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Overall
The Lenovo L27Q is designed to be a cheap, yet efficient and good looking display for users who want a big screen with a crisp 1440p resolution. This model isn’t equipped with an extensive feature set or cutting edge specs, and it isn’t the cheapest, but having a vibrant screen and a luxurious aesthetic is more crucial for its intended market. The Lenovo L27Q is an excellent choice if you want to improve your computing experience by upgrading to QHD without spending too much money.
Lenovo L27Q Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time:4ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Brightness: 350 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: No
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes (-5°/+22°)
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: No
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 1, 3.5mm Audio Jack
- Dimensions With Stand(WxHxD): 28.2″ x 18.5″ x 5.9″
- Weight: 15.29 lbs
Design and Features
The Lenovo L27Q tries to counter its budget-oriented nature with a luxurious metallic exterior. The cabinet is bezel-free except for the bottom strip and reasonably thin panel borders which don’t obstruct your view. On the right-hand side, there are five tactile buttons for the OSD and the power button, so you won’t have to fiddle for them like a blind dude.
From the side, the Lenovo L27Q is quite slim like the Lenovo ThinkVision X1 which is its upmarket cousin. There is a slight bulge on the bottom which holds the innards of the monitor, but its depth doesn’t affect the minimalist look the product is going for. From the dimensions alone, anyone can determine that there are no extras like speakers.
The I/O layout for the Lenovo L27Q is relatively straightforward since it only includes a DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4 for video input. These two are what most will ever need for day to day use, but we would have wanted at least another HDMI slot for versatility. At least you can connect your speaker set or headset which you will need if you have this model anyway into the 3.5mm jack for audio passthrough.
The equally svelte stand is also limited in ergonomics since it can only offer tilt for adjustment. The taller folk might want to use a monitor stand or riser since you cant mount this product and it only stands 18 inches tall. There is some wobble due to the unbelievably thin upright, but the circular base that only eats six inches on a desk is more than enough to keep it steady.
You can remove this part with a quick detach mechanism, although there are no built-in provisions for VESA mounting. The cabinet is too thin to support a bolt pattern on the plastic surface, which is a shame since the thinness makes it ideal for flush mounting. The package did not include an adapter as well, so might need to purchase a compatible aftermarket option for this purpose.
Display and Performance
The Lenovo L27Q sports a 27-inch IPS panel with a gorgeous 2560 x 1440 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 4ms response time. Upon turning the monitor on, the edge to edge appearance of the image matched with the vibrancy of IPS tech can impress even some enthusiasts. The panel uses an 8-bit interface to produce 1.07 billion colors, enabling 99% coverage of the sRGB gamut.
Color reproduction is superb for a budget model, although there is slight skewing or over-vibrancy in greens. Although difficult to notice, this has a minuscule effect on accuracy which might turn off some users who want a professional display. Overall, the color and contrast performances are acceptable since the Lenovo L27Q did not have any trouble showing shades with visible and recognizable detail.
This model isn’t meant for gaming, so the Lenovo L27Q doesn’t come packaged with AMD FreeSync which would have pumped up its value. 1440p at 60Hz is easy for modern builds, although frames can still dip and dive depending on a title’s graphics intensity. Although we have to admit, even if this model focuses on home and office use, casual gaming is still enjoyable.
While testing with Battlefield 1, ghosting and interlacing were definitely there, but you will need to look meticulously to find them. The panel is natively only capable of a 6ms pixel transition time, but you can boost it to 4ms via an overdrive option in the OSD. The Lenovo L27Q can also go head to head with some high-end gaming monitors in latency since it only clocks it at 9ms which is fantastic.
Another missing aspect is the ability to fine-tune the Lenovo L27Q since the OSD is quite limited in its options. Although there is four color presets and another four picture presets, we still prefer granular calibration. But on a positive note, this makes the Lenovo L27Q easy to use for its intended audience, since adjusting brightness and choosing a preferred filter is all you need for comfortable use.
Thoughts on the Lenovo L27Q
The Lenovo L27Q is indeed a basic monitor aimed at home and office users who want the crispness and vibrancy of an IPS panel with a QHD resolution. The screen is large enough for multi-tasking and suitable for casual after-hours gaming, although there are some missing features like FreeSync which we would love to have.
Still, the Lenovo L27Q is a great option if budget is tight and yet the upgrade itch hits you. It would be difficult to find a QHD IPS monitor for a lower price unless you want to step down to a TN or 1080p variant. But if you are buying this monitor, you should manage your expectations since you are getting what you are paying for.