Let’s be honest: we all want to be ready for the GPU refreshes coming this year. Whether you’re thirsty for AMD’s Big Navi or NVIDIA’s Ampere, both releases promise better performance, especially in frames per second. While you have likely upgraded your GPU a time or two, is your monitor up to the task? Viotek wants to make sure that it is with the GFT27CXB 27-inch Gaming Monitor.
Specifications
- MSRP: $289.99
- Display Size: 27-inches
- Display Resolution: 1920 x 1080 FHD
- Panel Type: TN
- Color Gamut: 99% sRGB, 72% NTSC
- Refresh Rate: 240Hz
- Response Time: 5ms (GTG), 1ms (OD)
- Contact Ratio: 1000:1 (Static), 1M:1 (Dynamic)
- HDR: 400-nit
- VESA Mounting: 75 x 75, 100 x 100
- Connection Type: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x HDMI 1.4 (Freesync-ready), 1x Displayport 1.2 (G-sync/Freesync compatible), 1x 3.5 Headphone jack
The GFT27CXB from Viotek is a 27-inch Full-HD (FHD - 1080p) monitor that refuses to be underestimated. While some might baulk at the relevance of 1080p in 2020 when every new device boasts 4K-compatibility and beyond, the GFT27CXB is positioned in the right place to do its job well. According to May 2020 analytics from Steam, over 60% of gamers on the platform are playing at 1080p.
To call the GFT27CXB feature-packed is a gross understatement when you look down through the specifications. Featuring a wide range color gamut and 400-nit HDR, the depth of color is simply stunning if you are coming from an SDR monitor! Activating HDR does limit your control on other adjustments such as Black Equalization, Contrast, and Brightness. But if the added depth of color from activation HDR isn’t enough, the GFT27CXB has an Ultra Vivid which adds a layer of sharpness to the image. For situations where every detail matters, this setting can help highlight those more obscured areas.
One of the crowning features of this monitor is its high, 240Hz refresh rate. This is quite significant when pairing a 1080p monitor with a modern GPU. Why? Because refresh rates and frames per second, while two different measurements, go hand in hand. Having a high refresh rate on your monitor, like the GFT27CXB has, can give you a smoother, more responsive experience if your system is cranking out high frame rates.
To further assist with this experience, the GFT27CXB is GPU-agnostic when it comes to Adaptive sync; it is both AMD Freesync-ready and NVIDIA G-sync compatible! At the flick of a switch, you can enable the GFT27CXB’s ability to utilize NVIDIA’s frame syncing technology - at least on your DisplayPort. Freesync is available via both HDMI and DisplayPort.
Taking the GFT27CXB for a Spin
One of the first things that immediately stood out to me was the brilliance of color the Viotek GFT27CXB delivers. They are crisp and clear, even in situations where there is a broad spectrum of colors on the screen at the same time. This is especially noticeable in games where HDR is enabled. There were two examples that stood out.
Having spent a significant amount of time in Destiny 2’s Shadowkeep expansion using another monitor, the difference was night and day. Shadowkeep has some incredibly dark moments which the GFT27CXB gave new depth to, specifically the story mission which sends you deep into Hive-infested regions of the Moon!
The second notable experience came as I threw the ever-gorgeous Final Fantasy VII: Remake at it. The HDR adds to the dingy aesthetic of the darker portions of Midgar and the wide color gamut brought out the brilliant design in the eye of the characters. I looked at this detail after an in-depth conversation with (formerly) Mixer streamer and YouTube content creator Dr. LevelUp about this game.
The GFT27CXB’s control panel is accessed through a single D-pad style button on the back right-hand side of the display. From here, you can access all of the adjustments mentioned above, but it does have a few easily accessible tricks up its sleeve: a timer, an FPS counter, and a crosshair reticle. For RTS players, this timer can be a huge asset in precisely micromanaging your build orders. The reticle is downright dirty for competitive arenas that may not otherwise have that kind of aiming advantage! As for the FPS counter, this is especially helpful when monitoring game performance in applications (like DOOM) where API and overlay blockers make it impossible to capture those numbers.
Outside of gaming, general productivity usage and internet browsing were enjoyable, but not largely impacted by this display. It handled everything that I threw at it well, but how does it hold up to a more technical diagnostic?
Since my eyes are imperfect, I used Datacolor’s SpiderX Pro to both calibrate and analyze the color of the GFT27CXB. Here is what I found:
sRGB, which is one of the main color gamut references most relevant to gaming, falls slightly short of the advertised percentage (99%). Keep in mind, these measurements were taken with HDR disabled and the monitor settings at factory default. These scores could also have been impacted but the lighting within the room I tested in. All of that considered, the GFT27CXB still gives a great showing.
Final Thoughts
Coming in at $289.99 USD, the Viotek GFT27CXB is a stunning offering in the 1080p monitor space. It’s rich depth of color along with its 240Hz refresh rate and GPU-agnostic Adaptive Sync make this monitor a solid recommendation for value and performance. While it may not be at the bleeding edge of “true,” 1000-nit HDR, the richness of color space and saturation of color may just enable you to see detail like you never have before.
The nearly bezel-less design helps the GFT27CXB feel both smaller in its footprint, but larger in its presentation all at the same time. Unfortunately, there are some awkward elements to this design. The RGB lighting on the back feels a bit superfluous since it is not terribly bright and it is absent of any controls other than on/off. Cable management can be a little tricky and the external power supply only adds to the clutter. The GFT27CXB does have VESA mounting support for both 100 x 100 and 75 x 75, in case you are looking for an alternative mounting solution to solve that problem.
My overall experience with the GFT27CXB was quite positive. If you are looking for a display that makes the most out of your budget, the GFT27CXB is a smart choice. Viotek has delivered a solid offering that squeezes value so hard, from the high refresh rates to the features like G-Sync and Windows HDR compatibility, that it Hz so good!
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.