Philips unveils two budget-friendly 4K monitors with 320 Hz support at Full HD and Ambiglow

Philips has announced two relatively affordable monitors designed for versatility. The Philips 27M2N5901A and 27M2N3800A are both 27-inch 4K displays that also support 1080p resolution. Switching to Full HD greatly increases the monitors’ refresh rate from 160 Hz to 320 Hz, which will likely appeal to demanding gamers. Conversely, running the displays at 4K can provide certain advantages, such as more screen real estate for multitasking and displaying multiple windows simultaneously. Unsurprisingly, both models offer respectable response times: Philips claims that they boast a grey-to-grey response time of 1 ms (typical for gaming monitors), whereas their moving picture response time is twice as fast. The built-in Ambiglow technology illuminates the space behind the monitors with ambient lighting that adapts to the on-screen content.

Since these displays are equipped with IPS panels, their peak brightness and contrast ratio won’t be as high as those found in mini LED or OLED panels. According to official specs, they offer a typical brightness of 400 nits and VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. The Philips 27M2N3800A is a slightly pared-back version of the 27M2N5901A, lacking the latter's the four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and its ability to power source devices at up to 65 watts via USB PD (DisplayPort Alt Mode). The two monitors are priced at €329 and €399 (approximately $365 and $442), respectively. Release dates have yet to be confirmed.