I bought this with my own money. Every product here did weeks of my workdays before I scored it. If you buy through a link on this page, I may earn a commission. How I test
How I used it
I bought the GF005 myself, at the same time I was setting up my new main monitor, the Gawfolk GF270J. This one runs vertical on my desk, rotated into portrait, as the second screen for Slack, email, and sometimes a YouTube video. It's on about 15 hours a day because my whole desk is.
I went looking for this shape on purpose. The GF005 is a 3:2 panel, 3840 x 2560 instead of the standard 16:9, and I wanted something squarer for documents and chat. On paper, a cheap 4K 3:2 monitor in portrait is a great second screen. That's the pitch I bought.
What it gets right
The shape is the reason to consider it. In portrait, a 3:2 panel gives you a tall screen that fits a full email thread or a long Slack conversation without feeling like a narrow strip. No mainstream brand sells this shape at this price.
And to be fair to it, when it’s connected and running, it does the second-screen job. Slack and email have lived on it all day, every day, for two weeks.
That’s the list.
What could be better
- The real problem is that it keeps failing to be recognized. Very frequently I have to pull the DisplayPort cable, plug it back in, and swap inputs before the monitor sees my Mac. I’m confident it’s not the cable, because it happens with two different cables from a trusted brand. A monitor has one job, and this one needs a ritual to do it.
- The screen loses to its cheaper sibling. Next to my Gawfolk GF270J, this panel is dimmer and the image is not as crisp. It’s also 60Hz against the 27’s 160Hz. I knew the refresh rate going in, but the overall image gap surprised me.
- The squareness undersells itself. 3:2 is the reason I bought it, and in practice it doesn’t feel very square at all. If you’re imagining something dramatically different from a normal monitor, temper that.
How it compares
This is the rare review where the direct competitor is sitting right next to the product, from the same brand. I own both. The GF270J gives you a brighter, crisper 4K image at 160Hz and has been flawless for two weeks. The GF005 gives you an unusual shape, a worse image, and a connection ritual.
At list price the GF005 is the cheaper of the two, about $150 against about $300, though I ended up paying more for it than for the 27. Even at half the price, I’d point you to the 27. Knowing what I know now, I would have just bought two of those.
Specs
- Panel
- 28-inch IPS, 3840 x 2560
- Aspect ratio
- 3:2
- Refresh rate
- 60Hz
- Ports
- DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0
Final verdict
I don't recommend this monitor to anybody, unless you find it at a huge discount and specifically want a cheap portrait screen for docs and chat, with the habits I described.
I still use it every day, honestly because I bought it. When I upgrade, this one goes to my mother, who doesn't expect as much from things as I do. That's the most accurate review score I can give it.
If you want a Gawfolk, buy the GF270J. That one earned its recommendation. This one is the reason I check twice before trusting a spec sheet from a brand I otherwise like.
