(Image credit: HP) (Image credit: HP) (Image credit: HP) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) The Omen 27qs G2 sticks with HP’s minimalist aesthetic by using smooth surfaces, slightly rounded corners, and no parts that call attention to themselves. Omen is displayed on the front trim and in larger letters in the back. The LED light ring forms the familiar Omen diamond shape and can be any color, with a selection of effects available in the OSD. A small vent appears just above the LEDs to keep the internals cool. There are no fans needed.
The input panel is underneath in the usual spot behind the upright and includes two HDMI 2.0 and a single DisplayPort 1.4. You also get 3.5mm headphone and USB 3.0 ports, one upstream and two downstream. If you’re concerned about the HDMI version, remember that QHD bandwidth doesn’t require the 48Gbps of HDMI 2.1. Here, HDMI is sufficient for consoles, given their 144 Hz limit. The DisplayPort runs at the full 280 Hz at QHD resolution with HDR and 8-bit color.
The Omen 27qs G2’s OSD appears when you press the nav pad. It’s simple and to the point, with a black screen and white lettering, free of graphics or flashy icons. It’s divided into nine sections.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Gaming has all the Omen 27qs G2’s video processing and play aid options. You can toggle Adaptive-Sync, engage console mode and HDMI CEC, turn on MPRT, which has five pulse width levels, and set the overdrive, which also has five levels. A refresh rate indicator can be engaged, and you get a cool aiming point editor with five elements available to create your own reticle in any color and in any location.
If you leave the Omen 27qs G2 in its default Standard mode, it uses sRGB for SDR content, which is technically correct but not typical of wide gamut monitors. Most users will likely prefer the full gamut for all content and for that, you’ll want to switch to Native, covering over 93% of DCI-P3. All the modes can be calibrated for grayscale with a precise set of RGB sliders. I did this and achieved reference level numbers for all parameters. There are no gamma presets, but the Omen 27qs G2 tracks very close to the 2.2 standard. My recommended settings are shown below. For HDR signals, there are no adjustments available, but accuracy is excellent with no need for tweaking. HDR also turns on dynamic contrast, which ups the ratio to around 8,200:1.
My first impressions of the Omen 27qs G2 after a few hours of gameplay were enhanced by the superb sound coming from its internal speakers. It’s rare that computer monitors include decent audio, but HP has gone above and beyond here. The best part is that it works well at low levels. Yes, there’s plenty of distortion-free volume available, but if you want to play without disturbing others, you can do so while retaining all the clarity and impact of a good pair of external speakers. There’s just enough bass to fill out the range, and the sound stage is quite wide. The Music mode added a slight phasing effect which made the presentation more reverberant and dimensional.
The picture quality did not take second place to the audio. HDR games like Doom Eternal looked fantastic with saturated color and excellent contrast. Shadow detail rendered with a proper black and was clear in all areas. The edge dimming backlight was more effective than I would expect for an eight-zone array. Only a premium Mini LED could do better in the LCD realm. It helped that the Omen 27qs G2 tested extremely well in my HDR color benchmarks.
SDR gaming was also very impactful thanks to rich color. I could play in the correct sRGB gamut by choosing the Standard picture mode, but increased saturation was just a click away in the Native preset, which uses the monitor’s full 93% of DCI-P3 gamut. I expect most users will opt for this, and they won’t be disappointed.
Video processing is among the best I’ve seen, with a precise overdrive that effectively eliminates motion blur at frame rates over 200 fps. My GeForce RTX 4090 had no problem keeping the action at 280 fps. Trying out the MPRT backlight strobe was impressive, as it has none of the phasing artifacts that are so common with this tech. It is a perfect alternative to Adaptive-Sync if you must play below 200 fps. The Omen 27qs G2 is very flexible in this regard.
For video and productivity, the G2’s color accuracy came into play. It doesn’t need calibration for a great picture, but a few tweaks to the RGB controls take the image to reference-level. It’s easily a match for any pro monitor I’ve tested. When working with photos, sRGB and DCI-P3 gamuts can be switched by using Standard or Native modes, respectively. The only thing I wished for was a gamma selector. The Omen 27qs G2’s gamut is spot on 2.2, but that is the only choice.
Entertainment is definitely this monitor’s forte, not only for gaming but also for video. It makes an awesome personal television with a great picture and great sound. Whether you plug in headphones or listen to the internal speakers, you’ll enjoy immersive movies and shows. Just plug in your favorite streaming box and you’ll be happy.
Takeaway: The Omen 27qs G2 is an excellent gaming monitor that does everything else well. It has superb sound from its internal speakers and premium video processing that rivals a good OLED display. An edge zone dimming backlight and large color gamut produces impactful HDR that will satisfy gamers and TV watchers alike. It’s a great all-around screen for the money.
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/monitors/gaming-monitors/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/monitors/gaming-monitors/hp-omen-27qs-g2-27-inch-qhd-280-hz-gaming-monitor-review#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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