Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Cooler Master’s new quantum dot mini-LED gaming monitors look incredible

The Taiwanese computer hardware brand Cooler Master has announced its latest Tempest series gaming monitors, which feature mini-LED HDR displays at affordable prices.

The two monitors will both sell for under $1,000 when they go on sale later this year, with the Tempest GP27U standing as the option with the more detailed display. It is a 27-inch 4K (UHD) resolution panel with a 160Hz refresh rate, and a 0.5ms response time. The Tempest GP27Q has a display that can put in more active performance, with a 27-inch 2K (WQHD) resolution panel, 165Hz refresh rate, and 0.5 ms response time.

Cooler Master 27-inch Tempest gaming monitors stand next to each other.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As said, both monitors feature mini-LED displays that also support Quantum Dot technology and up to 1200 nits of peak brightness in HDR mode. They include 576 local dimming zones to ensure ideal brightness, darkness, and contrast where needed. Both monitors have a wide-color gamut that spans up to 99% of Adobe RGB and 98% of the DCI-P3 color spectrum.

Recommended Videos

The Tempest GP27U will be available in October with a price of $700, while the Tempest GP27Q will be available in November and has a price of $1,000.

This Cooler Master launch follows the announcement of the brand’s GP27-FQS gaming monitor model in February. Much like both the Tempest GP27U and Tempest GP27Q, the GP27-FQS is a 27-inch display. It features a quantum dot mini-LED QHD IPS panel with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz. While its price might have been higher during its original launch period, the GP27-FQS currently sells for $350.

Other monitors released this year that feature quantum dot technology, which aids in improving color accuracy, include the MSI MPG Artymis 273CQR-QD and MPG Artymis 273CQRX-QD monitors. They are also 27-inch displays, both VA panels with WQHD 1440p resolutions, 1ms MPRT, and 1000R curvature. The former, however, has a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, while the latter has a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz.

Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh is a Computing Writer at Digital Trends. She covers a range of topics in the computing space, including…
Samsung’s new Smart Monitor M9 finally takes OLED beyond gaming
A rendering of the Samsung Monitor M9 on a white background.

Ahead of CES 2025, Samsung has announced its first OLED monitor not explicitly targeted at PC gamers. The Smart Monitor M90SF has an OLED -- a first for these devices -- bringing the love from the Odyssey gaming line more toward the mainstream demographic. It's a big deal for those hoping to engage in HDR content, both in terms of creating it and consuming it.

It makes sense, too, as the Smart Monitor M9 is built to be an entertainment hub. Like previous models, such as the Smart Monitor M80B, the M9 doesn't require being connected to a PC to run content on it -- like a little television right on your desk. It has Samsung TV Plus, Samsung Game Hub, and pretty much every streaming app you could want -- along with a remote for convenient controls.

Read more
OLED gaming monitors are about to get a lot brighter
Path of Exile 2 running on an Asus gaming monitor.

One of the biggest criticisms leveled against OLED monitors, despite being some of the best gaming monitors you can buy, is how dim they are. Although brightness is steadily increasing, it looks like the next crop of OLED gaming monitors will make quite the leap when it comes to HDR performance. Ahead of CES 2025, VESA has revealed a new tier of its DisplayHDR standard that's focused squarely on the brightness of OLED monitors.

The certification is DisplayHDR True Black 1,000. Most OLED gaming monitors, such as the MSI MPG 321URX or Alienware 27 QD-OLED, are certified with DisplayHDR True Black 400. This certification level is reserved for OLED -- or extremely high-end mini-LED -- displays that achieve nearly perfect black levels. According to VESA's specifications, the display has to reach 0.0005 nits with a checkboard pattern. Now, VESA is focusing on the other end of the spectrum, adding a more demanding tier that maintains those low black levels while pushing brightness higher.

Read more
LG unveils a monster 5K ‘bendable’ OLED gaming monitor
An UltraGear curved monitor on a desk in front of a window.

Ahead of CES 2025, LG has announced new extra-large additions to its line of UltraGear GX9 OLED gaming monitors: one being a massive, 45-inch display with a bendable panel, and the other, a 39-inch "smart" gaming monitor with webOS built-in.

Let's start with the big boy, though, because it has an impressive "world's first" designation behind it. It's the first 5K OLED monitor on the market, featuring a resolution of 5120 x 2160 -- also known as 5K2K. Not only is it the first OLED monitor in general to have a 5K resolution but it's also the first gaming monitor to launch with this higher resolution, normally reserved for high-end creator monitors like the Apple Studio Display.

Read more