best gaming monitor Archives - Best 27 Inch Monitor

October 18, 2015December 9, 2015

Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor with Nvidia G-Sync: A Great Gaming Monitor

If you’re a gamer, especially a PC gamer, then it’s a safe bet you’re on the eternal quest for the perfect gaming set-up. You’ve invested in graphics cards, a gaming mouse or two, the best computer you can find. Now you’ve arrived here, looking for the best 27-inch gaming monitor.

Now, I can’t promise the Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor with Nvidia G-Sync is the greatest 27-inch monitor for gaming on the market but it’s sure one of the best. It better be as it was released as a gaming monitor. That’s how it’s been marketed.

Key Points

When it comes to gaming you’re looking for a few important factors, elements if you will. You’re looking for a high resolution, good refresh rate, good response time, a big enough screen (27 inch should do) and at least a decent set of connection ports. There are of course other nice perks that don’t hurt like anti-glare and IPS Panel.

If you’re not looking for a gaming monitor, then I may have lost you already. Let me attempt to reel you back in. If a 27-inch monitor is good for gaming, then it’s a very safe assumption that it’s great for almost anything else. But we’ll cover more on what kind of applications it’s good with later on in this review.

Let’s cover what the specs are in the Phillips Brilliance (or 272G5DYEB as Phillips has decided to designate it).

Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor Specs

The specs are really where you’ll find out if this is the right monitor for you.

27-inch viewable screen
Resolution is 1,920 x 1,080
The screen display is backlit by LED
144 hz Refresh Rate
1 ms Response Time
Brightness is 300 cd/m2
TN Panel (Twisted Nematic)
Weight is 17 pounds
Includes bases that rotates, tilts, swivels and is height-adjustable

Connectivity

The connectivity on the back looks like this:

DisplayPort 1.2
4 USB 3.0 ports

And obviously as the title suggests it has Nvidia G-Sync technology as well as Nvidia 3D Vision for 3D gaming and movies.

That brings us to our next question to answer:

What is Nvidia G-Sync Technology?

Nvidia G-Sync technology (try saying that ten times fast) is a fairly new display that provides a smooth and fast gaming experience. The way it does this per Phillips is by, “synchronizing display refresh rates to the GPU in your GeForce GTX-powered PC.” Say what?!

Basically what it does is it gets rid of screen tearing which is an issue with a lot of monitors for gamers whereby two or several frames are shown at the exact same time. Needless to say it’s less than ideal but Nvidia G-Sync handles that. It also dramatically reduces input lag and display stutter.

This results in a sharp, highly responsive gameplay that allows you to attain a competitive edge in online gaming as well as offline gaming. Again this also creates a better experience with any heavy-graphic applications like viewing HD movies.

What’s it good for?

It’s great for gaming as that’s what it was designed for. But I always say that if it’s good for PC video games which are high-activity, high-graphic applications then it’ll work for just about anything.

You can use the Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor for any of the following:

Gaming
Video editing
Photo editing
General home and office use
Watching movies, including HD

Pros/Cons

Pros:

Nvidia G-Sync which dramatically increases smoothness in gaming
144 hz which is a fantastic refresh rate
1 ms, again a fantastic response time
Fully adjustable base

Cons:

Its resolution is only 1080p. Not that this is horrible but it’s just not as great as a lot of other monitors out there and won’t display comparable image detail. And if you’re going from a 1,440p monitor you’ll notice the difference.
It’s not an IPS Panel, it’s a TN Panel which just isn’t as good. You won’t get as wide a viewing angle as an IPS Panel will give you and so images will suffer if you’re not looking at it straight on. Though gamers mostly all play head-on so for this purpose it’s fine.

What kind of price are you looking at?

The Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor with Nvidia G-Sync (it’s getting tiring saying that full title over and over) will cost you $549.99 on Amazon.

So this 27-inch monitor holds up for gaming and other purposes though it suffers from lower resolution compared to its competition. You may notice the difference when playing but the positives definitely beat out the negatives with this one. If you have some extra coin, I also reccommend checking out the ASIS rog swift pg278q

October 10, 2015October 24, 2015

ViewSonic VP2780-4K 27 Inch Monitor: Is it Worth Buying?

You may or may not have heard of the ViewSonic VP2780-4K because it doesn’t have the words “Dell” or “Apple” attached to it but I assure you it’s one of the good ones and is worth mentioning amongst the giants. Ok who are we kidding, ViewSonic doesn’t need our sympathy. They do about $1 billion in sales annually.

That’s neither here nor there. Your attention is probably on which 27-inch monitor you want to buy. There are so many 27-inch monitors out there that it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out which one to buy without immediately doubting whether or not you made the right decision.

What we try to do with these reviews is give you the full gamut of information regarding the 27-inch monitor we’re taking a look at. That way you can see if it fits your needs.

So let’s get into telling you all about the ViewSonic VP2780-4K.

ViewSonic VP2780-4K Specs

This monitor is known as a Professional Ultra HD LED monitor. That’s a lot of adjectives that basically means it delivers a wicked sharp picture or at least is supposed to. Other 27-inch monitors have slapped those titles on their products when they were unworthy.

Let’s look at the specs of the ViewSonic VP2780-4K to see if it lives up to that description.

Weight is 25.8 Pounds
The screen is 27 inches from corner to corner
Resolution is 3,840 x 2,160 which is a fairly high resolution
The screen display is backlit by LED
IPS panel (In-Plane Switching). See our 27-inch monitor guide for an explanation of IPS.
The screen has an anti-glare coating
5 ms (milliseconds) response time
It swivels, tilts, pivots and is height-adjustable. Perfect for the contortionist in you.

ViewSonic VP2780-4K rear ports — Viewsonic VP2780 rear ports

Here’s what the port situation looks like in the back:

2 HDMI ports
4 USB 3.0 ports
DisplayPort 1.2
Mini DisplayPort

ViewSonic VP2780-4K under ports — Viewsonic VP2780 under ports

What’s it good for?

The ViewSonic VP2780-4K is built to handle high-def videos and graphic-heavy applications. That’s what it was born to do. Straight out of the box this fact is clear. The image comes through ultra-sharp with vivid detail smacking you in the face.

Response times comes in at 5 ms which is excellent for gaming. I’ve seen an article or two ragging on this response time but this is totally fine for any gamer. Anything better and I swear you won’t be able to tell the difference. You’ll just be spending more money.

You can use the ViewSonic VP2780-4K for the following:

Gaming
Video editing
Photo editing
Graphic design
General home and office use

Pros/Cons

Pros:

High resolution imaging on a truly 4K display
5 ms response time is pretty good especially compared to some other similarly promoted monitors that come in at 20 ms
Reportedly one of the first 4K monitors that supports HDMI 2.0. This fact should go over really well with gamers.
IPS Panel allows for solid viewing from any angle

Cons:

It’s on the pricier side but honestly isn’t the most expensive monitor out there (it’s cheaper than the Apple Thunderbolt Display).
The actual physical make-up of the monitor isn’t really top-notch. It seems to be a bit flimsy with parts of it stuck on with adhesive.
There have been some complaints by users about a lack of sensitivity in the on-screen touch display.
No internal speakers

What kind of price are we looking at?

The ViewSonic VP2780-4K goes for $889.99 on viewsonic.com but can be picked up for even cheaper at amazon for $793.46.

If you’ve got some money saved up and are looking to invest in a robust 4K monitor, I highly recommend ViewSonic VP2780-4K due to it’s performance and ability to deliver high-quality imaging. Sureyou could save up several hundred more dollarsto buy something more expensive but “expensive” doesn’t always mean “better.”

September 22, 2015October 18, 2015

Best Gaming Graphics Card – NVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti

What is the Best Gaming Graphics Card? Upgrading a graphics card is the second most common upgrade for a computer, after additional memory. Even undemanding users may find the need for more graphical power. Any expert gamer will tell you that you need to do your homework before you choose the graphics card for your rig. Without one that’ll match your monitor in performance, it’s just not the same. And with a lot of people making money from gaming online, you’ve got to wonder, can you really afford to use equipment that’s lacking? That’s not to say graphics cards aren’t easy to choose from, or that you need a professional with you whenever you make a purchase. But we’ve brought back our E-Sports Manager to help make the pathway to a decent graphics card easier to navigate.

What is a Graphics Card?

So let’s start at the beginning; what is a graphics card?
ESM: Put simply, a graphics card is a piece of computer hardware that translates the data into a signal your monitor can understand, so that images are produced on your monitor. The easiest way to note the performance of your graphics card is to check its model number. It’ll tell you about the graphics processor (GPU), clock rates and memory bandwidth. It quickly distinguishes between the deceptively impressive looking overclocked product and that of a higher model that looks far simpler.
When game performance is a priority, buying a high-tier graphics card is a must; but that doesn’t mean you need to buy something super expensive. Spending over £150 on a graphics card isn’t always worth it, not in the long run. It’s all about finding a graphics card that compliments your monitor and vice versa. Trial and Error knowledge in this instance is a massive help.

NVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti Ports — GTX 980 Ti Ports

Memory vs. Bandwidth

With regards to memory vs bandwidth, which is more important?
ESM: Bandwidth, every time. People can get incredibly caught up in the idea that more memory is better, but that’s just not the case. Unless you’re running incredibly large resolutions, the quantity of RAM isn’t worth worrying about. High end model graphics cards should have a decent default memory amount. A piece of advice I received when I was first setting up a rig is GDDR5 memory provides twice the bandwidth of a DDR3 at the same clock rate. That means when it comes to your own rig, 1 GB of GDDR5 is going to be miles better than 4 GB of DDR3.

Bottlenecking

When it comes to choosing either a monitor or a best gaming graphics card, the phrase ‘bottlenecking’ comes out a lot. What does this mean?
ESM: The bottleneck theory is the theory that the maximum total output of any system is equal to the maximum output of the slowest part of the system. In laymen’s terms, imagine filling a funnel with marbles, and watching at one marble at a time falls out. In gamer’s terms, your rig is only as good as your slowest component. You need a graphics card, monitor and processor that can keep up with your demands, as well as keep up with each other. A brilliant graphics card will be worth nothing to you if your monitor can’t keep up.

Pairing Graphics Cards

What about pairing graphics cards?
ESM: Again, this seems to be a fascination with newer gamers, but I’ve never found from personal experience that two is better than one. If, for example, the graphics cards offer links to increase performance then I can see the appeal, or if you have multiple monitors. But scaling performance by multiplying GPU isn’t as easy as that. In fact, multi-card setups can suffer from inconsistency, incompatibilities and micro-stuttering. They can also leech power and generate a lot of noise. I would always recommend quality rather than quantity when it comes to graphics cards.

One Thing Most People Miss

Is there any common but easily avoided mistakes when choosing your graphics card?
ESM: It’s the silliest thing, but I see it all the time where people will buy a new graphics card, and it won’t physically fit. As in, it’s too long or too short. My advice is do your homework and measure how much space your case has to offer before you put the money down and get disappointed. Whilst we’re on the topic of homework, think about your power supply. It’ll make a massive difference if your PC is struggling to handle your new graphics card, and if you do need to upgrade your power supply, remember that trusted brand names are worth more than the maximum wattage advertised on the package.

Care of Your Graphics Card

When it comes to maintaining your graphics card, what should be your priorities?
ESM: Your cooling system has got to be capable of controlling the heat, otherwise your GPU will fry. Reference coolers (the kind that channel heated air out the back of the case) are better because they don’t increase the temperature of your PC, but they are noisier. Some high end gaming graphics cards have been outfitted with high-performance custom coolers. They are quieter and do a better job but they cost more for the privilege. Plus they recycle the hot air back into the case which could put stress on the rest of your system.

What is The Best Gaming Graphics Card?

Which graphics card are you currently using?
ESM: I’m using the NVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti. For
$750 you get 6GB of GDDR5 memory, a cut-back version of the GM200 processor, with 96 ROPs and a 384-bit memory interface that moves 336.5 GB/s of data. I’d recommend it to any hard core gamers; but it’s a bit pricey for mainstream gamers, or anyone looking for a simple upgrade. You’d be better off looking at AMD’s Radeon collection. They’re cheaper, and all have different specs to suit each individual, so of course the Best Gaming Graphics Card is subjective depending on the application.

June 15, 2015September 24, 2015

Asus ROG Swift PG278Q – The Ultimate 27 Inch Gaming Monitor

Don’t let the title fool you, the Asus ROG Swift PG278Q may be a gaming monitor but it can do so much more. It stands to reason that if a 27-inch monitor is great for gaming it should be able to do a lot more when it comes to graphics and performance features.

Designed with gaming in mind this is not a “throw-away” monitor, this one’s a beast. If you were to bust open the panel on the back you’d find some additional hardware in there that powers this thing up like something out of Mad Max.

Why am I still babbling? Let’s get into it!

Specs

A 27-inch viewable screen. The 2560 x 1440 resolution is about as good as it gets in today’s monitor world.
The PG278Q weighs 23 pounds which is about average when it comes to 27 inch monitors.
While the whole monitor is 2.5 inch thick (which is pretty thin) when you include the full cabinet that houses the guts in the back, the bezel (basically the screen) itself is only .25-inch deep.
Response time is where it’s at. This one has a response time when measured in gray to gray time of 1 ms (milliseconds). That’s pretty impressive. That’s the first sign that the PG278Q is a true gamer’s monitor.
The PG278Q has 144Hz refresh rate. I know what you’re thinking, “What the hell does that mean?!”A game will spit out a certain amount of graphic displays each second which when coming at you really fast looks like real-time movement and action. Similar to how a movie shows you 24 picture frames a second which looks like movement. The refresh rate is how many “frames”are being displayed or “refreshed”each second. In this case it is 144 a second. That’s a pretty solid refresh rate. This is due to G-Sync technology. More on that later.
3D technology integration. This monitor will work with 3D Vision kits 1 and 2 from Nvidia.
Tilt. swivel, pivot and height-adjustment. The mighty four that allows this monitor to be truly versatile when setting up the perfect monitor arrangement. Especially when you’re gaming.

G-Sync Technology

What is this mysterious G-Sync technology? Is it dangerous? First off, that’s a weird question to ask me. Second, no it’s not dangerous.

G-Sync was developed by Nvidia in order to solve the gaming problem of tearing and stuttering. This was a particular problem with graphics-heavy games when the monitor would go out of sync with the GPU (graphics processor unit). To break it down simply, G-Sync takes the burden off the monitor in talking to the GPU and handling refresh rates. What this results in is the monitor being able to have a real-time variable refresh rate creating a smoother experience with way less lag.

It may sound technical but trust me this is an awesome feature.

The PG278Q is equipped with this tech and so is a superior gaming monitor.

What can you use the Asus ROG Swift PG278Q for?

Gaming is obviously its main function but no monitors are built solely for one activity. They are first and foremost COMPUTER monitors.

So here are some things this one works well with:

Gaming
General office use
Medical office use
Coding
Video editing
Photo editing
Really any high-end graphics applications

The PG278Q has an amazing refresh rate and high resolution screen which expands its functionality across most tasks. If it can handle the huge workload of a high-graphics, real-time game then it’s sure to work well with almost anything else.

What’s the connection situation in the back of the PG278Q?

Ok, great it’s got a fantastic screen and an amazing G-Sync tech integration but how’s it do in regards to connecting to external devices?

It includes:

2 USB 3.0 Ports – downstream (for flashdrives, printers, etc.)
1 USB 3.0 Port – upstream (for connection straight to another computer or a USB hub)
1 DisplayPort

So no HDMI Port. Surprising that this is all it has going on with regard to connectivity. Especially seeing as though it’s a gaming monitor.

Pros/Cons

Pros:

A kick-ass refresh rate with G-Sync tech built right into it.
High-resolution will churn out vivid imagery.
The price will not break the bank.

Cons:

No built-in speakers. Not the end of the world but just seems odd. I guess most hard-core gamers will have their own external speakers anyways.
No HDMI ports and limited USB ports.

Price

You’d expect a machine like this to run north of $1000 but surprisingly it doesn’t. You can pick one up for $738.17 on Amazon. There are even used ones going for as low as $553.35.

Is this the PC monitor for me?

Answer these questions:

Do you want a monitor that can handle high-graphics applications?
Do you want to dominate in the gaming world, especially first-person shooters?
Are you willing to spend somewhere around $600 for a monitor?

If the answer was “yes”to any of those questions then the PG278Q is your baby.

May 2, 2015September 24, 2015

Best Gaming Monitor Top 6 Tips For Selection

On the premise that a workman is only as good as his tools, a gamer is only as good his set up. That’s not to say that in both instances skill, hard work and talent don’t play a part; but you wouldn’t see a professional athlete running in second hand plimsolls would you? So to make sure you’re fully informed we asked an E-Sports Manager on what to expect from your monitor, and how to make sure you’re getting the best gaming monitor you can afford.

Best Gaming Monitor: Top 3 to Consider

If you were going to choose a monitor for us, what would you choose? Top 3.

ESM: The three I consider worth checking out are as follows:

PHILIPS 271P4 – $650

This monitor is targeted at professional users, it has Quad HD display and has loads of the features auser with an interest in graphic arts and photography would expect to see. It has a 2560×1440 pixel resolution and offers consistent colour with wide viewing angles. The PHILIPS 271P4 may not look particularly stylish, but it has a fully height-adjustable stand which pivots 90 degrees, three USP ports, a pair of HDMI connectors, DVI Dual-Link and Display Port with the ability to connect more than one port at a time for a side by side multi-input display. The screen has a matt anti-glare coating and there is an integrated 2Mp webcam with a microphone and an LED indicator. An extra special feature I’ve not mentioned yet is the ‘people sensor’ which detects when you are present in front of the monitor and dims when you’re not, saving power.

Asus Proart PA279Q – $850

Asus has been growing into its high-end display marker. Not content with being one of the original companies to offer 4K monitors, Asus has a new professional display that promises colour accuracy in a range of screen sizes. The Proart PA279Q is the 27 inch version which also has a matt anti-glare IPS panel. As with other high-end displays it has the WQHD 16:9 resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. The listed response time of 6ms suggests it should be fine for gamers as well as graphics professionals. It has the pivot ability and tilt options. All the connectors are digital. At the back, there’s one HDMI,one DVI and two DisplayPort connectors, but only one of them is an input.There’s a USB 3.0 upstream port to connect to your computer, which enables six USB 3.0 ports on the display itself, one of which is specified as a battery charging port. And topping off the list is a ‘9-in1’card reader, which supports both SD and Sony Memory Stick cards. The sound quality it pretty poor, with tinny sounds and crackling when loud bass passes through.

Viewsonic VP2772 – $800

The VP2772 is the updated version of the VP2770-LED display. Both are widescreen 27 inch IPS monitors, with healthy resolutions of 2560×1440 pixels. But the update includes a ‘SuperClear’ screen with an IPS panel from LG with a matt anti-glare hard coating, making it useable in most lighting conditions. Unlike the earlier VP2770-LED model, the VP2772 now relies on an external power supply, a laptop-style little brick on a cable, which seems to be a step back in usability, but its colour compatibility more than makes up for it. As a monitor aimed at professionals, the VP2770 has a fully adjustable stand, and it can be raised to sufficient height to enable the screen to swivel 90 degrees for use in portrait mode. The touch-sensitive controls are poorly designed, they feel kind of budget, plus the display can reach a 62W power consumption at full brightness.

What should you prioritise when looking for a decent gaming monitor?

Refresh Rate

ESM: Across the board, Monitor Frequency (Hz) and the monitor panel are the two top priorities when choosing your best gaming monitor. By this I mean the number of cycles per second the monitor is working at and the type of monitor panel you want.The higher the level of Hz, the more times your monitor refreshes its image per second. This means a far more unfluctuating image, and it’s less harsh on your eyes since it’s processing the same information over again, making it appear ‘less’. However, this is only the case if it matches the number of frames per second that your graphic card is processing. If your monitor expects more images a second than it’s actually receiving, then you return to the jarring picture you were trying to avoid in the first place. Don’t be fooled into thinking you need the higher Hz every time though. When it gets to the point where your eyes can’t register the quick cycle of images, it won’t make any difference.

Panel Choice

ESM: As for monitor panels, your choices are split between TN and IPS. TN is the most common, cheaper and has the shortest response times. They are good for brightness, due to the increasingly common LED back-lighting, and consume low energy. However, you can and will experience colour shifting at different viewing angles and colour accuracy is poor. The best gaming monitor will use an IPS panel which are more expensive, newer technologically and offer good quality viewing angles with great colour consistency. However, they don’t have the solid response times of the TNs and you’re limited to 60 Hz for now.

For all of the readers who don’t know what those terms mean, what are a TN panel and an IPS?

ESM: A TN panel is a Twisted Nematic panel. An IPS is an In-Plane Switching panel. It’s technology developed by Hitachi in the mid-1990s, hoping to fix the problems the TN panel had with colour and angles.

Size and Resolution

What kind of a difference does size and resolution make?

ESM: It’s a cliché, but bigger screens are better. A 27” screen provides plenty of screen space, and Full High-Definition (a resolution of about 1,920 to 1,080). Some newer 27” models are Wide, Quad High-Definition monitors with maximum resolutions of 2,560 by 1,440 pixels. The higher pixel count provides a far sharper image than a standard FHD, but you’ll still need a graphics engine to keep up. Especially if you want all of the effects enabled on your best gaming monitor.

Ports

What other additions do you expect from your monitor?

ESM: A variety of video inputs is a must. I like to play on multiple PCs and gaming consoles so Dual HDMI ports and USB ports are essential. Other than that, it’s important to make sure you’ve got good quality external peripherals: i.e. Gaming controllers, mice, memory cards. A powerful speaker system or decent headphones will make a massive difference to your gaming experience. I have the HyperX Cloud Headset, and the entire world disappears when I start gaming. They have a 15 – 25Hz frequency response, detachable microphone and closed cup for enhanced bass reproduction.

Stands

When it comes to stands, what are the things we should know?

ESM: You may not need every adjustment option under the sun, but so long as your main requirements are met then you might as well find a best gaming monitor that supports tilt, swivel, pivot and rotation adjustments. It may sound basic, but it’ll make a difference depending on your set up – which has the potential to change depending on how much of a fidget you are. Most monitor stands allow you to tilt your display or raise the height of the screen relative to the base of the stand, but there are also monitors that can rotate from a landscape to portrait orientation, or put another way, from a wide screen to a tall screen. There are also some that allow you to swivel the screen without moving the stand. It’s important to know what you’re looking for, and if you can, invest in a monitor with a stand that features as many of these options as possible. You’ll usually pay a little more for these added features, but they can come in handy.

Costs

What kind of price can we be expected to pay for a decent monitor?

ESM: It will depend on which monitor you go for, but a full blown 27” model with all the bells and whistles can cost $600 and up, but the standard is about $200 . Monitors bigger than that will go beyond $3,000 .

So narrowing down your choices for the best gaming monitor should be pretty easy then?

ESM: As long as you know what you want. It doesn’t hurt to try out different options, especially when you’re investing hard earned cash like this. Even if you’re looking to buy online, trying out a monitor in a physical retail store first might help you make the decision. Equally, knowing the prices of the monitors online and speaking to a sales rep at the store might lower the price. I’m not saying this to be stingy, but where you put your money with regards to your monitor is important. Even with the standards that exist, a Dell and an Asus monitor are going to be different, and arming yourself with the knowledge to understand what you’re getting is really important, but your first-hand experience will be the ultimate decider on which monitor is worth the money and is ultimately the best gaming monitor for you.