HP Omen 27q Review

About the HP Omen 27q

Here are the specs of the monitor we tested:

• Price: $269
• Display size: 27 inches
• Resolution: 2560 x 1440 pixels
• Refresh rate: 165Hz
• Peak brightness: 400 nits (rated), 403.8 nits (tested), 494 nits (in HDR mode)
• HDR support: VESA DisplayHDR 400
• Color depth: 8-bit
• Color saturation: 99% sRGB (rated), 95% DCI-P3 (rated); 98% sRGB (tested), 75% DCI-P3 (tested)
• Contrast ratio: 1000:1 (rated), 950:1 (tested)
• Pixel response time (GtG): 1ms
• Ports: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x 3.5mm
• VRR Support: Yes, AMD FreeSync Premium, G-Sync compatible
• Other features: VESA mount (100x100), three-way adjustable stand

There are actually two 27-inch models, the 1080p HP Omen 27 and this model, the 27q. The two are largely similar with the exception of resolution, and both top out at 165Hz. HP also sells a 240Hz version of the Omen 27q, the Omen 27qs, for $429.

What we like

Sharpness and motion clarity are solid

The HP Omen 27q gets two key aspects right for gamers: it’s sharp, and it stays sharp. 1440p on a 27-inch monitor makes for a plenty-sharp image. Across many rounds of Battlefield 2042, I had no problem scoping out enemies near and far, giving me a better idea of what was a helicopter on an attack run toward my position and just a bit of debris blowing in the wind.

While that pixel density is common among all 1440p, 27-inch monitors, the HP Omen 27q also has strong motion clarity, keeping the sharp detail decently intact even when the in-game camera is swinging wildly.

Between its 165Hz refresh rate and a pixel response time that doesn’t create much blur behind fast-moving objects on screen, I didn’t find myself getting lost in the fray. Tracking targets and firing off rounds in close quarters requires the ability to keep up with some hectic action, and lesser monitors might see everything blur together. But I can zip up to rooftops and unload on a series of enemies time and time again without the chaos overwhelming the screen and, in turn, me.

Great color coverage for the price

It may be hidden away, but the Native color mode on the HP Omen 27q is a winner. While it only has a modest color gamut in the default, out-of-the-box settings, switching to this alternative mode instantly opens the doors to a wider color gamut and a much more impressive 93% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. This helps bring a lot more content to life with richer, more vivid visuals. Games, movies, and even just web browsing all benefit from this. Color accuracy is even stronger in this mode with a very respectable average dE of 1.63 and max of 3.13 (any value under 3.0 is imperceptible to the untrained eye). A lot of cheap monitors don’t come close to this sort of color coverage, so it's a big win here.

It does come with a small hit to the contrast ratio, which wasn’t good to begin with at 950:1 (though it's a tad bit better than the HP X27q at 900:1) . It also doesn’t work when HDR is enabled, but it offers so much more than the paltry HDR mode that it’s easily worth using instead.

The value is strong

The Omen 27q provides a reasonably sizable screen and a slightly faster refresh rate than you typically find budget 1440p displays running at, and it’s more affordable than the competition. It may not have an exceptional (or even acceptable) HDR experience, and it doesn't boast fancy display tech like quantum dots or mini-LED backlighting, but it provides perfectly respectable and sometimes gorgeous visuals that get the job done. For a monitor you can find for $199 on sale, or even as low as $180, it's a strong value.

Many monitors you find around this price will offer a lower resolution, might use VA panels that have a tendency toward ghosting or smearing during fast-paced action, or TN panels with awful viewing angles. You’re likely to find more basic tilt-only stands as well whereas the HP Omen 27q at least has some height, tilt, and rotational adjustments. And few options will have as wide a color gamut as this monitor is capable of.

What we don’t like

HDR is not good

While HDR is one of the highlight features of newer displays, getting an HDR experience that’s actually impressive takes more than the HP Omen 27q has on deck. While it punches peak brightness up to 494 nits with HDR enabled, that’s still on the weak side and it doesn’t improve the slightly sub-standard contrast ratio that comes from the backlight bleed.

So if HDR doesn't increase the range of brightness that the monitor can display, maybe it increases the range of colors? That’s a resounding no. It unfortunately makes no difference in that regard. I’ve seen a fair few monitors actually lower the color gamut when HDR is turned on, and this display at least avoids doing that, but it doesn’t offer an increase either.

Making matters worse, HDR enables some sort of dynamic brightness feature that I could find no way to disable. The backlighting ramps up or dims down as content on the screen changes, but it lags behind the content, so it’s all too easy to perceive. It’s consistently present while viewing fullscreen video, though not easy to notice on the desktop, in games, or if the content has letterboxing.

The real color is hidden and semi-locked away

Do you want beautifully colorful visuals alongside the extreme brightness and contrast of HDR? Too bad, you’re going to have to pick. Despite using a panel with an impressive 93% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, the HP Omen 27q can only tap into that color when in the aforementioned Native color mode. When HDR is enabled, there’s no selecting different color modes, and that limits the display to a much lower color gamut.

Given the display doesn’t have a stunning HDR presentation, it’s much more worth your while to take advantage of the impressive color gamut. You can still get strong brightness as the display tops out over 400 nits in SDR, but the rich color detail will make everything look so much better than an extra 90 nits of brightness without a big bump in contrast.

It’s nice the color is there, but it’s such a big improvement on the visuals that it’s absurd that HP didn’t make it the default color profile, and even more absurd that it’s unavailable with HDR mode.

HP’s Omen Gaming Hub installs itself

There’s a new blight in gaming devices: self-installing software. While many gaming peripherals offer useful software for customization and settings, it should always be the user's choice as to whether or not they’re necessary. With the HP Omen 27q, this wasn’t the case.

Connected via only a DisplayPort cable, the monitor was able to install the HP Omen Gaming Hub on my computer with no intervention on my part. I didn’t even get a User Account Control warning that an app was making a change on my computer. The installation didn’t appear until a few days after I’d connected the monitor, either, so it’s something vigilant users still might miss. The same thing happened with this monitor’s predecessor, the HP X27q.

The app itself provides an extra way to access the monitor’s controls, which is great in theory, but it’s a heavily bloated app and doesn’t offer anything extra. The simple four-way buttons on the back of the monitor do a great job navigating through settings. The controls the app provides are also such a small aspect of the app that it truly feels like bloatware; bloatware that can display notifications in Windows no less.

Should you buy the HP Omen 27q?

Maybe, if you can’t grab Acer’s or Gigabyte’s better monitors for the same price

It’s not easy to find an affordable monitor with an impressive HDR picture, and the HP Omen 27q is no exception. But for about $250, it has one of the better panels for gaming you’re likely to find. The color gamut coverage is great for the price, as long as you’re willing to flick through a couple settings to enable the Native mode. Pairing that with a sharp and smooth display makes for a strong package and a satisfactory replacement for the discontinued HP X27q.

There aren’t a lot of monitors competing well in this space. You could go lower resolution and faster with something like the Cooler Master GM27-CFX, but you’ll have to contend with its lower 1080p resolution. That’s the kind of sacrifice you’ll have to make for most cheaper monitors. That said, there are a few similar options that just do things better than the HP Omen 27q.

The Gigabyte M27Q P does pretty much everything the HP does and then some. It gets just as bright, if not brighter, and it’s just as sharp, just as fast, offers a superior contrast ratio, and has an integrated USB hub. It’s usually a little more expensive, but can be found for as low as $280.

The Acer Nitro XV272U Vbmiiprx is a bigger problem for HP. This one’s also a 27-inch, 1440p monitor, but it hits 170Hz. More importantly, it has impressive color, reaching as high as 97% of the DCI-P3 color space with high accuracy, and it pairs that with a contrast ratio that actually exceeds 1,000:1. The kicker? This monitor is also usually just $250, and has dropped to as low as $190 on sale. As long as the XV272U Vbmiiprx monitor remains on the market, it’s the better of two decent choices.