HP Z27k G3 monitor review: a well-priced, versatile 4K monitor

With the HP Z27k G3 we've got a 4K monitor that could be looking to earn a spot in both our best 4K monitor and best USB-C monitor lists – it's versatile, offers some premium specs, and comes packed with plenty of ports for you to connect up your various devices.

In this HP Z27k G3 review, we're going to take you through everything that you need to know about this 4K resolution USB-C monitor. It's suitable for general computing use both at home and in the office, and it works with Windows, macOS, streaming sticks and more.

Our aim here at T3 is to give you the best possible buying advice for your own particular needs, and we realise that different users have different requirements. You might also want to check out our best gaming monitor and best ultrawide monitor guides as well.

HP Z27k G3: Price and availability

The HP Z27k G3 monitor is out now and available to buy from the usual sources: in the UK, you can pick it up from retailers such as eBuyer as well as HP itself. At the time of writing we're seeing the monitor available for around £500/$550, though there's quite a lot of variation.

HP Z27k G3: Design and setup

You shouldn't have too much difficulty getting the HP Z27k G3 up and running: the base slots into the stand and the stand slots into the monitor and then you're just about done (it's a job that doesn't need two people). Deciding which connectivity option to use is more difficult, because you've got HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4 and USB Type-C to choose from around the back. The monitor can also act as a USB hub, with four USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports to make use of.

When it comes to the overall design of the monitor, it's elegant and vaguely futuristic, like a lot of recent HP hardware. Silver aluminium alloy and bold angles dominate, so it's got that sense of being used in some tech startup company or other. In terms of profile it's nice and thin, with overall dimensions of 612 x 356 x 64mm, and it weighs 6.2kg.

We're pleased to report that there's a good deal of adjustability built into the monitor stand (you can also mount it on the wall if you prefer, and there's a VESA mounting bracket included in the box). The monitor can rotate around 45 degrees, it can swivel up to 90 degrees (far enough to use it in portrait mode if you want a tall, thin display) and it can tilt forwards and backwards up to 20 degrees. There's also 150mm of flexibility in terms of height. 

Getting the monitor positioned how you want it is very straightforward, as is operating the on-screen menus, which is achieved using a little d-pad button around the back of the screen. The options you would expect to find are here, covering brightness, contrast, colour, plus there are a decent number of settings to play around with, including warm, neutral and cool colour temperatures.

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HP Z27k G3: Features and picture quality

The key spec of the HP Z27k G3 is its matte-finish 27-inch IPS LCD panel, complete with a native resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels (more commonly known as 4K or UHD). With that many pixels packed into the screen, the display is as crisp and as sharp as you would expect: this is perfect for working on images, spreadsheets, coding, websites and so on. It also means videos and photos come across looking detailed and rich, with the 350 nits maximum brightness and 1,000:1 contrast providing a pleasing picture (though there's no high dynamic range support (HDR)).

If you've got plans to use this monitor for creative work, you'll want to know that it covers 99 percent of the sRGB colour gamut, and 85 percent of the DCI-P3 colour space. That's respectable for the price – although not fully accurate. During our testing, the picture was very stable and uniform across the whole of the screen.

The 5ms grey-to-grey response time and maximum refresh rate of 60Hz indicate that this isn't a screen for serious gamers – though of course you can play games on it perfectly well. Rather it's a premium office workhorse, so if you're thinking about it for such use then it's worth bearing in mind that there's no built-in webcam and indeed no built-in speakers.

Also of note is that there's DisplayPort 1.4 output (for connecting another display) and an Ethernet port. If you connect a laptop via USB-C, not only can the monitor charge the laptop, it can provide internet connectivity for it too via that Ethernet port. We're talking about a full set of functionality that's above and beyond the basics of simply displaying a picture from a connected device, plus there's basic picture-in-picture support if you have more than one device connected.

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HP Z27k G3 monitor review: verdict

There's no doubt that the HP Z27k G3 is positioned as a productivity monitor – something that's a little bit above the average for coders, video editors and other creatives, who seek a reliable 4K display that's packed with connectivity. It's flexible in setup too, with tilting and swivelling adjustment and the option to use it in portrait as well as landscape mode if you want.

The picture quality is really good across a wide range of scenarios too – not best-in-class, but we're not talking top-tier prices here. The colour space and colour gamut performance is impressive, as are the levels of brightness, contrast and sharpness offered by the screen. 

There are some omissions though – there's no webcam, no integrated speakers, and no HDR support, while the response and refresh rates don't particularly impress. You don't get much in the way of cable management at the back either, just a single loop.

We think if you're going to buy this 4K monitor it'll come down to the classy design and the wealth of connectivity options you get with it. From DisplayPort output to USB charging to an integrated Ethernet port, the HP Z27k G3 includes a lot of really useful extras beyond its impressive-looking panel.

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HP Z27k G3: Also consider

You won't struggle to find a 27-inch productivity monitor out there – there are a lot of them around, as in our best 4K monitors round-up – but it's not always easy to pick out the one that's right for you. 

The LG 27UL850 matches the HP Z27k G3 in a number of ways, including the 27-inch size, 4K resolution, and the USB-C connectivity. You do get HDR with the LG monitor, however, although you'll typically have to pay slightly more to get hold of one.

Take a look at the Philips Brilliance 329P1H if you want something with more features – including an integrated webcam, as one example. It's bigger than the HP model, at 32 inches, though that means it's also a little more expensive in general.

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