Pros
Excellent colour accuracy out of the field
Good construct high quality and an adjustable stand
Fantastic movement readability
The 25-inch 1080p/320Hz mode is a pleasant perk for esports players
Cons
No USB hub
Poor off-angle viewing
Low peak brightness with simply common distinction
More costly than the competitors when not on sale
Just just a few years in the past, it could have been not possible to discover a high-refresh-rate, 27-inch, 4K gaming monitor just like the $500 ViewSonic XG275D-4K, a DFR — dynamic frequency and determination — monitor that may function at 160Hz in its native 4K decision or 320Hz in a 1080p, 25-inch window. Now, you’ll be able to select from myriad related opponents at this measurement for below $400, a lot of which supply the wonderful textual content and picture sharpness delivered by 4K decision plus refresh charges par for an IPS show in its worth class. But, whereas $500 is rather a lot for what it delivers, when the ViewSonic is discounted to compete with fashions just like the Acer Nitro XB273Okay V5bmiiprx — as an example, at evaluate time it was round $390 at Amazon and Best Buy — it could provide sufficient no-nonsense fashion for players who need a show that may pull double responsibility on the workplace. Design and options Why do not you need to purchase it on the producer’s checklist worth? The monitor skimps on options that inexpensive displays have a tendency to incorporate. It has audio system, although they’re low-power, 2W variations that are usually discovered on low-cost displays (in the event that they embody audio system in any respect). Speakers are at all times appreciated, although, as a result of they’re no less than good for system notifications. But the monitor lacks a built-in USB hub. There’s a single USB-C port with 65 watts of energy supply for cellular gadgets and video enter, however that is it. And even for the discounted worth, it is disappointingly dim. ViewSonic XG275D-4K specs Price $500Dimension (diagonal) 27 in/69cmPanel and backlight IPS with LEDFlat or curved FlatResolution and pixel density 3,840 x 2,160, 163ppiAspect ratio 16:9Maximum gamut 94% P3Brightness (nits, peak/typical) 300 nitsHDR HDR10Adaptive sync FreeSync Premium, G-Sync CompatibleMax vertical refresh fee 320Hz (1080p), 160Hz (4K)Gray/grey response time (milliseconds) 2Connections 1 x DP 1.4, 2 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x USB-C in (65W PD)Audio 2W stereo audio system, headphone jackVESA mountable Yes, 75 x 75mmPanel guarantee 3 yearsRelease date March 2025 Setting up the ViewSonic XG275D-4K is easy, and I used to be struck by how strong, if easy, the display’s building and accompanying stand are. The stand may be very sturdy, which means the panel does not wobble whereas typing, and has a big opening for routing cables. Its adjustability is top-notch for a gaming monitor, permitting you to regulate peak, swivel and tilt, in addition to pivot the display vertically. The show and stand each appear very sturdy. The ViewSonic has the naked minimal of ports. Lori Grunin/CNETNavigating the built-in on-screen show is easy, and helpfully, the battery lifetime of the connected system is proven on the backside of the menu the place relevant, as is the present brightness degree. When you open the OSD for the primary time, it prompts you to enter your nation, and when you’re within the US, it routinely allows Eco Mode and caps the brightness. This is a simple change to revert, although. Performance It’s a very good factor the XG275D-4K’s efficiency largely makes up for the shortage of options. At 4K/160Hz, there’s little discernible movement blur when monitoring fast-moving objects. I usually take a look at quick shows with video games like Hades and Enter the Gungeon, the place response time is crucial, and the monitor held up admirably. For esports gamers, or players with techniques that are not highly effective sufficient to drive a high-refresh-rate show at 4K, the aforementioned 1080p mode is an effective way to push extra frames. It requires enabling the mode within the OSD after which restarting the connected system to change between resolutions, which could be awkward. Lori Grunin/CNETThe colour accuracy is extra spectacular. I measured a mean delta E of 1.7 at most brightness, each in a 10% heart window and full display, in addition to a most delta E of 4.7. That’s a wonderful out-of-the-box end result and makes the XG275D-4K a powerful contender for a show one can each recreation and use for color-sensitive picture or video work after calibration. ViewSonic does not present a manufacturing unit calibration report anyplace; nevertheless, as that is technically a gaming monitor (although an increasing number of producers provide them nowadays). Color gamut protection is about common for an IPS show, though there is not any option to clamp the gamut to sRGB, a disappointing oversight which means colours seem oversaturated within the default viewing mode, particularly reds. But it additionally implies that colours pop in video games, and shiny titles like Avowed, the Spider-Man sequence, and Hearthstone look vibrant and energetic, whereas the excessive pixel density makes edges particularly sharp. But distinction is mediocre at a little bit greater than 1,000:1 out of the field (at 70% brightness), about what’s regular for an IPS panel. Those used to OLED shows with their deep blacks and nearly infinite distinction ratio might discover darkish areas in video games and scenes in motion pictures hazy or muddy, and even the five-year-old Gigabyte M27Q I take advantage of day by day measures 1,200 to 1. Shadows in Alan Wake 2 look washed out, and exploring town of Nokron in Elden Ring was underwhelming, not atmospheric. Color measurements Preset Gamut (% protection)White pointGammaPeak brightness (full display in nits)Accuracy (DE2K common/max)Default/Native 93% P3 (128% sRGB)6400K2.32901.4/2.0FPS n/a6980K2.7284n/aRTS n/a6400K3.3287n/aMOBA n/a6500K3.3288n/aMovie n/a7000K2.5287n/a The XG275D-4K is not very shiny, both, topping out at a measured 290 nits at most brightness. Although the show is listed as supporting HDR10, that simply means it may do the mathematics for tonal mapping; the low brightness precludes any HDR utilization and may require that customers modulate the quantity of sunshine coming into the room. The low most brightness is very egregious contemplating the $300 MSI MAG 274URFW is VESA DisplayHDR 400 licensed, as is the $349 Asus ROG Strix XG27UCS — and neither will present a fantastic HDR expertise, however they are going to no less than hit 400 nits and pack the identical specs. ViewSonic makes use of a really efficient anti-glare coating on the panel, however this has the unintended aspect impact of injuring the viewing angles. Looking on the monitor dead-on is nice, however viewing from above, under or from the perimeters washes the image out. That’s a doubtlessly necessary consideration for multimonitor setups or off-center placement. For the value, there are many gaming displays with successfully the identical specs from Asus, Acer, and Amazon-only manufacturers like KTC and KOORUI. And I would not be stunned in the event that they have been all utilizing the identical IPS panel. The reality is, the ViewSonic XG275D-4K is simply alright, and although it is color-accurate out of the field, it is merely dearer and never as shiny because the competitors. Even the 1080p, 320Hz mode is not distinctive; many of the displays linked above also can pull that trick off. Unless you discover it for round $350, players seeking to get essentially the most for the cash ought to look elsewhere. How we take a look at displays All measurements are carried out utilizing the newest model of Portrait Display’s Calman Ultimate software program, an X-Rite i1Display Pro Plus (rebranded as Calibrite ColorChecker Display Plus HL), and quite a lot of included patch units. Additional HDR testing is carried out utilizing a Murideo Six-G sample generator and/or the Client3 HDR patterns inside Calman. We periodically spot-check the colorimeter’s accuracy in opposition to the Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer used for our TV testing. Core assessments — these we run on each show, no matter intent or worth — embody: The white level, brightness (peak and minimal), distinction and gamma for sRGB and the native colour area have been measured throughout 21 grey patches (0 to 100%), reported rounded all the way down to the closest 50Okay if there aren’t any massive variations. A plus or minus 200Okay variation across the goal colour temperature is taken into account acceptable for all however essentially the most color-critical shows.Color gamut protection and accuracy for sRGB and the native colour area utilizing Calman’s customary Pantone patch set, plus grayscale and pores and skin tone patches.We add Blur Busters’ movement assessments for gaming displays to evaluate movement artifacts (equivalent to ghosting) or refresh rate-related issues. You can discover a extra detailed description of our take a look at methodology on our How CNET Tests Monitors web page.