The Philips Momentum 27M1N5500 marks Philips’ entry into the gaming monitor segment. This model features a 27-inch Nano IPS Quad HD panel with a refresh rate of 170Hz and good ergonomics.
Pros
- Picture quality
- Highly responsive 170Hz
- Nano IPS panel
- Backlight scanning system
- FreeSync compatibility
Cons
- Limited contrast
- High power consumption
Overview
The Philips Momentum 27M1N5500 – also known as the Momentum 5500 – features a 27-inch Nano IPS panel with a Quad HD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and a native refresh rate of 170Hz produced by LG Display. It stands out from those used by other manufacturers thanks to its response time of 1 ms and the integration of Nano-IPS technology, which allows 98% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space. This display is compatible with FreeSync Premium (Adaptive Sync) up to 170 Hz, but it is not G-Sync certified – it is still compatible with GeForce cards. It has relatively comprehensive connectivity features, built-in speakers and flawless ergonomics.
Ergonomics
From the front, the monitor is rather classic in terms of the screen. The stand gives the whole thing a bit of character. The matte coating of the panel filters out most of the light reflections.
The C-shaped base of the stand is very airy and frees up space on the desk. However, a room will have to be found under the desk to accommodate the external power supply. This makes it easier to replace the power supply in case of problems, but it is less elegant than an integrated power supply.
The Philips monitor stands on a stand that can be adjusted in height by 13 cm and in tilt between -5° and +20°. The stand also allows for portrait orientation and 45° left or right rotation. All these adjustments are made smoothly and without any noise. The quality of the stand is all the more impressive as it is quite thin. We hope to see this stand become widespread on Philips models with perhaps a slightly more basic and all-purpose base.
The back of the monitor is very well-finished and does not show the gamer side of this model. You can see the thinness of the stand and the presence of a cable management system at the base of the stand.
The connectivity consists of two HDMI 2.0 inputs, two DisplayPort inputs, a headphone output and four USB 3.0 ports, two of which support fast charging (2.4 A). It also has two 5W speakers, which could be better, but they can be used to watch short videos, for example.
The clickable joystick is always the most pleasant way to navigate the settings. Pressing the button turns on the monitor. Then move the cursor to navigate through the menus. It is possible to change sources, modes (presets) and access settings (brightness, contrast, sharpness, overdrive, temperature, etc.). The menus are easy to read, and navigation is fast.
The Philips Momentum 27M1N5500 monitor is at home on our 140 x 60 cm desk. The stand is particularly airy, and the monitor is only 21 cm deep, which leaves plenty of room for the keyboard and mouse. The Quad HD definition of 2560 x 1440 px is acceptable on this 27-inch panel (109 dpi resolution) and allows for a good level of detail. The most sensitive users will be able to adopt a scaling of 125 or 150%, depending on the distance they have to go, at the cost of a slight loss of available workspace.
CONCLUSION
The Philips Momentum 5500 27″ is a perfect monitor for gamers and more. Its Quad HD IPS panel is very responsive, and the support of FreeSync up to 170 Hz ensures a very smooth gaming experience. In addition, it is perfectly calibrated right out of the box, so it is even suitable for those who need precise rendering. The stand also pleasantly surprised us with its numerous settings, which are impressive in such a compact format – a novelty rare enough in the monitor segment to be highlighted. Its low contrast and high power consumption prevent it from being among the best monitors in our comparison.
