Author Topic: Best 27-28" 4K 3840x2160 & 5K 5120x2880 AHVA/IPS/PLS Monitors  (Read 61802 times)

NCX

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Best AMD Free-Sync Monitors
« on: July 31, 2017, 11:46:22 pm »
Best AMD Free-Sync Monitors

*=Perceived black depth increasing matte black or grey (superior) bezel versus fake frame-less monitors perceived black depth reducing inner black bezel.
^=384 zone local dimming which vastly increases the contrast ratio.
+=Variable back-light which vastly increases the contrast ratio.
-Perceived black depth decreasing fake bezel or frame-less casing with an inner black bezel
# Tested by NCX

1.) Acer Nitro XV273K * (120-144hz semi-wide gamut/HDR capable with AMD Free-Sync)
2.) Acer ConceptD CP3271K (120-144hz semi-wide gamut/HDR capable with AMD Free-Sync)
3.) Asus PB27UQ *
4.) LG 27UL550 *#
5.) Monoprice RTD2795 -#
5.) Viewsonic XG2700-4K *
6.) LG 27UL650 - (2019 model with slightly faster pixel response times than the UD and UK monitors)
6.) LG 27UK650 -
6.) LG 27UD68 or 69 -

The Acer XV273K has an accurate 144hz (achievable only when connected with 2x Displayport cables) 3840x2160 or 4K matte wide gamut AUO HAVA panel which can cover 97% of the DCI-P3 color space, and can fully cover the sRGB color space to prevent over-saturation when the sRGB mode is available.  It has a fully adjustable stand, a monitor hood, 2x Displayport, 2x HDMI 2.0,4x USB 3.0 and a 3.5mm Audio Out.  The  Acer XV273K offers superior HDR support and preset color accuracy versus the CP3271K, but are otherwise very similar.

The Acer ConceptD CP3271K is a fully adjust-able, matte, 120hz (144hz with 2x Displayport cables at 4K) 3840x2160, AHVA/IPS/PLS panel with AMD Free-Sync (xx-144hz range) with 2x Displayport 1.4 (2x DP required for 144hz), 2x HDMI 2.0, 4x USB 3.0, and 3.5mm Audio Out.  The Acer is quite accurate, but does not really support HDR due to the lack of local dimming and the low 81% DCI-P3 color space coverage.  The default Normal overdrive setting provides very fast and overshoot free pixel response times at 60hz and 120hz, and at 120hz the higher Extreme overdrive setting provides negligible input lag and fast pixel response times but with a bit of overshoot.  The HDR (DCI-P3) mode is mediocre and best left off due to the low brightness and DCI-P3 color space coverage, and lack of local dimming.

Reading the monitors included manual and reviews is necessary in order to properly understand how to use a wide gamut monitor, fully make use of all its feature, and prevent wide gamut color over-saturation.

For multi-media (gaming, photo viewing, movies and TV) the Asus PB27UQ is the best affordable option since it has a perceived black depth increasing dark matte grey bezel, excellent all around performance and supports Adaptive/AMD Free-Sync.  The LG 27UL550 is the second best option with Free-Sync since it is more accurate than the Monoprice, suffers from less glow than the XG2700-4K, and has a perceived black depth increasing dark matte grey bezel while the LG UD and UK monitors use fake bezel or frame-less casings with perceived black depth decreasing inner black bezels.  The Monoprice RTD2795 is the third best affordable option since it uses a low glow AHVA panel, and because its preset color accuracy can be vastly improved and become competitive by changing the Temperature setting in the Color Menu to Warm.

The Viewsonic XG2700-4K has nearly perfect preset accuracy and a bright matte grey bezel which vastly increases the perceived black depth, but it uses an older IPS panel with more glow than Asus PB27UQ, LG 27UL550 and Monoprice RTD2795, and its Response Time and Input Lag settings are preset to the lowest settings or turned off and need to be changed to offer competitive pixel response times and input lag.  Set the Response Time Setting to Advanced in the Manual Image Adjust menu, then in the Manual Image Adjust Menu go to the Advanced Image Adjust sub-menu and set the Low Input Lag setting to the highest setting.  Menu Photo Tour from the Tom's Hardware Review.

LG UD, UK and UL Series monitors Belgium Hardware Colorimeter and Oscilloscope Measurement Comparison Chart.

The LG 27UD68 (2016) and 27UD69 (2017) are pretty much the same as the 27UK650 which is more accurate than the 27UK850-W (2018) which has a height adjustable stand, USB 3.0 (x2) faux HDR* support and supports hardware calibration (LG True Color Pro which requires a colorimeter) while the 68, 69, and 650 monitors do not support hardware calibration.  The 27UK850-W reviewed by Alexander Gryzhin (=DEAD=) came with lower preset gamma than the 68 & 69, but it can be raised by changing the Gamma Mode from 2 to 4.  The 27UK850-W's hardware calibration feature caused increased banding and tinting of gradients which makes it a feature not worth buying a colorimeter for since more accurate, and cheaper competitors are available.

*The LG monitors lack a true 10 bit wide gamut panel required for proper HDR support, as well as only offers 450cdm/2 brightness of the 1,000cdm/2 minimum of the HDR standard.  HDR is best left off.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2020, 06:11:00 pm by NCX »