SpecterPro has been consistent in offering affordable gaming monitors that rivals popular brands in both features and specs. As the brand grows, it’s products continue to pack more features together with a more competitive price, sometimes being the cheapest in the market. What we have here today is the SpecterPro XT27Q Gaming Monitor, SpecterPro’s latest flagship and their first 2560x1440p high refresh rate monitor. The XT27Q was first shown in our AskB2G Livestream where we talked about our expectations of SpecterPro and its latest monitor.
Unboxing and First Impressions
We are greeted with the signature SpecterPro packaging as seen on the latest, Specter Pro XT27NS up to the oldest SpecterPro G255SL. Both of which, we reviewed on the site. Though this time, the XT27Q has its own printed product image and text unlike the sticker found on the previous monitors. Compared to the SpecterPro XT27NS, the packaging on the XT27Q is more secure with a fully wrapped hard foam protecting the curved panel.
The packaging of the XT27Q contains the following:
- 2-part Probase PB273Q Stand
- AC Adapter
- DisplayPort 1.4a Cable
- SpecterPro XT27Q Manual and Warranty Guide
We’ve always seen SpecterPro being extra by providing an HDMI cable aside from the included DisplayPort cable. But that isn’t the case here, the XT27Q only comes with a DisplayPort cable included in the box. While its not a value breaker, it’s still worth noting as this is required to achieve the competitive price point of Php 13,995.
Like other SpecterPro models, the XT27Q uses a V-shaped stand but has an easy installation feature by using a latched-on screw.
SpecterPro has an all-new Stand design for their flagship monitors. Currently, only the XT27Q and the upcoming 32″ variant will come with the Probase PB273Q stand.
The 2-part stand is easy to install using the latched-on screw on the V-base.
The back panel of the XT27Q is fairly thicker than usual SpecterPro monitors. Compared to the XT27NS, the XT27Q doesn’t seem to have VESA Support. Moreover, the I/O is now downwards firing and the XT27Q uses a joystick for the OSD Menu instead of the pesky dedicated buttons.
Stand Flexibility
The monitor’s flexibility is very impressive for its price thanks to the included Probase PB27 stand. Unfortunately, the stand is only limited to height adjustment, tilt and rotate. The lack of pan or swivel is not a deal breaker since height adjust and tilt are the important functions when it comes to panels bigger than 27″ especially curved ones.
Viewing Angle
The XT27Q doesn’t exhibit any kind of discoloration with different viewing angles as shown on the set of pictures above. The only discoloration we experience is when we tried to view it in extreme angles which didn’t allow us to see the full screen which renders the discoloration not the primary issue, to begin with.
OSD Menu
The Joystick found on the XT27Q is very convenient and easy to access as opposed to traditional monitors with dedicated OSD Menu buttons. However, SpecterPro’s implementation is not intuitive enough and it still gives the user a headache in dealing with the OSD for the first time. If you’ve previously owned a SpecterPro monitor, navigating through the OSD is easy as it sports the same layout.
Display Analysis
The XT27Q will be subjected to a deeper analysis using our Spyder 5 Elite Tool. This tool will measure the monitor’s color accuracy, brightness and screen uniformity. This will allow us to see the absolute values which will be used as a basis to determine the panel quality of the XT27Q.
Color Space is important for monitors as it displays the range of colors it can produce(which is the triangle) out of the millions of colors that our eye can see which is measured through the sRGB coverage. An sRGB coverage of 96% is already impressive for a curved VA panel, let alone a 1440p gaming one. However, it falls short by 2% compared to its smaller brother, the XT27NS. It does have the same 73% AdobeRGB rating but this still makes the XT27Q superior because of the monitor’s higher pixel density thanks to its 1440p resolution.
Color and Screen Uniformity tells us how the monitor is able to keep its colors and light uniform throughout the display. The DeltaE is a value that notes the total color difference from 3 parameters(green/red, blue/yellow and light/dark) that provide a quantitative color measure. The closer the values are to 0 means better. Based on the charts, the XT27Q losses color uniformity at a significant amount with a DeltaE of 7.0 in the center at 100% peak brightness. At 83%, 67%, and 50%, the XT27Q maintains excellent Color Uniformity with the highest DeltaE of only 2.4. This means that the XT27Q sustains its colors as long as your brightness levels aren’t cranked up to the max amount.
The Luminance Uniformity results show that the XT27Q has more light coming in from the bottom of the display at various brightness levels. The bottom values are very common for curved VA panels but there’s no noticeable color shifting despite cranking up the brightness. Overall, the XT27Q is able to sustain its Color Uniformity so you’ll still have a good viewing experience with this monitor
CONCLUSION
Performance. SpecterPro continues to perfect their “flagship killer” formula as seen with the XT27Q. The 1440p 165Hz panel alone trumps most of the curved monitors available in terms of color reproduction. The 3ms response time of the XT27Q falls behind the 1ms target spec that we’re used to with eSports monitors. Though, the improvement from a typical 5ms monitor to a 3ms one is far more noticeable than going from 3ms to 1ms. You still get a 2ms advantage paired with an above average panel for its price.
Build Quality. Looking back at previous SpecterPro models, there hasn’t been any changes with regard to the build quality of the monitor when compared to the XT27Q. While this is not a bad thing per se, most of the monitor’s value comes from its commendable panel.
Functionality. A 27″ inch footprint is not something that’s easy to get into, especially when desk space is a concern. The previous XT7NS posed a problem for users with limited desk height as its stand only supported tilt. Luckily, the XT27Q supports height, tilt and rotate. Unfortunately, unlike the XT27NS, the XT27Q does not support VESA mounting.
Bundle. The XT27Q is basically an upgrade of the XT27NS in every department. A bump in resolution from 1080p to 1440p without the loss in panel quality as seen in our Spyder monitor tests. Improved ergonomics with the addition of the Probase PB273Q stand. And lastly, G-Sync compatibility.
Value. A jack-of-all-trades approach can be seen with the XT27Q. It has a praiseworthy color accurate 165Hz panel that slightly falls short by 2ms in response time. Its Probase Stand is a step up compared to previous SpecterPro models in terms of flexibility and ergonomics but lacks pivot. It only supports FreeSync 1 without G-Sync Compatibility. But if you package the traits of the XT27Q, it is still a monitor that beats almost, if not, all 24″ & 27″ curved monitors in one aspect or another. Its very competitive price of Php 13,995 sets it apart from these monitors as it directly competes with 24″ 144hz eSports offerings by providing a better color-graded panel with a higher resolution.
Big brands such as ASUS and Aorus pursue extreme panel quality and pack as many features as possible, resulting in a Php 30,000 starting price for a high refresh-rate QHD panel. While their 10Bit DCI-P3 panels are unrivaled, its positioning in terms of pricing is out of reach for most gamers. SpecterPro’s value option with the XT27Q allows these aforementioned gamers to have a taste in gaming in QHD without dumping the rest of their budget on features they wouldn’t even care to use. SpecterPro successfully filled a gap in the market with their latest model. It’s only a matter of time until SpecterPro comes up with a value Ultrawide and 4k market disruptor.
The XT27Q comes with a 1-Year EasyFix Warranty. And now it comes with our Silver Award!
50 Comments
I see Mina I press ♥️
I’m stuck between choosing this and the Acer VG270UP: Any recommendations?
It boils down if you prefer a flat or a curved one and if you need VESA compatibility
Do you know where to get the Acer VG270UP? How much?
San may available na VG270UP? And how much? Thanks
At PCWORX, Shopee, or Lazada.
Is there any noticeable ghosting?
None.
+1 for Mina
I’m buying just for the wallpaper
Minaaa!
Solid build pero concern ko talaga yung heat nya
Pwede ba to iwall mount? salamat
Unfortunately, It doesn’t have VESA support :/
May review na po ba regarding sa heat output nya?
Good kaya ang gtx 1070 dto sir
You should be able to play eSports tiles and AAA games on medium-high settings depending on your cpu
Okay sir tingin lo good naman ang 7700 na cpu pinag iisipan oo kse if 1080p 165 nis asus or 1440p 165 na ito
how is the temperature? I’ve read comments about other models with heat issues.
Bought this monitor last week and already had it replaced for another because of overheating at the bottom. The replaced unit seems to also have the same issue. Am now wondering if this problem is consistent throughout the whole line, if I was unlucky enough to come across 2 units with defects, or if it has something to do with my power brick (which also gets hot).
Gano kainit yung monitor? Ano sabi ni easypc?
First monitor – the bottom part of the monitor was noticeably hot, and the screws at the bottom were extremely hot. I feel like if i left my fingers long enough, they would burn. The brightness settings also did not work. 0 brightness and 100 brightness were the same.
Second monitor – still hot, but noticeably less. The screws are still very hot though. Brightness settings worked. The lower the brightness, the less hot the monitor gets.
Power brick still gets very hot.
First monitor was gsync compatible, but can’t seem to enable gsync on the second monitor.
I asked EasyPC if all units throughout the line suffer from overheating issues, pero sabi nila hindi naman daw. Tapos nung dinala ko siya for replacement, agad agad naman nila siya nireplace. Called them again to tell them about the overheating issue on the replacement monitor, and they said they will do further testing on the other monitors.
Forgot to mention that on the first monitor, when freesync was enabled and turned on gsync on Nvidia Control Panel, after a while the monitor would restart on its own, probably due to overheating. Tapos sa replacement unit, di pa ata siya nababasa as gsync compatible since wala akong option to enable gsync sa Nvidia Control Panel.
kakabili ko lang din tapos di ko ma-enable gsync. pwede kaya ibalik?
any updates on other monitors where G sync cannot be enabled
Dye Si Ka worth it na to.
srp nito?
freesync lang ba to?? or pwede rin gsync?
Gusto ko sana ito, kaya lang hindi nakaka-build ng confidence na kapag tinatanong about heating problems walang sumasagot. Thinking of this vs asus vg278qr?
About heat issue: mahirap kasi magsalita from our standpoint definitively if lahat ng unit or isa lang yung umiinit. From experience, XT27NS ko halos walang patayan wala naman prob. This one gamit kasi ni Grant pero so far wala namang report.
We can share with you guys thermal images and temp readings pero at the end of the day, out of respect ke EasyPC, they have the right to reply so we can’t outright publish findings as of yet. Also hindi rin pare-parehas threshold naten for heat.
As of right now and pwede ko lang sabihin wala kami problema so far about overheating and whatever effect it causes sa mga units suffering from it. Pero we’ll share thermal finds soon as we work the details with EasyPC.
pa update po sa heating issue. hehehe. marami na kami nag hihintay sa review para sa heating. thanks
any updates with regards to the heating issue?
We decided to forego stating heat readings due to varying factors but most especially personal bias towards a heat threshold. We’ve spoken with Easy PC and the number of returns is very minimal with anything related to heating and seems more like people being overly concerned than anything else. That said, if you feel you may have a heating issue, your first sign should be a white smear on your screen beneath the hot zone. Other than that, temps should be normal.
You’re covered by a warranty so feel free to consult with EasyPC upon purchase.
thank you for the feedback. now the problem is where to buy a good stock now.
para poh ano ang OVERDRIVE sa OSD setting?
Hindi po ba vesa 100mm x 75mm yung holes sa likod?
I bought mine this afternoon and played for it about 3 hours. Sobrang init talaga nung lower right corner ng monitor even with air-con. Is this alarming? Sorry sa noob question ko as this is my first gaming monitor.
How is the heating problem?
I normally play 3-4 hrs lng nman every night so heating problem is not a big deal for me. Im just wondering for some hardcore gamers na naglalaro 6-12hrs a day.
I’m not sure what it may cause the monitor so Im also worried at the same time.
The heat is like a hot iron that you cannot touch it for more than 3sec. Mainit talaga. LOL
May updates po ba or feedback with regards to heat issues etc? I’m about to buy mine this week po. Thanks!
Just got mine. Hindi siya G-Sync Compatible. Using GTX 1070
mine too, any updates on this? have you replaced unit or anything?
Bat yung iba g sync compatible at yung iba hinde?
FYI Freesync 2 is only an add on feature & does not replace Freesync, It is only available on HDR 400 minimum capable monitors which in this price point is not possible for now .
Any update on heating issues about this monitor?
heat issues pa rin . bought it last june at ngayon may horizontal ribbon na lumabas .. damn after only 2 1/2 months.
Any updates about the heating issue?
Any updates on the heating issue? will plan to buy this weekend.
too bad we Filipinos can’t seem to buy this monitor anymore. so difficult to find a store with actual stocks.
Best you can do is pre-order directly at EasyPC. I just asked them if this is still stocking and they have confirmed it does it just sells really really fast.