HP E27q G4
An affordable and understated 27in office monitor that only lacks for USB-C connectivity
SCORE ★★★★ PRICE £229 (£275 inc VAT) from hp.com/uk
There’s no hiding from the fact that the HP E27q G4 is boring. From its plain grey stand to a bezel that measures 9mm thick at the top and the sides, it’s far more likely to increase the pulse of IT managers than it is the staff who end up with it on their desk. Unless you’re upgrading them from 24in Full HD screens, in which case the bump up to 27in and a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution will be very welcome indeed.
With no USB-C input, this screen wouldn’t be our top choice for hotdesking. It’s better suited for desktop PCs and older laptops - there’s even a D-SUB input to accompany the DisplayPort and HDMI connectors.
Whilst the stand looks dull, it is flexible. It smoothly pivots 90° – which is arguably most handy for giving you access to the connections, including the four-port USB hub – and 150mm of height adjustment means it should tick all health and safety checkpoints.
It goes above and beyond, too, thanks to an “always on” low blue light, which theoretically means it will be easier on the eyes.
Matching the pace set by the rest of this monitor, the panel is a solid 7/10 rather than a spectacular 10/10. It performed well in our colour accuracy tests, averaging 0.48 for its Delta E with a maximum of 2.3, and it covers 98% of the sRGB gamut and 81% of DCI-P3; strong scores for an office monitor. Don’t expect searing brightness, however, with a peak of 233cd/m2, while contrast is a thoroughly average 944:1.
HP could learn a lesson from LG when it comes to controlling the onscreen display. The E27q G4’s OSD relies on four buttons placed beneath the bottom bezel, and although it’s easy to change the brightness or switch between sources, as soon as you go into the full menu, navigation becomes a counterintuitive chore.
The biggest issue for HP is that it doesn’t offer anything special for the price; you can buy even higher quality 27in 1440p panels – such as the £259 Iiyama ProLite XUB2792QSU-B1 ( see issue 313, p79) – for less. But if you’re an IT manager and much of your estate already has the HP badge, the E27q G4 is a solid choice.
SPECIFICATIONS
27in 2,560 x 1,440 IPS panel up to 60Hz
6-bit plus FRC panel (16.7 million colours) 5ms response time DisplayPort 1.2 HDMI 1.4 D-SUB 4 x USB-A 3 pivot -45° to 45° swivel -5° to 23° tilt 150mm height adjustment 613 x 47 x 366-516mm (WDH) 7kg 3yr limited warranty