HP 27-inch QHD Gaming with Tilt/Height Adjustment with AMD FreeSync Premium Technology (X27q, 2021 model)

Fantastic entry level monitor for 1440p gaming. Bought from a review from @PCBuilderChannel on YouTube.

This is a very new 165Hz gaming monitor and as such there unfortunately isnt many reviews for it out there so I decided Id write a few words regarding my experience with it thus far. I have been using the HP X27q for a few days now and so far I absolutely love it. The screen is absolutely beautiful and in my personal opinion it feels like 27 seems to be a pretty good sweet spot for the QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution that this monitor provides. The Height Adjustment mechanism is very smooth as well. It was very easy to setup and it came with a DisplayPort cable in the box which was a nice bonus. For my use case I mostly use the monitor connected via DisplayPort to my desktop computer with an AMD graphics card. However, I did temporarily connect it to my gaming laptop which uses Nvidia and while the monitor uses AMD FreeSync Premium and isnt listed as G-Sync compatible I manually enabled G-Sync within the Nvidia software on my laptop and it seemed to work just fine in my limited testing. (I should note that the G-Sync option will only appear when the monitor is connected via the DisplayPort.) I also tested my laptop connected to the monitor’s HDMI port using a premium Cable Matters HDMI cable and was getting a 144Hz refresh rate at the maximum resolution in the few games that I tested. The only very minor annoyance that I have is that you have to reach your hand around the back of the right side of the monitor to access the controls.

Dunno if I got lucky or what, but I got an LG panel and its basically perfect. Zero ghosting (I think that recent review complaining about ghosting has their settings wrong - setting Response Time to level 4 will introduce overshoot, I recommend setting it to level 2. Or theyre using variable refresh rate, which I havent bothered using yet), good colors + brightness, no dead pixels, and minimal backlight bleed. Only annoyances Ive had with it is: It installs Omen Gaming Hub on your PC automatically, completely unasked for (I uninstalled it and it never came back). Red colors are a smidge over-saturated and its difficult to reign it in with the settings. Though it may just be my old secondary Dell monitor, which looks a bit gray and washed out, in comparison. Otherwise, 100% recommended for anyone looking for a high refresh rate 1440p IPS panel monitor around $200, that doesnt have the awful VA panel black smearing that cheaper high refresh rate usually have (havent seen a single other monitor like this around $200 that isnt a VA panel). You also usually dont see fully height-adjustable stands at this price point, either. So I was a bit skeptical buying it for only $200. Wasnt expecting much considering the brand and the price, but Im pleasantly surprised. Update: I tried out Freesync, and it actually works better than the dedicated Gsync module in my old monitor. There is some very slight overshoot ghosting, but you really have to look for it to notice it.

The monitor itself is great. Clear image, and very nice response times. Satisfied with my purchase with what I paid for it. However I was shipped a faulty power cable. Luckily I had a UPS, as using the power cable that was shipped in the box caused the circuit to short. The first time I tried to power the monitor on, it immediately shut my other monitor and PC off. I attempted to start the monitor again, with the same results. Used a different outlet on the same circuit, with the same result. I ended up using an old power cable from an unused TV and now it works with no issue. Overall the issue was a minimal fix for me. However I do not think every customer will be equipped for that situation, nor should they have to. Some bad QC as a faulty cable can cause some damage. Would have given this five stars otherwise.

The only thing that I’ve noticed is some kinda of a white glow when the screen goes dark I normally notice when I’m watching movies and stuff but other than that it doesn’t disturb me to the point I can’t watch I knew what I was buying so it doesn’t bother me, if your looking for a budget monitor 120frames, 1440p and compatible with next gen this is the way to go!

Please excuse the cluttered desk haha Honestly one of the best monitors I’ve owned. Picture quality is above and beyond. Control menu very easy to use. Love that this has a portrait mode! The height on this monitor as well is amazing! Forward and back tilt as well! Bezel on monitor is very thin and maximizes the full screen capability as well! Highly recommend considering this for first time PC users or any level of computer user!

Excellent Value

I got a Dell 24” curved gaming monitor prior to this one and honestly I regret it. This HP monitor is sooo much better!! The quality is better and brighter. The only thing I wish it had was more ports.

I bought this monitor to upgrade my gaming experience from 1080p to 1440p. I was also moving from a TN panel on my 1080p monitor and was amazed by the difference in color (mainly contrast) from TN to IPS. My monitor does have a BOE panel instead of the much reviewed an praised LG panel that these had when they first came out. I have not experienced any of the issues others have had with the BOE panel (I’ve had the monitor for less than a month at time of review). There is minimal backlight bleed that I’ve noticed, but I also dialed in settings for brightness, contrast, gamma, etc in windows when I first set it up and I mostly use it in a dark room. For 1440p gaming on a capable system this monitor is great, and at an affordable price. There are other options that are in the same price range that have better panels, but I rolled the dice on this one and it’s yet to disappoint. I will update this review if I begin having issues with the panel. Otherwise, I would recommend this monitor to anyone wanting a 1440p gaming monitor for a decent price.

Purchased the monitor at a great discount due to being a 2021 model. Very happy with purchase. Now the true test is beginning ... how long will it function like new?