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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
Asus’ marketing for the XG27AQWMG claims 15% greater brightness from its Tandem OLED panel, but I found a 22% advantage over the next best Aorus. The XG27AQWMG is extremely bright, which makes its variable brightness feature even more useful. You wouldn’t crank it up to maximum when a full field is over 350 nits unless you’re working in sunlight. But when variable brightness is in play, that extra power delivers some spectacular highlights and greater image depth than the competition. It’s hard to say one OLED looks better than another because they’re so close in performance. But this one raises the bar for sure.
After Calibration to 200 nits
I calibrated with Uniform Brightness off and on. The XG27AQWMG retains independent brightness settings so you can switch back and forth conveniently. At 200 nits, it is comfortable to use in either mode. I left it uniform for productivity and variable for games and video. This flexibility is a standout feature for all Asus OLED monitors. In all cases, black levels and contrast cannot be measured.
Test Takeaway: The XG27AQWMG delivers the same deep contrast and black levels as any OLED, but sets itself apart with higher brightness and a variable brightness toggle. With independent brightness settings, it’s easy to switch back and forth. The extra output adds impact to all content, SDR and HDR.
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