If you're ready to make the leap to a big-screen monitor, but want to keep costs down, consider the Philips 277E6QDSD/27 ($329.99). Based on In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel technology, this 27-inch display delivers strong color, gray-scale, and viewing-angle performance. You don't get a lot of extras, such as USB connectivity and an ergonomic stand, nor do you get built-in speakers, like with the Acer H276HL($287.56 at Amazon), our Editors' Choice affordable big-screen monitor. That said, the 277E6QDSD/27( at Amazon) is a strong choice if you're a budget-minded user looking to expand your viewing area.
Design and Features
The 277E6QDSD/27 sports a glossy, Black Cherry finish that is so dark it could pass for black under certain lighting conditions. The 1,920-by-1,080-resolution panel has a non-reflective coating and is framed by 0.75-inch bezels. The bottom bezel is angled and holds four function buttons and a Power switch, all of which are touch-sensitive. You'll have to look hard to see where these buttons are, as they are poorly labeled and virtually impossible to identify without using a flashlight.
The 11.2-pound cabinet is supported by a round base that gives you 28 degrees of tilt (5 degrees forward, 23 degrees backward), but does not support height, swivel, or pivot adjustments, nor does it have VESA-mounting capabilities. The rear of the cabinet has a finned design and is home to the monitor's outward-facing I/O ports, which include DVI, VGA, and HDMI video inputs and an audio output. There are no speakers, DisplayPort inputs, or USB ports on this model, but the HDMI port doubles as a Mobile High-Definition (MHL) port for connecting to and charging MHL-compatible mobile devices.
Once you figure out which button does what, you can access the menu system, where you'll find a basic selection of settings, including Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, and Color Temperature adjustments. There's also a SmartContrast setting that optimizes the contrast ratio depending on screen content. Included in the box are a VGA cable, a Quick Start Guide, and a resource CD containing drivers, a User Guide, and Philips's SmartControl utility that allows you to adjust settings using a mouse and a keyboard. It also comes with a 3-year warranty on parts, labor, and backlight.
Similar Products
Acer H276HL
Dell UltraSharp UZ2315H
BenQ GL2760H
Asus PB287Q
AOC i2473PWM
HP DreamColor Z27x
NEC MultiSync EA244UHD
Acer B286HK
AOC E1759Fwu
Asus ROG Swift PG278Q
NEC MultiSync PA322UHD
LG ColorPrime 27EA83-D
Dell UltraSharp UZ2715H
BenQ XL2430T
Performance
The 277E6QDSD/27 produces accurate colors for a monitor in this price range. As shown on the chromaticity chart below, red and blue colors (represented by the colored dots) are right in line with their ideal CIE coordinates (represented by the boxes). Green is a tad off the mark, but we also saw this with the Acer H276HL (our Editors' Choice) also. Fortunately, the flaw is minor; my test images showed strong, evenly saturated colors, with no apparent tinting.
Gray-scale performance is solid. The panel was able to display every shade of gray on the DisplayMate 64-Step Gray-Scale test, and the shades gradated evenly, but you don't get the granularity that you get from a high-end IPS panel like the one used on the LG ColorPrime 27EA83-D. Viewing angles are wide with no noticeable color shifting or loss of luminance.
Though it isn't billed as a gaming monitor, the 277E6QDSD/27 performed well in my gaming tests, scoring a low 9.6-millisecond input lag (the time it takes for the monitor to react to a controller command, as measured by the Leo Bodnar Video Signal Lag Tester). That's second only to the BenQ XL2430T($470.69 at Walmart), a dedicated gaming monitor. The panel's pixel response of 5 milliseconds (gray-to-gray) provided mostly artifact-free gaming while playing Grand Theft Auto V on the Xbox 360, although there were instances of minor motion blur when there were several cars moving quickly through a scene. Crysis 3 on the PC was also mostly smooth, with minimal blurring.
During testing, the 277E6QDSD/27 consumed 25 watts of power, which is slightly more efficient than the BenQ GL2760H (32 watts) when operating in Standard mode. However, the BenQ monitor has an ECO mode that comes in at 13 watts, while the 277E6QDSD/27 lacks an ECO mode setting. By way of comparison, the Dell UltraSharp UZ2715H( at Amazon) used 17 watts in Standard mode during testing.
Conclusion
The Philips 277E6QDSD/27 is a very capable 27-inch monitor that will handle your everyday productivity and after-hours workload without putting a huge dent in your bank account. Its IPS panel delivers rich, accurate colors and solid gray-scale reproduction, and it looks great from all angles. As is the case with most budget-friendly displays, the 277E6Q is short on features; it lacks USB ports, ergonomic stand adjustments, and speakers. If you require speakers, our Editors' Choice for affordable big-screen monitors, the Acer H276HL, has them, and it has a list price that's $80 less.
The Philips 277E6QDSD/27 is a 27-inch In-Plane Switching (IPS) monitor that offers good gray-scale performance, wide viewing angles, and low input lag. It's affordable, but short on features.
Like What You're Reading?
Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newsletters
