Lenovo Legion R27qe review: a monitor with incredible colour space for its budget price
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At Creative Bloq, we love a 27-inch monitor. I think there’s something strangely satisfying about the form factor. They provide the perfect amount of screen real estate without dominating a desk, and if you do happen to have more space then putting two side-by-side looks equally nice. All of that doesn’t even mention productivity wins.
I’ve reviewed a number of 27-inch monitors in the past year including the Acer ASV27-2P and the AGON Pro AG276FK. As a 3D monitor, the former is a bit of an (expensive) enigma while the latter is more comparable to the Legion R27qe that you’re now reading a review of.
What sets the Legion apart from most of its competitors is its ability to deliver excellent picture quality for an unbelievably affordable price. At the same time, it provides a capable 180Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms MPRT response time. Read on to see if there’s anything we don’t like about Lenovo’s latest 27-inch monitor and whether it will command a space among the best monitors for graphic artists or for video editing.
(Image credit: Future)
Lenovo Legion R27qe: Key specifications
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Screen:
27-inch 2560x1440px
Inputs:
HDMI 2.1 x2, DisplayPort 1.4 x1, Audio Out
Speakers:
No
Adjustments:
Height adjustment 120 mm, Swivel -/+ 30 degree, Tilt-5/220 degree
Dimensions:
613.2 x 258.8 x 505.0 mm
Weight:
6.14 kg
Design and build
(Image credit: Future)
Solid build with an attractive design
Slightly tedious stand construction
The Legion R27qe is a simply designed monitor that nails all the basics. It begins with the 2560x1440px resolution IPS panel that is housed by a super slim edging on three sides. It looks fantastic and nothing like what I had expected for the price. To the rear, there are a set of ports including two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort. This will have most gamers and creatives covered but will be found lacking if you want to have multiple devices connected at once. There also aren’t any docking capabilities, which is no surprise given the gaming credentials.
The display panel is supported by a stand with a modern design. With most monitor manufacturers opting for solid stand designs, Lenovo has gone for something completely different. I like it. The only thing I wasn’t overly impressed with was that attaching the stand to the display required the installation of four bolts. It was hardly a chore but when most displays click simply into place it was a shame that it wasn’t equally simple with the Lenovo.
Design and build score: 4/5
Features
(Image credit: Future)
Fast refresh rate and response times
2560 x 1440px resolution
Super-smooth gaming (and game development) is made possible thanks to the 180Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms MPRT response times. You won’t have any problems with stuttering and motion blur thanks to AMD FreeSync and Adaptive Sync technologies.
The HDR400-certified Legion R27qe with 2560 x 1440 resolution is everything most gamers and creatives will need. Obviously, if you’re working with 4K or 8K video footage then you’ll want something with a higher resolution. If you’re happy with the resolution then you’ll enjoy vibrant visuals with over 1.07 billion colours and a colour area ratio of 120% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3.
Features score: 4/5
Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Wide colour space with vibrant colours
No bleed and great viewing angles
A quick heads up. This is going to be a whole lot of positives with very few negatives thrown in. I appreciate there are higher performing monitors around but at this price it’s quite incredible what Lenovo has managed to deliver.
One of the standouts is the wide colour space. The advertised numbers for the colour gamut are 99% sRGB and 90% DCI-P3, whereas the colour area ratio is 120% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3. These are impressive numbers which are backed up in reality. The extreme ends of black and white colours are handled masterfully, with a wonderful level of vibrancy throughout. If I was being picky, then I would say reds and greens were a little oversaturated, but that doesn’t take away from how good the overall image is.
I didn’t experience any bleeding on the image and image quality was maintained even at tighter viewing angles. This is a monitor that will serve gamers and creatives alike. While working on photos and word documents I was amazed at the level of clarity and would have no qualms making it my workhouse monitor for creative projects.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Price
The Lenovo Legion R27qe attracts a price of £179, which, given the specs, is quite remarkable. The AGON Pro AG276FK delivers a lower resolution and yet costs £499.99 / $530. Yes, that one has a ridiculous 520Hz refresh rate, but most casual gamers will be more than happy with the 180Hz that the Legion provides. A product that sits in the middle would be the Philips Evnia 34M2C5501A, which retails at £299.99.
(Image credit: Future)
Scorecard
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Design and build
A modern looking design that really looks the part
4/5
Features
A commendable resolution and fast refresh rate
4/5
Performance
Wide colour gamut and vibrant images
4.5/5
Who’s it for?
A monitor dedicated to gamers but will suit many creatives
Lenovo has unashamedly pitched the Legion R27qe as a gaming monitor but I think pigeonholing it does the monitor a grave disservice. It does have a good refresh rate and response time but more importantly, it has a fantastic resolution and wide colour space. On top of that, picture clarity to die for makes this an absolute winner for all types of creatives. If I was in the market for a new 27-inch monitor then I’d be buying this one.
Buy it if
You need a 27-inch monitor that punches above its weight
