NZXT Canvas 27Q Monitor Review: ‘Stylish Combination of Must-have Gaming Features’

NZXT CANVAS 27Q MONITOR REVIEW FOR PC, PS5, PS4, XBOX SERIES X|S, AND XBOX ONE.

NZXT continues to expand on the product ranges it offers. Over the last year, we’ve seen an NZXT microphone, keyboard, mouse, and now a range of NZXT monitors. This review tackles the Canvas 27Q, the smaller of the two new displays, with the other being the curved Canvas 32Q. For me, 27 inches has always been the sweet spot for gaming monitors. This size, combined with the multitude of other features boasted by the 27Q, give it the potential to be a formidable competitor in the mid-range monitor market.

NZXT style

I was sent the white version of the 27Q. While it wouldn’t have been my first choice, I was pleasantly surprised by just how stylish it looks. If you own any white NZXT products, from the motherboard and case to the mic or keyboard, you’ll be impressed with just how well-matched the styles are. What’s more, there aren’t any visible white parts on the front of the monitor, which is great for keeping things free of distractions.

NZXT supplies a generous number of cables in the box, ready to get you set up with either HDMI, DisplayPort, or USB-C. There’s also a USB hub cable included for connecting to the PC for NZXT CAM controls.

With or without

Something pretty unique about the NZXT Canvas range is that the monitors can be bought with no stand included. This helps those who already have a preferred stand or arm save a buck. For those who do want a stand or monitor arm, NZXT now offers those as well. They are of great quality, too, feeling incredibly robust and offering a generous range of movement.

Once I was all hooked up, it was time to assess the panel. After I turned it on, I was immediately hit by the impressive colors and viewing angles and checked to confirm that the 27Q does indeed come with a more premium IPS panel (the 32Q uses VA). This makes the colors pop and is the superior choice in the mid-range display market right now.

Checking the boxes

As for the rest of the 27Q’s specs, it has a 27″ 1440p resolution screen running at 165 Hz. It explicitly supports AMD FreeSync Premium and, in my testing, also Nvidia G-Sync. Color accuracy is solid out of the box, though I made use of a calibrator to match it to my other monitor.

Though it was tuned to be very bright by default and has “HDR 10” written on the spec sheet, overall brightness caps out at 300 nits. If you’re looking for the best HDR monitor for the cheapest price, this ain’t it, but for everything else that gamers want, it ticks the bulk of the boxes.

CAM it up

As with most NZXT products, CAM is an optional part of the package that users can take advantage of or completely ignore. For my review process, I of course installed it and actually grew to appreciate the monitor’s integration with the app.

CAM is mainly used here to change settings that are normally contained on the OSD, only instead of having to fiddle around with a knob on the back of the display, users can instead click about and change things with their mouse. It’s very convenient when trying to fine-tune color, brightness, and contrast settings for calibration.

The CAM software also has a useful “Profile Sync” feature that allows monitor profiles to automatically change when you load up a certain game or the time of day changes. Having the monitor adjust gamma and/or contrast when you boot up Warzone, for example, and making it easier to spot enemies in darker areas, could come in very handy.

After putting it through its paces on Call of Duty: Warzone, Apex Legends, and Fortnite, I came away very impressed by the 27Q. NZXT has put together a stylish combination of must-have gaming features that will make everyone but diehard ultrawide and HDR fanboys very happy indeed.

NZXT Canvas 27Q Review: The final verdict

Starting at $319.99 for the black model and $339.99 for the white model, the NZXT Canvas 27Q is fairly priced, and a look at the established competition reveals a similar price tag.

NZXT might be the new kid on the block when it comes to monitors, but the company has its priorities in order with the 27Q and the unique style of the white version is especially compelling. The NZXT Canvas 27Q more than deserves to be on your shortlist for your next gaming monitor.

Canvas 27Q monitor review unit was provided by NZXT.