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Gigabyte M27U Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.2
Reviewed May 15, 2023 at 11:06 am
Gigabyte M27U Picture
8.1
Mixed Usage
8.2
Office
8.8
Gaming
7.6
Media Consumption
8.2
Media Creation
6.8
HDR

The Gigabyte M27U is a 27-inch, 4k gaming monitor. Part of Gigabyte's M Series lineup, it's a smaller option compared to the Gigabyte M28U and the Gigabyte M32U, and it has many of the same features. Designed as a gaming monitor, it has 24 Gbps of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which lets you play games at a high frame rate from consoles or gaming PCs. It also has native FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support to reduce screen tearing, and G-SYNC works with NVIDIA graphics cards. Besides its gaming features, it has productivity perks like a KVM switch, so you can switch between two devices and use the same keyboard and mouse. It also has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode, but it's limited to 15W of power delivery.

Our Verdict

8.1 Mixed Usage

The Gigabyte M27U is great for most uses. It's an excellent gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and VRR support, making it great for consoles and PCs. It also delivers a smooth and responsive gaming experience thanks to its quick response time and low input lag. It's great for work due to its incredible text clarity, high peak brightness, and wide viewing angles, but it has limited ergonomics. It also displays accurate colors if you use it for content creation. It's good if you want to watch videos in bright rooms, but it has limited performance in dark rooms, as it has a low contrast ratio and a terrible local dimming feature.

Pros
  • Incredibly sharp clarity.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • High peak brightness in SDR.
  • Extra productivity features.
Cons
  • Limited ergonomics.
  • USB-C port only limited to 15W power delivery.
  • Low native contrast ratio.
8.2 Office

The Gigabyte M27U is great for office use. The 4k resolution and high pixel density deliver incredibly sharp text, and its 27-inch screen is big enough to open two windows next to each other. It's also great to use in a well-lit office as it gets bright enough to fight glare, and the reflection handling is decent. It has wide viewing angles if you want to share the screen with a coworker, but it has limited ergonomics, and you can't swivel it. Luckily, it has some extra productivity features, like a KVM switch.

Pros
  • Incredibly sharp clarity.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • High peak brightness in SDR.
  • Extra productivity features.
Cons
  • Limited ergonomics.
  • USB-C port only limited to 15W power delivery.
8.8 Gaming

The Gigabyte M27U is excellent for gaming. It supports 24 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, which means it supports 4k @ 120Hz from current-gen consoles and high-end graphics cards. It has a fast response time that results in minimal motion blur, and gaming feels responsive thanks to its low input lag. Unfortunately, it's a bad choice for dark room gaming as it has a low contrast ratio, and its local dimming feature is terrible.

Pros
  • Fast response time with any refresh rate.
  • Low input lag.
  • HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
  • FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility.
  • Overclock feature to 160Hz.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Terrible local dimming that can only be enabled in HDR.
  • Audible coil whine issue with BFI enabled.
7.6 Media Consumption

The Gigabyte M27U is good for media consumption. The 4k resolution allows you to watch the latest 4k content with sharp detail. The 27-inch screen is big enough for watching something with a friend and has wide viewing angles, but the stand is hard to adjust because it has limited ergonomics. While it gets bright enough to fight glare if you want to use it in a well-lit room, blacks look gray in the dark. It also has a local dimming feature, but you can only enable it in HDR, and it performs terribly.

Pros
  • Incredibly sharp clarity.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • High peak brightness in SDR.
Cons
  • Limited ergonomics.
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Terrible local dimming that can only be enabled in HDR.
8.2 Media Creation

The Gigabyte M27U is great for content creators. It delivers sharp images, and its screen is big enough to multitask. It also has wide viewing angles, which is important if you often need to share the screen with others, but the stand is hard to adjust as it has limited ergonomics. It has an accurate sRGB mode, which is great if you work in that color space, but most picture settings are limited with it on.

Pros
  • Incredibly sharp clarity.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • High peak brightness in SDR.
  • Extra productivity features.
Cons
  • Limited ergonomics.
  • USB-C port only limited to 15W power delivery.
  • Low native contrast ratio.
6.8 HDR

The Gigabyte M27U is okay for HDR. It displays a wide range of colors but doesn't tone map well, meaning colors are inaccurate, and some images aren't life-like. It also has good HDR peak brightness, making most highlights pop. However, it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray, and its local dimming feature performs terribly, as it doesn't improve the picture quality in dark scenes.

Pros
  • Good HDR brightness.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Terrible local dimming that can only be enabled in HDR.
  • 8.1 Mixed Usage
  • 8.2 Office
  • 8.8 Gaming
  • 7.6 Media Consumption
  • 8.2 Media Creation
  • 6.8 HDR
  1. Updated May 15, 2023: Review published.
  2. Updated May 11, 2023: Early access published.
  3. Updated Apr 28, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Apr 27, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated Apr 18, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 27-inch Gigabyte M27U, the only size available for this monitor. There are similar 4k monitors available from Gigabyte, too, like the Gigabyte M28U and the Gigabyte M32U, but those are different models.

Model Size Panel Type Resolution Native Refresh Rate Overclock
M27U 27" IPS 4k 150Hz 160Hz

Our unit was manufactured in February 2023; you can see the label here.

Compared To Other Monitors

The Gigabyte M27U is an excellent gaming monitor that provides versatility for work and play thanks to its various features. It has a fast response time and low input lag, and it supports 24 Gbps of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which lets you play games at a high frame rate from the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or your gaming PC. The 4k resolution and productivity features are also great if you need something for your at-home work setup. It's essentially a smaller version of the Gigabyte M32U, and it's a better display than the Gigabyte M28U, thanks to its higher peak brightness.

See our recommendations for the best 27-inch gaming monitors, the best 4k gaming monitors, and the best monitors for Xbox Series S.

Gigabyte M28U

The Gigabyte M27U and the Gigabyte M28U are very similar monitors in terms of features, but the M27U edges out in a few areas. The M27U gets much brighter, making it better for bright rooms and delivering a better HDR experience. The M27U also has an overclock feature to 160Hz for a slightly smoother feel than the 144Hz on the M28U.

Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0)

The Gigabyte M27U is a higher-end monitor than the Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0), so it's the better choice for most gamers. This is because the M27U has a higher 4k resolution, resulting in more detailed images and sharper clarity, and it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of gaming consoles and modern graphics cards. The M27U also has a faster response time, leading to sharper motion.

Gigabyte M32U

The Gigabyte M32U and the Gigabyte M27U are very similar monitors with many of the same features, but the M27U has an overclock that can go to 160Hz. The M32U is essentially a larger version with better ergonomics, but the M27U gets brighter. Choosing one over the other comes down to which size you prefer.

LG 27GR93U-B

The LG 27GR93U-B and the Gigabyte M27U are both excellent 4k gaming monitors. They have many similar features, especially for gaming, but the LG supports higher HDMI bandwidth, so it doesn't need to use compression for demanding signals like on the Gigabyte. That said, the Gigabyte has a few extra features for productivity, like a USB-C port and KVM switch, making it the better choice for multitasking with different devices.

LG 27GP950-B

The LG 27GP950-B and the Gigabyte M27U are both excellent 4k, 27-inch gaming monitors. They offer similar performance overall, but the LG has a better HDR color volume, and it gets brighter in HDR for a slightly improved HDR experience. The LG also supports the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, so your graphics card doesn't need to use compression. However, the Gigabyte has extra productivity features like a KVM switch and USB-C port.

ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQR

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQR and the Gigabyte M27U are similar 4k gaming monitors, with a few differences. The ASUS has a slightly higher 160Hz refresh rate and better motion handling at lower refresh rates. However, the Gigabyte has a lower input lag at 60Hz for a more responsive feel. The ASUS comes with a more ergonomic stand that offers swivel adjustments, which the Gigabyte doesn't have; however, the Gigabyte has a few extra features like a KVM switch and USB-C port, so it's the slightly better choice for productivity.

Sony INZONE M9

The Sony INZONE M9 and the Gigabyte M27U are both excellent 27-inch, 4k gaming monitors. However, there are a few differences between them, as the Sony has a better local dimming feature and gets brighter in HDR for an improved HDR experience. The Sony also has features made for the PS5, like Auto HDR Tone Mapping. On the other hand, the Gigabyte has an overclock feature to reach a higher 160Hz refresh rate, and it has some extra productivity features like a KVM switch.

INNOCN 27M2V

The Gigabyte M27U and the INNOCN 27M2V are excellent gaming monitors, but there are a few differences. The INNOCN delivers better picture quality thanks to its improved local dimming feature, as it displays deeper blacks and brighter highlights than the Gigabyte. However, motion looks better on the Gigabyte thanks to its quicker response time, and it has lower input lag with 60 fps signals.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved
No
Curve Radius
Not Curved

The Gigabyte M27U has a rather simplistic design that aligns with other Gigabyte monitors. It features black plastic throughout with both glossy and matte finishes, and while it's a gaming monitor, it doesn't have a heavy gaming aesthetic.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The build quality is good. The plastic body feels sturdy as there aren't any obvious issues, and the plastic doesn't flex easily. The screen is stable on the stand, but it wobbles more when you adjust the height to more than halfway up. The controls on the back, including the KVM switch, also feel easy to use and register the inputs well. The main issue with this monitor is that when you enable the Backlight Strobing feature, there's an audible coil whine noise that's very distracting, but it stops once you disable the feature. We don't know if this is a problem with our unit only or a widespread issue, so if you have this monitor and experience the same thing, let us know.

6.9
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
5.1" (13.0 cm)
Tilt Range
-20° to 5°
Rotate Portrait/Landscape
No
Swivel Range
No swivel
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100

The Gigabyte M27U has okay ergonomics. You can easily move the screen up and down but can't turn it to show something to someone next to you. It also features basic cable management through the stand.

Design
Stand
Base Width
14.5" (36.8 cm)
Base Depth
7.1" (18.0 cm)
Thickness (With Display)
5.7" (14.6 cm)
Weight (With Display)
13.9 lbs (6.3 kg)

The V-shaped stand takes up some space, and there isn't enough room between the legs to put your peripherals, so your mouse and keyboard need to be in front of it. Other than that, it holds the screen well, but there's some wobble when you set the height past the halfway point.

Design
Display
Size
27"
Housing Width
24.2" (61.4 cm)
Housing Height
14.6" (37.1 cm)
Thickness (Without Stand)
2.1" (5.4 cm)
Weight (Without Stand)
10.1 lbs (4.6 kg)
Borders Size (Bezels)
0.2" (0.6 cm)
Design
Controls

The Gigabyte M27U features a joystick to control the on-screen display and a KVM switch to change between which sources you want to control with your keyboard and mouse.

Design
In The Box
Power Supply
Internal

  • DisplayPort cable
  • HDMI cable
  • USB-B to USB-A cable
  • Three different power cables (Type B, I, and J)
  • User manuals

Picture Quality
6.3
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,072 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
1,656 : 1

The native contrast isn't bad, but it isn't anything special. While its local dimming helps improve the contrast, blacks still look gray next to bright highlights in dark rooms. Because you can only enable local dimming in HDR, the contrast with local dimming measurement is done in HDR.

2.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Edge

This monitor has an edge-lit local dimming feature with only eight zones, and it performs terribly. You can only turn it on in HDR, and while leaving it off results in less blooming, setting it to 'High' delivers the best results with it on. Like most edge-lit local dimming features, it doesn't do much to improve the picture quality in dark scenes because most content causes all the zones to turn on. Because of this, there isn't any visible black crush, but you also lose details in scenes with small bright highlights, like a star field. The zones are quick to turn on but slower to turn off, which is noticeable when fast-moving objects transition between zones. There's also some color shift in the process.

Unfortunately, the biggest downside to an edge-lit local dimming feature is the blooming between zones that are on and off. This is distracting when there are small bright objects in dark scenes or when there are subtitles. However, because brighter content causes all the zones to turn on, this isn't as much of an issue with most things you watch.

8.2
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene
391 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
411 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
414 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
415 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
415 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
415 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
411 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
414 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
415 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
415 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
415 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.001
Minimum Brightness
62 cd/m²

The Gigabyte M27U has great SDR peak brightness. It easily gets bright enough to fight glare, and there isn't any distracting change in brightness between different scenes. These results are from after calibration in the 'Custom 1' Picture Mode with the Brightness at its max.

7.8
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
VESA DisplayHDR Certification
DisplayHDR 600
Real Scene
591 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
643 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
680 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
680 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
684 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
441 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
640 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
677 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
678 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
682 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
438 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.026

The HDR brightness is good. It gets bright enough to make highlights stand out, but larger highlights are dimmer due to its Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL). The EOTF follows the target PQ curve well, with a slow roll-off at the peak brightness. This means it's tone-mapping games, even if your PC already tone maps them, meaning highlights roll off earlier than needed. These results are with HDR enabled and Local Dimming on 'High'.

During testing, we did notice an issue with a full-screen white window, where brightness oscillates every few minutes at a consistent rate, as you can see in this graph. This is noticeable when it happens, but it only happens with Local Dimming enabled. While you won't experience this with most content as it's only when you leave a full-screen white window open, disabling Local Dimming eliminates this issue and results in similar HDR brightness, as you can see below:

  • Real Scene 630 cd/m²
  • Peak 2% Window 678 cd/m²
  • Peak 10% Window 681 cd/m²
  • Peak 25% Window 682 cd/m²
  • Peak 50% Window 682 cd/m²
  • Peak 100% Window 683 cd/m²
  • Sustained 2% Window 677 cd/m²
  • Sustained 10% Window 680 cd/m²
  • Sustained 25% Window 681 cd/m²
  • Sustained 50% Window 681 cd/m²
  • Sustained 100% Window 682 cd/m²

7.1
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
31°
Color Washout From Right
33°
Color Shift From Left
35°
Color Shift From Right
42°
Brightness Loss From Left
38°
Brightness Loss From Right
40°
Black Level Raise From Left
70°
Black Level Raise From Right
70°
Gamma Shift From Left
30°
Gamma Shift From Right
34°

The Gigabyte M27U has a decent horizontal viewing angle. While the image gets darker at wide viewing angles, it's still good enough to share the screen with someone next to you.

7.7
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
30°
Color Washout From Above
31°
Color Shift From Below
40°
Color Shift From Above
47°
Brightness Loss From Below
33°
Brightness Loss From Above
34°
Black Level Raise From Below
70°
Black Level Raise From Above
70°
Gamma Shift From Below
60°
Gamma Shift From Above
62°

The vertical viewing angle is good. The image looks consistent if you stand up and look down on it or mount it above eye level.

7.8
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
4.141%
50% DSE
0.141%

The gray uniformity is good. The edges of the screen are darker than the rest, but there isn't any noticeable dirty screen effect in the center, which is good for browsing the web or watching content like sports.

5.0
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.072%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
6.513%

The black uniformity is poor. The screen is blue due to its low contrast with local dimming disabled, and there's some backlight bleed in the corners. While the local dimming improves the black levels in zones that are off, there's a lot of blooming around bright objects. As you can only enable local dimming in HDR, the results and the picture with local dimming are done in HDR.

8.6
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration)
Picture Mode
sRGB
sRGB Gamut Area xy
103.9%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
2.30
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,852 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.32
Color dE (Avg.)
2.19
Contrast Setting
N/A
RGB Settings
Default
Gamma Setting
Default
Brightness Setting
60
Measured Brightness
184 cd/m²
Brightness Locked
No

The accuracy before calibration in the 'sRGB' Picture Mode is excellent. The sRGB mode locks colors to the sRGB color space well, as most colors aren't oversaturated, but blues are a bit off. The white balance and color temperature are also good. Gamma follows the sRGB curve well enough, but most scenes are darker than intended.

Unfortunately, using the sRGB mode locks most settings, including Overdrive and Black Equalizer. It's better to use the 'Custom 1' Picture Mode if you want to enable those settings, but the image is less accurate, as you can see with these results.

9.7
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Custom 1
sRGB Gamut Area xy
98.7%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
0.57
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,433 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.18
Color dE (Avg.)
0.45
Contrast Setting
50
RGB Settings
97-98-98
Gamma Setting
2.2
Brightness Setting
12
Measured Brightness
102 cd/m²
ICC Profile
Download

The accuracy after calibration is incredible, and you won't notice any inaccuracies in the image. It still doesn't display saturated blues perfectly, but that's a common issue with LCD panels.

9.5
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB Coverage xy
99.3%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom 1
Adobe RGB Coverage xy
88.3%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom 1

The SDR color gamut is fantastic. It has perfect coverage of the commonly-used sRGB color space, and it also has great coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in professional content creation. However, it doesn't display the full range of greens, and reds are oversaturated in Adobe RGB.

9.6
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB In ICtCp
96.7%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom 1
Adobe RGB In ICtCp
91.6%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom 1

The SDR color volume is exceptional. It displays bright colors very well, but due to its low contrast, it struggles with displaying darker colors.

8.4
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI-P3 Coverage xy
92.4%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
HDR Mode
Rec. 2020 Coverage xy
68.3%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
HDR Mode

The Gigabyte M27U has an impressive HDR color gamut. It displays a wide range of colors in the DCI-P3 color space used in most HDR content, but it doesn't tone map well, as most colors are inaccurate. It has the same tone mapping issues as with the wider Rec. 2020 color space.

These results are with local dimming enabled, and both the gamut coverage and tone mapping are slightly worse with local dimming disabled, as you can see with the results below:

  • DCI-P3 Coverage 90.2%
  • Tone-Mapped DCI-P3 Coverage 77.5%
  • Rec. 2020 Coverage 66.2%

6.9
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
DCI-P3 In ICtCp
68.5%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
HDR Mode
Rec. 2020 In ICtCp
67.9%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
HDR Mode

The HDR color volume is alright. It displays bright colors well, but it's limited by its incomplete color gamut and low contrast. The color volume is better with local dimming enabled than with it disabled, too, as you can see from the results below:

  • DCI-P3 In ICtCp 63.9%
  • Rec. 2020 In ICtCp 59.1%

7.3
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
5.6%
Indirect Reflections
3.0%
Calculated Direct Reflections
2.5%

The Gigabyte M27U has decent reflection handling. While it struggles with direct sunlight, it still gets bright enough to fight glare in most well-lit rooms.

9.0
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
IPS
Subpixel Layout
RGB

The text clarity is incredible, thanks to its high pixel density. Enabling Windows ClearType (top photo) helps improve the clarity of letters, but it isn't necessary. These photos are in Windows 10, and you can see it in Windows 11 with ClearType off here, and with ClearType on here. It also uses a different panel than the Gigabyte M28U and doesn't have the same issue with stretched pixels.

9.8
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

This monitor has exceptional gradient handling, as there's minimal banding with shades of similar colors.

Motion
8.5
Motion
Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
150 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI
150 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP @ 10-bit
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI @ 10-Bit
150 Hz

The Gigabyte M27U has an overclock feature that you can use over DisplayPort.

Motion
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC
Compatible (Tested)
VRR Maximum
160 Hz
VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors
DisplayPort, HDMI
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes

Both the FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility work with HDMI and DisplayPort connections.

9.1
Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Picture Quality
Rise / Fall Time
3.1 ms
Total Response Time
6.7 ms
Overshoot Error
2.8%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
4.0 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
9.9 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
11.4%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
OffChartTablePhoto
Picture QualityChartTablePhoto
Smart ODChartTablePhoto
BalanceChartTablePhoto
SpeedChartTablePhoto

The Gigabyte M27U has a fantastic response time at its max refresh rate, resulting in smooth motion. The recommended Overdrive setting is 'Picture Quality' because it has a faster response time than with it off, and there's less overshoot than the other settings. 'Smart OD' is supposed to adjust the overdrive setting based on the frame rate, and it performs like 'Speed' at its max refresh rate.

8.6
Motion
Response Time @ 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Picture Quality
Rise / Fall Time
3.1 ms
Total Response Time
9.5 ms
Overshoot Error
5.6%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
4.0 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
13.4 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
18.3%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
OffChartTablePhoto
Picture QualityChartTablePhoto
Smart ODChartTablePhoto
BalanceChartTablePhoto
SpeedChartTablePhoto

The response time at 120Hz is excellent. There's minimal blur trail with fast-moving objects with Overdrive set to 'Picture Quality', and the other settings have more overshoot. Unlike at its max refresh rate, 'Smart OD' now performs similarly to 'Balance'.

8.3
Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Off
Rise / Fall Time
4.5 ms
Total Response Time
10.5 ms
Overshoot Error
0.0%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
6.6 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
16.7 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
0.0%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
OffChartTablePhoto
Picture QualityChartTablePhoto
Smart ODChartTablePhoto
BalanceChartTablePhoto
SpeedChartTablePhoto

The response time at 60Hz is great. Although there's some blur trail, it's better to leave the Overdrive setting disabled, as even 'Picture Quality', which performs like 'Smart OD', has overshoot leading to some inverse ghosting. This means you might have to turn Overdrive off if the frame rate game of your game drops and overshoot bothers you.

Motion
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Yes
Maximum Frequency
160 Hz
Minimum Frequency
60 Hz
Longest Pulse Width Brightness
243 cd/m²
Shortest Pulse Width Brightness
243 cd/m²
Pulse Width Control
No
Pulse Phase Control
No
Pulse Amplitude Control
No
VRR At The Same Time
Yes

Refresh RateVRR - OnVRR - Off
160HzM27U BFI 160Hz VRR OnM27U BFI 160Hz VRR Off
120HzM27U BFI 120Hz VRR OnM27U BFI 120Hz VRR Off

The Gigabyte M27U has an optional backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur, which is commonly known as black frame insertion (BFI). There are some quirks about it, though, as there's audible coil whine noise with BFI enabled. It's loud and gets distracting, but it stops when you disable BFI. We don't know if this is a problem with our unit only or a widespread issue, so if you have this monitor and experience the same thing, let us know.

You can only enable it in the OSD with the refresh rate between 100 to 160Hz. If the frame rate drops below 100, the Aim Stabilizer toggle in the OSD is unavailable. This doesn't make the backlight stop flickering as it continues to work down to 60Hz, but it's inconsistent, as it would stop working at 75Hz at times. BFI and VRR work as expected between 100 to 160Hz, and while it continues working down to 60Hz, you may run into some issues.

10
Motion
Image Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

The backlight remains flicker-free with all brightness levels, which can help reduce eye strain if you're sensitive to flicker.

Inputs
8.9
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution @ Max Hz
3.7 ms
Native Resolution @ 120Hz
4.8 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
8.7 ms
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
7.5 ms

The Gigabyte M27U has very low input lag for a responsive feel, even if you enable BFI.

9.0
Inputs
Resolution And Size
Native Resolution
3840 x 2160
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Megapixels
8.3 MP
Pixel Density
162 PPI
Measured Screen Diagonal
27.0"
Screen Area
312 in²
10
Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

The Gigabyte M27U supports all common formats from the PS5, but there are some issues. With VRR enabled at a 60Hz refresh rate and HDR on, there's distracting flickering, but it stops if you disable VRR.

10
Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

This monitor works without issue with the Xbox Series X|S.

Inputs
Inputs Photos
Inputs
Video And Audio Ports
DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.4)
Mini DisplayPort
No
HDMI
2 (HDMI 2.1)
HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
24Gbps (FRL 6x4)
DVI
No
VGA
No
Daisy Chaining
No
3.5mm Audio Out
1
HDR10
Yes
3.5mm Audio In
No
3.5mm Microphone In
No

As the Gigabyte M27U doesn't support the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, your graphics card needs to use compression to reach demanding signals.

Inputs
USB
USB-A Ports
3
USB-A Rated Speed
5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
USB-B Upstream Port
Yes
USB-C Ports
1
USB-C Upstream
Yes
USB-C Rated Speed
5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
USB-C Power Delivery
15W
USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
Yes
Thunderbolt
No

The USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alt Mode to display an image from a compatible device. Still, because it's limited to only 15W of power delivery, it isn't enough to charge laptops. It also works with the KVM switch, which you can use to control two devices with the same keyboard and mouse.

Inputs
macOS Compatibility

This monitor works well with macOS, including the KVM switch. The default resolution is 1080p, but you can change it to 4k. VRR works well in games, but there are some flicker issues on the desktop, so if that bothers you, it's better to disable VRR. HDR also works well and looks fine. If you're using a MacBook, windows return to their original position when waking the laptop from sleep or reopening the lid.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
Yes
RGB Illumination
No
Multiple Input Display
PIP + PBP
KVM Switch
Yes

The Gigabyte M27U has a few extra features, including:

  • Black Equalizer: Adjusts gamma to make it easier to see opponents in dark areas while gaming.
  • Crosshair: Adds different virtual crosshairs that your system won't detect, giving you a competitive advantage.
  • Dashboard: Shows information from your PC like CPU and GPU temps, along with other info.
  • Frame Rate Counter: Displays the current frame rate of your game.
  • KVM Switch: This feature lets you easily switch between two devices and use the same keyboard and mouse connected to the monitor. Your two devices need to be connected via HDMI with the USB-B cable and via USB-C. You need a USB 3.1 USB-C cable with 10 Gbps bandwidth for it to work.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)