Gigabyte company, which long ago presented one of the first 240 Hz monitors based on an IPS panel — the proven Gigabyte M27Q X, subsequently brought to market a simplified version of the GS27QX with the same refresh rate, and relatively recently, its accelerated version GS27QXA with a refresh rate of up to 260 Hz has already appeared on store shelves. The new Gigabyte screen stands out with its technical characteristics, minimalist design, and highly competitive price for a gaming model from a premium brand. Let’s get to know it better in this Gigabyte GS27QXA review below.
Gigabyte GS27QXA Review
Unboxing
This Gigabyte GS27QXA review sample comes in a compact, unpainted cardboard box that features two schematic images of the display, along with a comprehensive list of features presented in the form of small icons.
The box features a plastic handle on top, which makes transportation easy and convenient.
Inside the Gigabyte GS27QXA box, you’ll find:
- Power cable
- DisplayPort cable
- Plastic piece for cable management
- Warranty card
- Quick start guide
- Energy+ certification stickers
The kit includes everything you need to start trouble-free operation and get the maximum possible 260 Hz when connected via the DisplayPort interface, the main interface for a PC. If you need to connect via HDMI (this will mainly be relevant for owners of game consoles), you will have to purchase the cable yourself.
Design and Ergonomics
Based on the absence of numerous visual accents and the use of a simple stand, we have before us a solution from the manufacturer’s affordable gaming line.
The manufacturer used a compact and straightforward plastic stand with a special mount on the skids to the bottom of the case. No additional tool is required for assembly – it will take you no more than 30 seconds.
If necessary, the Gigabyte GS27QXA can be hung on a VESA-compatible bracket of the 100×100 mm standard. For this purpose, there are corresponding holes for M4 screws in the central part of the case.
The plastic stand, featuring rounded corners and rolled edges, is highly compact, allowing you to position the monitor further away from the user and increase the free workspace on the desk.
An additional plastic element attached to the bottom of the short central pillar enables the cable routing system. The solution is simple but quite effective in the general context.
The 2K 27 monitor stand offers minimal ergonomics, with only panel tilt available in a range of -5 to +21 degrees. At the same time, the panel is at an adequate height relative to the stand; we had no complaints in this regard.
To grip the work surface, the stand’s metal base uses four rubber inserts, which do a good job of holding the GS27QXA in place.
All monitor parts are connected with minimal gaps. The case is not subject to twisting and does not crunch or creak when changing its position on the stand.
There are two brand logos on the body: one on the front (white) and one on the back (gloss black).
Here, on the block for connecting cables, are the main connectors, oriented downwards. The power input is located separately. The DisplayPort 1.4 gaming monitor does not use a built-in speaker system.
Menu and Control
The basis of the 2560 x 1440 ultrawide monitor control system is a five-position joystick located on the lower edge of the case, precisely in the middle. The design combines the joystick with the power button. A power indicator sits next to it, and the light flows downward and forward to show the direction.
The indicator glows white during operation. If needed, you can turn it off or set it to stay on only in Standby mode, where it glows orange.
The main menu occupies approximately 20% of the screen area. The OSD speed remains high. The system responds relatively quickly to user actions – we did not notice any annoying delays. Thanks to on-screen prompts, it’s easy to operate the monitor both during the day and at night, even in the absence of external lighting.
Pressing the joystick at the bottom of the screen brings up a familiar block of five navigation buttons. These allow you to access the main menu, turn off the monitor, and quickly adjust the GameAssist settings.
The GS27QXA offers slightly different menu content compared to the monitors we’ve reviewed from other series. It also includes somewhat fewer options than the M series models and the top AORUS models, which comes as no surprise.
- The Gaming section features key performance enhancements, including AIM Stabilizer, Black Equalizer 2.0, Super Resolution, Display Mode, Overdrive, and AMD FreeSync Premium, which also enables G-Sync in Compatible mode. You can access the Black Equalizer only after disabling FreeSync Premium, and it works within a limited range of 240 to 260 Hz.
- In the Picture section, you’ll find controls for brightness, contrast, gamma, sharpness, color temperature, and saturation. The monitor enables Eco mode by default, and you can fine-tune the preset picture modes, although some offer limited adjustment options.
- The Display section allows you to switch inputs, set the tonal range, enable 260 Hz overclocking, and toggle Overclocking.
- PiP/PbP settings have their own section with complete layout options.
- The System menu allows volume adjustment, quick-access customization, and menu appearance tweaks. Additional options include disabling resolution alerts, changing the power LED, auto shutdown, and source switching.
- Language selection is handled separately, followed by a Reset all option in the final section.
Gigabyte GS27QXA review test
Color Gamut
The AMD FreeSync monitor features an IPS-type panel with the WQHD 2560 x 1440 standard, accompanied by an advanced version of W-LED backlighting. This advanced backlighting utilizes an additional layer of spraying to modify the backlight spectrum and expand the color gamut. Let’s examine the color gamut in our Gigabyte GS27QXA review unit as the test case.
The initial check was carried out with the display’s factory settings (Standard mode). The screenshots show that the monitor’s capabilities exceed sRGB (135-136% color volume) in all major areas and are close to DCI-P3.
We were unable to increase the color coverage even after manual adjustment and calibration. This Gigabyte GS27QXA review model reached the initial factory level, indicating that Gigabyte squeezed the installed panel to its maximum.
For trouble-free work in the sRGB space, the user can switch to the corresponding emulation mode. It operates at a reasonably high level, with correspondence accuracy set at 96.4%, without clearly exceeding the allocated space. There is a possibility of manual brightness adjustment, but other settings in the mode are blocked.
Regarding the Reader eye strain reduction mode, it reverts to expanded coverage; however, due to significant internal edits, the total volume of color data does not exceed 121% sRGB, which is normal for this preset.
Suppose you always work with the full-color gamut. In that case, you can combat excessive oversaturation where it is not intended, using suitable ICC/ICM profiles and software that provide regular support for the color management system (CMS). Among them are Adobe products, XnView, FastStone Viewer, Windows photo viewers (versions 7, 8, 10, and 11), as well as Opera, Firefox, Google Chrome, and others.
Brightness, Contrast, and Basic color rendering
The Gigabyte screen features five main modes: an sRGB emulation preset and a fully manual editing mode (Custom). By default, Standard is used with the following settings:
- Brightness: 80
- Contrast: 50
- Color Vibrance: 10
- Sharpness: 5
- Gamma: 3
- Color Temp.: Normal
- Low Blue Light: 0
- DCR: Off
- Overdrive: Balance
Let’s take a closer look at the results shown in the table below:
We decided to study in detail only the most useful of the presented modes. The brightness of the white field in most of them is at a high or very high level. The contrast ratio in the two main ones is kept at a level close to the TX of 1000:1. The white point of the quadHD monitor is set close to ideal, which is surprising. Only in Reader, to reduce eye strain, did the manufacturer lower it to an adequate 5490K without an obvious parasitic shade.
Regarding the gamma settings responsible for the picture’s contrast on the screen, the GS27QXA tends to make the image more contrasty than it should be – the average level ranges from 2.28 in Reader to 2.35 in sRGB, which is quite far from the reference. In this regard, the DeltaE94 deviations suffered, which could have been lower if not for such a gamma setting.
The level of color temperature stability at standard settings, in emulation mode, and Reader Mode turned out to be high. After calibration in Custom mode, the results worsened but remained at an adequate level.
To achieve 100 nits brightness, a white point color temperature of 6500K, and other improvements in Custom mode, we set the following settings:
- Brightness: 14
- Contrast: 50
- Gamma: Off
- Color Temp.: User Define (76/89/100)
- Overdrive: Balance
Manual edits enabled us to adjust the brightness to the desired level and set the white point to approximately 6500K with minimal deviations. In this mode, the color gamut is the maximum available for the panel used. By adjusting the Gamma mode, we ensured minor edits to the graphics card LUT during subsequent calibration, creating a correction profile that is crucial for the final result.
After applying the created profile, the color accuracy increased to 0.19 DeltaE94 on average and 0.87 at maximum – a result with which you can not worry about the accuracy of the image within the sRGB space and, with some “buts” within DCI-P3.
With standard settings, the measured gamma curves are slightly lower than the reference, resulting in a visual increase in image contrast on the screen. There is no RGB imbalance, and the stability of the grayscale color temperature is enviable. However, deep shadows are poorly distinguishable, which should be taken into account when working with the monitor.
Calibration, combined with the creation of an individual color profile in Custom mode, enabled us to restore standard color rendering and provide the system with all the necessary information about the display’s capabilities at the maximum potential of the matrix. Gamma curves and the gray balance returned to normal, and DeltaE94 deviations decreased to the required level. You can safely work with color without encountering problems while maintaining full access to all monitor settings.
The sRGB mode of the 2K 27″ Gigabyte screen is set up strangely. The gamma in it should be at an average level of 2.15-2.18, but we got an even more contrasting picture than with factory settings without the ability to change the gamma mode. At the same time, there are no issues with the RGB balance or the stability of the grayscale CT in the studied preset. But the contrast is overstated; the shadows are poorly distinguishable.
Even in Reader, the manufacturer made a more accurate picture in terms of its contrast. Shades of gray, along with the white point, have migrated to the “warm” zone but without an obvious parasitic shade. You can manually adjust the brightness, but overall, this range of settings doesn’t significantly reduce eye fatigue — relying on a single color temperature simply isn’t enough.
Color Temperature and Gradient Uniformity
Therefore, additional color temperature modes fully justify their names and provide an adequate level of stability for the grayscale color temperature. But it is worth considering – the further from the factory 6650K (Normal mode), the higher the level of deviations. Only in the mode with manual settings (User Define) did we manage to achieve minor deviations; however, in this case, the white point is slightly further from the reference.
The pseudo 10-bit (8-bit + FRC) AHVA panel from AUO, installed in the Gigabyte GS27QXA, demonstrated relatively high-quality gradients, both with default settings and after manual adjustments.
The monitor has no problems in additional modes, including sRGB emulation, and we did not find any visual differences from 60-120 Hz monitors – the quality is comparable, and therefore, you do not have to worry about the increased speed of the monitor – it did not come at the expense of image quality.
However, after calibration with relatively minor edits to the graphics card LUT, the gradients suffered noticeably. A significant number of sharp transitions appeared in the 5-50% range, accompanied by obvious parasitic shades (yellow, purple), which confirms the use of FRC (dithering).
Contrast and White point stability, Brightness range
We first set the Standard mode to study the stability of contrast and the range of brightness changes. Then, we adjusted the Brightness value from 100% to 0% in 10-unit increments. To obtain the maximum values, we used the User Define color temperature mode with the factory RGB settings (50/50/50).
The resulting working brightness range was 50-412 nits, with an average contrast ratio of ~1025:1. The brightness change is linear, and the contrast is stable. Switching to HDR does not alter the monitor’s capabilities; the maximum brightness remains unchanged.
With a minimum of 50 nits, the monitor will help minimize eye strain when working in low ambient light or at night, even in complete darkness. Everything is in order here – no unnecessary questions arise.
As for the stability of the set color temperature, the GS27QXA has proven itself to be a good performer – after a long warm-up of the monitor, the color temperature of the white field changes when the brightness changes from 100 to 0% by less than 200K – a high level for a gaming monitor.
Response time and Refresh rate
For GS27QXA, Gigabyte has only announced an MPRT time of 1 ms; however, it is worth remembering that this is not the pixel response time that should be used as a guide.
To achieve the maximum 260 Hz, you need to activate the Overclock function in one of the menu subsections. Another parameter responsible for adjusting the panel response speed is Overdrive, which offers five available operating modes. The default value is Balance. Let’s compare all available options with each other and add to them the result of working with the AIM Stabilizer function enabled:
The 1ms gaming monitor demonstrated the results we are familiar with, typical of the most popular IPS panel solutions with a frequency of 240-280 Hz. The model is at the same level as many competitors, and it is impossible to single out any victories in the battle for it.
The panel itself, as is obvious, belongs to the so-called Fast IPS solutions, which allows it to compete on equal terms with a vast list of high-speed TN+Film monitors. It is not worth remembering about *VA panel models, even with a frequency of 240 Hz – today’s Gigabyte GS27QXA review subject is faster than 95% of them, especially on dark transitions.
With factory settings, the speed is high, but minor artifacts are present. You can turn off panel overclocking or set the Picture Quality mode, but in this case, the speed will noticeably decrease. When switching to Smart OD and Speed, you will get even more artifacts than with the factory Balance.
The GS27QXA’s “Black Frame Insertion” is average. Double trails appear on both sides of the object in this mode, and the image slightly lacks clarity because the brightness reduction cycle doesn’t fully complete. The strain on the eyes, in this case, is significantly higher than without AIM Stabilizer, but some consumers may like the result.
Separately, we note that the Gigabyte GS27QXA monitor officially supports VRR systems, which indicates full support for open Adaptive-Sync and, of course, implies trouble-free operation with AMD FreeSync Premium (declared formally) and NVIDIA G-Sync in Compatible mode (without an official certificate), which we confirmed during actual Gigabyte GS27QXA review testing. There were no problems; everything worked, but only within the range of 48-260 Hz.
The Gigabyte screen also has no problems with frame skipping at the maximum vertical refresh rate – 240-260 Hz, which is honest skipping.
Viewing Angles
Modern 2K 27-inch monitors with IPS technology typically do not cause complaints regarding viewing angles and overall image stability on the screen, but there are exceptions. Our Gigabyte GS27QXA review unit is lucky – it uses a time-tested panel from AUO.
The image above shows everything perfectly. With minor changes in the viewing angle in the horizontal plane, the picture on the screen changes practically imperceptibly. If you increase the angle to 30-45 degrees, the image becomes less contrasty, the saturation of some colors decreases, and the shadows become slightly lighter. With changes in the vertical plane, the picture on the screen deteriorates much faster and more noticeably, especially in areas with dark content and along the edges of the panel.
Backlight and Color Temperature Uniformity
We checked the uniformity of the monitor’s backlight and color temperature across 35 points on the screen, with the brightness set to 100 nits. All calculations (deviations) were based on data from the central point. The monitor does not feature a backlight unevenness compensation system, which is typical for monitors of this class.
With the brightness set, the average deviation from the center point was 15.3%, and the maximum was 25%. The result is frankly low.
The bright zone is concentrated in a small central area. The farther from it, the darker. Moreover, the darkening occurs evenly and smoothly on all edges and corners of the panel.
The photo above shows a white field with minimal corrections in a graphics editor to more clearly represent what is happening on the screen in terms of the uniformity of the light field.
The difference in total brightness and CG is even more pronounced on dark gray canvases, where all the identified features of the backlight become more apparent.
Now let’s look at the black background, assessing its “uniformity” using two photographs taken at different distances from the screen (~70 cm and ~150 cm) so that you can determine the impact of the now boring Glow effect and find out the absolute uniformity of the backlight without taking it into account.
In the first case, Glow showed itself as it should have – four lightened corners with parasitic shades, but there is no fundamental difference between them – not in the strength of manifestation, not in color.
This feature can negatively affect the experience of working at the monitor if you sit very close to the screen: when loading the system even in daylight (not to mention working conditions with poor external lighting), when watching movies, and in software with a dark graphical interface (we recommend switching to a light design). This is all something you should be prepared for.
When moving away from the screen, Glow completely disappears. On the screen of our Gigabyte GS27QXA review sample, small, barely noticeable light “smudges” remained. Such a result can be considered high. We had no complaints about the uniformity of the backlight on the black field.
Let’s now examine how evenly the color temperature is distributed across the screen.
During the Gigabyte GS27QXA review testing, we manually adjusted the central temperature settings to achieve a 6500 K color temperature. We also set the white field brightness at the central point to 100 nits. However, the Gigabyte screen also showed another low result: the average deviation was 3.7%, and the maximum was 8.8%, with a difference of 900 K between the measured minimum and maximum.
Final Line
The Gigabyte GS27QXA considered in this material proved to be quite successful for its segment, with a relatively small list of shortcomings. The monitor offers extended color coverage, decent factory settings, a wide range of brightness adjustments, a stable contrast ratio, and a balanced spectrum of illumination, all designed to minimize eye strain.
Gigabyte GS27QXA offers a slightly increased range of features (for example, PiP/PbP functions), but not all consumers will use them. At the same time, there are all the necessary (but basic) gaming functions, a wide selection of Overdrive modes (including Smart OD), and decent settings. Additionally, the refresh rate of 260 Hz in overclocking mode provides a large reserve for the future for most consumers.
Also see: LG 45GX950A OLED Gaming Monitor Review
The monitor has its share of flaws: uneven brightness and color temperature, a wobbly stand due to its low mount, and no built-in speakers. It can’t push 10-bit color past 165 Hz—likely a DisplayPort limitation without DSC. The AIM Stabilizer doesn’t fully dim the backlight, and a faint crystalline layer remains visible during regular use. Amazon and B&H Photo sell it for $269.99, keeping it competitive with other setups.
