The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz is a budget option that doesn’t compromise where it matters most for competitive gamers. It leaves out some extras to help in lowering the price, enabling the masses to enjoy a 240Hz display that’s designed for E-Sports gaming. Let’s check out if the Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz is the new value king and if it’s worth your hard-earned cash.
Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz Specifications
- Screen Size: 32 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 240Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Brightness: 500 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: No
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 1, 3.5mm Audio Jack x 1
- Dimensions With Stand(WxHxD): 24.3″ x 18.3″ x 9.9″
- Weight: 10.7 lbs
Design and Features
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz goes with a simple design that looks clean and timeless at the same time. The monitor has a matte black color with red accents at the back which will not clash with most setups unless you have an all-white build. The display is bezel-free on three sides, but you will still see panel borders when it’s in use.
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz is now slimmer and much lighter than its predecessors, but its boomerang-shaped base needs almost 10 inches of depth. The pegs however are quite thin, so they don’t eat up a considerable amount of space on your desk. It’s easy to move around, but it isn’t portable for use since it’s larger at 27 inches.
Build quality for the Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz is decent and there are some notable improvements compared to older models. The plastics used are a bit more durable now, and its stand is made of metal for durability. There is some slight wobble from the attachment point, but we think it won’t be an issue unless you game with heavy hands.
You will also find an OSD joystick with the Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz which gives easy access to its three quick menus. It’s quicker and less prone to errors compared with buttons, so we always appreciate this minor aspect when it is available. Older Monoprice monitors had clunky interfaces as well, so it just goes to show that the brand wants its products to be more competitive in the market.
The metal stand included with the monitor offers great durability and stability. However, it only offers tilt adjustments, so it may feel restricted for users who want a custom viewing angle. You can swap this part out with a VESA mount, but that adds raises your total cost when you buy and upgrade.
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz doesn’t have extra connectors, but it includes the necessary ones for daily use. The layout at the rear includes a slot each for DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, and HDMI 1.4. plus a 3.5mm jack for headsets. There are no USB ports, but the former is all you will need for your PC plus two other host devices.
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz also doesn’t have speakers which is fair considering its lower price point. Most gamers will opt for headsets anyway since they will be better and more accurate for competitive gaming. We always love getting additional features, but it is excusable this time around.
Display and Performance
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz sports a 27-inch AHVA/IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time. The backlight promises up to 500 cd/m2, while the contrast ratio is listed at 1000:1 like most IPS panels. This model is HDR 400 capable, but that means it can only do minor improvements to its image quality unlike high-end units with FALD technology.
27-inch 1080p monitors are disliked for most uses since they aren’t sharp enough for some users. However, legibility is excellent so you won’t have to squint while reading, while visibility is great for competitive games. Small objects like limbs or peeking heads are easier to see here, plus it’s easy to reach the maximum refresh rate with most upper-class GPUs.
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz renders more than 100% sRGB and around 73% DCI-P3 which is what you would expect from a budget E-Sports monitor. however, its default accuracy with a dE average of 3.63 means that it’s not factory-calibrated. Some users won’t mind, but those who can notice oversaturation in shades like red will dislike the stock setup.
Calibrating it reduced its dE average to 2.66 which is much more balanced. Buying a colorimeter for this monitor isn’t worth it, since the gains you get aren’t as impressive as some models we’ve tested. We recommend manual tweaking instead to get a setting that fits your taste best.
The product reaches 429 cd/m2 in SDR and around 520 cd/m2 in HDR, making one of the brightness HDR400 monitors available. It reached a 1165:1 contrast ratio at 50% brightness, but there are no noticeable improvements when HDR is active. It still cannot provide true blacks like VA-based alternatives or those with specialized lighting that cost exponentially higher.
Panel uniformity for the Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz is acceptable since there are no massive backlight leaks on the screen. There are some clouding issues in dark or all-black images, but it wasn’t an issue in full color. Take note that this will vary between every monitor, so there are better and worse units out there.
Pixel responsiveness is the strongest asset of the Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz which barely shows any blurring or ghosting. You won’t need to apply massive amounts of overdrive to it since it’s unnecessary and it will add overshoot. Its performance in this regard compares to more expensive options, so you can save money if this is your priority in buying a gaming monitor.
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz is compatible with both FreeSync and Nvidia’s G-Sync Compatible mode. This is nice to have since you don’t have to game without VRR if ever you decide to go with the other GPU brand. Input lag is slightly under 4ms at 240Hz, so there is no need to worry about delays while playing your E-Sports titles.
Thoughts on the Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz
The Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz brings down the price wall for 240Hz competitive gaming monitors with ease. It’s as fast as its more expensive competitors, so blurring and delays won’t be an issue while you save some dough. It is decently equipped and designed, but you have to live with some omitted features which helped lower the monitor’s SRP.
What we disliked about the Monoprice Dark Matter 27” 240Hz is its poor calibration results and its contrast that didn’t improve despite its high brightness limit. Its other limitations such as its lack of USB ports or tilt-only stand are quite forgivable for many users. It’s a decent purchase overall, but we recommend saving up more if you want better accuracy and flexibility from your gaming display.
Pros:
- Great Gamut Coverage
- Fast Pixel Response Time and Low Input Lag
- FreeSync/G-Sync Compatible
- Affordable
- High Brightness
Cons:
- Mediocre Default and Calibrated Accuracy
- Tilt-Limited Stand
- Limited HDR Performance
About the Author: 
Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
Leave a Reply