The XG272-2K-OLED Gaming Monitor is the latest high refresh, low latency monitor from manufacturer ViewSonic. Featuring a beautiful 27” OLED display, 2K resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate, the XG272 aims to offer a superior gaming experience for PC and console players alike. While the XG272 looks great on paper, one does wonder if it has enough to rise above other OLEDs in its price range.
Out of the box and assembled, the XG272 weighs in at a solid 22.9lbs and measures 23.8” W x 14.35” H (without stand) x 2.5” D. Thanks to the height adjustable stand, gamers will have the option to adjust the height from 17.6” to 22.3” in height. Featuring a fairly thin bezel, the XG272 looks sharp with its black trim and a white outer casing that covers the back of the monitor. Following this theme, the stand also features a black, matte finish on the front with a white outer shell along the back.
Functionally, the center of the monitor stand contains a wire channel for easy passthrough of both power and AV cables helping maintain a clean, minimalistic look to the display. For those wishing to wall mount the XG272, it is VESA compatible with 100×100 mm mounting points to work with.
To top off the overall look is an inset RGB strip light that offers four distinct colours to choose from. This essentially creates a nice backlight accent effect without the need for exterior lighting. Visually, ViewSonic has done a great job creating a sleek, minimalist-looking display that feels sturdy when assembled.
“Even with the most fast-paced titles, the XG272 performs masterfully, presenting deep, rich colours, buttery smooth action and a bright, crisp display experience.”
The XG272 is more than a pretty face, however. It features an impressive lineup of IO to work with as well. 2 HDMI 2.1 along with 2 Displayports offer plenty of video connections. A single 3.5 Audio Out jack allows for audio passthrough to headphones or speakers if needed. Additionally, the XG272 comes with 3 USB Type-A ports, 1 USB Type-B (for communication for the other USB ports) and one USB Type-C port. The design goal seems to be to allow for convenient connections without the need to crawl in behind your PC constantly. Thanks to the XG272s 90° swivel connection, accessing these ports as well as setting up the monitor is exceptionally easy.
On the note of setup, ViewSonic has opted for a quick connect clip system that makes attaching the monitor to the stand a breeze. The Monitor has easily identifiable connection points that can easily be lined up with the stand. Applying only a slight amount of pressure snaps the clips in place. Once connected the whole assembly feels sturdy. If there is a need to disassemble the monitor from the stand, a quick-release switch is located just under the connection point. It’s a smart and easy-to-use design that is well thought out and implemented.
While the XG272 does have onboard controls with a handy micro joystick for easy navigation, it also comes with a remote that can easily be stored in a built-in inset in the stand’s base. The remote makes navigating the menus of the ViewSonic display convenient and hassle-free. As for the menus, the XG272 has one of the better laid out and labelled menu systems I’ve used making it simple to adjust the many elements of this OLED display.
What is more impressive still is how incredibly powerful and adaptable the XG272 is. Featuring a 240Hz refresh rate with a .02ms response time, this OLED 2K display is absolutely beautiful to use. Thanks to the OLED display, images are brighter, crisper and cleaner looking. Additionally, the XG272 offers an impressive 178° viewing angle, which helps maintain a consistent visual experience even when not looking directly at the monitor.
“With support for both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC, the XG272 is highly adaptable to whatever signal is thrown its way.”
During the visual colour tests, the XG272 presented exceptionally clear and accurate colour representation. There were no notable areas of concern. During uniformity testing (testing for bright or dim colour spots), the results were also excellent. There were no notable areas that were out of balance with the rest of the display. The sharpness test, likewise, produced some impressive results with the smallest test font (10 point) being legible in both white on black and the reverse.
Shifting to practical tests, the ViewSonic monitor performed exceptionally well. With support for both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC, the XG272 is highly adaptable to whatever signal is thrown its way. It is especially appreciated when playing fast-paced shooters. DOOM Eternal, for example, looked absolutely gorgeous at 2560 x 1440 at a 240Hz refresh rate. The 0.02ms response time meant that images were consistently smooth no matter how quickly I dashed around the arena glory, killing the hordes of Hell.
“While the XG272 does have onboard controls with a handy micro joystick for easy navigation, it also comes with a remote that can easily be stored in a built-in inset in the stand’s base.”
This, of course, is the most important aspect of this monitor. Gaming on the XG272 is an absolute treat. The visual representation on screen is gorgeous and consistently excellent. Even with the most fast-paced titles, the XG272 performs masterfully, presenting deep, rich colours, buttery smooth action and a bright, crisp display experience.
The XG272 also features a burn-in prevention system that helps reduce burn-in that can occur over time. The technology essentially moves pixels on a micro level to help continually refresh the image (not noticeable to the naked eye, of course) and also monitors for idle screen time, automatically dimming the screen when not in use. This Static Screen detection worked quite well in testing and was quick to bring the screen back up to full brightness as soon as activity was detected.
An interesting feature that was a bit surprising considering the modern trends in monitor design was the inclusion of two 3W integrated speakers. While they won’t blow you away with awe-inspiring sound, these little speakers are a nice addition if you have no external output on your PC or if a console is hooked up to another input on the monitor.
The XG272-2K-OLED gaming monitor from ViewSonic is an absolute treat to use. Offering a premium visual experience, loads of features and impressively adaptable display settings, the XG272 has it all. While the price point clearly puts it in the premium category, the XG272 carries that title well and is a gaming monitor worth considering.
