With video cards pushing more pixels at better frame rates than ever, the time has never been better to look at potential upgrades, such as the ViewSonic ELITE XG270QC. This 27’’ 1440P curved display boasts some impressive features and comes in a sleek, clean design, making it an ideal choice for gamers needing quality, as well as style.
ViewSonic ELITE XG270QC is a feature rich offering, delivering a 165Hz refresh rate, combined with a comfortable curved display, 1440 resolution, RGB lighting and inputs to ensure you can enjoy console, or PC gaming. While it does not push the 4K some displays manage, the HDR features, Freesync and the 165Hz refresh rate make for a fair trade off.
If you are into PC gaming, 60FPS has been the bare minimum for a while now, and with the PS5 and Xbox Series X out soon, the need to have a display that can maximize the potential of what the system can do is not only welcome, but a requirement to play at the top ranks in many games. This is where one of the key selling points of the XG270QC comes in, the stunning 165Hz.
With any gaming display, you want to ensure you have lighting fast response time, anything less will result in ghosting or blue. So I was pleased to see the ViewSonic XG270QC offer a solid 3ms (1ms MPRT) and PureXP technology to reduce motion blur making everything on screen feel buttery smooth even during action.
When you are pushing your new video card, or system, delivering a crisp, 1440P signal at 165Hz, that is the sweet spot that makes this monitor such an appealing option. Delivering a crisp picture, while keeping the frame rate up is a great combo, but combine that with the sub $600 price tag, and Viewsonic have managed to deliver an amazing value.
Looking at the display, it is easy to see how ViewSonic have cemented their place in the display world for so long. The ViewSonic XG270QC delivers stunning, vibrant colours, with rich, striking blacks without any loss of detail even during movement and action. Jumping into a range of games from Fortnite to Call of Duty, the display managed to deliver fantastic visuals that felt clear and crisp even when the action on screen was chaotic.
The settings for the ViewSonic XG270QC are bare bones, but give enough to get the monitor set up the way you need. There are preset modes for a variety of games, including FPS, MOBA, Battle Royale with the option to make custom settings based on your particular needs. The joystick-like navigation works for the most part, and feels less frustrating when compared to alternative solutions we have seen in the past.
Looking at the build quality on the display, and the attention to detail and design are felt throughout the monitor. The stand feels substantial, and while it does take up a fair bit of desk real estate, it feels sturdy enough to withstand being knocked, or jostled. It also allows for height, swivel and tilt adjustment making it easy to set up just the way you need for gaming or work.
The ViewSonic XG270QC also comes with HDR400 support that will give a nice pop to visuals where supported. This is by no means top-level HDR, and in testing was barley visible in some games, but it is great to see, and while not a major selling point, it is a great addition to an already sold offering with this display.
With this being a gaming monitor, it is great to see it include FreeSync support. For anyone that does not know, FreeSync, much like Gsync, is a technology that allows the monitor to work with the GPU to give the smoothest possible experience. When the refresh rate displayed “syncs” with what the GPU is delivering, it helps reduce problems like screen tearing and stuttering. You will need a compatible GPU, but when it works, it is a great addition to your gaming arsenal, and it is always great to see on a high refresh rate, high resolution screen like the ViewSonic XG270QC.
If all that were not enough, the XG270QC also has speakers built in to give a bit of audio while gaming. Now don’t get me wrong, if you have a headset or a solid pair of speakers already hooked up, this will be a backup, but it was nice of ViewSonic to include it, and they work well, especially for a built-in offering. Bass feels impactful, and the overall clarity was good for most experiences, including gaming, and media consumption.
The XG270QC packs a few other features that while not vital to most peoples uses, are great additions to an already fantastic offering. It has a headphone hook on the left hand site, that folds away when not in use, it also has a mouse anchor, a place to rest your phone, the previously mentioned ambient RGB lighting, a plethora of ports, including audio out, 3 USB-A ports and the ability to plug in HDMI and Display port, making the overall offering feel as complete as anyone could hope for, especially at the extremely competitive price.
At the end of the day, the ViewSonic XG270QC is one of the better displayed we have tested at CGMagazine. For gamers that demand the best, this 1440P 165Hz panel packs a lot of punch for its price tag. While it does suffer from a few minor nit-picks, the XG270QC stands as a fantastic investment for anyone excited for next gen, or has a new 6000 series video card they want to try.
