The Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q is an exceptionally capable gaming monitor and one of the most affordable entries into the world of "real" HDR gaming. Unlike most other gaming monitors that carry a VESA DisplayHDR certificate, the Tempest GP27Q is not only capable of detecting an HDR signal on its input but actually meets the hardware requirements needed to display it properly. It has a Mini-LED FALD backlight system with 576 individually addressable zones, peak brightness over 1,200 cd/m² in HDR mode, and a wide color gamut. This results in punchy colors, deep blacks, and very little noticeable blooming, even in more demanding scenes, such as those containing bright objects moving across a dark background.

The undeniable HDR gaming prowess is only slightly diminished by all the usual everyday struggles of using HDR mode in Windows, and some firmware bugs that I described on the previous pages of this review, that are likely to get fixed. So far, Cooler Master has been eager to fix and improve both the Tempest GP27Q, and its 4K sibling, the Tempest GP27U; through firmware updates, both monitors are already significantly better than they were at launch, when it wasn't possible, for example, to use HDR and VRR together. This is no longer the case – since the December update, you can enjoy both the impactful picture quality of HDR and the buttery smoothness of the gameplay that comes with adaptive synchronization between the framerate and refresh rate.

The gaming capabilities of the Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q span far beyond its HDR performance. The monitor also has an impressively low input lag and excellent motion handling, thanks to several usable overdrive modes. Playing your favorite game on a 165 Hz Mini-LED-backlit panel is quite a treat.

Cooler Master didn't make the mistake of betting solely on the monitor's gaming performance, though. They also gave it outstanding ergonomics, high build quality (both base and stand are made of metal), and several features that will greatly improve your everyday life with the Tempest GP27Q and even make it an interesting choice for office environments. I'm referring to the built-in KVM switch, which greatly improves the experience of having two separate systems hooked up to the monitor, and the USB-C video and data port with 90 W Power Delivery.

The Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q has an MSRP of $499 in the United States and €679 in Europe. While it isn't the single cheapest Mini-LED gaming monitor on either market, it definitely jumps ahead after its impressive list of features is added to the equation. For gamers after a proper HDR gaming monitor, this one will be impossible to avoid.