2 monitors, which one for my GPU?

[Blue Dun]

This is kind of the overly hammered, G-sync vs Freesync question as well. I am considering two Lenovo monitors. One indicates it's a G-sync compatible monitor, one does not. The older Legion Y27q20 is G-Sync compatible but the Y27q30 is not. Seems strange given it's a newer version of a G-sync compatible display, but maybe new monitors aren't bothering to label as G-Sync compatible? Does it really matter currently? Will adaptive sync work as well with my Nvidia gpu pairing with the Y27q30 (apparently non-g-sync compatible)?

In comparing the specs the newer 30 has up to 180hz refresh compared to the 20's 165. And the 30 has 400 nits max brightness vs. 350 nits on the 20. However the Bit Depth / Color Support is 8-Bit+FRC (1.07 Billion Colors) on the 30 which is slightly inferior to the 20's true 10 bit. The color gamut is also better on the older 20 with 98% DCI-P3 vs 93% on the 30.

My question is, which of these monitors is better for gaming with my current GPU, the RTX 3070Ti? Of the above specs, which are more important for running, say, Hell Let Loose or IL2 Sturmovik (air combat sim)? I do not do anything else other than the basic internet and streaming stuff. No video, photo or graphic editing. It seems to me newer is better for possible future gpu upgrade, but I don't see huge differences in these monitors. I can get the y27q30 for $15 more then the 20. Maybe there are some features I didn't mention that might sway the decision one way or the other that someone else might see. I would sure appreciate other more experienced eyes and opinions on this, including that G-sync compatibility issue. Here are the website links to both of them:

Lenovo Y27q-30 27 inch Monitor (66F7GAC3US) | 66F7GAC3US

Buy the Legion Y27q-30 Monitor and don’t miss a single frame of action. The monitor’s Display HDR™ 400 support delivers colours that are true to life.

www.lenovo.com

Lenovo Legion: Gaming PCs & Laptops for Every Type of Gamer

Discover the power of Lenovo Legion - unleash your gaming potential with our range of high-performance gaming PCs and laptops.

www.lenovo.com

Thank you very much for taking a look at this

 

[tabascosauz]

"G-sync compatible" is just Freesync Premium [Pro] / VESA Adaptive Sync with Nvidia's stamp of approval, working on Nvidia hardware. True G-SYNC and G-SYNC Ultimate are reserved for monitors with a hardware G-sync module. Any Freesync Premium monitor should theoretically also be compatible with G-sync Compatible without problems, my M32Q does so without the "certification". You just tick the box that shows up. But I suppose you run the potential risk.

Just being newer and in the same product line doesn't mean it actually uses the same panel or panel manufacturer. The differences in gamut, brightness along with the increase in max refresh rate are pretty clear indicators.

Maybe the advertised 400 nits is of use if you sit in a sunroom all the time, but 350 nits is plenty bright and who's to say that the q30 actually achieves its 400 nit rating irl? No reviews to verify. Some reports of green tint and blackscreening with the q20, but can't say if that's just individual unit issues or a more widespread one.

On second thought, RTINGS is pretty inconsistent when it comes to distinguishing 8+FRC and 10-bit in their reviews. For other monitor reviews they have labelled FRC as 10-bit before, I doubt the q20 is actually 10-bit. Seems like both would be 8-bit+FRC, which is more than fine.

 

[Blue Dun]

Just being newer and in the same product line doesn't mean it actually uses the same panel or panel manufacturer. The differences in color depth and gamut along with the increase in max refresh rate are pretty clear indicators.

View attachment 292116

On second thought, RTINGS is pretty inconsistent when it comes to distinguishing 8+FRC and 10-bit in their reviews. For other monitor reviews they have labelled FRC as 10-bit before, I doubt the q20 is actually 10-bit. Seems like both would be 8-bit+FRC, which is more than fine

Thanks for the quick reply! So based on what you can see is there a way to tell which panel is better? I thought I read that the 20's panel is an LG. I bought the y27q20 for $350 on sale at Lenovo and it's on its way. Then I discovered the 30 is available on Amazon (from Amazon) for 365. Only 15 more for the newer model. If you had to buy one of these right now, which one would you choose? Thanks again.

Oh and apparently that black out issue on the 20 was resolved through a firmware update.

 

[tabascosauz]

Thanks for the quick reply! So based on what you can see is there a way to tell which panel is better?

Not until a decent reviewer picks up the q30. Until then the q30 is just a black box.

LG nanoIPS was also my guess for the q20, there's not many other panels that have contrast stuck in the 800:1 region. The 1000:1 advertised contrast is clearly just a cookiecutter spec, so no telling how the new monitor does.

I would lean towards q20 since my use cases care about color accuracy, and both of these monitors are equally "good enough" for gaming, but that's just me. Couldn't you just take the plunge risk-free and try either one or both, because Amazon return policy?

 

[Blue Dun]

Couldn't you just take the plunge risk-free and try either one or both, because Amazon return policy?

Yeah I think I will. I like dealing with B&H and they matched the price. No prob returning. Thanks, really appreciate it.

My guess is, given my level of knowledge and limited tech savvy, I won't tell any difference whatsoever and I'm making a big deal out of nothing

Edit: I just discovered the newer 30 uses the LG LM270WQA panel. Don't know the quality of this panel.

 

[tabascosauz]

Edit: I just discovered the newer 30 uses the LG LM270WQA panel. Don't know the quality of this panel.

It's just another nanoIPS panel, so the differences between q-20 and q-30 just got even smaller.

Just try it out for yourself. NanoIPS low contrast is one of those things that you either are fine with, or hate with a passion. Won't know unless you try.

Sharp/Innolux panels (e.g. Gigabyte) and AU Optronics (e.g. MSI) should offer more normal contrast ratio around the 1000:1 mark, if you find that 800:1 is too low.

 

[Blue Dun]

Alright thanks tabascosauz. I got hung up on this Lenovo Legion monitor because I just bought a Lenovo Legion desktop and I love it. Very solid. I also found that these Lenovo Legion monitors have 1.4 display port versus most other monitors that are only 1.2 in this price range. And they have more USB ports than the LG and Asus monitors, which I like and will use. But I'm open to better options if you have some suggestions in terms of different brands.

 

[tabascosauz]

Alright thanks tabascosauz. I got hung up on this Lenovo Legion monitor because I just bought a Lenovo Legion desktop and I love it. Very solid. I also found that these Lenovo Legion monitors have 1.4 display port versus most other monitors that are only 1.2 in this price range. And they have more USB ports than the LG and Asus monitors, which I like and will use. But I'm open to better options if you have some suggestions in terms of different brands.

Only real difference between DP1.2 and DP1.4 at 1440p 165Hz is that you can't have 10-bit color over I think 120Hz on 1.2. Still, 8-bit color is not even remotely a problem for the vast majority of people. I wouldn't use an LG panel either - poor USB connectivity and incredibly stupid and proprietary external power supply with the laptop-style barrel connector.

Even the spec sheet says 1440p165 for the q-30, so I'm guessing 180Hz is some gimmicky "overclock" feature that you have to enable in OSD, like Gigabyte.

The Lenovos look fine, you don't need to second guess yourself. Nothing else really stands out as being a significantly better or better deal. MAG274QRF-QD is at $420 but you have to be really thorough in testing for dead/hot/stuck pixels within the return period. S2721DGF is about $380 and doesn't have much over the Lenovo aside from Dell warranty and a good stand. M27Q is only $300, but it comes with a BGR subpixel layout that is kinda sus for text.

Lenovo has the q-20 for $350.

 

[Blue Dun]

Great. I'll sit the 20 and 30 side by side and make a decision. Really appreciate your input and providing it so quickly