Lately in China, SDC (Super Display Co) unveiled a 1080p, 500 Hz gaming monitor, which has garnered favorable reviews since its release at 2499 RMB (approximately $345). Furthermore, SDC introduced the SDC 27X1U, a 27-inch 4K 165Hz monitor with various standout features in its price range of $400-500, such as DisplayPort 2.0 support.
Gaming monitors with DP 2.0 support have been scarce in the market. Those that have been announced are either unavailable or priced beyond reach for many gamers. Despite being formally released by VESA in June 2019, the adoption of DP 2.0 has been slow. Nearly four years later, DP 2.0 monitors remain exceedingly rare, despite updates to the 2.1 specifications.
Progress is finally being made in this area with the more affordable SDC 27X1U monitor, which has already undergone some reviews. It boasts a flat 27-inch 4K Nano-IPS panel from LG (LM270WR8), similar to those used in LG’s latest gaming monitors. The SDC monitor supports 10-bit colors and HDR600, with a measured peak brightness of around 680 nits in HDR mode. It also offers Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), compatible with VESA VRR, AMD FreeSync, and NVIDIA G-Sync, with VRR functionality extending to PlayStation 5 (ranging from 48 to 120Hz).
In terms of DisplayPort 2.0 support, it’s crucial to highlight which GPUs currently adhere to this standard. At present, only Intel Arc and Radeon RX 7000 cards offer support for DP 2.0/2.1. However, it’s worth noting that only the Radeon RX 7000 supports the UHBR13.5 transmission rate, while Radeon PRO 7000 models exclusively support UHBR20 mode. Intel Arc GPUs support UHBR10 mode, which, as noted in these reviews, may not fully accommodate this monitor’s requirements. The same limitation applies to NVIDIA RTX 40 series GPUs, which lack DP 2.0 support altogether.
The UHBR13.5 mode, found in RDNA3 desktop GPUs, facilitates a 4K 165Hz experience without requiring Display Stream Compression (DSC). GeForce RTX 40 users must utilize DSC for the full experience, while Arc users can cap the refresh rate at 120 Hz without needing DSC. It’s worth noting that the 165Hz specifications are achieved through overclocked settings, as the panel itself defaults to 144Hz.
The monitor boasts a customized SDC X1 main board, which also enables HDMI 2.1 support at 48 Gbps. For DisplayPort connectivity, the company recommends utilizing DP 2.1 cables for optimal performance. Interestingly, all accessories, including the power supply, come in white. Moreover, the monitor supports KVM functionality and USB Type-C charging up to 96W.
In terms of pricing, the monitor begins at 2999 RMB (~$415), with the stand sold separately. Two stand options are offered: a more affordable option that connects via the VESA mount, priced at 199 RMB, and a premium version crafted from CNC aluminum, priced at 999 RMB. Both stands offer pivot and height adjustment capabilities.
Images Source: Little Snowman