OLED monitors are getting more accessible, but innovation on the high-end isn't slowing down. Manufacturers are racing to increase resolution and brightness or push the refresh rate as far as possible, and this time it's the latter. 500Hz monitors are nothing new, but 500Hz QD-OLED monitors certainly are. Initially showcased at CES this year and Computex, we're slowly seeing this new crop of ultra-fast gaming monitors hit the market, and two new entrants are joining us today—one from MSI and one from Gigabyte.
The MSI 272QR and Gigabyte Aorus FO27Q5P are the latest flagships from both brands and they share identical specs for the most part. First off, both of these monitors are using the same 27-inch QD-OLED panel from Samsung under the hood, with very minor differences brought about by firmware and design choices. This is a Gen 3 panel, which means it has an updated subpixel layout that improves text readability compared to earlier OLEDs. It's also brighter, but not as much as the newer Gen 4 screens.
