It seems like only yesterday that a decent 1440p monitor with a refresh rate of 120 Hz or higher would set you back substantially. That's why seeing just the normal sticker price on this ASRock monitor reminded me how scarily fast the market for the best gaming monitors has progressed over the past few years. But with a hefty discount, too? Yep, I'm listening.
There's plenty that might make this deal on the 27-inch ASRock Phantom PG27Q15R2A worth even its non-discounted $240 price tag, and the retailer currently has it on offer for $154 after rebate, which makes for a sizeable 35% discount. A discount, I might add, that puts it well below the sticker price of many 1080p gaming monitors.
While we haven't got our hands (or our eyes) on this standard aspect ratio model, Jeremy previously tested the similar but ultrawide ASRock Phantom PG34WQ15R2B and found it delightful. The 27-inch ASRock Phantom display on offer today shares the same 550-nit peak brightness as the ultrawide he tested, which permits its DisplayHDR 400 rating.
In practice, this should mean it delivers punchy visuals and spades of dynamic contrast. Heck, Jeremy even found that the ASRock ultrawide made SDR content look great with Windows-enabled HDR. This punchiness is, of course, to be expected in a solid VA panel. Expect deep blacks, bright whites, and vibrant colours—though don't expect anything close to the contrast of DisplayHDR 1000 hotshots.
One downside to VA panels compared to IPS panels is slower pixel response times, but ASRock is claiming a snappy 1 ms moving picture response time (MPRT). This, as always, should be taken with a pinch of salt and not confused with grey-to-grey (g2g) response times.
Best gaming monitor: Pixel-perfect panels for your PC.
Best high refresh rate monitor: Screaming quick.
Best 4K monitor for gaming: When only high-res will do.
Best 4K TV for gaming: Big-screen 4K gaming.
The monitor also shares the same (AMD FreeSync Premium) 165 Hz refresh rate as the ultrawide, which, at 1440p, is arguably the best configuration for most mainstream PC gamers today. Thanks to Nvidia's DLSS and AMD's FSR, playing games above 100 fps at 1440p is within reach for more gamers than ever, so this now incredibly affordable monitor nails the mainstream PC gaming market to a tee.
And while 4K monitors are great, 1440p is still the sweet spot for most people wanting to game at 144 Hz or 165 Hz. Just make sure you connect over DisplayPort because the monitor's HDMI connectivity maxes out at 100 Hz.
This monitor also comes with a Wi-Fi antenna built into the stand, so you can extend your… Wi-Fi… if you want? I'm not sure whether the monitor-cum-antenna idea will catch on, but if that's not your jam then maybe the included cable sleeve will be.
No? Well, it matters not, because it's a stellar deal without any of these questionable bells and whistles, provided you're in the market for a mainstream high refresh rate monitor that keeps far away from breaking the bank. Come to think of it, it'd make a great companion to the currently discounted Skytech gaming PC I raved about yesterday. This week's for all you prospective 1440p gamers, I guess!
With Amazon Prime Day just around the corner, however, soon it will be for everyone. You can even get in on the action now with some early bird Prime Day gaming monitor deals.
