Performance Analysis

The G-Master GB2560HSU-B1 doesn’t quite manage a full 100 percent coverage score when it comes to sRGB, but 96/97 percent is common and nothing to be concerned about, especially from a gaming perspective.

The screen has no trouble achieving its claimed peak brightness, topping out at over 430cd/m². Contrast ratio, meanwhile, is distinctly average, but Iiyama does well with its white point, as 6,200K is nice and close to the ideal of 6,500K.

The colour accuracy measurements were certainly surprising; an average delta E value of below 2 is fantastic for any screen, not just less expensive TN panels, so you can be sure of accurate colours even if you don’t own a colorimeter, though we did manage to get it down to just 1.13 by running a calibration suite.

Subjectively, we did notice that the screen appears a little washed out by default, and the gamma reading is indicative of why. The screen is set to 2.2 by default but outputs a 1.9 curve. Meanwhile, the other menu options (1.8 and 2.6) also come out lower than they should (1.6 and 2.3), with the latter being a little too far in the opposite direction. It’s a shame there isn’t a 2.4 setting or something, as this probably would’ve gotten us closer to the ideal.

Both colour and luminance uniformity readings are excellent, with this screen ranking first and second overall next to some considerably pricier alternatives. We also observed no obvious backlight bleed, so that’s another plus for Iiyama.

Gaming with FreeSync enabled produces the usual smooth, tear-free experience, and the higher your frame rate the better it looks thanks to that healthy 144Hz refresh rate. We did observe a little bit of ghosting in certain scenes that we use to show it most clearly, but it was nothing drastic. We recommend leaving the Overdrive setting at default, as attempting to compensate for this effect tends to result in minor pixel artefacts. You will definitely want to stick to head-on gaming, as viewing angles are – as usual for a TN panel – poor.

Conclusion

Lacking a high resolution or large screen size, Iiyama is primarily relying on three factors to help it stand out: 144Hz refresh rate, full-range FreeSync with LFC, and impressive stand mechanics with a full suite of adjustments. However, its £220 price tag puts it at the upper end of screens with similar specifications. It’s also similar to the starting price of larger 27” panels with a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, although you’ll have to forego the important 144Hz refresh rate unless you’re willing to spend more.

It may not be the cheapest option to get these specifications, then, but Iiyama’s screen delivers great image quality in more than one area, and gaming on it is great too. Gamma could be better, and a USB 3.0 hub would have helped sweeten the deal more than the included USB 2.0 one, but we like how adjustable the monitor is both physically and within its menu.

Bottom line: It’s well worth considering alternatives, but nevertheless the Iiyama G-Master GB2560HSU-B1 can certainly be recommended to gamers looking to get in on 144Hz gaming – just make sure your graphics hardware is up to the task as well.