AORUS CV27Q Curved HDR 165Hz Gaming Monitor Review

How Much Does It Cost?

The AORUS CV27Q 165Hz HDR Gaming Monitor is available now. For up to date pricing, please check the official product page here. They’re brand new to the UK market though, so keep an eye on the stock from all the usual major retailers for the hottest deals. As for the “older” HD model, that’s just dropped in price to just £332.03.

Overview

AORUS has a strong reputation for enthusiast gaming hardware, and their new CV27Q gaming monitor is a prime example of that. It’s ticking all the right boxes for the modern enthusiast PC gamer. Ultra-fast refresh rates and response times are sure to please every gamer. Not only does it provide fantastic clarity while gaming, but also exceptional smoothness. I’m sure eSports gamers will jump on board for this too.

Colour and Beyond

From SDR to HDR, the colour reproduction is pretty fantastic on the CV27Q. Out of the box, it was pretty good for a stock calibration, a little strong on the blue, but that’s not uncommon. However, setting the monitors white balance to Warm and running a simple Windows Colour Calibration is honestly all it would take to get even better results. Our calibration tool showed the monitor is right on the money for what AORUS promised. However, I think the curve made our uniformity tests look worse than they actually are; the colour camera can’t sit flush on the panel.

Curved

I’m not swung for curved displays usually. However, at 27-inch, the curve feels very subtle here. However, the effect it has on your FOV while gaming is pretty profound. The bezels are quite small on the monitor too, so you feel really involved in the image as a whole.

The good range of adjustment from the stand, as well as the VESA options, make it exceptionally versatile too. Plus, with their OSD offering an alignment option, you can ensure multi-monitors setups are perfectly matched up.

Ultimate Software

The OSD is properly fantastic, easily the best on the market right now. It’s easy to navigate and offers extensive gamer-friendly options. From on-screen FPS, system performance statistics and more. Plus, since they’re rendered on the monitor, they don’t trigger in-game anti-cheat systems! That goes for the handy custom on-screen cross-hair options.

Should I Buy One?

1440p is a superb resolution for gamers these days. However, the addition of low response times, fast refresh rates, and HDR really pushes that to the next level. While it will support FreeSync 2, Nvidia gamers can still use VRR on this monitor too as it’s G-Sync compatible, which is a huge win-win. Add to that, a USB charging feature, ANC amplifier, and OSD Sidekick! I’m struggling to think of a better monitor right now, it has every feature you could desire and then some. Highly recommended!