The Affordable Gaming Monitor Market is Expanding
With all the buzz surrounding high-end OLED gaming monitors, it’s easy to overlook the growth in the affordable gaming monitor market. Gigabyte has been a prominent player in both realms, offering premium Aorus monitors at the higher end and more budget-friendly self-branded monitors. The Gigabyte GS27Q falls into the latter category, providing a decent picture and gaming experience. However, its lackluster stand, poor out-of-the-box picture quality, and resemblance to other superior Gigabyte monitors raise questions about its purpose.
Gigabyte GS27Q – Design and Features
The GS27Q, priced at $249.99, features a spacious 27-inch IPS screen with SuperSpeed technology for a rapid 1ms response time. It incorporates gaming features from the Aorus line, such as Aim Stabilizer to reduce motion blur. The monitor boasts a resolution of 2560×1440 (1440p) and a refresh rate of 165Hz, overclockable to 170Hz via the OSD or OSD Sidekick Windows app. It also supports variable refresh rate with AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility.
In terms of design, the GS27Q is sleek and modern, with minimal indications of being a gaming monitor aside from the word “gaming” on the stand. The thin design is understated, offering a basic look that may not stand out but serves its purpose.
Gigabyte GS27Q – Stand and Connectivity
Unfortunately, the stand of the GS27Q is a major letdown, providing limited adjustability with minimal tilt range and no height adjustment. Connectivity options are basic, featuring two HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 connection, and a headphone jack. The absence of a USB hub or KVM sets it apart from Gigabyte’s M27Q model, which offers more features at a similar price point.
Gigabyte GS27Q – Picture Quality and Performance
Despite initial challenges with picture quality out of the box, the GS27Q offers appealing features such as a 27-inch 1440p display with vibrant colors. Calibration may be required to optimize the viewing experience, especially adjusting settings like Black Equalizer for better contrast. Once properly configured, the monitor delivers a solid gaming experience with minimal ghosting and impressive color rendition.
However, compared to Gigabyte’s M27Q with a similar panel and better features for a slightly lower price, the GS27Q seems redundant. The M27Q offers more value with a brighter display, faster response time, additional features, and better out-of-the-box picture quality.