If you’re mining for a cheap gaming monitor worth buying, you’re probably unearthing more coal than gold. So stumbling across the affordably priced ViewSonic Omni VX2728J-2K ($199.99) will be a breath of fresh air. This QHD (2,560-by-1,440-pixel) display sports up to a 180Hz refresh rate, a rated 0.5ms response time, and AMD FreeSync Premium technology to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering. Sure, it’s missing the accoutrements that define premium gaming monitors, but it’s an excellent performer that pairs well with both budget and mainstream PC builds and gaming consoles.Design: Humble BeginningsA mere 27 inches on the diagonal, the Omni VX2728J-2K is also small compared with today’s gargantuan premium gaming displays, but that could be a good thing: It doesn’t take up too much space in your work or gaming area. Thin bezels frame the display, which features an anti-glare coating that’ll keep picture quality high at a variety of viewing angles.
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Measuring 22.4 by 24.2 by 8.1 inches (HWD) and weighing 10.7 pounds, the monitor is light on its feet. That’s in part thanks to its thin stand, which is surprisingly ergonomic. Resembling a tripod, it offers a great amount of dexterity, including full pivot, tilt, and height adjustments. I appreciate the extra space around the base, too, though I’ve come to prefer the hexagonal stands of monitors like the Alienware 500Hz, which allow gamers to press their keyboards against the stand for additional support. The Omni’s stand is also hampered by a good amount of wobble when you’re adjusting the monitor’s position.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Looking at the Omni’s port hub, you’ll notice that the monitor keeps things simple—sparse, even—which is not surprising for a monitor of this price range. The Omni VX2728J-2K includes just two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort, a Kensington-style lock slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack—that’s all you get. A row of buttons to control the on-screen display (OSD) lines the lower-right corner of the monitor.
Sound comes from a pair of 2-watt internal speakers. They provide good-enough sound, and we always appreciate a budget gaming monitor that comes with speakers at all. Still, they pale in comparison to a set of external speakers.The Omni uses an IPS panel rather than a VA or OLED panel. We’ve seen many OLED models recently, but until the technology becomes more affordable, you won’t be catching OLED tech on any gaming monitor under $800. But IPS displays are not without their merits, including lower response times, greater color accuracy, and better viewing angles than VA panels have. They are the typical panel technology for affordable gaming monitors like the LG 27 UltraGear Gaming Monitor (27GR83Q) and the HP Omen 27k (a budget 4K monitor the same size as the Omni).
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The Omni supports a refresh rate of up to 180Hz, but with a caveat. The refresh-rate ceiling is only accessible over DisplayPort. Over HDMI, you’ll be capped at 144Hz. The lack of HDMI 2.1 ports also prevents the monitor from supporting a 120Hz refresh rate when paired with a Sony PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. The 180Hz maximum refresh rate is lower than 240Hz, which is quickly becoming the standard refresh rate for mainstream gaming displays, but it’s solid for a budget monitor.Testing the ViewSonic Omni VX2728J-2K: Surprisingly Competent PerformanceSo far, the Omni VX2728J-2K seems like a bargain—but is it really? To see how its performance compares with its budget brethren, we take the monitor through a series of benchmarks. They measure color gamut, brightness, color accuracy, and contrast ratio. We perform these tests using our Calman monitor calibration software, Murideo Six-G signal generator, and Klein K-10A colorimeter. We also test input lag using an HDFury Diva HDMI matrix.First, we take a look at the monitor in its default picture mode over a standard dynamic range (SDR) signal. The Omni VX2728J-2K saw an average brightness of 269 nits (candelas per square meter). Now, this is better than the monitor’s 250-nit rating, but it is much dimmer than both the HP Omen 27k and LG 27 UltraGear. The Omni also supports HDR 10, and hopping over to HDR mode, we measured peak brightness of 272 nits. That’s barely any difference between HDR and SDR, so while the HDR support is welcome, it’s not really a selling point.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Next, we examine the color-gamut coverage. Here, we see that the monitor spanned 100% of the sRGB color gamut, 88% of Adobe RGB, and 95% of DCI-P3. Now, this color range is slightly better than the two aforementioned monitors, so you could think of it as trading brightness for a richer color profile if you’re trying to decide among them.Color accuracy also painted a surprisingly vivid picture, with an uncalibrated Delta E rating of 0.58. The higher the Delta E, the more the colors tend to stray from their intended hue. A Delta E of 2 and under is the sweet spot, but many gaming monitors tend to not go that much lower, especially out of the box. This Delta E score bodes well for games, movies, and even video editing.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Finally, we arrive at the contrast ratio, which indicates the difference in luminance between the brightest white and darkest black that a monitor can produce. It makes a difference in picture quality, especially during dark scenes in gameplay. The ViewSonic Omni VX2728J-2K measured 810:1 with a black level of 0.33. This is slightly under the contrast ratio of 1,000:1 as advertised on the product page, and while it’s better than the Omen 32q (a slightly bigger QHD monitor), it still falls under the LG 27-inch’s 960:1 measured contrast ratio.Media and Gaming PerformanceAll in all, we’d say the Omni VX2728J-2K does in fact look as good as it seems on paper for a $200 monitor, but we must factor in one last metric, among the most important for gaming: input lag. To measure it, we use an HDFury Diva HDMI matrix to take a formal input-lag reading, and also play a handful of games from our library to see if there are any noticeable blemishes, like screen tearing.Throughout all of this testing, the input lag was virtually nonexistent. We recorded less than 1ms of lag using the Diva, which makes this monitor a solid choice for fans of action games and the like. Just remember that you’ll need to connect over a DisplayPort, otherwise you’ll be locked at 144Hz.Verdict: Better Colors for Less Cash Hardcore gamers might feel that the 180Hz cap is too low, but the ViewSonic Omni VX2728J-2K is a bargain buy, after all. Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch 2, and other first-person shooters benefit from the small boost in refresh rate, and the QHD resolution keeps visual quality high. This monitor might be on the cheaper side, but it pairs well with budget gaming PCs as well as console games that benefit from higher performance over richer visuals. Variable refresh rate support is also missing, though we don’t expect it at this price.Overall, the Omni VX2728J-2K is the little monitor that could, offering high-enough refresh rates, low input lag, and a quality color profile. While it’s not the brightest monitor or the most feature-rich, it’s hard to say no to all it offers for $200.
ViewSonic Omni VX2728J-2K
The Bottom Line
The ViewSonic Omni VX2728J-2K might not have the flashy add-ons of more expensive gaming monitors, but at just $200, this 27-inch QHD panel punches well above its weight.
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