Bezel has unleashed the 5th generation of their popular gaming monitor lineup, the MD845 V5 gaming monitor. Looking back in 2021, we also had the privilege to do a hands-on review of its predecessor, the 4th generation MD845 V4 and you can read that here.
For this article, we will be taking a closer look at the 5th version of the 27-inch variant of MD845 monitor series.
Bezel has truly innovated and made some major changes to its MD845 gaming monitors in comparison to its previous versions. Furthermore, it is designed to provide a fast refresh rate with picture quality that’s above average and all of that while keeping the prices reasonable and affordable. With that in mind, let’s go ahead and look into the MD845 V5.
Bezel 27MD845 V5
The Bezel 27MD845 V5 is the 5th version/generation of the brand’s MD845 series of monitors. It features a 27-inch 10-bit a-Si TFT panel display, a refresh rate of up to 170Hz, a native resolution of 1440p, a peak brightness of 350 nits, HDR400, 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, 1 DisplayPort 1.4, and a single 3.5mm audio port.
Specification
- Model: 27MD845 V5
- Size: 27 inches
- Panel: A-Si TFT
- Refresh Rate: 165Hz (170Hz OC)
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440p (2K)
- Response Time: 3ms
- Brightness: 350cd/m^2
- Bit Range: 10 bits
- Color Gamut: SRGB: X > 100%
- Ratio: 16:9
- Viewing Angle: 178°
- Low Blue Light
- HDR400
- 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DP 1.4, 1 x 3.5mm audio port
- Adaptive Sync for both G-Sync and Freesync
Where to buy
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Unboxing – Bezel 27MD845 V5 Gaming Monitor
Bezel has been quite consistent with its packaging. For the 27MD845 V5, we still find the usual carton box covered with some kind of manila paper. Along with it is the branding label. Other than that, there’s not much else to show.
Inside the packaging box, you’ll find the accessory compartments containing the stand, power brick, HDMI cables, and the user manual. The monitor itself is inside and is sandwiched by these styrofoams. The styrofoams also function as a shock absorber protecting the monitor from drops during shipping and travel. Additionally, the monitor itself is covered with plastic which also acts as another layer of protection. Preventing trivial scratches while inside the packaging.
In terms of accessories, the packaging includes a power brick plug, a UGREEN DisplayPort cable, and an OEM HDMI cable. We’re just not certain about the version of the HDMI cable as there is no label to reference it with.
Closer Look – Bezel 27MD845 V5 Gaming Monitor
The monitor is quite easy to assemble. The V feet require one screw to attach while the neck doesn’t require any tool to attach to the monitor which is very convenient. Furthermore, the design of the front side hasn’t changed much compared to its predecessors.
The backside, however, has been rehauled in comparison. It now boasts a hexagonal modern design with some cryptic etches for accent along with the single line of RGB effect on each side.
The LED lights on the backside are RGB spect but it lacks any form of controls other than turning it ON and OFF. Additionally, it’s not that bright enough to make any light effects to any room. It’s definitely there for aesthetics but at the very least Bezel could have made them brighter. An improvement to consider as we have already seen this issue with the older generation. Though on the other hand, it’s just an added feature and not really the reason that contributes to the decision of purchasing this monitor. All goes down to personal preference.
Checking out the product label found on the backside, this monitor is actually intended or designed to run at 144hz but that is only according to the label. Other than that, the label contains a branding name, distributor name, serial number, a warning with a couple of typo errors, and certifications.
Just slightly above the label, you will find the tooless attachment point for the monitor. Furthermore, screws on this section indicate that it supports VESA mounting of 100mm by 100mm.
Below the label comes the I/O port. The 27MD845 V5 features 2 DisplayPort, 2 HDMI ports, and a single 3.5mm audio port. Surprisingly, it seems they decided to remove the USB port that the older version of this monitor had. Sure, having the USB port gives an extra functionality for this monitor however, such functionality is rarely used in our opinion and our assumption dictates that people who buy this kind of monitor will dedicately use it for PC/Gaming purposes and not for media use.
Lastly, we have the built-in internal menu controls located at the lower left side of the monitor. Each button functions as the power button, select button, deselect button, next, and the previous button.
Performance – Bezel 27MD845 V5 Gaming Monitor
In this section, we will perform a couple of tests to measure the performance of the monitor. Unfortunately, yours truly doesn’t have any color measuring tool such as Datacolor SpyderX PRO Colorimeter to accurately measure the color accuracy reproduction in terms of sRGB and AdobeRGB color space. Do note that our test includes out-of-the-box and after 3 weeks usage.
Out of the Box Dead Pixel Test
One of the first issues that every consumer tends to worry about is dead pixels. Out of the box, the Bezel 27Md845 V5 did not have any dead pixels and after 3 weeks, no dead pixels as well. To find out dead pixels, single-color wallpaper was used to display all throughout the screen. Doing so also allows us to find any stuck pixels which can also be considered as a dead pixel.
Banding/Clouding/Gradient/IPS Glow
Our second test basically consists of contrast performance. We simply set a single tone gray color to measure and pinpoint if there is any banding. clouding, or any issues with gradient leveling at all.
All throughout the screen, the Bezel 27Md845 V5 performed quite well. There were no inconsistencies when it comes to uniformity which can be assumed that there will be no issues with clouding or banding as well.
The gradient transitioning from 0 to 255 of black to white showed a smooth transition. We did not have any form of banding or clouding issues at all.
On the other hand, there were some difficulties differentiating color levels between steps 30 to 32 in out-of-the-box settings. A little color configuration can fix this problem.
For the full-color range test on black and white, quite difficult to tell the difference between steps 1 to 7 for the black. On the other hand, white had no issues with it. At default out of the box settings, you can easily see the difference of white level between steps 250 to 254. 255 being the whitest of white.
Sharpness/Gamma/Brightness
Sharpness is best measured with text displayed on the screen all throughout that’s in contrast to the background. Doing so lets us measure the sharpness performance of the monitor through moving text. If the display flickers, that means the monitor has some issues with sharpness performance. Fortunately, this monitor did out despite the usage of 3 weeks or so.
Next is the gamma, this monitor had no issues with it whatsoever. It has a built-in gamma correction which is excellent and options between 1.8, 2.2, and 2.6. The rule of thumb is simply if you’re in a dark room, the ideal setting would be between 2.4 and 2.2 for a brighter room. However, it can be a lot more complicated than that. We do however find that 2.2 gamma at 80% built-in option brightness hits the spot in our preference.
Next is the brightness test. We cranked up the brightness settings of the monitor to measure its peak performance. Using our luminance measuring tool, the monitor can achieve a peak brightness of 517cd/m^2 which is exceedingly high in comparison to what is written on the papers. With the test result, the 27MD845 V5 should have been an HDR600 instead of HDR400.
Viewing Angle
Despite the use of A-Si TFT panel, no degradation of hue and color was found when viewed at extreme angles. Contrast is not affected as well.
Refresh Rate/Input Lag
Bezel 27MD845 V5 features a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, along with it is a built-in overclock switch that you can easily enable. The overclock feature simply adds an extra 5Hz which maxes out to 170Hz. Although, it’s best to keep in mind that the higher the refresh rate the lower the depth of the color per pixel will be. Furthermore, to utilize this feature, you must use either a DisplayPort cable or an HDMI 2.1 cable which is a certified ULTRA High-Speed HDMI cable.
Picture Quality/Backlight Bleeding
The Bezel 27MD845 V5 uses an A-Si TFT display panel which, in a way, reduces any possible issues of backlight bleeding. Unlike IPS that’s prone to IPS bleed, A-Si TFT is more prone to contrast issues than any form of backlight bleed. Although it doesn’t mean that it has no potential issues with it.
Out of the box, there is no backlight bleeding issues. Fortunately, after 3 weeks of usage, there’s no backlight bleeding induced.
Backlight bleed is characterized by light leaking around the edges or corners of a display. This is due to the way these displays work; they use a light behind the panel that faces the display. Backlight bleeding is simply some of the backlight leaking through.
For picture quality, the color reproduction is superb but far from perfect. Despite the claims of an IPS-like panel, you can definitely see its discrepancies in comparison to a real IPS panel. If you’re upgrading from a TN or TFT monitor, you won’t be able to tell the difference and picture quality is definitely better but if you’re coming from an IPS display, you’ll be able to tell the difference at first glance.
Surprisingly, the black level is deep which is excellent but you need to crank up the brightness a little from default level to utilize much deeper levels of black. Unfortunately, doing so sacrifices the level of white since at default white level is already excellent. Overall, the picture quality is above average but if you desire to enjoy a balance between a fast refresh rate and excellent picture quality performance, you may have to settle for a 144Hz refresh rate. Anything more than that results in degradation of picture quality.
Overclocking
Lastly, overclocking. As we already mentioned above, the monitor comes with a built-in option to enable overclocking that easily cranks up the refresh rate from 165Hz to 170Hz. Of course, if you desire to squeeze a few more Hz, manually overclocking it gave us a stable overclock of up to 173Hz. Anything more than that causes picture tearing.
As can be seen on the image above, no frame skipping issues at 173Hz. However, at 174Hz, the screen starts to cause tearing.
Built-in Options Menu
The 27MD845 V5 comes with an upgraded internal menu system that allows you to have 3 gaming profile settings other than those that are already included as a preset. Furthermore, you will also find an overclocking menu that simply enables the refresh rate to hit up to 170Hz.
Final Thoughts…
Gaming monitors right now are becoming more affordable as technology progresses and years pass by. The Bezel 27MD845 V5 is the materialization of such a trend. It is also the brand’s answer to the ever-increasing demand for higher refresh rates, larger screen resolution, and affordable gaming-grade computer monitors. Feature-wise, it is definitely packed but we find most of it as a marketing gimmick. Nonetheless, the Bezel 27MD845 V5 has surely positioned itself in the competitive market. By far, it is the cheapest 1440p with a 170Hz refresh rate monitor on the market. Models that came from popular brands with similar features have a pricing range of ₱16,000 and up. Considering that, this monitor surely is a bargain. Though we have to keep in mind that despite the pros and advantages the monitor offers, it still comes with its own caveats.
For one, the casing is of plastic and the included center stand doesn’t prevent the monitor from wobbling or at least lessens it. A simple movement of your arm while moving your mouse is enough to cause a minor wobble. The LED lights included at the back adds to its overall aesthetics but it isn’t bright enough to affect a lightly lit room which has been an issue since the V4 version of the monitor. The built-in menu is definitely better and smoother to use compared to the V4 one and the added extra profile for gaming is definitely a plus. However, if the monitor is already capable of hitting 170Hz at the get-go, it just doesn’t make any sense for us to make it an option under the pretense of overclocking feature. Sure, it sounds great on the paper but for us, it’s better to give it as a standard feature instead of an option. With this in mind, the fact still remains that there’s almost no difference at all or it’s quite difficult to tell the improvements between a monitor running at 165Hz to a monitor at 170Hz. Lastly, the removal of the USB port that we have seen in the previous versions of the monitor is more of an upgrade for us since they replaced it with an additional DisplayPort connection. Although, some might have preferred the USB port.
On the brighter side, Bezel 27MD845 V5 as a gaming monitor is definitely a bargain itself. You won’t easily find a monitor at this price range with the given features. We didn’t like the use of a-Si TFT panel over the IPS one since it’s the industry’s attempt to replicate the picture quality of IPS into a more affordable display panel. If you’re upgrading from a monitor that uses TN or TFT panel, then this is definitely an upgrade with a better picture quality overall but if you’re coming from an IPS monitor, picture quality and color reproduction accuracy may be an issue. Nonetheless, the color reproduction is great, the picture quality is great, the black level is excellent, the white level is outstanding, the gradient performance is within expectation, and no issues whatsoever. We do also appreciate the inclusion of a UGREEN branded DisplayPort cable which is an added value of about ₱500 or os.
Overall, we highly recommend the Bezel 27MD845 V5 if you’re looking for a gaming monitor with a high refresh rate, overclocking capability, modern aesthetics with LED effects, multiple display inputs, excellent cable management, above-average picture quality, and more. All of that for as low as ₱13,499.
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compared to v4, which do you think is better?