
Introduction
Nixeus are not a well known monitor
manufacturer, but we've had a fair amount of interest from readers about their
line-up of gaming displays. We thought it would be interesting to take a look at
one of their newest models to see how it performs and whether it can compete
with the well-known manufacturers like Asus and Acer when it comes to gaming
monitors. Their "EDG" (Engineered and Designed for Gamers) series has several
sizes and options available which we will talk about in a moment.
Nixeus' website says: "Established 2009 in Los Angeles, California �
Nixeus Technology Inc. is an American company, brand and manufacturer
specializing in computer monitors, peripherals and consumer electronics. Founded
by executives with extensive knowledge and experience in the consumer
electronics and PC gaming industry � we are committed to producing premium
quality products to create an immersive experience for competitive gamers,
entertainment, content creators, business and productive applications." Their
screens are available primarily in North America at this time, so if you're
after one elsewhere you will have to find someone who is importing them.
So far in the monitor market they have been
focused on delivering premium AMD FreeSync certified gaming displays. Their
website states: "We have been working with AMD and AMD Radeon Technology
Group since the very beginning of FreeSync development to create the best
performing FreeSync gaming monitors in the world! Every Nixeus gaming monitor
goes through an extensive validation process to ensure compatibility with all
available video graphic devices and hardware."
In their gaming range they offer screens in
24" and 27" sizes. Here is a quick run down of the models available for
reference:
Model |
NX-EDG27v2 and NX-EDG27Sv2
|
NX-EDG27
and NX-EDG27S
|
NX-EDG27240 and NX-EDG27240S
|
NX-VUE24A
and NX-VUE24B
|
Size |
27" |
27" |
27" |
24" |
Resolution |
2560 x 1440 |
2560 x 1440 |
1920 x 1080 |
1920 x 1080 |
Refresh Rate |
30 - 144Hz |
30 - 144Hz |
35 - 240Hz |
30 - 144Hz |
Panel Tech |
IPS-type |
IPS-type |
TN Film |
TN Film |
Connections |
2x DisplayPort 1.2, 2x
HDMI 2.0 |
DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI
2.0, HDMI 1.4, DL-DVI |
2x DisplayPort 1.2, 2x
HDMI 2.0 |
DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI
1.4, DL-DVI |
Notes |
Updated models to the v1,
with thinner bezel design and FreeSync support over HDMI.
S version has a tilt only
stand. The normal model includes height, swivel and rotate also |
Now superseded by the v2
models. FreeSync is not supported over HDMI
S version has a tilt only
stand. The normal model includes height, swivel and rotate also |
Wide FreeSync range 35 -
240Hz. 1ms G2G response time
S version has a tilt only
stand. The normal model includes height, swivel and rotate also |
FreeSync range 30 -
144Hz. 1ms G2G response time
B version has a tilt only
stand. The A model includes height, swivel and rotate also |
We have with us the NX-EDG27S v2 display,
although aside from the stand which is tilt-only, this is identical to the NX-EDG27 v2 model. The
focus is on gaming, with a 144Hz IPS-type panel, 2560 x 1440 resolution, 4ms G2G
response time, advertised low input lag, AMD FreeSync support (30 - 144Hz range)
and a new thin bezel design.
If you
would like to help support our continued work please consider making a
donation
no matter how small or large. Thank you.

Check Pricing and Buy - Affiliate Links
|
Amazon
|
TFTCentral is a participant
in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme, an affiliate
advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn
advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk,
Amazon.de, Amazon.ca and other Amazon stores worldwide. We also
participate in a similar scheme for Overclockers.co.uk. |

Specifications and
Features
The following table gives detailed
information about the specs of the screen as advertised:
Monitor
Specifications |
Size |
27" |
Panel Coating |
Light AG coating |
Aspect
Ratio |
16:9 flat |
Interfaces |
2x
DisplayPort 1.2a
2x HDMI 2.0
1x headphone jack
|
Resolution |
2560 x 1440 |
Pixel Pitch |
0.233mm |
Design
colour |
Matte black bezels, stand
and base |
Response Time |
4ms G2G |
Ergonomics |
Tilt only (S model)
Tilt, height, swivel, rotate (normal model) |
Static Contrast Ratio |
1000:1 |
Dynamic Contrast Ratio |
not listed |
VESA Compatible |
Yes 100 x 100 mm |
Brightness |
300 cd/m2 |
Accessories |
DisplayPort cable, power
cable/brick |
Viewing Angles |
178 / 178 |
Panel Technology |
AU Optronics AHVA
(IPS-type) |
Weight |
with stand: 6.35 Kg |
Backlight Technology |
W-LED |
Physical Dimensions |
not listed in spec |
Colour Depth |
16.7m (8-bit) |
Refresh Rate |
144Hz
30 - 144Hz VRR range |
Special
Features |
Integrated stereo speakers, audio
output |
Colour
Gamut |
Standard gamut sRGB |
The NX-EDG27S v2 offers a good range of
connectivity with 2x DisplayPort 1.2a and 2 x HDMI 2.0 offered
for video connections. For PC connectivity the DisplayPort is the most common
option, with HDMI being available then for connecting external games consoles or
Blu-ray players potentially. Both will support variable refresh rates which is
an upgrade to the v1 of this display where VRR was only supported over
DisplayPort. From NVIDIA cards you can only use VRR over DisplayPort.
The screen has an external
power supply and comes packaged with the power brick you need, and a US power
plug. It's just a normal kettle lead so easy enough to find a spare one of those
to power the screen in the UK. A headphone output
connection is provided as well for audio pass-through, and there are also some
integrated stereo speakers. This is one of the first screens we've seen in a
while which doesn't offer any USB ports, which we miss a bit. It's a gaming
screen though and they're not vital or anything.
Below is a summary of the features and
connections of the screen. Keep in mind we have the S version with us which has
the more basic tilt-only stand, but the normal version also includes a more
functional stand with height, swivel and rotate also available.
Feature |
Yes / No |
Feature |
Yes / No |
Tilt adjust |
 |
DVI |
 |
Height adjust |
 |
HDMI |
 |
Swivel adjust |
 |
D-sub |
 |
Rotate adjust |
 |
DisplayPort |
 |
VESA compliant |
 |
Component |
 |
USB 2.0 Ports |
 |
Audio connection |
 |
USB 3.0 Ports |
 |
HDCP Support |
 |
Card Reader |
 |
MHL Support |
 |
Ambient Light Sensor |
 |
Integrated Speakers |
 |
Human Motion Sensor |
 |
PiP / PbP |
 |
Touch Screen |
 |
Blur Reduction Mode |
 |
Factory calibration |
 |
NVIDIA G-Sync (native) |
 |
Hardware calibration |
 |
AMD FreeSync |
 |
Uniformity correction |
 |
Meaningful HDR |
 |

Design and
Ergonomics

Above: front views of the screen. Click for larger versions
The NX-EDG27S v2 comes in a black design with
matte plastics used for the bezel, stand and base. There is a moderately thin bezel
around all four sides, with a thickness of ~12mm along the sides and top, and a
little thicker at ~15mm along the bottom edge. There is a white 'Nixeus' logo in
the middle of the lower bezel, and small OSD control labels also shown on the
front bezel in the bottom right hand area. The design is simple and functional
without being flashy.

Above: rear view of the screen.
Click
for larger version
The back of the screen is encased in matte
black plastics with a mostly flattened finish. There are VESA 100 mounting holes
in the middle of the back of the screen as you can see from the above photo. The
arm for the stand slots comes attached to the screen but can be unscrewed and
slotted out if you aren't using the provided stand. On the S model that we have
with us here, the circular black plastic base clips easily on to the bottom of
the arm. There isn't any cable tidy clip/hole on this stand, and overall it's a
basic design.

Above:
stand rotation adjustment
shown
There is a only a limited tilt adjustment
offered from the S model which does provide a good tilt range, but is quite
stiff to operate, especially when tilting the screen backwards. We missed having
height and swivel adjustments, but the non-S model is available if you need
those. We can only really comment on the functionality of the model
we have with us here for testing, and it felt a bit limited to be honest. Unless
you're going to mount the screen, we'd suggest the non-S model would be better
with the fully functional stand.
A summary of the ergonomic adjustments are
shown below:
Function |
Range |
Smoothness |
Ease of
Use |
Tilt |
Yes |
Smooth |
Quite stiff |
Height |
n/a |
- |
- |
Swivel |
n/a |
- |
- |
Rotate |
n/a |
- |
- |
Overall |
S model has limited
adjustments with only basic tilt offered |
The materials were of a reasonable
standard and the build quality felt ok. It lacked the premium feel, design, materials
and extras of more expensive gaming monitors and was a bit more of a no-frills
offering in terms of its aesthetics. Some people may of course prefer that. There was no audible noise from the
screen, even when conducting specific tests which can often identify buzzing
issues. The whole screen remained cool even during prolonged use.
The back of the screen features the
connections. There are 2x DisplayPort 1.2a and 2x HDMI 2.0 provided for video,
along with the power input and an audio output. There are no USB ports on this
model.

The
OSD is controlled through 4 pressable buttons located on the back of the
screen in the bottom right hand
area. There is quick access to the volume control using the up/down arrows,
and the input selection using the '2' button. The main menu provides a lot
more options.
Navigation was a bit of a pain sometimes to be honest and it didn't feel very
intuitive. It doesn't help that the guidance at the bottom of the OSD menu
(shown above) doesn't line up with the actual button logos on the front bezel,
so they aren't in the right place or aligned in the same order. You have to
trust the etchings on the front bezel to understand which button it is you're
pressing on the back of the screen and ignore the guidance at the bottom of
the on screen software. Using the up/down arrows to navigate, and
also sometimes move left/right got a bit confusing sometimes too.

The
software was responsive and there were a fair few options to play with at
least, but it's not the kind of menu you'll want to play around with much we
don't think.

Power Consumption
In terms of power consumption the
manufacturer don't list a spec on their website. We will go ahead and measure
the consumption anyway ourselves:
 |
State and Brightness Setting |
Manufacturer Spec (W) |
Measured Power Usage (W) |
Default (50%) |
- |
27.4 |
Calibrated (18%) |
- |
19.1 |
Maximum Brightness
(100%) |
- |
36.4 |
Minimum Brightness
(0%) |
- |
15.9 |
Standby |
- |
0.6 |
|
Out of the box the screen used 27.4W at the
default 50% brightness setting. Once calibrated the screen reached
19.1W
consumption, and in standby it used only 0.6W. We have plotted these results
below compared with other screens we have tested. The consumption (comparing the
calibrated states) is comparable to most of the similarly sized screens here as
you might expect.
It is less than the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ, which while being the same 27" in
size, has a Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) backlight for HDR and so uses a lot
more power. Larger 34" screens also dray more power due to their size.


Panel and Backlighting
Panel Manufacturer |
AU Optronics |
Colour Palette |
16.7 million |
Panel Technology |
AHVA (IPS-type) |
Colour Depth |
8-bit |
Panel Module |
M270DAN02.3 |
Colour space |
Slightly extended gamut |
Backlighting Type |
W-LED |
Colour space coverage (%) |
109% sRGB, 80% DCI-P3
measured |
|
Key
Quick Information Box
-
AU
Optronics AHVA technology panel (IPS-type)
-
8-bit
colour depth
-
Approx sRGB gamut backlight
-
Flicker free backlight operation
|
|
Panel Part and Colour Depth
The Nixeus NX-EDG27S v2 features an
AU Optronics M270DAN02.3 AHVA (IPS-type) technology panel which is confirmed
when dismantling the screen as shown below. The panel offers 16.7m colours with
a true 8-bit colour depth. This is the same underlying panel incidentally that
is used in competing similar models like the Asus MG279Q, Acer Predator XB270HU
and Eizo Foris FS2735.

Screen
Coating
The
screen coating is a light anti-glare (AG) offering. It isn't a semi-glossy
coating, but it is light as seen on other modern IPS type panels. Thankfully it
isn't a heavily grainy coating like some much older IPS panels feature and is also
lighter than modern TN Film panel coating. It retains its anti-glare properties
to avoid too many unwanted reflections of a full glossy coating, but does not
produce too grainy or dirty an image that some thicker AG coatings can.
Backlight Type and Colour Gamut
The screen uses a White-LED (W-LED) backlight
unit which is standard in today's market. This helps reduce power consumption
compared with older CCFL backlight units and brings about some environmental
benefits as well. The W-LED unit offers a standard colour gamut which is
approximately equal to the sRGB colour space, slightly wider according to our measurements in the following sections. Anyone wanting to work with
wider colour spaces for their content, gaming or HDR would need to consider some of the wide gamut displays
available instead or those with additional coatings added to extend the colour
space. If you want to read more about colour spaces and gamut then
please have a read of our
detailed article.
Backlight
Dimming and Flicker
We tested the screen to establish the methods
used to control backlight dimming. Our in depth article talks in more details
about a previously very common method used for this which is called
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). PWM involves the rapid switching of the
backlight off/on to simulate lower brightness levels when you adjust the
screen's brightness control. This in itself gives cause for concern to some
users who have experienced eye strain, headaches and other symptoms as a result
of the flickering backlight caused by this technology. We use a photosensor +
oscilloscope system to measure backlight dimming control with a high level of
accuracy and ease. These tests allow us to establish:
1) Whether PWM is being used to control the
backlight
2) The frequency and other characteristics at which this operates, if it is used
3) Whether a flicker may be introduced or potentially noticeable at certain
settings
If PWM is used for backlight dimming, the
higher the frequency, the less likely you are to see artefacts and flicker. The
duty cycle (the time for which the backlight is on) is also important and the
shorter the duty cycle, the more potential there is that you may see flicker.
The other factor which can influence flicker is the amplitude of the PWM,
measuring the difference in brightness output between the 'on' and 'off' states.
Please remember that not every user would notice a flicker from a backlight
using PWM, but it is something to be wary of. It is also a hard thing to
quantify as it is very subjective when talking about whether a user may or may
not experience the side effects.
The Tests for this display are shown below.
100%
50%
0%

Above scale
= 1 horizontal grid = 5ms
At all brightness settings a constant
Direct Current (DC) voltage is applied to the backlight, and the screen is
free from the obvious off/on switching of any PWM dimming method. As a result,
the screen is flicker free as advertised.
Pulse
Width Modulation Used |
No |
Cycling
Frequency |
n/a |
Possible Flicker at |
|
100% Brightness |
No |
50% Brightness |
No |
0% Brightness |
No |

Brightness
and Contrast
This
section tests the full range of luminance (the brightness of the screen)
possible from the backlight, while changing the monitors brightness setting in
the OSD menu. This allows us to measure the maximum and minimum adjustment
ranges, as well as identify the recommended setting to reach a target of 120
cd/m2 for
comfortable day to day use in normal lighting conditions. Some users have
specific requirements for a very bright display, while others like a much
darker display for night time viewing or in low ambient light conditions. At
each brightness level we also measure the contrast ratio produced by the
screen when comparing a small white sample, vs. a black sample (not
unrealistic full screen white vs. full screen black tests). The contrast ratio
should remain stable across the adjustment range so we also check that.
Graphics card settings were left at
default with no ICC profile or calibration active. Tests were made using an
X-rite i1 Display Pro colorimeter. It should be noted that we used the
BasICColor calibration software here to record these measurements, and so luminance at
default settings may vary a little from the LaCie Blue Eye Pro report you will
see in other sections of the review.
OSD
Brightness |
Luminance
(cd/m2) |
Black Point (cd/m2) |
Contrast Ratio
( x:1) |
100 |
326.57 |
0.27 |
1210 |
90 |
306.10 |
0.26 |
1177 |
80 |
288.37 |
0.24 |
1202 |
70 |
268.25 |
0.22 |
1219 |
60 |
249.99 |
0.21 |
1190 |
50 |
231.62 |
0.19 |
1219 |
40 |
201.87 |
0.17 |
1187 |
30 |
171.19 |
0.14 |
1223 |
20 |
139.36 |
0.12 |
1161 |
10 |
106.49 |
0.09 |
1183 |
0 |
75.59 |
0.06 |
1260 |
Total Luminance Adjustment Range
(cd/m2) |
250.98 |
Brightness OSD setting
controls backlight? |
 |
Total Black Point Adjustment Range (cd/m2) |
0.21 |
Average Static Contrast Ratio |
1203:1 |
PWM Free? |
 |
Recommended OSD setting for 120 cd/m2 |
13 |
At the full brightness setting in the OSD the
maximum luminance reached a high 327
cd/m2
which was a little higher even than the specified maximum brightness of 300 cd/m2
from the manufacturer. There was a good 251 cd/m2 adjustment range in
total, so at the minimum setting you could reach down to a pretty low luminance
of 76 cd/m2. This should be low enough for most people including
those wanting to work in darkened room conditions with low ambient light. A
setting of 13 in the OSD
menu should return you a luminance of around 120 cd/m2 at default
settings.
It should be noted
that the brightness regulation is controlled without the need for
Pulse Width Modulation for all brightness settings so the screen is flicker
free.

We have plotted the
luminance trend on the graph above. The screen behaves as it should in this
regard, with a reduction in the luminance output of the screen controlled by the
reduction in the OSD brightness setting. There is a slightly steeper adjustment
curve from settings of 50 and below from the brightness control.
The average contrast ratio of the screen
was measured at an impressive (for an IPS-type panel) 1203:1 which was very
good. This was a bit higher than the specified 1000:1, although it is impacted a
little after
calibration (covered later).

Testing
Methodology

An important thing to consider for most users
is how a screen will perform out of the box and with some basic manual
adjustments. Since most users won't have access to hardware colorimeter tools,
it is important to understand how the screen is going to perform in terms of
colour accuracy for the average user.
We restored our graphics card to default
settings and disabled any previously active ICC profiles and gamma corrections.
The screen was tested at default factory settings using our new
X-rite i1 Pro 2
Spectrophotometer combined with
LaCie's Blue Eye Pro software suite. An X-rite i1 Display Pro colorimeter
was also used to verify the black point and contrast ratio since the i1 Pro 2
spectrophotometer is less reliable at the darker end.
Targets for these tests are as follows:
-
CIE Diagram - confirms the colour
space covered by the monitors backlighting in a 2D view, with the black triangle
representing the displays gamut, and other reference colour spaces shown for
comparison. Usually shown as a comparison against the common sRGB space
-
Colour space coverage volumes - we
also measure using a piece of software called ChromaPure the colour space
(gamut) volumes produced by the backlight in comparison to the sRGB, DCI-P3 and
Rec.2020 colour spaces. sRGB is the most commonly used colour space so it is
important to have a decent coverage from the screen here. If the colour space is
>100% sRGB then the screen can produce a wider colour gamut, often reaching
further in to the wider gamut DCI-P3 (commonly used for HDR) and Rec.2020
reference spaces.
-
Gamma - we aim for 2.2 which is the
default for computer monitors
-
Colour temperature / white point - we
aim for 6500k which is the temperature of daylight
-
Luminance - we aim for 120
cd/m2,
which is the recommended luminance for LCD monitors in normal lighting
conditions
-
Black depth - we
aim for as low as possible to maximise shadow detail and to offer us the best
contrast ratio
-
Contrast ratio
(static) -
we aim for as high as possible. Any dynamic contrast ratio controls are turned
off here if present
-
dE average / maximum
- we aim for as low as possible.
If DeltaE >3, the color displayed is significantly different from the
theoretical one, meaning that the difference will be perceptible to the viewer.
If DeltaE <2, LaCie considers the calibration a success; there remains a slight
difference, but it is barely undetectable. If DeltaE < 1, the color fidelity is
excellent.

Default Performance
and Setup
Default settings of the screen were as follows:
Nixeus
NX-EDG27S v2
Default Settings

|

 |
Monitor
OSD Settings |
|
Color Effect preset Mode |
Standard |
Brightness |
50 |
Contrast |
50 |
Gamma |
Off |
Temperature |
6500k |
RGB |
127, 126, 123 |
Luminance
Measurements |
|
luminance (cd/m2) |
234 |
Black Point (cd/m2) |
0.19 |
Contrast Ratio |
1221:1 |
Colour
Space Measurements |
|
sRGB coverage |
107.8% |
DCI-P3 coverage |
79.5% |
Rec.2020 coverage |
57.0% |
|
Initially out of the box the screen was set
with the 'Standard' Color Effect preset mode. The
display was set with a fairly high 50% brightness which was too bright and
uncomfortable to use for long periods. You will want to turn that down. The colours felt a bit too
warm and you could tell the screen was using a normal sRGB standard gamut
backlight.
We went ahead and measured the default state
with the i1 Pro 2. The
CIE diagram
on the left of the image confirms that the monitors colour gamut (black
triangle) matches closely to the sRGB colour space reference
(orange triangle). We measured using ChromaPure software a 107.8% sRGB gamut
volume coverage which corresponds to 79.5% of the DCI-P3 reference and 57.0% of the
Rec.2020 reference. This is slightly wider than some normal sRGB screens but
nothing that would cause any issues. You wouldn't consider this an extended
gamut really.
|
Key
Quick Information Box
-
Standard gamut backlight, close to sRGB coverage
-
Decent
enough gamma setup
-
White
point too warm
-
Good accuracy, low dE average
|
|
Default gamma was recorded at 2.1
average with a small 3% overall deviance from the target which was not too bad as an
average. The
gamma curve was a bit off in the lighter tones (down to 2.12) but better in the
darker tones. White point was measured
at a too warm 5814k, being 11% out from our target despite being
set to the 6500k mode in the OSD menu.
Luminance at the default 50% brightness level
was recorded at a bright 234
cd/m2
which is too high for prolonged general use, you will need to turn that down.
The black depth was 0.19 cd/m2
at this default brightness setting, giving us a very good (for an IPS-type
panel) static contrast ratio of
1221:1 which was very pleasing.
Colour accuracy measurements here were
very good with an average dE of only 1.4
recorded. Testing the screen
with colour gradients showed smooth gradients with only minor gradation evident
in places. There was no sign of any colour banding which was good
news.
Color Temp Setting Measurements
Colour
Temp OSD setting |
White
point measurement |
5400k |
5050k |
6500k (default) |
5814k |
9300k |
7579k |
sRGB |
6012k |
User |
5023k |
Given the default 6500k colour temperature
mode was a little off the target (too warm with 11% deviance at 5814k) we also measured the
range of colour temp modes available in the OSD menu as shown above. The sRGB
mode was actually closest to our 6500k target at 6012k, but still a little too
warm. It might be best to switch to if
you want to reach closer to that typical white point. The 'User' mode gives you
direct control over the RGB channels which will be useful for
calibration in a
moment. You may also want to try our recommended OSD settings from the
calibration section perhaps to see how those look.

Calibration
We used the
X-rite i1 Pro 2
Spectrophotometer combined with the LaCie Blue Eye Pro software package to
achieve these results and reports. An X-rite i1 Display Pro colorimeter was used
to validate the black depth and contrast ratios due to lower end limitations of
the i1 Pro device.
Nixeus
NX-EDG27S v2
Calibrated
Settings

|

 |
Monitor
OSD Settings |
|
Color Effect preset Mode |
Standard |
Brightness |
18 |
Contrast |
50 |
Gamma |
Off |
Temperature |
User |
RGB |
118, 118, 125 |
Luminance
Measurements |
|
luminance (cd/m2) |
119 |
Black Point (cd/m2) |
0.11 |
Contrast Ratio |
1085:1 |
Colour
Space Measurements |
|
sRGB coverage |
107.8% |
DCI-P3 coverage |
79.5% |
Rec.2020 coverage |
57.0% |
|
The OSD settings were
adjusted as shown in the table above, as guided during the calibration process
and measurements.
These OSD changes allowed us to obtain an optimal hardware starting point and
setup before software level changes would be made at the graphics card level. We
left the LaCie software to calibrate to "max" brightness which would just
retain the luminance of whatever brightness we'd set the screen to, and would
not in any way try and alter the luminance at the graphics card level, which can
reduce contrast ratio. These adjustments before profiling the screen would help
preserve tonal values and limit banding issues. After this we let the software
carry out the LUT adjustments and create an
ICC profile.
Average gamma had been mostly reliable on average
out of the box, with only a small 3% deviance. After calibration in this mode we measured it at 2.2 average (0%
deviance) and levelling out the gamma curve nicely across the different
grey shades. The white point had now been corrected to 6511k which, thanks to
the 'User' colour temperature mode and RGB adjustments, had fixed the
too warm 11% deviance we'd seen before out of the box. Luminance had been
improved thanks to the adjustment to the brightness control and was now being
measured at a far more comfortable 119
cd/m2.
We measured
a black depth of 0.11 cd/m2 and this produced a static contrast ratio
of 1085:1. This was a little lower than the default setup due to the adjustments
to the RGB channels mainly in order to correct the white point.
Colour accuracy of the resulting profile was excellent, with dE
average of 0.4 and maximum of 0.8. LaCie would consider colour fidelity to be
excellent.
Testing the screen with various colour
gradients showed smooth transitions with some minor gradation in darker
tones but no visible banding at all.
You can use our settings
and try our calibrated ICC profile if you wish, which are available in
our ICC profile database. Keep in mind that results will vary from one
screen to another and from one computer / graphics card to another.

Calibration
Performance Comparisons

The comparisons made in this section try to
give you a better view of how each screen performs, particularly out of the box
which is what is going to matter to most consumers. We have divided the table up
by panel technology as well to make it easier to compare similar models. When
comparing the default factory settings for each monitor it is important to take
into account several measurement areas - gamma, white point and colour accuracy.
There's no point having a low dE colour accuracy figure if the gamma curve is
way off for instance. A good factory calibration requires all 3 to be well set
up. We have deliberately not included luminance in this comparison since this is
normally far too high by default on every screen. However, that is very easily
controlled through the brightness setting (on most screens) and should not
impact the other areas being measured anyway. It is easy enough to obtain a
suitable luminance for your working conditions and individual preferences, but a
reliable factory setup in gamma, white point and colour accuracy is important
and some (gamma especially) are not as easy to change accurately without a
calibration tool.
From these comparisons we can also compare
the calibrated colour accuracy, black depth and contrast ratio. After a
calibration the gamma, white point and luminance should all be at their desired
targets.

Default setup of the screen out of the box
was pretty good overall, offering a pretty accurate gamma curve, low dE and a
strong static contrast ratio for an IPS-type panel. The colour temp was a little
too warm which was really the only area with an issue, but thankfully that's
quite easy to adjust via some simple OSD adjustments.

When it comes to black depth and contrast
ratio the screen performed well for an IPS panel at 1085:1 after calibration.
This had dipped a bit compared with the out-of-the-box setup due to the need to
adjust the RGB levels to correct the white point, and slightly tweak the gamma
curve. This was a decent result for an IPS-type panel though, and it surpassed
the TN Film models compared here which typically reached around 850:1. The VA panels can reach much higher though, up
over 2000:1 easily as that's a strength of that panel technology.
Check Pricing and Buy - Affiliate Links
|
Amazon
|
TFTCentral is a participant
in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme, an affiliate
advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn
advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk,
Amazon.de, Amazon.ca and other Amazon stores worldwide. We also
participate in a similar scheme for Overclockers.co.uk. |

Viewing Angles

Above: Viewing angles shown from front and side, and from above and below.
Click for larger version
Viewing angles of the screen were very good
as you would expect from an IPS-type panel. Horizontally there was very little
colour tone shift until wide angles past about 45�. A slight darkening of the
image occurred horizontally from wider angles as you can see above as the
contrast shifted slighting. Contrast shifts were slightly more noticeable in the
vertical field but overall they were very good. The screen offered the wide
viewing angles of IPS technology and was free from the restrictive fields of
view of TN Film panels, especially in the vertical plane. It was also free of
the off-centre contrast shift you see from VA panels and a lot of the quite
obvious gamma and colour tone shift you see from some of the modern VA panel
type offerings.

Above: View
of an all black screen from the sides. Click for larger version
On a black image there is a characteristic
pale glow introduced to the image when viewed from a wide angle, commonly
referred to as IPS glow. This type of glow is common on most modern IPS-type
panels and can be distracting to some users. If you view dark content from a
normal head-on viewing position, you may see this glow as your eyes look towards
the edges of the screen. The level of glow was typical for an IPS-type
panel.

Panel Uniformity
We wanted to
test here how uniform the brightness was across the screen, as well as identify
any leakage from the backlight in dark lighting conditions. Measurements of the
luminance were taken at 35 points across the panel on a pure white background.
The measurements for luminance were taken using BasICColor's calibration
software package, combined with an X-rite i1 Display Pro colorimeter with a
central point on the screen calibrated to 120 cd/m2. The below
uniformity diagram shows the difference, as a percentage, between the
measurement recorded at each point on the screen, as compared with the central
reference point.
It is worth
noting that panel uniformity can vary from one screen to another, and can depend
on manufacturing lines, screen transport and other local factors. This is only a
guide of the uniformity of the sample screen we have for review.

Uniformity of Luminance

Luminance uniformity of the screen was moderate, with the lower corners of the screen showing the most deviance from our centrally
calibrated point. In the corners the luminance dropped down to 94 cd/m2
in the most extreme example. Around 57% of the screen was within a 10%
deviance of the centrally calibrated point.

Backlight Leakage

Above: All
black screen in a darkened room. Click for larger version
We also tested the screen with an all black
image and in a darkened room. A camera was used to capture the result. There was
some clouding evident from all four corners of the screen. The bottom right hand
corner showed a much more noticeable bleed from the backlight with a yellowish
colour. This was actually a result of a slightly damaged screen, where the
corner of the screen appears to have been knocked in transit from the USA to us
in the UK. The edge of the plastic bezel was slightly cracked here, so this
corner bleed is probably a result of that knock it seems to have had.
Note: if you want to test your own screen for
backlight bleed and uniformity problems at any point you need to ensure you have
suitable testing conditions. Set the monitor to a sensible day to day brightness
level, preferably as close to 120
cd/m2 as you can get it (our tests
are once the screen is calibrated to this luminance). Don't just take a photo at
the default brightness which is almost always far too high and not a realistic
usage condition. You need to take the photo from about 1.5 - 2m back to avoid
capturing viewing angle characteristics, especially on IPS-type panels where
off-angle glow can come in to play easily. Photos should be taken in a darkened
room at a shutter speed which captures what you see reliably and doesn't
over-expose the image. A shutter speed of 1/8 second will probably be suitable
for this.

General and Office Applications
This screen features a 2560 x 1440 WQHD
resolution, a significant step up from the wide range of 1920 x 1080 screens on
the market and a comfortable resolution for this size screen we feel. These
higher resolution 27" models offer a tighter pixel pitch of 0.233mm which
results in a smaller text size than common 24" 1080p screens, although it is
still a nice and comfortable size. We are very used to working with 27" 1440p
screens all the time and find them very comfortable and a significant upgrade
over 1080 / 1200p models. Some users may find the small text a little too small
to read comfortably, and we'd advise caution if you are coming from a smaller
screen for instance where the pixel pitch and text are normally larger. The
extra screen size takes some getting used to over a few days as there really is
a lot of room to work with but once you do, it's excellent. For those wanting a
high resolution for CAD, design, photo work etc, this is a really good option.
The image was very sharp and crisp and text was very clear.
With its
WQHD display, you enjoy 77% more desktop space than a full HD screen to spread
out your windows and palettes.
The light AG coating
of the IPS technology panel is certainly welcome, and much better than the older
grainy and 'dirty' appearance of older IPS AG coatings. Although it's been
several years since those more grainy coatings were used. The
wide viewing
angles provided by this panel technology on both horizontal and vertical planes,
helps minimize on-screen colour shift when viewed from different angles.
The
default setup of the screen was good overall which was pleasing, especially
considering this is a gaming display and at a low retail price. The
only real issue being the too warm colour temperature which was pretty easy to
correct through some OSD adjustments.
The
brightness range of the screen was very good, with the ability to offer a
luminance between 327 and 76 cd/m2. This should mean the screen is
useable in a wide variety of ambient light conditions, including darkened rooms.
A setting of ~13 in the OSD brightness control should return you
a luminance close to 120 cd/m2 out of the box. On another positive
note, the brightness regulation is controlled without the need for
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), and so those who suffer from eye fatigue or
headaches associated with flickering backlights need not worry.
There was no
audible noise from the screen, even when conducting specific tests which can
sometimes cause issues. There are no specific preset modes for office or text
work, but there are 3 blue light reduction modes (called "Low Blue Ray" in the
menu - nothing to do with the video disc format though!) There are options for
low, middle and high which basically make the image warmer each time and reduce
some of the cooler blue spectral output.
There are no
USB ports on this particular screen which is actually very rare now in the
monitor market. It's probably not much of an issue given this is firmly a gaming
screen, but they are missed a bit for office situations. There are no other
extras like ambient light sensors or card readers on this screen either. The
version of the NX-EDG27 v2 that we are testing is the S model, which has only
the basic tilt adjustment stand. This means that the adjustment of the monitor
is not very versatile, so if you want more flexibility then the non-S model
would of course be better. There is also VESA 100mm mounting capabilities for
those who want to arm or wall mount the screen instead.

Responsiveness and Gaming
Panel Manufacturer and
Technology |
AU Optronics AHVA (IPS-type) |
Panel Part |
M270DAN02.3 |
Quoted G2G Response Time |
4ms G2G |
Quoted ISO Response Time |
n/a |
Overdrive Used |
Yes |
Overdrive Control
Available Via OSD Setting |
Over Drive |
Overdrive OSD Settings |
Off, Low, Middle, High |
Maximum
Refresh Rate |
144Hz native |
Variable
Refresh Rate technology |
AMD FreeSync
Also works with NVIDIA G-sync |
Variable
Refresh Rate Range
|
30 - 144Hz (with LFC) |
Blur
Reduction Backlight |
n/a |
The NX-EDG27S v2 is rated by Nixeus as having a
4ms G2G typical response time. The screen uses
overdrive technology to boost pixel
transitions across grey to grey changes as with nearly all modern displays.
The part
being used is
an AU Optronics M270DAN02.3 AHVA (IPS-type) technology panel. Have a read
about response time in our
specs section if you need additional information about this measurement.
We use an
ETC M526
oscilloscope for these measurements along with a custom photosensor device.
Have a read of
our response time measurement article for a full explanation of the testing
methodology and reported data.

Overdrive Setting

We carried out some initial response time
measurements and visual tests in each of the overdrive settings, and at a range
of refresh rates. The response time control is available in the OSD menu
via the 'Over Drive' option as shown above. These tests were conducted at
a fixed refresh, with performance being the same whether FreeSync was
turned on or off in the graphics card menu. We will talk about the use of FreeSync VRR (Variable
Refresh Rate) in applications in a moment as well. |
Key
Quick Information Box
-
Recommend running at 'Middle' Over Drive setting for a fixed 60Hz
input like games console or Blu-ray player
-
At
higher fixed refresh rates use the 'High' Over Drive mode for
optimal performance
-
When
using FreeSync / G-sync the 'off' Over Drive setting provides
dynamic control of the overdrive at the varying refresh rates
|
|
Over Drive = Off



With the Over Drive set to 'off' we saw
pretty consistent response time performance at all refresh rates here. This is
to be expected really as without overdrive being applied to the pixels, the
underlying response time should remain the same independent of the refresh rate.
An average here of around 12ms G2G was recorded, with no overshoot at all -
which again is expected given no overdrive is being applied. Some transitions
from black to grey (along the top row of the table when changing from 0 to 50
and 150) were particularly slow at up to 22ms. This did result in some black
smearing on moving content where darker colour transitions were taking place. As
you reach up to the higher refresh rates the response times when set to 'off'
are not really fast enough to keep up with the frame rate, so you get some additional blurring to the moving image. It doesn't look as sharp as it
should.
Over Drive = High



With the Over Drive control now pushed up to
the maximum 'High' setting you could see some improvements at these fixed
refresh rates in the response times
in our measurements, and in visual tests.
At 60Hz we measured the fastest
response times, now averaging 7.9ms G2G. However there was some moderate
overshoot measured, and in practice you could see some slight pale haloes behind
moving objects, especially on lighter coloured backgrounds. If you are using the screen with a fixed 60Hz
input like a console or Blu-ray player, we would recommend experimenting with
the Over Drive control to find the level which looks best. We felt the 'Middle'
setting looked the best, cutting down on most of the visible overshoot while
still offering improved motion clarity and less blurring than if you just turned
overdrive off altogether.
As the refresh rate was increased the
overdrive impulse, and therefore the response times actually reduced a little,
not uncommon for FreeSync screens we've found. This meant that at 100Hz the
average G2G response time was now 8.8ms, and slightly slower at 9.1ms at 144Hz.
We've commented on this before with other FreeSync screens as you would have
thought that the overdrive impulse would be turned up as you increased the
refresh rate, to boost the response times a bit. Actually it doesn't make much
difference here as at 60Hz where it was turned up a bit higher, it produced a
bit too much overshoot and so the levels it was set at for the higher 100Hz and
144Hz refresh rates seemed to be more optimal anyway. It's no big deal here, and
the only thing you need to keep in mind is turning the Over Drive control down
from 'high' to 'middle' (or lower) if you're using a fixed 60Hz refresh rate.
At the higher refresh rates, even with the
Over Drive turned up to the maximum 'high' setting there were some pixel
transitions which were not quite fast enough to keep up with the frame rate. You
need them to be consistently under 6.94ms to keep up with the 144 fps speed
here (1000ms / 144 fps = 6.94ms), and so a few were a bit too slow. In practice this leads to a bit of added
blurring, and it was most noticeable on darker content where you would see some
black smearing. It was not as bad as you'd see from most VA panels where these
transitions are particularly problematic, but those pixel response times were a
bit slow here.
Variable Refresh Rate
(VRR)

The screen natively supports AMD FreeSync for
variable refresh rates between 30 and 144Hz which is a nice wide range. AMD
FreeSync Technology is supported with DisplayPort and HDMI connections -
allowing the NX-EDG27v2 to be compatible with AMD Radeon Graphics Cards (and
modern NVIDIA cards for G-sync), Xbox X, Xbox One, and other future gaming
consoles and devices that support FreeSync and Adaptive-Sync. While not being
officially certified under NVIDIA's new
'G-sync Compatible' scheme, the NX27S v2 will support G-sync as well from
compatible NVIDIA graphics cards and systems, over DisplayPort only.
With AMD FreeSync enabled additional
features include Low Framerate Compensation (LFC) and variable Anti-Ghosting
(Over Drive) that are automatically active with the NX-EDG27 v2 to ensure
optimal visual gaming performance regardless of gaming frame rates. Basically
what is being advertised here is a dynamic overdrive control depending on the
active refresh rate when using VRR.
To make use of this variable overdrive when
using FreeSync you actually have to turn the Over Drive setting 'off' in
the OSD menu when you are using FreeSync/G-sync. We spoke with Nixeus about how this is supposed to work, and
basically the screen will then dynamically control the overdrive impulse between
the equivalent of the 'low', 'middle' and 'high' levels, depending on the active
refresh rate. So at the lower refresh rates it tones down the overdrive a bit to
avoid any unwanted overshoot, then as it reaches higher refresh rates it pushes
the overdrive up towards what would have been the 'high' setting. This helps
ensure the fastest response times at the highest refresh rates while also
minimising any overshoot problems.
It is not possible for us to measure response
times using our oscilloscope in a VRR environment and so we had to rely on
visual tests. With VRR enabled the response time performance seems to be pretty
consistent, and in line with some of the static refresh rate performance we had
seen before. You could of course just stick with the maximum 'high' Over Drive
setting all the time, although if the frame rates reach down to the lower end
around 30 - 80Hz you may see some added pale halos from the overshoot. Using the
'off' mode for VRR makes sense and seems to help avoid this. We are working on
other methods for creating repeatable test patterns while in a VRR environment
so will add to this section later on if we are able to provide any further thoughts or
measurements.

Detailed Response Times



We carried out some further response time
measurements at the maximum 144Hz refresh rare supported by the screen. For this
we left the Over Drive setting at 'high' which applies the maximum overdrive to
the pixels at this static refresh rate. If you are using the screen with
FreeSync/G-sync and with Over Drive turned 'off', then the same response times
will apply once you reach the highest refresh rates as well.
Having taken some further measurements at a
range of pixel colour transitions, the average G2G response time was more
accurately measured now at 9.1ms. Some transitions reached much lower, down to
4.5ms in the best cases and almost in line with the advertised 4ms G2G figure.
There were a range of pixel transitions which were however quite a bit slower,
mostly in the middle area of the table on changes between similar shades where
they were around 10 - 12ms typically. Along the top row of the table where the
pixels were changing from black (0) to dark grey shades (0 > 50 and 0 > 100 for
instance), the response times were at their slowest, reaching up to a maximum of
18.5ms measured. This did result in a bit of black smearing on darker content,
but certainly not as bad as you see from VA panels which have characteristic
slow black > grey pixel response time (often reaching up to 40ms or so). If we
discount the particularly slow transitions in this table the average response
time is around 7.9ms G2G. This isn't quite fast enough to keep up with the 144Hz
frame rate, although it didn't seem to add too much in the way of additional
motion blur. You may find capping your frame rate up to around 120fps might be
more optimal in case of some slight added blur at the top end.
Even with the Over Drive at the maximum
setting there was no overshoot really at all, only one transition measured any
at all (2.3%) which is nothing you'd ever notice in practice. That was very
pleasing.

Gaming Comparisons


We have provided a comparison of the
NX-EDG27S v2 against many other gaming screens
we have reviewed in a similar size range and technology.
The Nixeus was a bit slower with a 9.1ms G2G response time overall than some of
the other high 144Hz refresh rate 27" 1440p resolution IPS models we've tested
such as the still popular
Acer Predator XB270HU (5.5ms) and
Asus ROG Swift PG279Q (5.0ms). In practice there was a little more blur
detectable and moving images didn't look quite as sharp. Those other models are
NVIDIA G-sync screens and seem to offer a more consistent response time
performance, perhaps thanks to the added G-sync module and the way it controls
overdrive. FreeSync screens (which don't feature the NVIDIA G-sync hardware
module) are often a little slower, for example the
Eizo Foris FS2735 (6.3ms) or the 34" ultrawide
LG 34GK950F (8.2ms) tested recently. It does seem that G-sync screens tend
to have more consistent and sometimes faster response times than competing
FreeSync screens in general.
Some of the high refresh rate TN Film models
were faster, but generally showed moderate levels of overshoot however (e.g.
Asus ROG Swift PG278Q = 2.9ms, and
Dell S2716DG = 3.1ms)

Additional
Gaming Features

-
Aspect Ratio Control -
the screen has 5
settings for
hardware level
aspect ratio control. This includes options for full, 16:9, 5:4, 4:3 and 1:1
pixel mapping. This should offer good support for any non-native aspect ratio
sources if you need.
-
Preset Modes -
There is a 'game' Color Effect
mode in the menu but oddly that seems to make the image far less colourful,
almost looking a bit black and white in appearance. We would just stick with
your standard mode. As there are no presets as such to set up different
settings for gaming you might need to alter your OSD settings if you want
something brighter or more colourful for gaming each time.

Lag
We have written an in depth article about
input lag and the various measurement techniques which are used to evaluate
this aspect of a display. It's important to first of all understand the
different methods available and also what this lag means to you as an end-user.
Input Lag vs. Display Lag vs. Signal
Processing
To avoid confusion with different terminology
we will refer to this section of our reviews as just "lag" from now on, as there
are a few different aspects to consider, and different interpretations of the
term "input lag". We will consider the following points here as much as
possible. The overall "display lag" is the first, that being the delay between
the image being shown on the TFT display and that being shown on a CRT. This is
what many people will know as input lag and originally was the measure made to
explain why the image is a little behind when using a CRT. The older stopwatch
based methods were the common way to measure this in the past, but through
advanced studies have been shown to be quite inaccurate. As a result, more
advanced tools like SMTT provide a method to measure that delay between a TFT
and CRT while removing the inaccuracies of older stopwatch methods.
In reality that lag / delay is caused by a
combination of two things - the signal processing delay caused by the TFT
electronics / scaler, and the response time of the pixels themselves. Most
"input lag" measurements over the years have always been based on the overall
display lag (signal processing + response time) and indeed the SMTT tool is
based on this visual difference between a CRT and TFT and so measures the
overall display lag. In practice the signal processing is the element which
gives the feel of lag to the user, and the response time of course can
impact blurring, and overall image quality in moving scenes. As people become
more aware of lag as a possible issue, we are of course keen to try and
understand the split between the two as much as possible to give a complete
picture.
The signal processing element within that is
quite hard to identify without extremely high end equipment and very complicated
methods. In fact the studies by Thomas Thiemann which really kicked this whole
thing off were based on equipment worth >100,1000 Euro, requiring extremely high
bandwidths and very complicated methods to trigger the correct behaviour and
accurately measure the signal processing on its own. Other techniques which are
being used since are not conducted by Thomas (he is a freelance writer) or based
on this equipment or technique, and may also be subject to other errors or
inaccuracies based on our conversations with him since. It's very hard as a
result to produce a technique which will measure just the signal processing on
its own unfortunately. Many measurement techniques are also not explained and so
it is important to try and get a picture from various sources if possible to
make an informed judgement about a display overall.
For our tests we will continue to use the
SMTT tool to measure the overall "display lag". From there we can use our
oscilloscope system to measure the response time across a wide range of grey to
grey (G2G) transitions as recorded in our
response time
tests. Since SMTT will not include the full response time within its
measurements, after speaking with Thomas further about the situation we will
subtract half of the average G2G response time from the total display lag. This
should allow us to give a good estimation of how much of the overall lag is
attributable to the signal processing element on its own.
Lag Classification
To help in
this section we will also introduce a broader classification system for these
results to help categorise each screen as one of the following levels. We will
now keep these classifications consistent regardless of the actual refresh rate
of the screen being measured:
-
Class 1)
Less than 8.33ms - the equivalent to 1 frame lag of a display at 120Hz refresh
rate - should be fine for gamers, even at high
levels
-
Class 2)
A lag of 8.33 -
16.66ms - the equivalent of one to two frames at a 120Hz refresh rate - moderate lag but should be fine for many gamers.
Caution advised for serious gaming
-
Class 3)
A lag of more than
16.66ms - the equivalent of more than 2 frames at a refresh rate of 120Hz - Some noticeable lag in daily usage, not
suitable for high end gaming

For the full reviews of the
models compared here and the dates they were written (and when screens were
approximately released to the market), please see our
full
reviews index.
(Measurements in ms) |
On |
Total Display Lag
(SMTT 2) |
5.00 |
Pixel Response Time
Element |
4.55 |
Estimated Signal
Processing Lag |
0.45 |
Lag Classification |
1 |
|

Class
1 |
We have provided a comparison above against
other models we have tested to give an indication between screens. The screens
tested are split into two measurements which are based on our overall display
lag tests (using SMTT) and half the average G2G response time, as measured by
the oscilloscope. The response time is split from the overall display lag and
shown on the graph as the green bar. From there, the signal processing (red bar)
can be provided as a good estimation.
The total lag measured was only 5.0ms. With
around 4.55ms of that accounted for by pixel response times, we can estimate
there is only 0.45ms of signal processing lag, the actual lag you might feel during gaming and
other uses. This was basically nothing and in line with even the fastest gaming
screens in the comparison above, including those without a scaler and instead
featuring an NVIDIA G-sync hardware module. A great result when it comes to lag
from this Nixeus screen.

Movies and Video
The following summarises the screens
performance for videos and movie viewing:
Category |
Display
Specs / Measurements |
Comments |
Size |
27" widescreen |
Fairly typical for a
desktop monitor nowadays and smaller than TV's by a lot |
Aspect Ratio |
16:9 |
Well suited to most common
16:9 aspect content and input devices |
Resolution |
2560 x 1440 |
Can support native 1080p
content, but not Ultra HD natively |
HDCP |
Yes |
Suitable for encrypted
content |
Connectivity |
2x DisplayPort 1.2 and 2x HDMI
2.0 |
Useful additional 2x HDMI
input for external Blu-ray players or games consoles. |
Cables |
DisplayPort only |
Missing an HDMI cable in
the box |
Ergonomics |
Tilt only (S model)
Tilt, height. swivel,
rotate (normal mode) |
Limited range of
adjustments from the S model we are testing, with only basic tilt offered. Very good range of
adjustments available from the normal model if you need more flexibility |
Coating |
Light Anti-glare |
Provides clear, non-grainy
image and avoids unwanted reflections of full glossy solutions |
Brightness range |
76 - 327 cd/m2 |
Good adjustment range
offered. Flicker free backlight operation with no PWM |
Contrast |
1085:1 after calibration |
Decent IPS contrast ratio
which should be fine for most content. Buying an alternative VA technology panel would provide
you a higher contrast ratio if you watch a lot of dark content and miss some
shadow detail |
Preset modes |
Movie |
There is a Movie Color
Effect preset
mode which looks quite similar to our calibrated standard mode. These preset
modes don't seem to change any other settings so not sure how useful they
are. |
Response times |
9.1ms G2G, no overshoot |
Response times are good
overall and with low levels of overshoot. Should be fine for movies. For
60Hz content you would be best to stick with the 'middle' Over Drive setting
rather than 'High' |
Viewing angles |
Very good |
Thanks to the IPS panel
technology, suitable for viewing from a wide range of positions. IPS glow on
dark content could present a problem from some wider angles especially in
darker room conditions |
Backlight bleed |
No major bleed |
Some clouding in the
corners, and a bit of bleed from where one corner had taken a knock in
transit. |
Audio |
2x Stereo speakers and audio out |
Basic 2x stereo integrated speakers,
and also
an audio out connection. Speakers maybe ok for the occasional movie clip or
YouTube video |
Aspect Ratio Controls |
Wide 16:9, 4:3, auto resize
and 1:1 |
Good options to account for
non-16:9 format inputs if needed although the native aspect of the screen is
likely to be suitable for a lot of content |
PiP / PbP |
Not supported |
n/a on this model |
HDR support |
Not supported |
No local dimming or any
of the necessary elements to provide an HDR experience. There is a slight
boost in colours compared with a traditional sRGB screen, but only
creating 108% sRGB, equating to ~80% DCI-P3. |

Conclusion
If you
would like to help support our continued work please consider making a
donation
no matter how small or large. Thank you for the continued support.
The Nixeus NX-EDG27S v2 provides an
interesting option in the 27" 144Hz IPS gaming space because of its competitive
price point. You can check availability and latest pricing via
Amazon (affiliate link). It's received a fair bit of interest online as a result and given its spec. With
NVIDIA now offering G-sync variable refresh rate support from FreeSync models
like this, you're also no longer limited to purchasing a normal G-sync screen,
another reason why the Nixeus model is a bit cheaper. But price aside, can it
compete with those other models when it comes to performance?
Gaming is obviously the primary concern with
this screen and overall we felt the screen did well. The response times were a
little slower than we had hoped, and there were a few pixel transitions that
lead to a bit of black smearing on moving content, even at the optimal overdrive
settings. It resulted in a bit of added blur at the upper end of the refresh
range as the response times weren't quite fast enough to keep up. The screen
still provided good motion clarity overall, especially considering it's an IPS
panel. The high refresh rate support up to 144Hz of course helps massively when
it comes to gaming and motion clarity too compared with common 60Hz panels.
Support for FreeSync and G-sync was very welcome, with a wide VRR range
available. The lag of the screen was basically zero which was great news of
course. The screen does lack some of the gaming "extras" that you might see on
other models - RGB lighting systems, black stabilizer modes, FPS counters etc
but if you aren't bothered by some of the frills then it won't matter to you
anyway.
Away from gaming the default setup was pretty
good and easy to tweak to provide a reliable and accurate image. The IPS-type
panel offers strong all round image quality with wide viewing angles, strong
contrast ratio, stable colours and a good resolution for the screen size. The
stand on the S model was limited to only tilt, so we would recommend the fully
adjustable stand version if that's going to be an issue for you (although it
might add to the cost a bit).
All in all if you're looking for a more basic
design, and don't mind sacrificing some of the added extras and features of the
more well-known models, the NX-EDG27S v2 provides a good option for a 27" high
refresh rate IPS panel at an attractive price point.
Pros |
Cons |
Good overall gaming
performance with wide FreeSync/G-sync range for VRR |
Stand on the S model was
very limited |
Very low lag, great for
gaming |
OSD menu a bit fiddly to
use |
Good default setup and
all round IPS panel performance |
Response times a bit
slower than we would have liked in places |
Check Pricing and Buy - Affiliate Links
|
Amazon
|
TFTCentral is a participant
in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme, an affiliate
advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn
advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk,
Amazon.de, Amazon.ca and other Amazon stores worldwide. We also
participate in a similar scheme for Overclockers.co.uk. |