If we had to name one company that routinely exceeds our expectations Nixeus would be high on the list. If we also had to name one company that routinely changes the very definition of ‘value’… Nixeus would also be on that list. Be it very good 4K monitors, or incredibly good value ‘Gaming’ monitors Nixeus has been a serious option in both markets for many years now. It just is a shame that they do not the recognition that they deserve. Some of that is because their name does not start with A and end with S (or start with S and end with a G)… but mostly it is because this hidden gem of a monitor company simply does not advertise in North America nearly as much as Asus or Samsung or even LG does. Their loss truly is knowledgeable consumers’ gain. In that vein, Nixeus recently released a new 1440P Gaming orientated monitor – the $449 (USD) NX-EDG27X.
It certainly is true that ‘4k’ Gaming monitors have grabbed most of the spotlight the past few years, but the fact remains that 1440P sales widely outstrip 4K. In fact, for both high frame-rate and budget buyers alike, 1440P is considered an luxurious upgrade over 1080P which still dominates the PC Gaming Monitor marketplace. This however is one corner of the market that Nixeus shines the brightest… with already two main 27-inch 1440P monitors to choose from (the EDG27 v2 and even more value-oriented variant the EDG27S v2). By adding a third, more premium orientated option, Nixeus hope to continue to gain market share and provide buyers with an even better overall value choice than the competition.
This premium quality without a premium price tag philosophy is key to understanding why Nixeus appears to have added a third model to their already excellent lineup. Unlike their previous v2’s the EDG27X does not rely upon W-LEDs for its backlighting. Instead it uses LG’s new ‘KSF’ red-phosphor coated LEDs behind a newer LG panel. This change does many things to the specifications the EDG27X boasts over its predecessors; with everything from maximum light intensity being boosted (400 vs 300nits) to a noticeably wider color gamut (98% DCP-P3 vs ~105’ish percent sRGB coverage). Even the refresh rate has been increased from a peppy 144Hz to a buttery smooth 165Hz.
On paper that is a lot of improvements. However, the NX-EDG27X also changes one thing… the asking price. By also increasing the price by anywhere from $50 (EDG27 v2) to $100 (EDG27S v2) both first time and knowledgeable buyers alike will want to know which is the best overall value before making their final decision. By the end of this review you will indeed have a good idea on what these various changes to the EDG27 blueprint actually mean, and what is the best option for you and your needs. So, let’s dig in as there is a lot of ground to cover.
