Monoprice Dark Matter 24 144Hz And 27 165Hz Monitors Hit The Low Price Point, But How?

Today Dark Matter revealed a pair of new monitors made for PC gamers, video editors, and graphics artists. One is the Dark Matter 27-inch 165Hz monitor, the other is the Dark Matter 24-inch 144Hz monitor. Both monitors are headed to market with 1-year warranties and introductory prices between approximately $200-$230. We have yet to review a monitor from this Monoprice sub-brand Dark Matter, so we're still in the "how can this be possible" camp for price, given the rest of the specifications – we shall see!

The Dark Matter 27-inch IPS (LCD) monitor (42771) has a max resolution of 1920 x 1080p. This unit has a 16:9 aspect ratio, max brightness of 350 cd/m2, and a 1ms (MPRT) response time. The image refresh rate on this machine is 165hz. It requires a standard DC 12v, 3A input power, and has 1x Display Port and 2x HDMI 1.4 video input.

NOTE: The image above represents both the 24 and 27-inch monitor, as Monoprice uses the same images for both products. So... either they're the exact same product, or one product isn't being represented by accurate imagery on the sale site.

The Dark Matter 24-inch IPS (LCD) monitor (42770) actually has a 23.5-inch display (diagonally measured, like all monitors), with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. This unit also has a 16:9 aspect ratio, but a slightly lower max brightness at 300 cd/m2. The company lists the response time as "1ms OD", with an image refresh rate at 144hz.

The Dark Matter 24 monitor has 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x HDMI 1.4, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2a input. So... actually it might be a better bet than the other monitor as it has that precious HDMI 2.0 port, if you're using a device like an Xbox Series X. Input power is also slightly different from the larger monitor, with a DC 19v, 3.42A input.

Both monitors are VESA Compatible with 75 x 75 mounting patterns, and both work with Adaptive Sync. The Dark Matter 42771 (27-inch monitor) has an introductory price of approximately $230 USD. The Dark Matter 42770 (24-inch monitor) has an introductory price of approximately $200 USD. Both monitors were released to the Monoprice shop online this week.