Monitors are finally getting a little more attention. Apple and Samsung have started building more appealing monitors for the average person, and gaming monitors are getting…crazier. Now, HyperX is building monitors too — in the form of the new HyperX Armada 24, and the HyperX Armada 27.

Of course, it’s not totally surprising that HyperX would build a monitor, and ultimately, HyperX is a different company than it was a few years ago. HyperX was acquired by HP last year, and while it still largely operates separately, it’s hard to believe that the new monitor wasn’t at least a little HP-inspired.

But just because HP makes solid displays, that doesn’t mean that HyperX’s new monitors are actually good. Is the HyperX Armada 27 worth buying? I’ve been testing it to find out.

HyperX Armada 27

The HyperX Armada 27 is one of HyperX’s first displays ever — but can it compete with established high-end options.

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Pros

Solid design
Comes with desk mount
Good image quality
Relatively inexpensive

Cons

Not the most vibrant colors

Amazon

$499.99

HyperX Armada 27 monitor design

The HyperX Armada 27 is designed like…a typical monitor. But there are some aspects of it that can really come in handy.

Let’s start with the basics. The monitor offers a 27-inch display with a relatively slim bezel at the top and on the sides. The bottom bezel is a little thicker and comes with a few stickers highlighting some of the monitor’s features — though you can remove those as you see fit.

The monitor actually comes with a desk mount and arm, and it works very well. It’s easy to set up, though you’ll have to properly attach it to your desk. The mount is highly adjustable, making it easy to set the monitor up to the position that you want it to be in. It also attaches to the back of the monitor very easily, thanks to a quick-release latch system.

The monitor is relatively slim, but due to the fact that the power source is built into the back of it, it’s a little thicker than some of the competition. It was still easily thin enough for my needs, and most will be perfectly happy with the thickness of the monitor in general.

There are a few features missing though. Many modern monitors act kind of like a USB-C dock, but you won’t be able to charge or connect devices to this monitor. In fact, it can’t connect through USB-C or Thunderbolt at all, instead being limited to HDMI and DisplayPort.

Overall, I quite like the design of the Armada 27, both when it comes to looks, and functionality. You will have to be happy with mounting it to your desk rather than just using it with a basic stand, but I find that monitors look better like that anyway.

HyperX Armada 27 monitor display

Of course, more important than design is the display quality — and thankfully, this display looks pretty good.

First, the tech specs. The monitor has a 27-inch display with a 1,440p resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. It also has 1ms response time making it an excellent option for those who want to ensure that there’s as little lag as possible.

Having been using a 60Hz display for a while now, I loved the high refresh rate on offer by the Armada 27. This isn’t new technology — to be sure. But I immediately noticed a difference, and I think most others will too. It just feels smoother and more responsive. Again, many high-end monitors offer this these days, but I do hope that it continues to bleed down to cheaper monitors over time.

Generally, I found the display to look pretty good. You’ll get DisplayHDR 400 tech under the hood here, and while colors were relatively vibrant they didn’t quite punch as much as they do on some other options.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

You’ll get five different levels of response time on this monitor, which means that you can customize the response to your needs, and balance response time with inverse ghosting, which you will get a little of at the highest response times. And, you’ll get a number of color profiles that you can choose between. And, you’ll get support for both Nvidia’s G-Sync, and AMD FreeSync.

Conclusions

The HyperX Armada 27 is a great first monitor for HyperX, even if it’s mostly borrowed tech from HP. It’s a big enough size, supports all the tech you would want for a gaming monitor in this price range, and looks great. It won’t beat out the more expensive competition, but if you want a solid monitor for gaming at $500 or less, this may be the way to go.

The competition

Most of the competition under $500 comes with a compromise of some kind. Rtings’ best gaming monitor under $500 is currently the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx, but it has a 1,080p resolution and a smaller size. Alternatively, it’s worth considering the Gigabyte M27Q, which does have better port support, similar tech specs, and a lower price.