HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor Review: The Ultimate Budget Display for Work and Play?

For years, I was stuck in a rut. My home office setup was functional, but uninspired. The culprit? A dated, 24-inch monitor with washed-out colours and a refresh rate that felt sluggish even when just dragging windows across the screen. Every day, I’d spend hours staring at spreadsheets where the text wasn’t quite crisp, and photos I edited on the side never looked the same on my phone. When I tried to unwind with a casual game, the screen tearing and motion blur were a constant source of frustration. It was a classic case of “good enough,” but “good enough” slowly grinds you down, impacting everything from productivity to simple enjoyment. The search for a replacement was daunting; the market is flooded with options, from ultra-expensive gaming behemoths to cheap, featureless panels. I needed something that hit the sweet spot: a larger screen, vibrant colours, smoother performance, and a modern design that wouldn’t break the bank. This search for the perfect, affordable all-rounder is what led me to seriously evaluate what the market has to offer.

What to Consider Before Buying a Monitor

A monitor is more than just a screen; it’s the primary window to your digital world, a key solution for productivity, creativity, and entertainment. A quality display can reduce eye strain, improve the accuracy of creative work, provide a competitive edge in gaming, and make movie-watching a more immersive experience. The main benefits are tangible: enhanced clarity, smoother motion, and more accurate colour representation, all of which contribute to a more comfortable and efficient user experience. Choosing the right monitor means investing in your own comfort and the quality of your work and leisure time.

The ideal customer for a monitor like the one we’re reviewing today is someone who uses their computer for a wide variety of tasks. This includes students, home office workers, content creators, and casual gamers who need a versatile display that excels at many things rather than being a specialist in one. They value a blend of performance, aesthetics, and price. On the other hand, this type of monitor might not be suitable for professional competitive gamers who require the absolute fastest refresh rates (240Hz+) and response times, or for high-end video editors and graphic designers who may need a 4K resolution and wider colour gamuts like Adobe RGB or DCI-P3. For those users, more specialized, and typically more expensive, alternatives are a better fit.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Measure your desk space carefully. A 27-inch monitor provides a fantastic amount of screen real estate, but it can easily overwhelm a small desk. Consider the stand’s footprint and whether you might want to use a VESA mount to save space. Also, think about resolution in relation to size; Full HD (1920×1080) on a 27-inch screen is great for many, but if you sit very close, you might notice individual pixels.
• Capacity/Performance: This covers the core technical specifications. The refresh rate (measured in Hz) determines how smoothly motion appears; 100 Hz is a significant upgrade over the standard 60 Hz for both gaming and general use. Response time (in ms) affects motion blur, and the panel type (IPS, VA, TN) dictates colour accuracy and viewing angles. An IPS panel, like the one in this HP monitor, is generally preferred for its superior colour and viewing angles.
• Materials & Durability: Most monitors are made of plastic, but the quality can vary. Look for a sturdy stand that minimises wobble and a finish that resists fingerprints. The build quality often reflects the overall longevity of the product, ensuring it remains a stable part of your setup for years to come.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Consider the on-screen display (OSD) controls. Are they intuitive joystick controls or fiddly buttons? Also, look at connectivity. How many HDMI or DisplayPort inputs do you need for your devices? For maintenance, an anti-glare screen is easier to clean and reduces distracting reflections.

Keeping these factors in mind, the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor stands out in several areas, particularly for its blend of performance and design at an accessible price point. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing and First Impressions: A Breath of Fresh Air

Pulling the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor from its sustainably sourced packaging, the first thing we noticed was its striking, clean aesthetic. The crisp white finish is a welcome departure from the sea of black and grey monitors that dominate the market. It feels modern, light, and perfectly suited for a bright, contemporary workspace or minimalist gaming setup. Assembly was a breeze; the stand clicks into the base without any tools, and the arm then snaps securely into the back of the monitor. The entire process took less than two minutes.

Once on the desk, its physical presence is impressive. The 3-sided borderless design is genuinely effective, with incredibly thin bezels on the top and sides that make the screen feel even more expansive. This design is not just for looks; it makes for a nearly seamless experience in a dual-monitor setup. The monitor itself is remarkably thin and lightweight at just 3.2 kg, making it easy to handle and position. The stand offers a decent range of tilt adjustment, though it lacks height or swivel capabilities. Firing it up for the first time, the screen came to life with bright, punchy colours, confirming HP’s claims of high sRGB coverage right out of the box. Initial impressions are of a thoughtfully designed, aesthetically pleasing monitor that feels more premium than its price tag suggests.

Deep Dive: Performance, Pixels, and Productivity

A monitor’s true worth is revealed not in a spec sheet, but in day-to-day use. We put the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor through its paces for over a week, using it for everything from marathon work sessions and photo editing to streaming high-definition content and casual gaming. Our in-depth analysis focuses on the core aspects that define the user experience: visual quality, real-world performance, and overall design and usability.

Visual Fidelity: More Than Just a Pretty Picture

The heart of any monitor is its panel, and HP has equipped the Series 5 with a truly impressive IPS display for this price bracket. The headline feature is its 99% sRGB colour gamut coverage. In practical terms, this means colours are rich, vibrant, and true-to-life. While working with photos, we found that the tones were accurately represented, requiring minimal calibration out of the box. This level of accuracy is a massive boon for hobbyist photographers and content creators. When watching shows and movies, scenes popped with life, from the lush greens of a nature documentary to the deep reds and blues in a sci-fi blockbuster. The viewing angles, rated at 178 degrees, are as good as advertised. We could see the screen clearly from almost any position without any significant colour shift or loss of brightness, making it great for sharing content with someone sitting next to you.

Equally important is the contrast and brightness. With a typical brightness of 300 nits, the screen is more than capable of holding its own in a brightly lit room, and the anti-glare finish does an excellent job of diffusing reflections. Where this monitor really punches above its weight is the 1500:1 static contrast ratio. Most budget IPS panels hover around 1000:1, and that extra 50% makes a noticeable difference. Blacks appear deeper and less greyish, which in turn makes the brighter colours stand out more. This enhanced contrast lends a greater sense of depth to images and videos, something one user noted when they praised how “smooth” the viewing was for photos and videos.

The 100 Hz Advantage: Smoothness You Can Feel

For years, 60 Hz was the standard. The jump to 100 Hz on the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor is, without exaggeration, a game-changer for this segment of the market. The difference is immediately palpable. Simply moving the cursor across the desktop feels more fluid and responsive. Scrolling through long documents or web pages is significantly smoother, with less stutter and more clarity in the text. This isn’t just a gimmick; it’s a quality-of-life improvement that reduces eye strain and makes everyday computer use feel more polished and premium.

Of course, the primary beneficiary of a higher refresh rate is motion. For casual gaming, 100 Hz is a fantastic sweet spot. In fast-paced titles, the added frames per second create a much clearer picture during quick movements, making it easier to track targets and react to the action. Coupled with AMD FreeSync technology, which synchronises the monitor’s refresh rate with the output of a compatible graphics card, we experienced virtually no screen tearing or stuttering. While the 5ms response time isn’t elite-tier for competitive esports, it’s more than adequate for the vast majority of games, preventing any distracting ghosting or smearing. This monitor elevates casual gaming from a passable experience to a genuinely enjoyable one, offering a taste of high-end performance without the high-end cost. The incredible smoothness and clarity make it a compelling choice, and you can see for yourself the value it offers.

Design, Ergonomics, and Thoughtful Features

HP clearly put a great deal of thought into the physical design of the Series 5 monitor. The white chassis and minimalist aesthetic make it a standout piece of hardware that can complement, rather than detract from, your home decor. The thin bezels are a highlight, maximising the screen-to-body ratio and creating an immersive viewing experience. Another clever touch is the cable management system. A small clip on the stand allows you to neatly route the power and HDMI cables, preventing unsightly clutter and maintaining the clean look.

On the connectivity front, the inclusion of two HDMI 1.4 ports is generous, allowing you to connect a PC and a gaming console or streaming stick simultaneously without needing to swap cables. The addition of a VGA port is a thoughtful nod to users with older laptops or desktops, adding a layer of versatility. However, the ergonomic adjustments are the one area where compromises were made. The stand only allows for tilting the screen forward and back. There is no height adjustment, swivel, or pivot function. While the tilt is sufficient for finding a basic comfortable angle, taller users or those with specific ergonomic needs might find this limiting. Thankfully, the monitor is VESA mount compatible (though the pattern and required screws should be confirmed), offering an easy upgrade path for those who desire full ergonomic freedom.

Finally, HP’s focus on user well-being is evident in the inclusion of HP Eye Ease with Eyesafe certification. This is a hardware-based low blue light filter that reduces harmful blue light emissions without introducing the yellowish tint common to software-based solutions. We found we could work for longer periods without the usual eye fatigue, a crucial benefit for anyone who spends their day in front of a screen.

What Other Users Are Saying

Our experience with the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor was overwhelmingly positive, and this sentiment is largely echoed by user feedback. One buyer praised it as a “good starter to good quality monitor when it comes to doing some work related stuff and watching shows.” They were also surprised by its size, noting it “filled up the space on my desk,” which reinforces our point about measuring your workspace beforehand. Their comment about a minor technical issue that resolved itself highlights that initial setup can sometimes have small hiccups, but the end result was positive.

However, no product is immune to issues, and it’s important to present a balanced view. A couple of reviews reported receiving units that were either damaged on arrival or failed to power on. While these instances appear to be isolated and likely related to shipping or a rare manufacturing defect, they serve as a reminder of the importance of purchasing from a reputable source with a solid return policy. These negative experiences, while unfortunate for the individuals, do not seem to reflect a widespread flaw in the monitor’s design or build quality but rather the logistical challenges of delivering sensitive electronics.

How Does It Compare? The HP Series 5 vs. The Alternatives

To truly understand the value of the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor, it’s essential to see how it stacks up against other options in the market. We’ve selected three distinct alternatives to highlight its unique position.

1. ASUS ZenScreen MB166C Portable Monitor

The ASUS ZenScreen is a different beast entirely. As a 15.6-inch portable monitor powered by USB-C, its primary purpose is to serve as a second screen for a laptop on the go. Its strength lies in its portability and simplicity. If you’re a student, a frequent traveller, or a remote worker who needs to expand their digital workspace from a coffee shop or hotel room, the ZenScreen is an excellent choice. However, it cannot compete with the HP Series 5 as a primary desktop display. The HP offers a vastly larger, more immersive screen, a higher refresh rate, and better overall visual quality for a fixed setup. Choose the HP for your home base and the ASUS for your travels.

2. Philips Evnia 34M2C5501A 34 inch Curved Gaming Monitor

The Philips Evnia represents a significant step up in both performance and price. This is a 34-inch curved ultrawide gaming monitor with a sharp WQHD resolution, a blistering 180 Hz refresh rate, and immersive Ambiglow lighting. It’s designed for serious gamers and enthusiasts who crave the most immersive experience possible and have the powerful PC hardware to drive it. Compared to the Philips, the HP Series 5 is a more modest, budget-friendly option. While the HP offers a great casual gaming experience, the Philips Evnia is in a different league entirely. This choice comes down to budget and priority: if you’re a dedicated gaming enthusiast, the Philips is the superior choice; for versatile, everyday use with a side of casual gaming, the HP provides far better value.

3. UPERFECT 15.6″ FHD 1080P IPS Portable Monitor

Similar to the ASUS ZenScreen, the UPERFECT monitor is all about portability. It offers a 15.6-inch IPS display with VESA support, making it slightly more versatile than some portable models. It’s an ideal solution for those needing a secondary display for presentations, coding, or simply extending their laptop screen while away from their desk. The key differentiator against the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor is again its use case. The HP is a dedicated desktop monitor designed for a stationary setup, providing a large, high-performance canvas for work and play. The UPERFECT is its mobile companion. You wouldn’t choose the UPERFECT for your main home office monitor, just as you wouldn’t pack the HP in your laptop bag.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor?

After extensive testing, we can confidently say that the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor is an outstanding value proposition. It successfully bridges the gap between basic, no-frills office monitors and expensive, specialized gaming displays. Its greatest strengths are the beautifully smooth 100 Hz refresh rate, which enhances every interaction, and its excellent IPS panel that delivers vibrant, accurate colours and a surprisingly deep contrast ratio. All of this is wrapped in a sleek, modern white design that looks fantastic on any desk.

The only notable compromises are the FHD resolution, which some pixel-sensitive users might find a bit soft on a 27-inch screen, and the tilt-only stand. However, for the vast majority of users, these are minor trade-offs for the incredible performance and features offered at this price point. We recommend it wholeheartedly to students, home office professionals, content creators, and casual gamers looking for a stylish and highly capable all-rounder that doesn’t break the bank.

If you’ve decided the HP Series 5 27-inch FHD IPS 100 Hz Monitor is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.