Philips Evnia 27-Inch Full HD Monitor with Adaptive-Sync Technology

In recent years, Philips has been notably absent from the market. However, the company’s new Evnia range, which includes mice, headsets, mouse pads, and this monitor, has been specifically designed for the PC gaming community. Philips has taken a different approach to most gaming brands by avoiding the typical gamer aesthetic, meaning there are no flashy RGB lighting, skull icons, or other “gnarly” touches that are usually associated with gamer gear. Instead, this 27-inch, 1440p, 240Hz monitor has a cool, sleek appearance, with an understated theme that will appeal to modern gamers.

The Philips Evnia 27M2C5500W is an attractive monitor with thin bezels and a small Philips logo on the chin, making a great first impression, especially for those who appreciate the futuristic look and inoffensive grey coloring. The monitor is also easy to set up, with a tool-free stand that takes up minimal space on your desk and provides plenty of flexibility in terms of vertical height and angle for the display. However, the minimalist aesthetic is at odds with the absence of cable management, as there is no way to feed the cabling through the thin stand.

Connectivity is excellent on this monitor, with two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports that can accommodate a desktop, a laptop, a PlayStation 5, and an Xbox Series X at the same time. There is also a USB 3.2 Gen 1 hub with four USB-A ports, two of which offer fast charging for phones, which is more USB ports than most gaming monitors offer. The monitor also has audio in/out, although it does not come with built-in speakers.

It is worth noting that this monitor is a VA panel with a 1,000R curvature, which may not appeal to everyone. Some people may prefer an IPS or OLED display, while others may prefer flat screens to curved ones. The VA panel has its drawbacks, such as being not particularly bright, and there may be issues with ghosting when scrolling down web pages or documents. Text can also become blurrier when viewed off-center, which can be annoying. Lastly, HDR400 support is not worth bothering with.

Although the 27-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 Philips Evnia monitor hits the sweet spot for size and resolution, the panel’s deficiencies are a letdown. However, the 240Hz refresh rate will please fast-paced shooter game enthusiasts, and the monitor is AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certified, with GSYNC compatibility recognized by RTX 3070Ti. With gamer-centric features like crosshairs, picture presets, panel overdrive, and contrast boost, the monitor also offers picture-in-picture functionality, although its practical use may be limited. While this Evnia is a good price and a promising first step for Philips in the gaming market, the VA panel’s ghosting, low brightness, and poor viewing angles are drawbacks, and other monitors from brands like Lenovo Legion offer similar specs at a lower cost. Ultimately, it’s a decent first effort from a brand to keep an eye on in the future but not a must-buy.