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Deal | Jlink E27QP4K 27-inch VA 165 Hz gaming monitor has almost everything for $270 USD

Jlink E27QP4K 27-inch VA 165 Hz gaming monitor has almost everything for $270 USD
Jlink E27QP4K 27-inch VA 165 Hz gaming monitor has almost everything for $270 USD
The G-Sync-enabled 27-inch Jlink gives the Dell S2721DGF a run for its money in a classic VA vs. IPS option. We've done all the usual measurements to show just exactly what the Jlink can offer and what it's missing.

27-inch 1440p monitors are the sweet spot these days especially now that Sony has finally updated its PS5 to officially support a native 1440p resolution output. The IPS-based Dell S2721DGF has become the popular option for most gamers, but the affordable Jlink E27QP4K can be considered the VA alternative for users who desire deeper contrast ratios. The manufacturer has sent us a sample for our impressions and measurements. The monitor is currently on sale for $270 USD on Amazon.

When measuring brightness on the maximum brightness setting, the top right of the monitor can be almost 90 nits brighter than the bottom left to represent poor brightness uniformity. This isn't a huge issue during use, but it's definitely an area that could be improved upon for future revisions.

235.9
cd/m²
278.6
cd/m²
295.6
cd/m²
217.7
cd/m²
284.7
cd/m²
268.5
cd/m²
213.1
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
263.1
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 295.6 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 256 cd/m² Minimum: 28.34 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 72 %
Contrast: 3163:1 (Black: 0.09 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.44 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.14
ΔE Greyscale 8.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
67.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
97% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.28
Jlink E27QP4K 27 inch monitor
2560x1440, 27.00
Innocn 27M2U 27-inch monitor
3840x2160, 27.00
Innocn 27C1U Monitor
3840x2160, 27.00
Auzai M215BH Monitor
1920x1080, 21.50
MSI Creator Z17 A12UGST-054
AUO3C9B (B170QAN01.0), IPS, 2560x1600, 17.00
Display
20%
22%
3%
27%
Display P3 Coverage
66.1
88.6
34%
82.6
25%
71.2
8%
98.9
50%
sRGB Coverage
97
99.8
3%
99.7
3%
94.5
-3%
99.9
3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
67.9
83.7
23%
94.5
39%
69.6
3%
86.4
27%
Response Times
30%
-9%
-13%
66%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
27.2 ?(14, 13.2)
13.2 ?(6.6, 6.6)
51%
30.8 ?(15.6, 15.2)
-13%
28.4 ?(9.6, 18.8)
-4%
11 ?(5, 6)
60%
Response Time Black / White *
17.6 ?(11.6, 6)
16 ?(8, 8)
9%
18.4 ?(10, 8.4)
-5%
21.4 ?(19.6, 1.8)
-22%
5 ?(2, 3)
72%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(100)
Screen
-11%
-24%
-58%
-65%
Brightness middle
284.7
585.6
106%
425.8
50%
210.7
-26%
444
56%
Brightness
256
595
132%
395
54%
192
-25%
415
62%
Brightness Distribution
72
94
31%
86
19%
82
14%
88
22%
Black Level *
0.09
0.48
-433%
0.46
-411%
0.36
-300%
0.7
-678%
Contrast
3163
1220
-61%
926
-71%
585
-82%
634
-80%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.44
3.69
32%
2.13
61%
3.93
28%
2.48
54%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
11.12
5.59
50%
8.45
24%
10.02
10%
3.52
68%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.14
3.51
-208%
2.91
-155%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
8.9
3.8
57%
1.5
83%
2.8
69%
3.33
63%
Gamma
2.28 96%
2.32 95%
2.28 96%
2.07 106%
2.33 94%
CCT
9402 69%
6946 94%
6620 98%
6766 96%
6230 104%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
61.7
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
94.5
Total Average (Program / Settings)
13% / 3%
-4% / -11%
-23% / -38%
9% / -27%

* ... smaller is better

Our X-Rite colorimeter results show the monitor to be poorly calibrated out the box with average grayscale and color deltaE values as high as 8.9 and 5.44, respectively, when on the default color settings. Grayscale and colors would improve dramatically to <2 each once we properly calibrated the display. We recommend applying our ICM profile above for more accurate colors.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
Clean front face with bezels that are just slightly thicker than the Dell S2721DGF
Clean front face with bezels that are just slightly thicker than the Dell S2721DGF
Curved backside is mostly plastic. The monitor is VESA compatible
Curved backside is mostly plastic. The monitor is VESA compatible
All ports face downwards on the back. AC adapter, USB-A (service only), HDMI 2.0 (up to 2560 x 1440 @144 Hz), 2x DisplayPort 1.2 x2 (up to 2560 x 1440 @165 Hz), 3.5 mm audio output
All ports face downwards on the back. AC adapter, USB-A (service only), HDMI 2.0 (up to 2560 x 1440 @144 Hz), 2x DisplayPort 1.2 x2 (up to 2560 x 1440 @165 Hz), 3.5 mm audio output
Button knob for OSD control. It can move in four directions for easy inputs and navigation
Button knob for OSD control. It can move in four directions for easy inputs and navigation
Rear design with glossy accents and ventilation grilles. There are no internal speakers
Rear design with glossy accents and ventilation grilles. There are no internal speakers
Box includes three Philips screws, AC adapter, power cord, DisplayPort cable, user's guide, base, and arm. Curiously, an HDMI cable is not included
Box includes three Philips screws, AC adapter, power cord, DisplayPort cable, user's guide, base, and arm. Curiously, an HDMI cable is not included

Setup is very straightforward, but it will require a Philips screwdriver to attaching the base to the arm. Other monitors, like the Dell S2721DGF have hand-twist screws for a tool-free setup in comparison. The arm and metal base are otherwise firm and free of any defects on our particular unit. Users can rotate the arm side to side, lift the screen higher or lower, tilt the screen up or down, or rotate the screen between portrait or landscape modes.

For the full 165 Hz refresh rate, users must utilize DisplayPort as the HDMI port supports only 144 Hz.

The metal base is sturdy and narrow, but it sticks out in front by quite a bi
The metal base is sturdy and narrow, but it sticks out in front by quite a bi
Lever on the arm makes it very easy to attach or remove from the monitor
Lever on the arm makes it very easy to attach or remove from the monitor
Base attaches to the bottom of the arm via three Philips screws
Base attaches to the bottom of the arm via three Philips screws
RGB LED along the top area on the back of the monitor. It cycles through colors automatically, but users cannot control the colors. The lighting can be disabled
RGB LED along the top area on the back of the monitor. It cycles through colors automatically, but users cannot control the colors. The lighting can be disabled
Monitor at its lowest position on the arm
Monitor at its lowest position on the arm
Monitor at its highest position on the arm. The range is about 9 cm
Monitor at its highest position on the arm. The range is about 9 cm
Monitor at its highest tilt angle
Monitor at its highest tilt angle
Monitor at its highest tilt angle
Monitor at its highest tilt angle
Monitor at its lowest tilt angle. Rotating to portrait mode is also supported
Monitor at its lowest tilt angle. Rotating to portrait mode is also supported
The arm can rotate left and right by about 30 degrees on each side
The arm can rotate left and right by about 30 degrees on each side

Jlink advertises full sRGB coverage which we can confirm with our own independent measurements. We can also confirm the very high contrast ratio of ~3000:1 compared to only ~1000:1 on most IPS alternatives. The deeper black level is one of the biggest reasons for choosing VA over IPS.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. P3
vs. P3
Surface temperatures are warmest on the bottom half of the monitor
Surface temperatures are warmest on the bottom half of the monitor
AC adapter can reach 35 C after extended use
AC adapter can reach 35 C after extended use
OSD options
OSD options

Response times are good but nowhere near as fast as most IPS monitors where 3 ms or faster are becoming commonplace. Black-to-white takes almost 12 ms and gray-to-gray is even slower at 14 ms. The blurring when gaming is thankfully slight and not a deal breaker to our eyes.

Black-white response times
Black-white response times
Gray-gray response times
Gray-gray response times
No pulse-width modulation regardless of brightness level
No pulse-width modulation regardless of brightness level
VA viewing angles are narrower than IPS. Portrait mode is not recommended for most scenarios
VA viewing angles are narrower than IPS. Portrait mode is not recommended for most scenarios

The monitor can demand up to 43 W from the small (~12 x 5.4 x 3.2 cm) 54 W AC adapter depending on the brightness level. Unlike the Dell S2721DGF which only needs a power cord, the Jlink requires an external power brick with its own proprietary barrel port. Be sure to not lose the AC adapter.

The most notable attributes of the Jlink E27QP4K are its 165 Hz refresh rate, FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility, affordable price, high contrast ratio, sRGB coverage, and easy-to-navigate OSD. Major drawbacks include the lack of AdobeRGB coverage, average response times for a gaming monitor, relatively poor brightness distribution, poorer viewing angles for portrait mode, and image smearing that's common on VA panels. It's a good option for gaming purposes especially if you can find it on sale. Otherwise, the similarly-priced Dell IPS-based S2721DGF has it beat in most cases outside of contrast ratio.

The monitor consumes about 17 W when on the lowest brightness setting or up to 43 W when on the maximum brightness setting
The monitor consumes about 17 W when on the lowest brightness setting or up to 43 W when on the maximum brightness setting
Matte RGB subpixel array. Graininess is minimal
Matte RGB subpixel array. Graininess is minimal
Minimal uneven backlighjt bleeding
Minimal uneven backlighjt bleeding

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 11 > Jlink E27QP4K 27-inch VA 165 Hz gaming monitor has almost everything for $270 USD
Allen Ngo, 2022-11- 9 (Update: 2022-11- 9)