Tech reviews will often stress the importance of the item at hand. Reviewers can even take it further by claiming the item at the hand is the most important piece of your gaming setup. A mouse and/or keyboard is how you control your PC, so their quality is essential. Trying to game is pointless without a good graphics card. And can a PC survive without sufficient cooling? ViewSonic's Elite XG270QC may or may not be the most important thing on my desk. It has, however, reminded me what it's like to look at a quality gaming monitor.
Seeing Things From A New Perspective
My previous monitor was actually a 22-inch TV. It served its purpose well for a long time, as I mostly gamed on console. When I did use my PC, it was mostly for Netflix, video editing, and Civilization V. Going from that to the XG270QC's 27-inch curved display was like stepping into a new dimension.
When you have a machine that takes advantage of HDR – like a PS4 Pro – the colors pop. Even Fallout 76, which is not the prettiest game of this generation, gained so much more life. The unit itself contains a few pre-set modes to adjust for shooters, battle royale, immersive single-player games, and more. However, the matte screen keeps the color saturation from being oppressive. Appalachia got more colorful, but still kept the gritty feel Fallout is known for.
As for that 27-inch screen, the XG270QC uses every inch of it with a QHD borderless display. I found this extremely useful even just for everyday tasks. There's plenty of space to have Word and several internet windows open and share the desktop. This is proving valuable for Dungeons & Dragons, giving me space for a bigger Roll20 window, smaller windows for character sheets, and a little leftover for session notes. And, perhaps most exciting, I can now see more of my Civ V map.
Seeing Things From A Different Angle
Complimenting the 27-inch display on the XG270QC is a very flexible stand. The base ends in a tripod sort of configuration with a sturdy support rising to hold up the monitor. The screen itself hooks securely into a block attached to the base. This block can move up and down, swivel side-to-side, and tilt. It also comes with a headphone hook and anchor to hold your mouse wire at an accommodating angle. All of these functions are well thought out and allow you to place the XG270QC in a way that almost perfectly suits any setup.
The only thing I would have done differently is the tripod stand. The way it sits now, and attaches to the block, it causes the screen to jut forward more than you'd think it would. It's by no means a dealbreaker, it just comes forward more than my previous monitor. That's why I can't say it perfectly suits any setup.
Seeing Things Like A Pro
If my playing Fallout 76 or using a TV as a monitor didn't tip you off, I'm not an esports pro. If I were, however, the XG270QC would have me covered. It has a 165Hz and 1ms response time, making it more than enough for pro play and content creation. It can also utilize AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. To put it simply, the XG270QC has it where it counts.
If the tripod jutting out a bit too far is the ViewSonic Elite XG270QC's biggest problem, I'd say that they're on to something. This is without a doubt a pro-level monitor – fast, sturdy, and with a screen that takes full advantage of its 27 inches. If you plan to make gaming a career, the XG270QC might just be the most important item on your desktop. If you're just playing Fallout 76... it's still worth a look.
A unit was provided to TheGamer for this review. The XG270QC, and the whole ViewSonic Elite gaming monitor line, can be found here.