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Mini LED vs OLED Explained – Including the New Cooler Master Monitor Roadmap for 2024

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Disclaimer: this article includes sponsored promotion, but all content, opinions and commentary are our own

Introduction

In today’s display market focused heavily on High Dynamic Range (HDR), there are two competing technologies that are the focus of development for most manufacturers right now – those are Mini LED and OLED. The two are fundamentally very different, offering different performance characteristics, pros and cons. Amongst all the marketing hype, it can be quite hard to understand what these modern technologies can offer you and which one would be most suited to your individual requirements when you’re looking for a new monitor. We thought it would be useful to break down everything you would need to know in to a handy guide.

We’ve also been speaking recently to Cooler Master about their rapidly growing monitor range, and this seemed like a good opportunity to provide some interesting updates about their range, new models they have planned for 2024 that have not been announced yet, and round up various options they have available in each segment. They’re one of the manufacturers who have been pushing Mini LED development in to a new, lower-price bracket over the last couple of years and they’ve got plans for quite a few new Mini LED models in the coming months too. They’re also just about to branch out into the OLED segment, and so are hopefully going to continue to push new models in to the market, at competitive price points, and provide even more options for buyers. We’ll cover their new OLED models as well in this round-up.

OLED Monitors

OLED gaming monitors have started to appear over the last 2 years and there’s a lot of hype around them. They’re available in a wide range of sizes and form factors now including 27″ (currently the smallest option), 32″ and 42″ in a standard 16:9 format, along with 34″, 39″ and 45″ ultrawide, and 49″ super ultrawide options. Various display manufacturers have entered this segment so there’s quite a wide choice of monitors out there. The underlying OLED panels themselves are produced either by LG.Display with their WOLED technology or by Samsung with their competing QD-OLED technology, but overall both offer fairly similar performance characteristics.

When it comes to gaming, OLED will offer you near-instant response times, with real sub-1ms G2G specs being achieved. This makes OLED panels very well suited to gaming, being very capable of keeping up with the highest refresh rates on offer easily, and offering consistent performance at lower refresh rates and when using VRR too. Amazingly fast response times, without any overshoot halos or artefacts. Speaking of refresh rates, OLED monitors are available at 144Hz, 175Hz or commonly at 240Hz – although a new generation of 360Hz and 480Hz panels are also starting to emerge now too. We have some details later on in this article of Cooler Master’s upcoming OLED monitors who are keeping up with this trend. The majority of OLED monitors available currently are 240Hz though, and these offer excellent, clear and smooth motion clarity for gaming and dynamic content.

OLED HDR capabilities

The Cooler Master GZ2711 is the company’s first OLED monitor. 27″ 1440p 240Hz. More info covered below

The focus of this article is largely around the competing monitor HDR capabilities though. On an OLED panel, each individual pixel can be switched on and off which means you can get true blacks, a basically infinite contrast ratio and per-pixel-level dimming for HDR (and SDR for that matter). That means no blooming or halos during HDR content, something that can be a problem on LCD monitors with their various local dimming approaches. More on that in a moment. OLED is therefore very highly regarded in the monitor market for HDR gaming and movies as a result of this per-pixel control and amazing blacks it can offer.

However, an OLED screen won’t be able to reach as bright as high-end Mini LED backlights for HDR scenes and so sometimes lack the punch and impact of a very bright LCD monitor. OLED panels typically reach up to around 1000 nits for peak white luminance, but because of the way OLED panels function, this is reduced as content on the screen (the APL – Average Picture Level) changes. This means scenes with overall brighter content can’t reach as bright as when there are just small bright areas on an otherwise dark screen. This is another limitation of OLED panels, as they can show some dimming effects as the content on the screen changes, and their brightest performance is generally only for small parts of an image. The contrast and local dimming capabilities are unmatched though as we said before, they just don’t get super bright.

OLED also isn’t perfect for other uses and won’t be suitable for everyone as a result. It’s an excellent technology for gaming and HDR multimedia, but has some limitations for more general usage including an unusual sub-pixel structure which can cause slightly distorted text and makes it less suited to office and text work. Risks of image retention and burn-in may also play on your mind if you’re using the screen for a lot of static office and general content too. It’s a technology more suited to varied and dynamic content so well worth a look if that is your usage pattern.

Mini LED Monitors

Mini LED is a backlighting technology for traditional LCD monitors. Because the individual pixels on an LCD panel cannot be lit up or turned off like they are on an OLED panel, HDR is made possible (or attempted) by dividing the backlight behind the panel up in to a certain number of “zones”. This then allows the backlight to control those zones separately depending on the content shown on the screen. Dark parts of the screen can be dimmed, while bright parts of the screen can be made brighter; all at the same time. This in theory can increase the full-screen contrast and dynamic range.

The problem with backlight “local dimming” as it is called, is that the vast majority of monitors on the market that are marked as supporting HDR either don’t have any dimming zones at all, or have only a very small number. Mainstream and budget HDR screens have only a few dimming zones at best (maybe 8, or 16 if you’re lucky), which are split along the edges of the screen generally where the backlight is located. Many lack that fundamental capability completely and so can’t actually increase the contrast/dynamic range at all! More on that topic here if you want to know more. Those that do have a few edge-lit zones then struggle to make much impact, as it’s hard to control the content on the screen in any significant way. There just aren’t enough active zones to make a difference, and if you go too hard at brightening or darkening a part of the image with the few zones you do have, it affects a large portion of the screen and just causes problems. We wouldn’t consider these edge-lit local dimming monitors as offering true HDR hardware capabilities.

Mini LED backlights offer a large number of local dimming zones

“Edge lit local dimming” as we’ve just talked above above is generally very poor for HDR content on LCD monitors. The far better approach is a backlight technology called “Full Array Local Dimming” (FALD), of which Mini LED is a sub-class. FALD / Mini LED backlights provide a backlight that is split into far more dimming zones. It’s common to see 500+ local dimming zones on a 27″ sized monitor for instance, often more. Over 1000 or even over 2000 dimming zones can be found in the monitor market now. Generally with Mini LED backlights, the more zones the better, and you will see advancements being made by panel and display manufacturers in this regard.

Having more zones means you can control the content on the screen in a much more granular way, allowing you to really push the brightness of small highlights while not impacting large parts of the screen like edge-lit local dimming would. Likewise, you can dim and darken even small sections of the image and so overall screen contrast can be greatly improved. Sometimes you can get pale halos and blooms around the brighter areas where the zones can’t control the content accurately enough, although this effect is lessened by adding more zones. This also varies depending on the underlying LCD panel technology, with VA panels offering better performance than IPS from our testing. Various algorithms that control the dimming zones also help reduce this effect, and you will often seem monitors provide various local dimming settings in the OSD menu so that you can prioritise brightness, or reduce blooming depending on your sensitivity and your preferences.

Mini LED backlights are becoming more affordable

Mini LED backlights are very strong performers nowadays in the monitor market, with a high number of dimming zones being offered. They’ve also started to move into a more affordable range of monitors in the last year or so, whereas previously they’d been reserved really for the super top-end and expensive models when the technology was first released.

We expect Mini LED to be one of the major areas of development in the LCD market in the coming years, and it should start to filter into more and more mainstream and affordable monitors too. Cooler Master have been one of the pioneers of that in fact, with some of their Tempest models really pushing the price boundaries over the last year or so (discussed more below). With OLED monitors now here, we expect LCD to find its place in the more affordable and budget end of the gaming monitor market, but with performance being significantly enhanced through the inclusion of Mini LED backlights.

Mini LED can offer much higher brightness than OLED

One of the key benefits of Mini LED backlights is that they can offer really high brightness capabilities, often reaching up over 1500 nits in today’s market. There’s only so far you want to push this of course on a monitor you will be viewing from a close up position, but Mini LED can provide more of that punch and “wow factor” for HDR content if that’s what you prefer. They can also sustain and produce those high brightness levels for larger content areas / larger APL, and so don’t have the same dimming limitations as OLED panels. Mini LED isn’t as good for its control over the content on the screen as there’s obviously far few zones than per-pixel level dimming on OLED, but it can get much brighter.

The other good thing of course about the Mini LED monitors is that they are added to traditional LCD panels which means you can avoid the issues we talked about earlier with OLED when it comes to static content, and using the screen beyond just gaming and multimedia. There’s no image retention and burn-in risk like there is on OLED, and they also have a standard pixel structure which means sharper and clear text. These Mini LED monitors are therefore more suited to users who need a display for general desktop, office and productivity work. Or who want a multi-purpose monitor.

Cooler Master Monitor Roadmap and Round-up

Tempest Series

The Tempest series forms Cooler Masters top-end monitors and is split in to two distinct ranges. The GP range features Mini LED backlights for supporting high-end HDR performance on their LCD panels, while the new GZ range represents Cooler Master’s new, and expanding OLED monitor line-up.

Upgrades to some existing popular Mini LED models

There’s a couple of existing monitors that are going to be upgraded this year which look to offer decent upgrades to the Mini LED backlights on each model. The current GP27U display is a 27″ sized IPS technology screen with 3840 x 2160 “4K” resolution, 160Hz refresh rate, a wide colour gamut thanks to Quantum Dot coating and a 576-zone Mini LED backlight. It was one of the first screens to offer more affordable and accessible Mini LED backlighting in the monitor space at the time we reviewed it with an MSRP of $799 USD, and is now available for even less (affiliate link).

Cooler Master are developing a new version of the screen, with the GP27U2 expected to go in to mass production in June 2024. It will be another couple of months after this before it’s available to buy, so expect launch around Aug/Sept 2024. This updated model will continue to have a 4K resolution IPS panel with 160Hz refresh rate, but the Mini LED backlight will offer twice as many local dimming zones with 1,152. This should further enhance its local dimming capabilities, helping to give more finite control over the image and potentially reduce blooming and halos further. The MSRP for the new model is also expected to be a very attractive price of $639 USD. More info on this screen when we get it.

If you want a lower resolution then there’s also the current GP27Q available, which offers a 27″ IPS technology panel again but with a more common 2560 x 1440 resolution instead of 4K. It has a 165Hz refresh rate and 576-zone Mini LED backlight and is an impressive screen given its attractive price point with an MSRP of $499 USD. It’s available in many regions on Amazon here and we reviewed that model back in Dec 2022 as well.

Tempest Series Mini LED IPS Models summary (GP range)

GP27U

* 27″ in size with 3840 x 2160 “4K” resolution
* ‘Ultra Speed’ IPS technology panel
* 160Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR
* 576-zone Mini LED backlight and 1200 nits peak brightness spec
* 98% DCI-P3 / 99% Adobe RGB colour gamut thanks to Quantum Dot coating

> Available on Amazon in many regions
> Our review
> Product page
GP27U2 (production June 2024, likely available Aug/Sept 2024)

* 27″ in size with 3840 x 2160 “4K” resolution
* IPS panel
* 160Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR
* 1152-zone Mini LED backlight
GP27Q

* 27″ in size with 2560 x 1440 resolution
* IPS panel
* 165Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR
* 576-zone Mini LED backlight and 1200 nits peak brightness spec

> Available on Amazon in many regions
> Our review
> Product page

New this year was the release of the GP2711 model that we reviewed recently. This is a 27″ screen with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate and 576-zone Mini LED backlight – the same as the GP27Q model talked about above. However, the GP2711 is built around a VA technology panel instead of IPS and so offers different performance characteristics than the IPS models. It’s a slower panel so less well suited to fast or competitive games, but the VA panel offers much higher contrast ratio, better black depth and avoids a lot of the issue with glow and blooming that you get on the IPS model when viewed from a non-centred position. As a result this technology tends to be better for HDR content, including slower paced game titles and HDR video. This model should be available soon regionally at an MSRP of $449 USD. You can check pricing and availability in your region on Amazon here (affiliate link).

Cooler Master have plans to offer an upgraded version later this year as well, with production due to start in Q2 2024, meaning a likely release in Q3 2024. The GP2712 would have the same 27″ screen size, VA panel technology and 2560 x 1440 resolution of the current model. It would receive an update to its refresh rate, bumping it from 165Hz to 240Hz, and to its Mini LED backlight, jumping from 576 zones to a very high 2304 zones. This looks like it will be an impressive upgrade to the spec, and the MSRP remains very competitive at $549 USD. Again, more news on this when we get it.

Tempest Series Mini LED VA Models summary (GP range)

GP2711 (launching very soon)

* 27″ in size with 2560 x 1440 resolution
* VA technology panel
* 165Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR
* 576-zone Mini LED backlight with 1500 nits peak brightness spec

> Check availability on Amazon
> Our review
> Product page

GP2712 (production Q2 2024, likely release Q3 2024)

* 27″ in size with 2560 x 1440 resolution
* VA technology panel
* 240Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR
* 2304-zone Mini LED backlight

Expanding their new OLED monitor Line-up

Cooler Master are entering the OLED gaming monitor segment this year, with one model announced so far but some others being planned. The OLED models will fall under their “GZ” range of screens.

The GZ2711 will be the first model released, sporting a 27″ WOLED technology panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. It’s their competing model to the wide range of 27″ OLED monitors already available on the market, and should be available very soon at an MSRP of $899 USD. We have the GZ2711 with us at the moment for a review soon too, so stay tuned for that.

The GZ2713 is a planned new product coming later this year which would make use of LG.Display’s forthcoming 480Hz WOLED panel. It will be 27″ in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution again, but offer that very high refresh rate. We know from our LG.Display panel roadmaps that the panel itself is expected to go in to mass production around May/June, so we would expect this screen to be released and available around Q3/Q4 this year. It has an expected MSRP of $1,099 USD.

Further sizes are also being explored by Cooler Master in their OLED range, but we don’t have any firm information we can share at this time. Stay tuned to our news pages for future information on those.

Tempest Series OLED Models summary (GZ range)

GZ2711 (launching very soon)

* 27″ in size with 2560 x 1440 resolution
* WOLED technology panel
* 240Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR

> Check pricing and availability on Amazon
> Available exclusively in the UK from Overclockers

GZ2713 (expected Q3/Q4 2024)

* 27″ in size with 2560 x 1440 resolution
* WOLED technology panel
* 480Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR

Mainstream Series

There’s also a wide selection of monitors available in the company’s ‘GM’ series for more mainstream monitors. These all have refresh rates above 120Hz and offer a good range of modern specs and features. These screens do not have a Mini LED backlight though, and so are far less suited to HDR gaming and multimedia. They are more general gaming and multi-purpose screens at lower price points.

Ultrawide gaming models

Ultrawide models are great if you want something a bit different to handle desktop and office use as well as multi-tasking, as an alternative to dual monitor setups. They provide a nice large screen and the ultrawide format offers nice desktop real-estate. Many games support this 21:9 aspect ratio nowadays as well, so it’s a popular choice for many people in today’s market.

Their first 34″ ultrawide monitor in their range was the GM34-CWQA but this is now end of life. It had a 1500R curved VA technology panel and offered a 3440 x 1440 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. That existing model has an MSRP of $409 USD and is available still in some regions via Amazon here (affiliate link).

Cooler Master have already announced an updated model to be released very soon this year in the form of the GM34-CWQ2 that we reviewed recently. This has the same 1500R curved VA technology panel and 3440 x 1440 resolution, but the refresh rate has been increased from 144Hz to 180Hz maximum. It has an MSRP of $419 USD, and should be released very soon.

Ultrawide gaming models available

GM34-CWQA (now end of life but still available in some regions)

* 34″ ultrawide in size with 3440 x 1440 resolution
* 1500R curved VA technology panel
* 4000:1 contrast ratio spec
* 144Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR and FreeSync Premium certification

> Available on Amazon in some regions
> Product page

GM34-CWQ2 (coming very soon)

* 34″ ultrawide in size with 3440 x 1440 resolution
* 1500R curved VA technology panel
* 4000:1 contrast ratio spec
* 180Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR and FreeSync Premium certification

> Check availability on Amazon
> Product page
> Our review

Large 32″ sized screens

Cooler Master have one current 32″ sized screen in their range which is the GM32-FQ although this is now end of life. More accurately measured at 31.5″, this has a 2560 x 1440 resolution IPS panel and 165Hz refresh rate. It has an MSRP of $319 USD and is available still in some regions on Amazon. We also reviewed this one back in July 2022.

We expect further models in this size to be launched at some point by Cooler Master, but at this time cannot share any further information. Keep an eye on our news pages for details when they are ready to be announced.


GM32-FQ (now end of life but still available in some regions)

* 31.5″ (32″ class) in size with 2560 x 1440 resolution
* IPS technology panel
* 165Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR and FreeSync Premium certification
* 95% DCI-P3 colour gamut

> Available on Amazon in some regions
> Our review
> Product page

Mainstream and popular 27″ sized screens

The 27″ segment is probably the most popular at the moment, with a wide choice of monitors available in the common 16:9 aspect ratio, and with a 2560 x 1440 resolution. Cooler Master have a range of IPS and VA technology models to choose from here, including several new models coming soon in 2024. These models don’t have the Mini LED backlights that the Tempest series can offer, and so are less suited to HDR content as a result. They’re more aimed at general and casual gaming, as well as those wanting to spend a bit less on a new monitor.

Their existing range includes the GM27-FQSA (also known as the GM27-FQS ARGB) which is an IPS technology screen, with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 165Hz refresh rate. It has some RGB lighting in the foot of the stand, and we reviewed this back in Sept 2022. This existing model is already available at an MSRP of $289 USD and can be found in some regions on Amazon (affiliate link).

This year some alternative updated screens will be released using IPS panels. There’s the GM2711 which has a so-called ‘Ultra Fast IPS’ panel and a higher refresh rate of 180Hz. They’ve done away with the RGB lighting on the new model, it carries an MSRP of $259 USD and should be available very soon.

There’s also the similarly named GM2711S (recently reviewed) which has the same 1440p resolution and 180Hz refresh rate but also includes the latest A.R.T. coating from AU Optronics which we talked about a lot in our latest panel roadmap update. There’s more information about what this new coating offers below, but it’s been added to a mid-tier refresh rate panel and could provide some nice benefits for those wanting a multi-purpose screen, or using it a lot during the day time. This one has a slightly higher MSRP than the GM2711 of $299 USD / £265 GBP and should also be available soon as well.

A.R.T. (Advanced Reflectionless Technology) Coating Explained

A.R.T. is a new coating being developed by AU Optronics, the panel manufacturer. It combines anti-reflection and anti-glare treatments which are designed to change the direction of reflected light, and reduce scattered light to a level that is apparently barely noticeable. Basically it will help reduce glare and reflections on matte coated panels, even in very bright environments. AUO’s surface design also eliminates ambient light disturbances and helps preserve the true color tones, saturation and ambient contrast. 

This technology was originally designed for panels that might be used in art displays and galleries (linking again to the name A.R.T.) allowing artists to be able to reproduce texture, brushstrokes and original colors of the artworks and paintings in an authentic digital format. It’s now being integrated in to some of their monitor panels, largely aimed at the general, office, productivity and professional type uses, as opposed to gaming panels. Although a few offer mid-tier refresh rates still and so could be interesting options for those wanting a screen for both work and play. With this new coating, display brightness can be reduced by around 20% AUO say, compared with a traditional panel, helping to save energy by up to 60%.


Those are the 3 IPS technology models with a 1440p resolution. There’s also a 1080p resolution model, the GM27-FFS available. This has a 1920 x 1080 resolution and 165Hz refresh rate as well as a wide colour gamut covering 90% DCI-P3. If you are comfortable with a lower resolution, perhaps if you’re more used to a larger font size or coming from an older screen, this provides an alternative option to the popular 1440p models.

Mainstream and popular 27″ sized screens available – IPS

GM27-FQSA

* 27″ in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* Flat, ‘Ultra Speed IPS’ technology panel
* 165Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR
* ARGB lighting in the foot of the stand
* 90% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage

> Available in many regions on Amazon
> Our review
> Product page
GM2711 (coming very soon)

* 27″ in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* Flat, ‘Ultra Speed IPS’ technology panel
* 180Hz refresh rate and adaptive-sync for VRR
* 95% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage

> Check availability on Amazon
> Product page

GM2711S

* 27″ in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* Flat, ‘Ultra Speed IPS’ technology panel
* 180Hz refresh rate and adaptive-sync for VRR
* A.R.T. coating for reduced reflections and glare
* 90% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage

> Our review
> Check availability on Amazon
> Available in the UK from Overclockers
> Product page
GM27-FFS

* 27 in size with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* Flat, ‘Ultra Speed IPS’ technology panel
* 165Hz refresh rate and adaptive-sync for VRR
* 90% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage

> Available in many regions on Amazon
> Product page

Those are the IPS based models. There’s also some existing and planned new VA technology models in this 27″ bracket to mention. There’s the existing GM27-CQS which offers a 2560 x 1440 resolution VA panel and 170Hz refresh rate. This is a curved model with a 1500R curvature and it has an MSRP of $249 USD, and is available in some regions now from Amazon (affiliate link).

There are plans to update this model later this year to the GM27-CQS2 which will also feature a 2560 x 1440 resolution curved (1500R) VA panel, but will have a higher refresh rate of 240Hz. That’s listed for a Q2 production and is expected to have an MSRP of $289 USD.

Like the IPS range, there’s also a lower resolution model available with a VA panel. The GM27-CFX has a 1920 x 1080 resolution, it’s curved in format again with a 1500R curvature and has a 240Hz refresh rate and wide colour gamut covering 98% DCI-P3 thanks to its Quantum Dot coating. That should be available already if you want a lower resolution panel, at an MSRP of $229 USD.

Mainstream and popular 27″ sized screens available – VA

GM27-CQS

* 27 in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* 1500R curvature, VA technology panel
* 170Hz refresh rate and adaptive-sync for VRR

> Product page
> Check pricing and availability on Amazon
GM27-CQS2 (production Q2 2024)

* 27″ in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* 1500R curvature, VA technology panel
* 240Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR

GM27-CFX

* 27 in size with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* 1500R curvature, VA technology panel
* 240Hz refresh rate and adaptive-sync for VRR

> Product page
> Check pricing and availability on Amazon

Smaller sized screens

Also within the ‘GM’ mainstream series of monitors are a couple of smaller options, if you are used to a smaller screen size, don’t have the space or perhaps want something that’s easier to move around. There’s the GM238-FFS which is 23.8″ in size and has a 1920 x 1080 resolution, an IPS technology panel and 144Hz refresh rate. That’s got an MSRP of $149 and should already be available. You can check Amazon availability for your region here (affiliate link).

There’s also the forthcoming GM2501 which is scheduled for production in Q2 2024. This will have a 24.5″ sized screen (so slightly larger), a 1920 x 1080 resolution, IPS panel and 180Hz refresh rate. It’s expected to have an attractive $119 USD MSRP when it’s released later this year.

Smaller sized screens available

GM238-FFS

* 23.8″ in size, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* Flat format, IPS technology panel
* 144Hz refresh rate with adaptive-sync for VRR
* 90% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage

> Available in some regions on Amazon
> Product page

GM2501 (production Q2 2024)

* 24.5″ in size with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
* Flat format, IPS technology panel
* 180Hz refresh rate and adaptive-sync for VRR

Entry Level Gaming Screens

For those on a strict budget and looking for a low-cost entry-level gaming monitor their is the ‘GA’ series as well. These have lower refresh rates but we will quickly mention a few of note as there’s a few new models planned for this year.

The 27″ GA series currently offers the GA271, a VA technology screen with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 100Hz refresh rate which retails for $139 USD. Cooler Master plan to offer an IPS equivalent later this year with the GA2711, offering the same 2560 x 1440 resolution and 100Hz refresh rate but from this competing panel tech instead. That is due to go in to production during Q1 2024 and will have an MSRP of $159 USD.

Also 27″ in size but with a lower 1920 x 1080 resolution is the existing GA2701. That’s an IPS panel with 100Hz refresh rate again, and is available at an MSRP of $119 USD. There are tentative plans to offer an updated version later this year although it’s only in the “planning” phase at the moment. The GA2702S would have the same spec largely but would feature the new A.R.T. coating that we talked about earlier on. Pricing, production date and further details are still to be confirmed.

For those who want a smaller sized screen there’s the existing GA241 which is 23.8″ in size with a 1080p resolution VA panel and 100Hz. That retails for only $89 USD.

A 24.5″ sized model built around an IPS technology panel is should also be available soon with the GA2501. That has 1080p at 100Hz again and has an MSRP of $99 USD. Like with the 27″ models, there are some tentative plans to offer an updated version later this year with the 24″ GA2402S that would have the A.R.T. coating again, but like the larger model this is only in planning phase at the moment.

Finally if you want a really small sized screen there’s the 21.5″ sized screen coming soon this year. The GA2201 has a 1080p resolution, 100Hz refresh rate and VA technology panel. That should be available at only $69 USD.

All entry level gaming screens summary

GA271

* 27″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio VA technology panel
* 2560 x 1440 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR
* 4000:1 contrast ratio and standard colour gamut covering 95% DCI-P3

> Available in some regions on Amazon
> Product page

GA2711 (production due Q1 2024)

* 27″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio IPS technology panel
* 2560 x 1440 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR
GA2701

* 27″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio IPS technology panel
* 1920 x 1080 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR
* Standard colour gamut only, 95% sRGB coverage

> Check pricing and availability on Amazon
> Product page
GA2702S (planning phase only)

* 27″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio IPS technology panel
* 1920 x 1080 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR
* A.R.T. coating
GA241

* 23.8″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio VA technology panel
* 1920 x 1080 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR
* 4000:1 contrast ratio and standard colour gamut covering 95% DCI-P3

> Check pricing and availability on Amazon
> Product page
GA2501 (production due Q1 2024)

* 24.5″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio IPS technology panel
* 1920 x 1080 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR

> Product page
GA2402S (planning phase only)

* 24″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio IPS technology panel
* 1920 x 1080 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR
* A.R.T. coating
GA2201 (production due Q1 2024)

* 21.5″ in size with a 16:9 aspect ratio VA technology panel
* 1920 x 1080 resolution
* 100Hz refresh rate supported by adaptive-sync for VRR

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