The Gigabyte GS27QXA presents tremendous value with its palatable price tag and high-end performance. The monitor features a 260Hz 1440p IPS panel with great color and responsiveness, uplifting the meaning of budget gaming. Let’s check it out to see what it has to offer and see how it stacks against the competition.
Gigabyte GS27QXA Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 240Hz (260hz OC)
- Response Time: 1ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 350 cd/m2
- Built-in Speakers: None
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions with Stand (WxHxD): 24.2” x 17.61” x 6.7”
- Weight: 11.27 lbs
Design and Features
The Gigabyte GS27QXA doesn’t get fancy like its Aorus counterparts, but that’s not a deal-breaker for many. The monitor has a matte black finish all over, so it doesn’t stand out too much against most setups. The screen has a bezel-free design, but it still has inner borders like most modern displays.
It’s a 27-inch model, but its one of the most modest in its size category when it comes to depth. The limited stand only needs 6.7 inches of depth, so its perfect for small desks but at the expense of flexibility. The whole thing weighs 11.27 pounds, so its easy to move around or bring with you to LAN parties.
Gigabyte’s build quality has been great so far ever since it released its first gaming monitors. The plastic panels are thick enough to withstand cracking and flexing, and there were no cosmetic defects on any of their parts. The included stand is a bit wobbly, but it can hold the cabinet’s weight sufficiently.
We love that the Gigabyte GS27QXA includes a joystick despite its extra low pricing. Its located under the brand logo on the bottom bezel, so you can easily reach it and manipulate its settings. Other budget models only have buttons, so calibrating them or hot-swapping between filters can be a pain sometimes.
The included stand only offers tilt, so your options for positioning the screen will be very limited. Some users might feel that the display rides too low, but all of that is the compromise you make to save on money. It’s still compatible with a VESA mount, but the added cost may put you in range of a better-equipped alternative.
The Gigabyte GS27QXA’s connectivity layout also got trimmed to help with pricing. You only get DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 slots, along with a 3.5mm jack for headphones. Other Gigabyte models include USB-C, and we’d love to see it as a standard eventually on all tiers of display products.
You also don’t get speakers with this model, but to be honest, who uses built-ins for gaming? It’s always nice to have an extra set, but it is not critical to the monitor’s functions at all. We’d rather save money and not have it than pay extra and not utilize it regularly.
Display and Performance
The Gigabyte GS27QXA sports a 27-inch IPS panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate with an OC up to 260Hz, and a 1ms response time. The backlight has a 350 cd/m2, while the contrast is listed at 1000:1. This model has HDR 400 certification, but we all know how limited that is, even if it means the peak brightness is boosted by a bit.
1440p is still a top seller simply because it’s a good medium between legibility and sharpness. Its not as demanding as 4K, but its almost as easy on the eyes as a 1080p panel. They have also become relatively cheaper, so budget builders now have access to better options without overspending.
The Gigabyte GS27QXA covers 99% of sRGB and 92% of DCI-P3, producing excellent vibrancy for a budget model. Its default accuracy had a deltaE average of 2.41, so most users won’t need to calibrate it. Gigabyte has been excellent when it comes to factory calibration since it’s not exclusive to their high-end offerings.
Calibrating it reduced the dE average to 1.73, which isn’t a massive improvement if you consider that a colorimeter was used. Most users should leave it alone and not spend more since it’s already quite balanced out of the box. The gadget only becomes necessary for professional applications, but a prosumer display should be prioritized if that’s the case.
The Gigabyte GS27QXA’s backlight peaked at 417 cd/m2, putting out a lot of light that can fight off a lot of glare. Its contrast isn’t impressive at 1095:1, indicating that its incapable of producing deep blacks. There are newer IPS panel variants that can rival VA types now, but those are quite expensive at the time of this writing.
Panel uniformity for the test sample had some backlight leaking at the top corner of the screen. They showed up as clouding in dark scenes, but are mostly unnoticeable against lighter backgrounds. Note that this can vary with every panel made due to tolerances, so there are better and even worse units out there.
The Gigabyte GS27QXA’s response time is fantastic thanks to Fast IPS technology and the higher refresh rate. You don’t need a lot of overdrive to get this monitor going for E-Sports since its practically blur-free already. The only other thing you need is a decent GPU for this since blurring can become an issue if your framerate dips too low.
The Gigabyte GS27QXA is compatible with FreeSync and G-Sync for tearing and stutter-free gaming. Dual compatibility always enhances the value of any monitor you buy. Its input lag sits at 3ms at 240Hz, making it as fast and responsive as its premium counterparts out there.
Thoughts on the Gigabyte GS27QXA
The Gigabyte GS27QXA is an excellent choice if speed is your only priority. It also has excellent color for a budget model as a bonus, so you are getting more than you pay for. It doesn’t have a lot of features, but its durable enough for regular use over a couple of years.
However, the monitor market has become exceedingly competitive over the last few years. Budget models with limited features aren’t as hot as they were, since better equipped alternatives do not cost a lot more now. But overall, this model is still an excellent buy since the extra low price helps you stay within budget, especially if you are building a whole setup.
Pros:
- Very Affordable
- Decent Gamut
- Fast and Responsive
Cons:
- Limited Features
- Tilt Stand
- Low Contrast
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Overall
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