NZXT Canvas 27Q Review (1440p/165Hz)

It can't be easy for an established manufacturer to branch out into a completely new product line, but NZXT has done a very good job with their first ever gaming monitor – the Canvas 27Q.

For starters, the design of this screen is absolutely lovely – it's sleek, minimalistic and just a very clean aesthetic. When I first heard NZXT was making a monitor I was thinking it would be a lot of RGB lighting or maybe have a very ‘gamer-y' look to it, but I have been proved wrong on both. It makes an excellent first impression when set up on your desk.

NZXT is also using a very capable IPS panel, too. Offering a 1440p resolution over the 27in screen size, this is considered by many to be the modern day ‘sweet spot', and it delivers the goods – colour accuracy is strong, contrast is exactly where we'd expect and it gets decently bright, too.

For gaming, the response times on offer here are similarly impressive, with an average GtG speed of below 5ms using the Fastest overdrive mode. We have tested faster screens overall, but this is still fast enough to deliver a very fluid gaming experience, especially as 1440p isn't too hard to drive at high frame rates.

Honestly, looking in isolation at the Canvas 27Q, it doesn't do much wrong at all – the OSD system is a bit light on features, but we'd expect that from NZXT's first ever gaming monitor. The main thing to consider when assessing the 27Q is the breadth of competition available, as there are a lot of capable 1440p/165Hz displays on the market.

The iiyama GB2770QSU is one such model, and although it lacks the premium build quality, software support and OSD joystick of the 27Q, the IPS panel performs just as well, but it's £140 cheaper than the 27Q which is quite a significant savings if you only care about raw gaming performance. Likewise, other premium screens including the AOC AG275QXL can offer slightly improved response times at a similar price-point.

Nonetheless, the Canvas 27Q is an impressive first foray into the monitor market from NZXT. It ticks pretty much all of the boxes and doesn't do a lot wrong, so we look forward to seeing what comes next.

You can buy the Canvas 27Q direct from NZXT HERE. The price is £349 without a stand, or £389 with a stand.

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Pros

• Sleek design.
• Colour accurate display.
• Good response times.
• Can be bought with or without a stand.
• Clean OSD menu.

Cons

• Lots of competition at, or below, the price-point.
• OSD is fairly light on features.
• HDR is not worth using.

KitGuru says: NZXT has done a very good job with their first gaming monitor. The sheer amount of competition in this space means it's not a slam-dunk, but it's definitely one to add to your shortlist.

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