Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor Review: A Beast of a Display From a First-Time Maker
Redmagic is known for its fantastic gaming smartphones, with theRedmagic 8 Protaking the headline in 2023. But the company isn’t just about Android gaming—it’s about gaming in general. So, after five years of making Android gaming phones, Redmagic is venturing into gaming peripherals.
In 2023, Redmagic released three new products that aren’t gaming phones—a mechanical keyboard, the gaming mouse, and a gaming monitor. We’ve already covered Redmagic’s keyboard and mouse, and we can honestly say they’re great products worth the premium.
But did Redmagic make a great monitor on its first try, too?
The Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor (GM001J) is a premium 27-inch high-refresh-rate 4K gaming monitor. Although it’s Redmagic’s first gaming monitor, it’s a strong offering that beats other brands with its price and features.
Redmagic Gaming Monitor Specifications
The Redmagic Gaming Monitor is a 27-inch 4K UHD IPS display. Its maximum native resolution is 3840 x 2160 px, with a 160Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time. The screen is also VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified, ensuring maximum brightness and accurate colors. And to help with its dynamic range, the Redmagic Gaming Monitor uses MiniLED technology, with over 2000 mini-LEDs, allowing it to reach a dynamic contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.
The display arrives color calibrated from the factory and includes a report in the box. It covers 99% of Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, and SRGB color gamuts, with a Delta-E of 0.71, 0.75, and 0.55, respectively. And because it uses IPS technology, it has a wide, 178-degree viewing angle.
Aside from its DisplayHDR 1000 certification, it’s also compatible with AMD Freesync Premium and TUV Rheinland Certified for Low Blue Light.
What’s in the Box?
Coming in a relatively massive silver box, along with the 27-inch display, you get a bracket and base assembly, the 240-watt power adapter, a DisplayPort 1.4 cable, an HDMI 2.1 cable, a USB-C cable, a USB hub cable, and four hexagonal studs for VESA mounting.
As you can see, Redmagic gives you a plethora of options for connecting your device. You can use the HDMI 2.1 cable for most devices, but that will limit you to 4K @ 120. If you want to maximize the display’s 160Hz, stick with the included DisplayPort or USB-C cable and attach it to a compatible port on your device.
Aside from those, you’ll get the Factory Color Calibration Report we mentioned earlier and a User Manual.
Design and Dimensions
Facing the Redmagic Gaming Monitor’s 27-inch frame, you’ll see it’s flanked by thin bezels on the top and both sides. Its chin is also less than an inch thick, giving it a clean look. However, under the chin is a pretty wide power indicator. It looks like it’s hiding some sensors or receivers, but the monitor didn’t come with a remote control. It also hides the cables behind it, improving the display’s aesthetics.
The Redmagic text is also embossed on the dark grey chin, giving it a subtle, clean look. The top of the monitor is devoid of anything except for its large exhaust vent and a light sensor. And when viewing it from the bottom, you’ll see the various ports and connection options.
The back of the Redmagic Gaming Monitor is where the party is at. A triangular multi-color LED design surrounds the back of the unit where the bracket attaches. And if you look at the lower right corner, you’ll see three buttons—HDR, signal source, and gaming functions—plus a customizable five-way control button.
If you have limited space or plan to use a monitor arm, these are the physical dimensions of the Redmagic Gaming Monitor with its stand—24.14 x 19.69 x 9.33 inches. If you remove the stand, its height goes from 24.14 inches to 14.17. The monitor itself weighs 9.92 pounds and jumps to 15.66 pounds if you include its stand.
Stand and Mounting Options
The monitor has a wide tripod base with a cable channel and several adjustments. you’re able to change the base’s height, and it also has tilt and swivel functions. Best of all, you can rotate it 90 degrees both ways.
The thick metal base itself screws onto the cable channel bracket. The bracket itself has a removable cover that reveals its cable management channel. And if you have slippery hands, you can easily remove the bracket cover using the latch handle near its top.
However, the cable channel is quite narrow if you plan to use all the ports of the Redmagic Gaming Monitor. My current configuration uses the following cables—the power cable, a custom HDMI 2.1 cable, the USB hub cable, the USB-C cable, a keyboard cable, and a mouse cable.
At this point, I’m squeezing in everything in the cable management channel. If I want to attach another HDMI or DisplayPort cable, I must run it outside the bracket. You should also note that since the cable channel is a snug fit, you must add some slack if you want to rotate the monitor.
Another issue I ran into when assembling the display was that it required considerable force to latch the bracket to the monitor. The latch at the back of the monitor should make an audible click when it locks—do not, under any circumstances, use the monitor without this confirmation.
I had to make multiple attempts to lock the monitor to the bracket, and I could only make it work when I laid the display flat on its face and used leverage to attach the bracket securely. What I should’ve done (and what you should do) is install the bracket and base on the monitor before removing it from its packaging.
However, if you prefer mounting the display to your monitor arm or wall bracket, use the four hex standoff screws to ensure it fits your arm. Like the bracket, you should attach the wall-mounting screws and your bracket while the monitor is still on its styrofoam packaging to ensure a secure fit and avoid damaging its face during installation.
If you value the aesthetics of the display, we recommend against mounting it on an arm as it will partially cover the rear LED lights. Furthermore, the included stand gives you plenty of freedom of movement, and it’s tall enough that you don’t need a monitor arm or a riser to make it comfortable to use. So, unless you absolutely need the desk space, the included bracket and base should suffice for your needs.
Connection Ports
The Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor comes with a lot of connection options. Aside from the power barrel plug and two HDMI 2.1 ports, you get one DisplayPort 1.4 port and a full-function 90W-capable USB-C port for charging your devices while connected. It also includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-B port for connecting those to your computer.
It’s best to use the included HDMI 2.1 cable to use the display at its full resolution. Using a lower HDMI 2.0 cable can lead to errors where the computer refuses to display on the screen. Or, if you need to use a third-party cable, ensure that it’s HDMI 2.1.
One more thing—don’t wire your cables in the cable management channel before plugging them into the display. The ports are deep inside the monitor, and it’s supremely challenging to access from below. So, the best option is to rotate the monitor 90 degrees so you can easily see where to plug your cables.
If you’ve already set up the display and can’t adjust it, carefully slide your head under it to get visual confirmation if you’re plugging in your cable at the correct port. And if you don’t have enough space to fit your head under the monitor, the next best option is to use a camera to see where you’re going.
OSD and Other Features
Given that the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor is a premium display, you’re getting many features with it. The fixed buttons let you activate HDR, pick the source, and access some gaming-specific features:
These three buttons are easy to reach from the right side of the screen if you’re facing the display. But if it’s against a wall (or another monitor), you’ll have to stretch your hand from under the screen to reach them.
The customizable five-way control button also serves as the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor’s main power button when you press it down. To launch the OSD menu, you must navigate right while facing the screen.
From here, you’ll see several menu options:
One interesting OSD setting we saw is Bluetooth. The monitor doesn’t officially support wireless connections, so we’re unsure why this setting is activated. My Android smartphone detects the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor as Redmagic GM001J, while my iPhone cannot detect it at all.
Nevertheless, I received an error when I tried connecting my Android phone to it. Maybe this is a feature that Redmagic plans to release in the future, but isn’t available right now.
The other OSD settings, especially the ones in the gaming menu, are great for gamers. You can set a timer to help you control your game time, place a monitor crosshair to get an advantage over your opponents, and put a refresh rate monitor on the screen so you know your computer is performing at its best. You can even change your color mode to help you see your targets much clearer.
Should You Buy the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor?
If you’re looking for a premium experience, the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor is a serious contender in the 4K gaming space. Its closest competitors include the Cooler Master Tempest GP27U and the Sony Inzone M9.
Both of these displays are 27-inch 4K displays. However, the Cooler Master monitor does not have Redmagic’s 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, while Sony can only hit 144Hz and only covers 95% of the DCI-P3 spectrum. It’s also significantly dimmer, with it being certified only at just DisplayHDR 600.
When you compare their prices, the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor retails for $869.00, while the Sony display is listed at $899.99. The Cooler Master monitor costs the same at $869.99, but its 50,000:1 contrast ratio is far from what Redmagic can offer.
So, if you have a $900 budget and want a 27-inch gaming monitor with zero compromises, your best option is the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor.
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