain your comments. What do you mean by that’s quite a range? Why do you say the GTX will not make very good use of refresh rates above 60Hz? What are the other sacrifices apart from price that must be made if I choose G-Sync support?

[PCM2]

It depends on the games you play and setting you use, but it’s clear even you have reservations about how much performance you can squeeze out of the GTX 1060 at 2560 x 1440. Because, otherwise, why would you even be considering needing to run some games at 1920 x 1080? Look, this is a monitor website and we’re going way off topic into (shock, horror) GPU territory. There are plenty of benchmarks out there and you will need to consider performance on the games you play and setting you like to use. Assuming you are happy to make some sacrifices with settings, you could push the frame rates beyond 60fps. And then anything beyond can be considered a bonus – G-SYNC does of course help a lot, but the highest possible frame rates are always the goal. Not a goal you should ever consider doing something as dastedly as lowering resolution to achieve, though. Unless you’re really talking about competitive gaming and image quality be damned.

As for the interpolated image, I really can’t add any more than is already covered in the interpolation section I’ve pointed you towards, because it’s far too subjective and depends on your eyesight, viewing distance and simply how you see/interpret what is being shown on the screen.

[elioncho]

One more question. I see the Dell U2717D is available for order on Dell’s website, but it’s $599. This is very similar in price to the Acer XB270HU or XB271HU which offer better refresh rate. Does it still makes sense to buy the Dell based on overall image quality than the Acer ones?

[elioncho]

Thanks again. I have removed the 144-165Hz monitors from the equation. So it comes to:

– Dell U2719D or Dell U2717D (I don’t find the 19D on Amazon, so I guess I have to go with the 17D unless you have another website I can buy it from.
– BenQ – EW2770QZ
– Asus – MX27AQ 27.0
– Asus – PB278Q
– BenQ – GW2765HT

Which one you recommend the most?

[PCM2]

Honestly, if the lack of adjustability is not an issue for you then the BenQ EW2770QZ would be my pick. This was really my only major gripe with the monitor. I found it to be a very capable all-rounder and I prefer the screen surface to the other comparable options with slightly different panels as it’s ‘very light matte’ (not just ‘light matte’) anti-glare. Better for clarity and vibrancy potential. It’s difficult to grumble with the price, too, I wouldn’t pay more for something else at the moment, with your uses and preferences in mind.

As I’ve said in various threads, the quality control of the high refresh rate 27″ AHVA models is really bad. I’ve had them in and out of the recommendations section various times, thinking that has improved. But the return rate I see is always uncharacteristically high given the price. There are serious issues with ‘IPS glow’, far more common than average uniformity issues including backlight bleed and even for better models like the XB271HU considerable calibration variance. Some models have much lower than ideal average gamma, giving a washed out look to the image. And no way to correct in the OSD. It’s a very nice monitor if you get a good unit, although not as good overall as the EW2770QZ for image quality and at quite a premium really.

[elioncho]

I’m still concerned about screen tearing and all that stuff when I play modern games. All the things you read online certainly makes you more paranoid. I have two more questions to ask:

1) I read everywhere that GSYNC will aid your experience with high/low framerates and that makes me rethink if I should pay a premium for it or should Vsync be enough?

2) I don’t think I’ll have an issue with the lack of adjustability of the BenQ EW2770QZ (I haven’t moved my Asus screen once), but I am curious, if this was not an issue, what would you choose?

Thanks for all the help,

[PCM2]

Sensitivity to tearing and stuttering is a very individual thing. Some people find it unbearable, others don’t mind it at all. Some people are somewhere in between. You’ll have to assess this for yourself I’m afraid. Surely you can set your current monitor to 60Hz and adjust game setttings accordingly so that frame rate drops below that and assess this yourself?

If the lack of adjustability of the EW2770QZ turns out to be annoying, the GW2765HT is a fair bit but all of the Dell models mentioned would be good as well. It really depends on how much you’re wanting to spend and your personal taste. For example the glossy bezels of the GW2765HT might annoy some people. Or the somewhat higher input lag or slightly worse factory calibration vs. the Dell U2717D.

[elioncho]

Thanks again. Any monitor with Gsync with great image quality that you can recommend? I promess this is my final question 😉 Just want to have all the options in the table to make the decision.

[PCM2]

As I said above:

“you’d need to spend significantly more for a model with significantly higher refresh rate or G-SYNC support and would need to make other sacrifices. I don’t really think you’d make good use of such a monitor.”

If you’re happy to potentially juggle with returns due to sub-par quality control (even by modern monitor standards – and that’s saying something) then there are three main options and they are explored in this thread. Also be aware that a long-overdue new variant of the panels used in those monitors is due to be released shortly and will most likely be used in monitors next year.

[JohnB]

Hello,

As the topic says, I’m looking to buy a monitor ( budget around 300 USD ) that can help me at work ( I’m mostly on outlook and excel spreadsheets ) and help me with fast pace gaming such as CSGO or the new APEX. My thought on what I would want from the monitor would be : Refresh rate higher than 100hz, good color contrast, something that would not hurt my eyes since I am in front of it about 8-10 hours per day.
I was going to buy a Samsung Qldot gaming monitor, LC24FG73FQUXEN, or similar qdot samsung monitor, but I heard that text rendering is a problem for this unit, so maybe a ViewSonic VX2758-C-mh would be a better option ?
I would kindly appreciate it if you can offer some other options or advise on the text rendering problem that samsung qdot monitors have.

Thank you !

[PCM2]

Hi JohnB,

There are various threads which cover the sort of monitors I’d recommend and the sort of usage you’re looking at here. I’ve merged your thread with this one as it is on a similar topic and could do with a little bit of a fresh look I feel.

How seriously do you take your gaming and how often are you doing that. vs. coding? Did you have a budget or any size requirements in mind? And what GPU are you using?

The text rendering issues are related to the panel and I’m afraid it is nothing whatsoever to do with the fact the Samsung has ‘Quantum Dots’ for the backlight or not. All ~24″ high refresh rate VA models currently available use a very similar Samsung panel to the Samsung models themselves, even if the backlight differs. And they all have the same text display issues related to their subpixels. This is covered in our reviews of such products, including the AOC C24G1 which is the model I’d recommend going for out of the ones using that panel. Refer to the recommendations section and other forum threads as there is plenty of information about why I recommend it over the others. Most users don’t actually find the softer than ideal text of these VA models problematic and it doesn’t cause them viewing comfort issues. But it’s a very individual thing.

Text rendering aside, the 1920 x 1080 resolution is extremely restrictive for coding or general desktop use. So depending on your budget and size restrictions (if any) you should seriously consider a 2560 x 1440 model instead.

[JohnB]

Hello,

I don`t take games that serious, playing casually with friends at the end of the day but I like to have a good smooth experience and take advantage of my RTX 2060, that is also the reason I want to change from a 60hz monitor.

Because I will use my new monitor for work at least 8 hours per day the text rendering issue is something I can’t deal with. I would move to a TN panel if you could suggest one that has great color contrast, or maybe I’ll look for a slightly more expensive monitor and go for 1440p . Can you recommend one of each category:

1) TN panel with good visuals
2) A decent 1440 model on a low budget end.

Thank you !

[PCM2]

As I said, it’s a very individual thing and not everybody would find the text representation problematic or uncomfortable on the ~24″ 144Hz VA models. As for some alternatives to consider, both of which feature in the recommendations section currently:

1) Dell S2719DGF. There are really no comparable Full HD models I’d recommend.
2) AOC Q3279VWFD8. 75Hz, but that is still a nice upgrade from 60Hz especially if you haven’t used a much higher refresh rate monitor (100Hz+) before. The monitor offers a nice experience for general desktop usage as well, plus is nice and immersive for gaming.

[JohnB]

Thanks for the quick response, I’ve viewed your reviews on both the monitors and I can say that I will probably go with the Dell S2719DGF.

[Author]

Posts