MXG

From 1440p to 4K: Design and Gaming with the MXG G27IU-16 Monitor

The MXG G27IU-16 has been my daily driver for the past few weeks, and as someone who primarily uses their monitor for UX/UI work in Figma, competitive gaming, and the occasional story-driven game, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to put it through its paces. Priced at PKR 105,000 (as of today), it delivers remarkable value, offering crisp 4K resolution, solid gaming performance, and excellent color reproduction.

For context, I’ll be comparing this to my ASUS VG27Q1A (1440p) which is calibrated using RTING’s ICC profile. However, before diving into my detailed take, here’s a TL;DR for the short-attention-span ADHD folks (like me). Note that I keep the 🇵🇰 market in mind while sharing my opinion.

TL;DR

👍 4K, IPS, color accurate enough, decent response time, VRR, no precipitable ghosting, insane value for money.

👎 Lack-luster ring light, DCR.

🎯 Fantastic choice for competitive shooters, productivity, work, media consumption.

⚠️ Not an OLED/MiniLED; HDR’s not worth using, picture modes best left to standard, needs a beefy system to use 160Hz at 4K.

Build and Design

The monitor features a sleek and modern aesthetic with slim bezels that enhance its appearance. Mounted on my first-gen MXG monitor arm, it’s balanced well, making adjustments for tilt or height effortless — this stuck out to me because my 1440p monitor (VG27Q1A) was bottom heavy which made tilting up require more force.

The ring light on the back, however, is a mixed bag. It can protrude slightly if your VESA mount has a wide plate, though this can be managed with a few washers. The RGB lighting is basic — you can only toggle it on or off, and the motion isn’t particularly smooth. It’s not a major selling point, but also not a dealbreaker.

Display Quality

Color Performance

The MXG G27IU-16 impresses right out of the box. When kept side by side, its colors are pretty close to my calibrated 1440p monitor (VG27Q1A), even without tweaking. For working with Figma or After Effects, the colors are quite accurate and vibrant, the same stays true for content consumption and games.

4K Clarity

At 27 inches, the 4K resolution truly shines. Text, UI elements, and intricate details are incredibly sharp, making it a dream for productivity tasks like UX/UI design. Switching between projects, fine-tuning layouts, and reviewing designs are much more enjoyable when everything looks so crisp and you have so much real estate to work with.

The same sharpness carries over to media consumption and gaming. Story-driven games like God of War: Ragnarok look stunning, provided your system can handle 4K. For watching movies or streaming content, 4K takes the visual experience to another level.

Brightness and Darkness

One standout feature is how well this monitor handles darkness. It can dim to the point where it’s barely visible — perfect for gaming or movie-watching in a near-dark room.

DCR (Dynamic Contrast Ratio)

The Dynamic Contrast Ratio (DCR) leans heavily into dark scenes, making blacks look rich and deep, especially in dimly lit rooms. This is particularly effective when watching movies. However, DCR has its flaws: brighter content tends to look dimmer as a trade-off, and the noticeable transitions in brightness can be distracting. I preferred to set a consistent brightness level that suited my room’s lighting instead of relying on DCR.

Performance

Gaming Experience

The MXG G27IU-16 delivers smooth and immersive gameplay. For competitive games, the clarity offered by 4K is a refreshing upgrade. Spotting details like distant enemies or subtle movement becomes easier, making games feel clearer and more enjoyable.

However, the benefit over 1440p for competitive games isn’t massive, and the upgrade makes the most sense if your system can maintain high FPS at 4K. For story-driven games, the jump in visual detail is breathtaking. Games like God of War: Ragnarok, Subnautica: Below Zero etc look cinematic, with stunning textures and environments at 4K.

System Requirements

You’ll need a decent GPU to run this monitor smoothly at 4K. My RTX 3060 Ti managed decently with upscaling and frame-gen, though I faced occasional struggles in demanding games like Ragnarok. If your system can’t handle 4K well, you’ll get better results sticking with 1440p for gaming.

Connectivity and Features

One of the standout features is the support for DisplayPort 1.4, which allows full 10-bit color at 4K 160Hz. This fixes a common issue I had with my 1440p monitor (VG27Q1A), which required dialling back the refresh rate to 120Hz (from 170Hz) to achieve 10-bit color — no such tradeoff with the MXG.

HDR Performance

HDR support on this monitor isn’t worth mentioning for serious use. Without local dimming or 1000 nits of brightness, it doesn’t provide any meaningful benefit. I stick to SDR, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out — this is expected with any IPS panel.