With the release of the NVIDIA GTX 1070 and the GTX 1080 cards, 1440p and 4K gaming just became more viable. The problem now lies within having a monitor capable of dishing out the resolution with acceptable frame rates.
Enter the QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II monitor from Korea. It’s not that famous of a brand and there have been many variants over the past few years but the quality and performance of the monitor, which has a pixel resolution of 2560 x 1440, is top-notch considering its low price.
For only about $250, the 27-inch 1440p monitor can do more than dazzle its user with outstanding color and screen quality. It is also packed in with some features that can be of use for the modern PC gamer.
QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II Specs
Native Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Response Time: 4ms (GTOG)
Outputs: DVI-D (Dual Link), HDMI Standard
Color reproduction range: 100%
Dynamic Contrast Ratio (DCR): 2,000,000:1
Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Backlight: LED Backlight
Panel: AH-VA
Screen Finish: Anti-Glare, 3H Matte Screen
Power Consumption: 46W
Weight: 4.7 kilograms
QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II Features
One of the highlights of the 1440p monitor is Virtual 4K (30Hz). What it basically means is that the monitor can display 4K resolution but not the true pixel by pixel conversion considering that there are still several million pixels missing in order for true UHD.
Users can try the feature out by setting the custom resolutions in the NVIDIA Control Panel or the AMD Catalyst Control Center. For some of the models, including this one, there are still some specific monitor drivers that need to be installed in order for it to work.
While the product description states that it can only support the Virtual 4K resolution with 30Hz in refresh rates, I was able to overclock it up to 55Hz without suffering from frame skipping. I used the UFO frame skip test in order to determine if there were frames missing.
The caveat is that I could not use the Virtual 4K resolution on the desktop. However, I was able to use it in games without resolution scaling options available. It allowed me to benchmark my GTX 1080 card to see how it would perform under 4K UHD.
Another feature for the QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II monitor is the overclockable refresh rates. The product description on eBay shows that the monitor can actually reach up to 120Hz by overclocking it from the native refresh rate of 60Hz.
Several users across forums on the Internet report different results and it looks like it depends on each individual monitor. Some can actually reach 110Hz, others can only reach 85Hz and 96Hz on 1440p.
Upon initial testing, I was only able to reach 90Hz. Anything higher than that leads to frame skipping. It’s still a great value considering that some games running on my GTX 1080 does not reach more than 90 frames per second but there are some that can still reach more than 100fps.
The QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II monitor also has two built-in stereo speakers running at 5W each. They are not impressive at all and they can be likened to laptop speakers but they still work fine if you want to just listen to speech and dialogues. It does not have any kind of bass impact at all.
In terms of viewing angles, the monitor is also versatile with 178 degrees. The stand can also allow tilting to fit most setups. It also has a VESA mount ready on the back.
Another great feature is the Flicker-Free technology on the QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II monitor. It is not just a gimmick as I tried using my phone’s camera to check if there are indeed flickers and there were none. It helps reduce eye strain for prolonged use.
For those concerned about their eyes, the monitor also has a built-in Low Blue Light option. Personally, I do not use this feature as it has a large impact on the colors of the screen when turned on.
QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II Quality
There are a lot of variants of the QNIX monitor and this particular model uses an AH-VA panel. Others use the Samsung PLS panel which is claimed to have superior color reproduction but has a slower response time of 8ms.
My previous monitor was just a 20-inch 1600 x 900 LED monitor from Philips. Even with a larger screen, the QNIX QX2710X’s quality is better.
You won’t be able to see individual pixels unless the program does not support vector graphics for its UI or is not capable of displaying at 1440p resolution. I can’t also see the individual pixels unless I am four to five inches from the screen itself.
Dead Pixels
Most of the other reviews I have seen on Newegg and Amazon mention just two or more than three. Fortunately, I only found one in the upper left corner.
It also appears only when the screen is all white or all green in one screen test. Personally, I barely notice it all even when I am just browsing the web or watching a video.
While gaming, I have never noticed the dead pixel itself. Video games usually make the pixels change around a lot and it makes the dead pixel virtually unnoticeable at all.
Considering the cheap price of the QNIX QX2710 LED Evolution II monitor, one dead pixel is just a very minor inconvenience. You won’t be able to notice it at all.
Backlight Bleed
One of the common problems of all monitors, whether from popular brands or not, is backlight bleeding. This may happen due to the space gaps between the panel itself and the case of the monitor or simply a low quality panel.
Fortunately, the backlight bleed from the QNIX QX2710 is barely noticeable too. They only appear on the sides on a pure black screen and even then it’s not really a problem.
Most monitors on the market do not have a 100 percent guarantee on backlight bleeds. Maybe the Samsung OLED TVs perform better on this end but they are ridiculously expensive and not really fit for a gaming setup.
Color Quality
I did not need to calibrate the colors on the monitor as they were perfect just the way they are out of the box. Color profiles can still be used if the user prefers a certain feel for their monitors.
QNIX QX2710 Potential Nuances
When I first received the monitor, it did not turn on. The eBay seller, accessorieswhole, said that it could be a faulty board. They were nice enough to offer a free board replacement but I asked if I could open the monitor to check for bad wires and they agreed provided that there shouldn’t be any physical damage done as to not void the warranty.
It turns out that there were just two wires that were not plugged in properly from the board onto the panel. After re-plugging in all the wires and cords, the monitor turned on to my relief.
The monitor stand itself can wobble with the monitor even on slight shakes of the table. It also heats up fast which is why I decided not to put in a wall mount also considering the tropical climate in our country.
Pricing and Availability
The QNIX QX2710 monitor is incredibly cheap for all of it specs and features. In fact, it’s one of the cheapest 1440p monitors that you will find online. It usually ranges around $250 without the shipping and tax costs.
I ordered the monitor from the eBay seller on a Thursday night and it arrived Tuesday afternoon. As I have explained earlier, there was a bit of a mishap with the wirings that could have been caused by the shakiness in the delivery.
Quality-wise, you’ll have little to nothing to complain about the QNIX QX2710 monitor. It could be the best budget 1440p monitor out there although it is mostly available online and not from physical retail stores.