In this review, we take an in-depth look at the GIGABYTE M27QA Gaming Monitor—a 27-inch IPS display boasting a 2560 x 1440 resolution and a blazing-fast 180 Hz refresh rate. Priced at approximately ₱17,995 PHP (Ice White version), this monitor aims to deliver an immersive gaming experience for the midrange consumer.
Disclosure: GIGABYTE provided the M27QA for review purposes with no stipulations or influence over our evaluation.
Table of Contents
Technical Specifications
The GIGABYTE M27QA is a 27-inch gaming monitor featuring a QHD (2560 x 1440) SuperSpeed IPS panel with a 180 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms MPRT response time. The display also covers 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, offers KVM functionality, and supports VESA DisplayHDR400.
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Panel Size | 27 in |
| Panel/Backlight | IPS |
| Surface Treatment | Non-Glare |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 (16:9) |
| Pixel Density | 108.79 ppi |
| Refresh Rate | 180 Hz |
| Variable Refresh Rate | Adaptive-Sync |
| Brightness | 350 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 |
| Response Time | 1 ms (MPRT) |
| Color Coverage | 130% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 |
| Color Depth | 10-bit |
| Connectivity | |
| Display | 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 |
| USB | USB Type-C (Alt DP Mode + PD 10 W), 2x USB 3.2 (Downstream), 1x USB 3.2 (Upstream) |
| Audio | 1x 3.5 mm (Out) |
| Ergonomics | |
| VESA Mount | 100 x 100 mm |
| Pivot | N/A |
| Swivel | N/A |
| Tilt | -5°/+20° |
| Lift | 130 mm |
| Anti-strain | Flicker-Free |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 615.11 mm |
| Width | 42.21 mm |
| Height | 367.35 mm |
| Weight | 3.45 kg (w/o stand) |
Packaging and Accessories
The GIGABYTE M27QA is packed inside a postal/airplane box style packaging.
Scope of delivery are as follows:
- GIGABYTE M27QA monitor
- Power cable
- HDMI cable
- DP cable
- USB cable
- QSG/Warranty card
Design, Build and Connectivity
The GIGABYTE M27QA is a simple 27-inch gaming monitor – at least on the outside. It has a metal reinforced plastic base, which is the only thing that screams ‘gaming’ in its facade. It is a fairly light 27 inch monitor though at 3.45 kilograms excluding the stand.
The back of the M27QA is a bit more stylish with a dual-tone texture. Here you could see that it also offers a joystick for the OSD navigation which is always a plus.
Connectivity options are pretty good. We have technically two DisplayPorts via the DP 1.4 port and the USB Type-C which also doubles as a PD charger – though 10 W max only. Other connectivity options includes the dual HDMI 2.0 ports, dual downstream USB 3.2 ports, an upstream USB Type-B port and an earphone jack. As for power, the GIGABYTE M27QA comes with an external power adapter rated at 90 W max. That’s a lot of headroom even with HDR and USB devices in mind.
Ergonomics
The GIGABYTE M27QA is a 27-inch monitor with a native resolution of 2560 x 1440, delivering a sharp pixel density of 108.79 PPI. Its stand design allows the screen to sit close to the back wall, making it suitable for desks with a depth of less than 60 cm.
The M27QA only supports tilt and height adjustments, so it is still limited when it comes to ergonomics. I highly suggest looking for a capable VESA stand if you require a gaming monitor that could swivel and pivot.
OSD Menu
The GIGABYTE M27QA has a familiar OSD menu, made specifically for joystick aided navigation. The Gaming menu is the first one here with options such as Aim Stabilizer Sync (Strobing), Black Equalizer, Super Resolution (Sharpening), Display Mode, Overdrive and Adaptive Sync.
The Picture menu enables you to select a preset and adjust its settings, including brightness, contrast, gamma, and color temperature, among others. Note that certain options may not be available depending on the preset.
The Display menu is where you could manually choose between input options along with setting up the display’s color range and overscan.
Software
If you’d rather avoid using the joystick, you may download the GIGABYTE Control Center to manage your OSD settings. The interface will vary between models, as the M27QA’s interface is not as extravagant as others as seen on our review of the AORUS FO32U2P so you may have to tone your expectations.
Still, the M27QA’s software based OSD offers an acceptable level of customization. Not the best out there but it definitely will get the job done concerning the most important parts.
OSD Presets
The GIGABYTE M27QA includes nine picture presets including all three custom modes. For simplicity, we chose the sRGB mode as the basis for calibration.
| Spyder5 ELITE | OSD Settings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Settings | Brightness (cd/m²) | Black Level (%) | Contrast (:) | White Point (K) |
| Standard | 130.5 | 0.16 | 820:1 | 7500 |
| FPS | 224.5 | 0.36 | 620:1 | 7200 |
| RTS/RPG | 197.8 | 0.20 | 970:1 | 7200 |
| Movie | 229.5 | 0.28 | 810:1 | 7600 |
| Reader | 140.4 | 0.19 | 720:1 | 6300 |
| sRGB | 116.5 | 0.14 | 810:1 | 7500 |
| Custom 123 | 203.2 | 0.25 | 810:1 | 7600 |
OSD settings are as follows:
- Preset = sRGB
- Brightness = 56 (120 cd/m²)
- Contrast = N/A
- Color Temperature = N/A
- Gamma = N/A
If you wish to try the calibrated profile for the M27QA, send us an email via the contact page.
Gamut
The M27QA offers good sRGB color space coverage. However, test results with AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 are not favorable for pro-level work requiring such color spaces.
| Spyder5 ELITE | Gamut, Percent (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color Space | sRGB | AdobeRGB | DCI-P3 | NTSC |
| Measured | 96 | 75 | 74 | 70 |
Tone Response
Tone response is mostly out of spec with only the settings ‘Gamma 1.8’ and ‘Off’ on point – as it technically sits at 2.2 which is the standard for most displays.
| Spyder5 ELITE | Tone Response, Gamma (γ) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option | Off | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| Measured | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
Brightness and Contrast
Brightness level on the other hand is just decent as far as SDR brightness is concerned. The M27QA tops at 278.1 cd/m² here which is a far cry from the typical rating published by GIGABYTE which is 350 cd/m².
| Spyder5 ELITE | Brightness and Contrast, SDR | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Settings | Brightness (cd/m²) | Black Level (%) | Contrast (:) | White Point (K) |
| 0% | 10.2 | 0.00 | 10210:1 | 7600 |
| 25% | 50.3 | 0.02 | 2190:1 | 7600 |
| 50% | 139.2 | 0.17 | 810:1 | 7500 |
| 75% | 224.8 | 0.23 | 990:1 | 6600 |
| 100% | 278.1 | 0.28 | 990:1 | 6600 |
Now as for HDR brightness, the M27QA showed an almost consistent peak brightness at various window sizes. These are not mind blowing results by brightness level standards, but its consistency allows for a more enjoyable HDR experience – even with its limited ‘HDR400’ compliance. That said, the M27QA offers a more immersive HDR experience across wider scenes than displays that may have higher peak brightness but struggle to maintain it over larger window sizes.
Screen Uniformity
The M27QA’s color uniformity isn’t the best I’ve encountered – most notably, its lower-right section showing the greatest deviation. That said, it’s also not among the worst, with an average Delta-E of 1.99 and with a visual inspection combined.
Luminance uniformity, however, is a different matter – especially in low-light conditions or when you’re actively looking for inconsistencies, such as when the screen displays a completely black image. Under such conditions, IPS glow is definitely something to be aware of with the M27QA.
Color Accuracy
The GIGABYTE M27QA returns strong with an average color accuracy of 0.64 – one of the best results I’ve seen yet.
Response Time
In terms of response time, the M27QA delivers an average perceived response of 7.75 ms. Meanwhile, the average RGB overshoot remains at a very reasonable 8.97%, contributing to an overall visual response score of 82.13 out of 100. This rating is achieved using the Smart OD overdrive setting at 180 Hz, as I found the default and other overdrive options to perform worse.
Input Lag
The M27QA exhibits an average display latency of 6.924 milliseconds at its native resolution and refresh rate. It is a performance level that falls within a healthy range for competitive gaming scenarios.
Power
At a brightness level of 120 cd/m², the M27QA consumes approximately 22.39 watts of power. It also scales well at various brightness levels just fine.
Final Thoughts
The GIGABYTE M27QA is positioned as a high-refresh-rate 1440p IPS display aimed at competitive and enthusiast gamers seeking strong core performance without premium pricing. Its 180 Hz native refresh rate, when paired with Smart OD, delivers a responsive gaming experience with an average perceived response time of 7.75 ms and minimal overshoot (8.97%), translating to a commendable visual response. Input latency is equally competitive at 6.924 ms, ensuring minimal delay in fast-paced gaming scenarios.
From a color standpoint, the panel impresses with an average ΔE of 0.64 in sRGB mode which is ideal for color-accurate work within the standard gamut. However, its AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 coverage fall short, limiting its suitability for wide-gamut workflows. Brightness measurements show a peak SDR luminance of 278.1 cd/m², underperforming relative to its 350 cd/m² claim. Nonetheless, the monitor demonstrated commendable HDR consistency across varying window sizes despite its DisplayHDR 400 rating, making it a decent choice for entry-level HDR content consumption.
Panel uniformity is mixed: while average color uniformity remains within acceptable limits (ΔE 1.99), luminance uniformity and IPS glow detract from performance in darker scenes or uniform backgrounds. Ergonomically, the monitor is constrained by its limited tilt and height adjustments, although VESA mount support provides a workaround for such limitations. On the connectivity front, the M27QA offers a versatile I/O array, including USB-C with 10W PD, dual HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, and a functional USB hub – enhancing its desktop utility.
Overall, the GIGABYTE M27QA delivers a well-rounded performance profile with strengths in refresh rate, color accuracy, and latency metrics. It stands out as a competitive choice within the sub-$300 USD gaming monitor segment, particularly for gamers prioritizing both responsiveness and fidelity.
GIGABYTE M27QA Gaming Monitor $299
Product Name: M27QA
Product Description: The GIGABYTE M27QA is a 27-inch QHD (2560x1440) SuperSpeed IPS gaming monitor designed for high-performance gaming and content creation.
Brand: GIGABYTE
Summary
The GIGABYTE M27QA delivers a strong performance in gaming and general use with a high refresh rate and accurate color output, though it falls short in ergonomics, SDR brightness, and wide-gamut color support.
Pros
- High 180 Hz refresh rate for smooth gaming
- Sharp 1440p resolution with excellent color accuracy
- Low input lag and solid response time performance
- USB-C with power delivery and multiple connectivity options
- Useful software-based OSD customization
- Fairly energy efficient
Cons
- Limited ergonomics (only tilt and height adjustments)
- SDR brightness is below advertised spec
- Poor AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 coverage
- Noticeable IPS glow and uneven luminance in dark scenes
Hi, thx for the clear, detailed and actually very relevant review ! Do you think the Ips glow would be on par with a AOC Q27G4X maybe if you’ve tried it ? You seemed pretty severe about IPS glow on this M27QA so i wonder if it’s still on the average side or if its really not so good and worse then others monitors in this price range ? I mean was it really noticeable and distracting when watching movies or playing dark games ?
Hi Juliette. I have not tried the AOC model so I have no clue on how it’ll fare against the M27QA.
Now as for IPS glow itself, it is a characteristic of IPS panels in general. On that note, most (if not all) IPS monitors will ‘feature’ it as a side-effect of the tech.
In my experience with the M27QA, it is not as bad as what I might be implying on my review. I simply expected it (hence also looked for it) and have found it a nuance at very dark rooms – like really, really dark rooms with dark scenes, and higher brightness levels combined.