Even if the contrast ratio of the G24F is excellent in the context of the IPS technology, it does not yet create a cinema feeling. As expected, bright image content looks good. However, very dark scenes reveal that you don’t have a VA or even an OLED panel in front of you. However, for watching YouTube videos or movies, the G24F does an excellent job. For a long time, a 144Hz screen refresh rate was the minimum requirement for gaming battles. However, the current trend is to use it much more. One of the main reasons why not all users have started to use a monitor with a frequency of 170 Hz is that the difference between them isn’t as sharp as in the case of switching from 60 Hz to 144 Hz. A 27-inch flat panel monitor is the most versatile size and shape for gaming and everyday tasks. It has a reasonable desktop footprint, providing enough screen area for immersive play and document management. The G272QPF, like any QHD screen of this size, has 109 pixels per inch, so the dot structure is fine enough that you won’t see it unless you sit inches away. Detail is clear in both static and moving images.

This monitor isn’t perfect. But it is dramatically better than any LCD-based monitor by several gaming-critical metrics. And it’s a genuine thrill to use. Of course, that’s getting ahead of ourselves. First, we need to cover off the basics. The G24F’s contrast ratio is pretty good, too, especially considering it’s an IPS panel. A contrast of 1157: 1 (measured at 140 cd / m²) is definitely above average for an IPS panel in this context. That is not quite as high as the IPS panel of the top of the class MSI G241, which achieves a native contrast ratio of almost 1500: 1, but significantly higher than, for example, the LG 24GN600, which barely scratches the 800: 1 mark. A lower contrast is not an obstacle for playing first-person shooters. However, better contrast is a welcome feature for photo or video editing or watching movies. For our money, curved panels make the most sense in larger formats and with super-wide 21:9 or wider panels. A curved panel on, say, a smaller 27-inch 16:9 panel isn't necessarily a bad thing. But, nor does it really add much to the experience. Does HDR matter for PC gaming monitors?

31.5” WQHD curve

The problem with HDR in this context is that few LCD monitors offer a true HDR experience. What's more, monitors with HDR-boosting local dimming remain painfully pricey and for what is really only marginal benefit. That said, HDR certification usually ensures high brightness, and HDR 600 and beyond requires wide color support. G-Sync or FreeSync: which adaptive screen tech is best? The stand is very solid with firm movements. The vertical movement has subtle detents, which make it even more positive. You get a 5.2-inch height adjustment plus -5 and 20-degree tilts. There is no swivel or portrait mode. Thankfully, we didn’t encounter any play or wobble when moving the M27Q around. It is very well-built. This Dell monitor is most importantly available at a great price. Dell delivers high-quality gaming panels, with all the features you need and a few extraneous ones to bump up the price. And that makes it one of the best gaming monitors for most PC gamers today.

Beyond those headline figures, the PG34WQ15R2B certainly is promising. Predictably, it's based on VA rather than IPS panel tech given the appealing pricing. That typically means compromising on pixel response performance, but not necessarily by a huge amount. The Alienware 34 QD-OLED curved gaming monitor completely took us by surprise. It made us believers in Samsung's new QD-OLED panels, which we are hoping means the OLED PC monitor revolution has begun. All told, there's a lot to like here. Granted, this monitor has plenty of limitations. 1080p feels pretty stingy these days as native resolutions go, but on a smallish 24-inch monitor, the pixel density is tolerable and the main benefit is that you don't need to be running a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme to pay for this monitor.A gamer needs to have an excellent monitor that can keep up with the GPU. Otherwise, the video card will unnecessarily create frames that the monitor cannot display. Moreover, unnecessary overloading of the graphics processor can lead to overheating and other problems. In the Standard picture mode, the M27Q is accurate enough to satisfy most. The native color space is DCI-P3, but you can use the sRGB mode for an accurate display of that gamut. Its only available adjustment is brightness. We'd steer clear of MPRT mode, which hammers the panel's brightness and vibrancy. 'Extreme' mode, which is rated at 2ms, does suffer from a whiff of overshoot, but that's only just visible in-game, while 'Super fast' resolves the overshoot but allows just a little smearing of darker tones. It turns out that while that performance gain might not exist on a linear curve, 360Hz does look and feel smoother than 120Hz, and the decreased ghosting of any targets in your shooter of choice does make them that bit easier to connect with. If your aspirations for online competition are pretty serious, that's really all you need to know.

The G24F has the exact specifications as all other good IPS gaming monitors under 200 USD. The manufacturer has only increased the refresh rate slightly to 170 Hz– compared to our 144 Hz or 165 Hz, which is standard in its class. We will, of course, go into whether this is a helpful improvement. But let it be said in advance: An increase in the refresh rate by 18% or even by only 3% is no reason to cheer. Specification HDR signals won’t switch the Acer XV272U into HDR mode. You’ll have to do that manually by choosing between Auto and HDR400. Color looks the same for both, but HDR400 is about 5% brighter and offers greater contrast. The XV272U also uses a Dynamic Contrast feature for HDR for a visible improvement. Gaming and Hands-on with Acer Nitro XV272U KVbmiiprzxWith HDR on we played a bit of Call of Duty: WWII. Comparing HDR to SDR in this game showed a brighter overall environment for HDR but better detail and color saturation in SDR mode. Your selection will come down to user preference. We preferred playing all games in SDR mode. Other titles, like Tomb Raider, looked fantastic with deeply detailed shadows, vivid color and defined textures in this mode. Of course, this has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the resulting stronger color saturation can be advantageous when playing shooters. This is especially the case with titles like CoD Warzone, which has a rather reserved color palette by default. On the other hand, oversaturation is not true to color. However, the slightly oversaturated look that we get thanks to the G24F’s 1.2 times the sRGB color volume is less annoying, if not pleasant, by many users. In general, a monitor with a larger color gamut has more advantages than disadvantages.

Read our full Gigabyte M32UC review. High refresh rate gaming monitor FAQ What's the best PC monitor panel type for gaming?

Unfortunately, NVIDIA has not certified the G24F as G-Sync compatible, which means that we have to enable G-Sync in the NVIDIA control panel manually. Connectivity Turning on HDR brightened the M27Q’s image considerably, but you can compensate with the brightness slider if it seems too harsh. We only used HDR for gaming and video, not for workday tasks. It offers no benefit when editing spreadsheets. Switchover is automatic and rapid when you select the HDR option in Windows’ Display Settings. We're finally in an era of gaming where an affordable 4K monitor and a fast 4K monitor are one and the same. You could still buy a lower resolution panel for a whole lot less, and there are less desirable 4K panels out there, but as the Gigabyte M32UC proves you can get a whole lot of screen for what feels like a fair price.