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HP X27i Review: Is 1440p Worth It Over 1080p?

2021 · From the Tech with Asher channel · Watch below or read on

Is 1440p actually worth it over the 1080p screen you already own? Instead of guessing, I bought HP's X27i, a 27 inch 2K panel at 144Hz, set it directly beside my older 1080p HP (a 27yh), and ran the same content on both at the same time. The answer turned out to be visible from the first minute.

Buying note: open-box is your friend

Mine came from Amazon as a refurbished open-box unit, and it arrived essentially new, protective peel still on the logo. For a device with no moving parts, that discount is one of the easiest savings in tech.

Out of the box

The build is sturdier and a touch thicker than a basic 1080p panel, likely owed to the 144Hz electronics. Connections are DisplayPort, HDMI, and audio out. The finish threads a nice needle between matte and glossy, no mirror reflections, and the small round base screws on in a minute and lets the screen swivel. Mine skipped the stand entirely for a VESA 100 arm, which it accepts cleanly, and the front carries a slim bezel with a green accent line and four control buttons.

The side-by-side truth

With both panels locked to 60Hz for fairness, the 1440p side is simply crisper on everything: icons, text edges, and above all video, where light reflecting off a car in a test clip renders with a fineness the 1080p cannot reproduce. I am a content creator more than a gamer, and for editing work the added resolution is the entire point. My honest prediction from the video holds: once you get used to 1440p, you will not go back.

Two caveats, honestly

• 1080p content upscaled to this panel loses a little sharpness, real but small; in normal viewing I barely register it.
• In a dark room, at certain angles, a faint glow rises from one lower corner. Shift your seat and it is gone; in daylight it does not exist.

The verdict

With 4K panels still priced for enthusiasts, 1440p at 144Hz is the value sweet spot for creators and gamers alike, and this HP executes it without drama. Recommended, especially open-box.