Gigabyte M27Q Review: Check the Revision Before You Buy
Excellent value at 1440p and 170 Hz, with one detail in its history that decides whether you keep it or return it.
The Gigabyte M27Q has spent years near the top of every value 1440p shortlist, and for good reason — a 27-inch IPS panel at 170 Hz with a built-in KVM switch is a lot of monitor for the money. But there is a detail buried in its history that decides whether you will love it or return it, and it has nothing to do with refresh rate.
This is a research-based buying guide, not a hands-on test. It is built from Gigabyte’s published specification and from independent review reporting, with sources at the end. Read our review standards.
The short answer
Check which revision you are buying before anything else. The original M27Q uses a BGR subpixel layout instead of the standard RGB. On Windows that produces visible colour fringing on text, and no software setting fully fixes it. Revision 2.0 moved to a standard RGB layout.
If you get a rev 2.0, it is an excellent value monitor. 1440p at 170 Hz with a genuine KVM switch and USB-C is a specification that normally costs considerably more.
The subpixel problem, explained properly
Every LCD pixel is made of three coloured subpixels. Almost every monitor arranges them red, green, blue — left to right. That order is not arbitrary: Windows uses a text-smoothing technique called ClearType that renders type at the subpixel level, and it assumes RGB order.
The original M27Q arranges them the other way round: blue, green, red. When ClearType draws a letter expecting RGB and the panel is BGR, the edges of text pick up a faint colour cast — usually a reddish or bluish fringe on vertical strokes.
What you can and cannot do about it
On Windows: running the ClearType tuner helps a little, and turning ClearType off entirely removes the fringing but leaves text looking softer. Neither is a real fix.
On macOS: largely a non-issue. Apple removed subpixel antialiasing from macOS some years ago, so the operating system is not making the assumption that breaks. Mac users generally report no problem.
The actual fix: buy revision 2.0. Gigabyte changed the panel, and the newer revision uses a standard RGB layout along with a wider 95% DCI-P3 colour gamut.
The specification
| Specification | Gigabyte M27Q |
|---|---|
| Panel size | 27 inches |
| Resolution | 2560 × 1440 (QHD) |
| Panel type | IPS |
| Refresh rate | 165 Hz, overclockable to 170 Hz |
| Response time | 0.5 ms MPRT |
| Brightness | 350 nits |
| Adaptive sync | FreeSync Premium |
| Subpixel layout | BGR on rev 1.0, RGB on rev 2.0 |
| Colour gamut | Wide gamut; 95% DCI-P3 on rev 2.0 |
| Video inputs | 2 × HDMI 2.0, 1 × DisplayPort 1.2, 1 × USB-C |
| USB hub | 2 × USB 3.0 downstream, 1 × upstream |
| Audio | Headphone jack |
| KVM | Yes, built in |
| Stand | Height adjustable |
The KVM switch is the underrated feature
A KVM switch lets one keyboard and mouse control two computers, switching between them from the monitor rather than by re-plugging cables. Monitors that include one usually cost noticeably more.
The practical case is specific but common: a work laptop and a personal desktop sharing one desk. Plug the desktop in over DisplayPort and the laptop over USB-C, connect your keyboard and mouse to the monitor’s USB hub, and one button moves both the display and your peripherals between machines.
170 Hz, and whether you need it
165 Hz with a 170 Hz overclock is firmly in gaming territory, and for fast games it is a real advantage over 60 Hz.
For work, the honest answer is that the benefit is smaller than the marketing implies but not zero. Scrolling a long document or dragging a window is visibly smoother at high refresh, and once you are used to it, going back to 60 Hz feels sluggish. It is a comfort improvement rather than a productivity one.
What matters more for a work display is the 1440p resolution. At 27 inches, 1440p is the density sweet spot — sharp enough that text is comfortable without needing display scaling, and roomy enough for two documents side by side. 1080p at this size looks coarse; 4K needs scaling, which brings its own problems.
350 nits and what it means for your room
350 nits is standard for a monitor at this price and perfectly adequate indoors. It is not enough for a desk in direct sunlight, and it is well short of what HDR content needs to look like HDR.
Treat any HDR marketing on monitors in this class with suspicion. Meaningful HDR needs high peak brightness and local dimming; a 350-nit edge-lit panel accepts an HDR signal but cannot display it with the contrast the format is built around.
Strengths and compromises
What it does well
- 1440p at 27 inches — the density sweet spot for desk work
- Built-in KVM, rare at this price
- USB-C input carrying video, data and power
- 165 Hz with a 170 Hz overclock
- Height-adjustable stand included
- Wide colour gamut, 95% DCI-P3 on rev 2.0
- Two HDMI plus DisplayPort, so three sources fit
What to think about first
- Rev 1.0 has a BGR subpixel layout that fringes text on Windows
- Revision is often not stated in listings
- 350 nits is not enough for real HDR
- IPS contrast means blacks look grey in a dark room
- USB hub is USB 3.0, not the faster standards
- Overclock to 170 Hz must be enabled manually
How to check the revision before you buy
- Look for “rev 2.0” in the listing title or specification tab. Sellers who stock the newer panel usually say so, because they know buyers ask.
- Check the stated colour gamut. 95% DCI-P3 indicates the newer panel; the original was specified differently.
- Ask before ordering if the listing is silent. A seller who cannot tell you is a seller shipping old stock.
- Test text on arrival. Open a white document and look closely at the vertical strokes of black letters. Colour on the edges means BGR.
Who should buy it
Good fit
- You want one monitor for work and games
- You run two machines and want a KVM
- Your laptop outputs video over USB-C
- You are on macOS, where the subpixel issue does not apply
Look elsewhere
- You cannot confirm the revision and work with text all day
- You want genuine HDR
- You need a colour-accurate display for print work
- You want deep blacks — consider an OLED instead
What we could not assess
We have not measured brightness, contrast, colour accuracy or response times, and we have not looked at a panel of either revision in person. The subpixel characterisation comes from independent review reporting and from Gigabyte’s own revision specifications, which differ on colour gamut between the two.
Panel lottery is the other unknown that specifications never capture: backlight uniformity and stuck pixels vary between individual units of the same model, which is an argument for buying somewhere with a straightforward returns policy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the BGR subpixel problem on the Gigabyte M27Q?
The original revision arranges its subpixels blue-green-red instead of the standard red-green-blue. Windows ClearType assumes RGB order, so text picks up faint colour fringing on its edges. Revision 2.0 uses a standard RGB layout and does not have the issue.
Does the BGR issue affect Mac users?
Largely no. macOS removed subpixel antialiasing some years ago, so the operating system is not making the assumption that causes the fringing. It is a Windows problem in practice.
How do I know which revision I am getting?
Look for “rev 2.0” in the listing, or check whether the stated colour gamut is 95% DCI-P3, which indicates the newer panel. If the listing does not say, ask the seller before ordering.
What does the KVM switch actually do?
It lets one keyboard and mouse control two connected computers, switching both the display input and your peripherals at once. Useful if a work laptop and a personal machine share a desk.
Is 1440p better than 4K at 27 inches?
For most people, yes. 1440p at 27 inches is sharp without needing display scaling, while 4K at that size usually requires scaling, which can cause blurry text in older applications. 4K makes more sense at 32 inches and above.
Is the HDR support worth anything?
Not really. At 350 nits with no local dimming, the monitor accepts an HDR signal but cannot produce the contrast the format needs. Treat it as a compatibility checkbox rather than a feature.
- LG UltraGear 27 OLED — the step up for contrast
- Ergotron LX monitor arm — check the weight range first
- BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 — lighting that clamps to it
- CalDigit TS4 — if one cable has to run the desk
- ASUS ZenScreen — the portable second screen
Sources. Panel, port and refresh specifications are Gigabyte’s own published figures for the M27Q. The subpixel layout difference between revisions is documented in independent review reporting and reflected in Gigabyte’s differing revision specifications. We have not tested this product ourselves and do not claim to have. Primary source: Gigabyte’s M27Q Rev. 2.0 specification page.
Want HDR that actually works? See the AOC Q27G3XMN — 336 mini-LED dimming zones at a similar price.
Want more refresh rate? The Gigabyte M27Q X is the 240 Hz version with the same KVM.