The TBG Monitor Buyer's Guide

[Cambie]

Hi Ari,

Long time reader and fan, first time poster.  I actually built a rig late last year based on the $1250 quiet PC specs you had up at that time.

I have been using a generic hybrid TV/monitor combo that I bought from Costco for several years now, but am ready to upgrade to an actual monitor.  Because I want longevity in quality, I have been considering the XB271HU (and to a lesser extent the Dell S2716DG for the lower price, though I would prefer the IPS panel).  However, I am still using the GTX 970 that was part of your then-current build.

I play all sorts of games including FPS, but I prefer to do so on as high graphical settings as possible.  I will be upgrading to the Nvidia 1000 series eventually, but I do not want to have to both upgrade the GPU and buy a high end monitor at the same time.  Is this monitor investment viable, or would the 1440p resolution be too much to handle with the GTX 970?  Should I be upgrading other components first (GPU, RAM, etc) before moving up to 1440p?  Will G-Sync overcome any of the framerate drops resulting from a higher resolution?

  Thanks!

[Ari Altman]

Hi Ari,

Long time reader and fan, first time poster.  I actually built a rig late last year based on the $1250 quiet PC specs you had up at that time.

I have been using a generic hybrid TV/monitor combo that I bought from Costco for several years now, but am ready to upgrade to an actual monitor.  Because I want longevity in quality, I have been considering the XB271HU (and to a lesser extent the Dell S2716DG for the lower price, though I would prefer the IPS panel).  However, I am still using the GTX 970 that was part of your then-current build.

I play all sorts of games including FPS, but I prefer to do so on as high graphical settings as possible.  I will be upgrading to the Nvidia 1000 series eventually, but I do not want to have to both upgrade the GPU and buy a high end monitor at the same time.  Is this monitor investment viable, or would the 1440p resolution be too much to handle with the GTX 970?  Should I be upgrading other components first (GPU, RAM, etc) before moving up to 1440p?  Will G-Sync overcome any of the framerate drops resulting from a higher resolution?

  Thanks!

Welcome to The TBG Forum, Cambie!

These are great questions, and they really get to the heart of the challenge (and the reward) of building your own system. As technology improves, you can upgrade one bit at a time, without too much fear of making a mistake. That's all the more true when moving to a G-Sync monitor. You are considering two excellent 1440p monitors (the IPS-based Acer XB271HU and the TN-based Dell S2716DG). Both will perform exactly the same in terms of framerates (unless you exceed 144Hz, where the XB271HU has an advantage), and with their broad G-Sync range, either will work just fine with a GTX 970. The reason is that they start to improve the motion clarity at 30fps, so even if you take a hit in terms of framerates versus a 1080p TV, they'll look just as good if not better. Based on TBG's most recent GTX 970 benchmarks at 2560x1440 (which appeared in the context of the EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 review), the GTX 970 can hold between 30fps and 60fps in all the most demanding games.

Yes, eventually you'll want more GPU power. The GTX 1070, for example, is on average 60% faster, meaning if falls right into the sweet spot where G-Sync is most effective (between 70fps and 100fps). But upgrading the monitor first is absolutely the way to go, and with G-Sync, you get to take advantage of the higher resolution and image quality without the typical screen tearing and stutter you'd get below 60fps on a fixed-refresh screen.

[Cambie]

Thanks for the response, Ari!  On cursory glance at the Best Buy websitr, it looks like the Asus PG279q is 50 dollars cheaper than the Acer.  Based on some of your previous posts, my impression is that you vouched for the Acer over the Asus simply on the basis that the latter was more expensive.  Price being equal, would you recommend one over the other based on specs alone?  I have read anecdotal evidence of both having backlight bleeding issues, but each side always says the other side's product has a worse problem.

[Ari Altman]

Thanks for the response, Ari!  On cursory glance at the Best Buy websitr, it looks like the Asus PG279q is 50 dollars cheaper than the Acer.  Based on some of your previous posts, my impression is that you vouched for the Acer over the Asus simply on the basis that the latter was more expensive.  Price being equal, would you recommend one over the other based on specs alone?  I have read anecdotal evidence of both having backlight bleeding issues, but each side always says the other side's product has a worse problem.

For what it's worth, I've been tracking the prices on these two monitors carefully, as I'm going to be buying one in the next week. It appears that Amazon has matched (or slightly beat) Best Buy's price, as the Asus PG279Q is $1,182.00 while the Acer X34 Predator is $1,230.41. For all intents and purposes, these monitors are identical, except in three regards:

(1) Style - I'm still undecided on which one I prefer. The Asus is definitely a little wild, but maybe it's also more eye-catching.
(2) Onscreen menus - Asus features a unique 5-way joystick that some users appear to prefer
(3) Cable length - Asus is bundling a 6ft cable, while Acer uses a 1m (3.3ft) cable.

Typically, when the Asus is more expensive than the Acer, the Acer definitely wins despite the minor features mentioned above. When the Asus is selling for less, it's quite compelling.

[Cambie]

The more I read about the Asus PG279Q and the Acer XB271HU, the more concerned I am getting regarding quality control and backlight bleeding issues.  Therefore, I am now also considering the Dell S2716DG that you recommend on your monitor buyer's guide.  From the reviews I have read, the color accuracy comes close to that of the IPS panels mentioned above.

Is this something that you would recommend, or is the IPS monitor so much better than the TN Dell that it would be worth suffering through potential BLB issues? I've also read about Samsung's upcoming quantum dot offerings, but that is more of a long-term consideration.

Thanks for all your help!

[Ari Altman]

The more I read about the Asus PG279Q and the Acer XB271HU, the more concerned I am getting regarding quality control and backlight bleeding issues.  Therefore, I am now also considering the Dell S2716DG that you recommend on your monitor buyer's guide.  From the reviews I have read, the color accuracy comes close to that of the IPS panels mentioned above.

Is this something that you would recommend, or is the IPS monitor so much better than the TN Dell that it would be worth suffering through potential BLB issues? I've also read about Samsung's upcoming quantum dot offerings, but that is more of a long-term consideration.

Thanks for all your help!

Trust me, I've seen the (numerous) user reviews complaining about backlight bleed. Frankly, this is just an internet-fueled phenomenon. Someone posts a photo of backlight bleed on a black screen in a dark room, and everyone else piles on and finds they have the same "problem." But that's just how IPS panels work. It's always been that way, and if you're actually using the monitor, rather than taking pictures of a black screen, you'd never notice it.

The Dell S2716DG is a good lower-cost option, and if budget is a concern, it's absolutely a great pick. But in no way would I ever recommend it over an XB271HU or nearly-identical Asus PG279Q (both sold out at the moment, by the way). The Dell may not have backlight bleed, but it exhibits all of the more serious problems of a TN panel. IPS is always going to have better viewing angles and better colors, which are way more important in actual use than backlight bleed issues.

[Jury-Pool-Reject]

I've said this before here, but several months ago...  I have the Acer XB271HU 27" IPS, 2560x1440, 165Hz refresh, and GSync. I notice NO ISSUES whatsoever with screen/image quality. This monitor is beyond belief in all games my son and I play, including the FPS 'Battlefield 1'.

What I believe happens with web tech site forum comments is this:  The individual who happens to have an issue with his monitor's picture quality will post at several sites, venting his frustrations. The result is that potential buyers get a skewed impression of the product he/she is considering. 

[Cambie]

I've said this before here, but several months ago...  I have the Acer XB271HU 27" IPS, 2560x1440, 165Hz refresh, and GSync. I notice NO ISSUES whatsoever with screen/image quality. This monitor is beyond belief in all games my son and I play, including the FPS 'Battlefield 1'.

What I believe happens with web tech site forum comments is this:  The individual who happens to have an issue with his monitor's picture quality will post at several sites, venting his frustrations. The result is that potential buyers get a skewed impression of the product he/she is considering.

I guess the fake news epidemic is real!  I'm going to look for the Asus if/when it is available again.  The stand seems better than on the XB271HU.

[Cambie]

PG279Q arrived today, everything looks great! Minimal backlight bleed in the top right corner, can't even notice it unless literally all the lights are turned off.

Thanks a lot folks! Will post a picture soon.  (Probably should post a picture of the rig too, since it's all based on Ari's articles!)

[Ari Altman]

PG279Q arrived today, everything looks great! Minimal backlight bleed in the top right corner, can't even notice it unless literally all the lights are turned off.

Thanks a lot folks! Will post a picture soon.  (Probably should post a picture of the rig too, since it's all based on Ari's articles!)

Glad that monitor worked out for you! With the Asus PG279Q now significantly under-cutting the Asus XB271HU in price, it's the top pick among gaming monitors in the TBG buyer's guide.

By the way, to post pictures in the forum, you'll need a third-party host. Alternatively, if you'd like a profile of the entire system published in the TBG Gallery, just e-mail the photos to theguru@techbuyersguru.com and I'll put publish it.

[wolf]

Hello Ari,

what do you think of the BenQ BL2711U in comparison to the LG 27UD58P-B at the 500€ pricepoint? It does not have Freesync but im looking for a better coverage of the colorspace instead of gaming performance.

[Ari Altman]

Hello Ari,

what do you think of the BenQ BL2711U in comparison to the LG 27UD58P-B at the 500€ pricepoint? It does not have Freesync but im looking for a better coverage of the colorspace instead of gaming performance.

In the US, the LG is quite a bit cheaper, but judging by prices in Germany, where both the BenQ BL2711U and LG 27UD58P-B are around EUR490, the BenQ is definitely the better option. BenQ has a long history of making excellent high-end professional monitors. I'm going to watch the price in the US and may replace the LG with the BenQ in the next monitor buyer's guide.