Blog Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Best 27 Inch Monitor

October 18, 2015December 9, 2015

Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor with Nvidia G-Sync: A Great Gaming Monitor

If you’re a gamer, especially a PC gamer, then it’s a safe bet you’re on the eternal quest for the perfect gaming set-up. You’ve invested in graphics cards, a gaming mouse or two, the best computer you can find. Now you’ve arrived here, looking for the best 27-inch gaming monitor.

Now, I can’t promise the Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor with Nvidia G-Sync is the greatest 27-inch monitor for gaming on the market but it’s sure one of the best. It better be as it was released as a gaming monitor. That’s how it’s been marketed.

Key Points

When it comes to gaming you’re looking for a few important factors, elements if you will. You’re looking for a high resolution, good refresh rate, good response time, a big enough screen (27 inch should do) and at least a decent set of connection ports. There are of course other nice perks that don’t hurt like anti-glare and IPS Panel.

If you’re not looking for a gaming monitor, then I may have lost you already. Let me attempt to reel you back in. If a 27-inch monitor is good for gaming, then it’s a very safe assumption that it’s great for almost anything else. But we’ll cover more on what kind of applications it’s good with later on in this review.

Let’s cover what the specs are in the Phillips Brilliance (or 272G5DYEB as Phillips has decided to designate it).

Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor Specs

The specs are really where you’ll find out if this is the right monitor for you.

27-inch viewable screen
Resolution is 1,920 x 1,080
The screen display is backlit by LED
144 hz Refresh Rate
1 ms Response Time
Brightness is 300 cd/m2
TN Panel (Twisted Nematic)
Weight is 17 pounds
Includes bases that rotates, tilts, swivels and is height-adjustable

Connectivity

The connectivity on the back looks like this:

DisplayPort 1.2
4 USB 3.0 ports

And obviously as the title suggests it has Nvidia G-Sync technology as well as Nvidia 3D Vision for 3D gaming and movies.

That brings us to our next question to answer:

What is Nvidia G-Sync Technology?

Nvidia G-Sync technology (try saying that ten times fast) is a fairly new display that provides a smooth and fast gaming experience. The way it does this per Phillips is by, “synchronizing display refresh rates to the GPU in your GeForce GTX-powered PC.” Say what?!

Basically what it does is it gets rid of screen tearing which is an issue with a lot of monitors for gamers whereby two or several frames are shown at the exact same time. Needless to say it’s less than ideal but Nvidia G-Sync handles that. It also dramatically reduces input lag and display stutter.

This results in a sharp, highly responsive gameplay that allows you to attain a competitive edge in online gaming as well as offline gaming. Again this also creates a better experience with any heavy-graphic applications like viewing HD movies.

What’s it good for?

It’s great for gaming as that’s what it was designed for. But I always say that if it’s good for PC video games which are high-activity, high-graphic applications then it’ll work for just about anything.

You can use the Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor for any of the following:

Gaming
Video editing
Photo editing
General home and office use
Watching movies, including HD

Pros/Cons

Pros:

Nvidia G-Sync which dramatically increases smoothness in gaming
144 hz which is a fantastic refresh rate
1 ms, again a fantastic response time
Fully adjustable base

Cons:

Its resolution is only 1080p. Not that this is horrible but it’s just not as great as a lot of other monitors out there and won’t display comparable image detail. And if you’re going from a 1,440p monitor you’ll notice the difference.
It’s not an IPS Panel, it’s a TN Panel which just isn’t as good. You won’t get as wide a viewing angle as an IPS Panel will give you and so images will suffer if you’re not looking at it straight on. Though gamers mostly all play head-on so for this purpose it’s fine.

What kind of price are you looking at?

The Phillips Brilliance 272G5DYEB LCD Monitor with Nvidia G-Sync (it’s getting tiring saying that full title over and over) will cost you $549.99 on Amazon.

So this 27-inch monitor holds up for gaming and other purposes though it suffers from lower resolution compared to its competition. You may notice the difference when playing but the positives definitely beat out the negatives with this one. If you have some extra coin, I also reccommend checking out the ASIS rog swift pg278q

October 10, 2015October 24, 2015

ViewSonic VP2780-4K 27 Inch Monitor: Is it Worth Buying?

You may or may not have heard of the ViewSonic VP2780-4K because it doesn’t have the words “Dell” or “Apple” attached to it but I assure you it’s one of the good ones and is worth mentioning amongst the giants. Ok who are we kidding, ViewSonic doesn’t need our sympathy. They do about $1 billion in sales annually.

That’s neither here nor there. Your attention is probably on which 27-inch monitor you want to buy. There are so many 27-inch monitors out there that it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out which one to buy without immediately doubting whether or not you made the right decision.

What we try to do with these reviews is give you the full gamut of information regarding the 27-inch monitor we’re taking a look at. That way you can see if it fits your needs.

So let’s get into telling you all about the ViewSonic VP2780-4K.

ViewSonic VP2780-4K Specs

This monitor is known as a Professional Ultra HD LED monitor. That’s a lot of adjectives that basically means it delivers a wicked sharp picture or at least is supposed to. Other 27-inch monitors have slapped those titles on their products when they were unworthy.

Let’s look at the specs of the ViewSonic VP2780-4K to see if it lives up to that description.

Weight is 25.8 Pounds
The screen is 27 inches from corner to corner
Resolution is 3,840 x 2,160 which is a fairly high resolution
The screen display is backlit by LED
IPS panel (In-Plane Switching). See our 27-inch monitor guide for an explanation of IPS.
The screen has an anti-glare coating
5 ms (milliseconds) response time
It swivels, tilts, pivots and is height-adjustable. Perfect for the contortionist in you.

ViewSonic VP2780-4K rear ports — Viewsonic VP2780 rear ports

Here’s what the port situation looks like in the back:

2 HDMI ports
4 USB 3.0 ports
DisplayPort 1.2
Mini DisplayPort

ViewSonic VP2780-4K under ports — Viewsonic VP2780 under ports

What’s it good for?

The ViewSonic VP2780-4K is built to handle high-def videos and graphic-heavy applications. That’s what it was born to do. Straight out of the box this fact is clear. The image comes through ultra-sharp with vivid detail smacking you in the face.

Response times comes in at 5 ms which is excellent for gaming. I’ve seen an article or two ragging on this response time but this is totally fine for any gamer. Anything better and I swear you won’t be able to tell the difference. You’ll just be spending more money.

You can use the ViewSonic VP2780-4K for the following:

Gaming
Video editing
Photo editing
Graphic design
General home and office use

Pros/Cons

Pros:

High resolution imaging on a truly 4K display
5 ms response time is pretty good especially compared to some other similarly promoted monitors that come in at 20 ms
Reportedly one of the first 4K monitors that supports HDMI 2.0. This fact should go over really well with gamers.
IPS Panel allows for solid viewing from any angle

Cons:

It’s on the pricier side but honestly isn’t the most expensive monitor out there (it’s cheaper than the Apple Thunderbolt Display).
The actual physical make-up of the monitor isn’t really top-notch. It seems to be a bit flimsy with parts of it stuck on with adhesive.
There have been some complaints by users about a lack of sensitivity in the on-screen touch display.
No internal speakers

What kind of price are we looking at?

The ViewSonic VP2780-4K goes for $889.99 on viewsonic.com but can be picked up for even cheaper at amazon for $793.46.

If you’ve got some money saved up and are looking to invest in a robust 4K monitor, I highly recommend ViewSonic VP2780-4K due to it’s performance and ability to deliver high-quality imaging. Sureyou could save up several hundred more dollarsto buy something more expensive but “expensive” doesn’t always mean “better.”

October 3, 2015October 24, 2015

Best Video Editing Monitor Selection: Case Study With Kevin Thorpe of Big Jam Studios

Interview

Kevin Thorpe from Big Jam Studios — Kevin Thorpe Big Jam Studios

What is the best video editing monitor? How do you make your selection? Is it as simple as just gettting the highest resolution screen you can afford? Kevin Thorpe of Big Jam studios offered Best 27 Inch Monitor is an experienced professional video editor and also a bit of a legend in the trance music niche. I headed over to Big Jam Studios to interview Kevin and find out more.

What Video Editing Monitor do You Currently Use?

Big Jam Studios currently run with a basic Acer 17″ monitor as a line monitor and a 27 inch Dell 2709W for video and photo editing. Kevin commented:

This setup has been great for flexibility. Many people are surprised that we run “pc monitors” off a Mac. Of course it’s entirely possible to choose any monitor you like and still use a Mac

Big Jam Studios Current Video Editing Setup

Kevin bought the 27 inch monitor on the basis of a recommendation from a friend in the graphic design industry. At the time, with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, it was the best video editing monitor for the money. Resolution being a key consideration when selecting the best video editing monitor. Kevin also runs all of his sound editing work through the same setup hence the audio monitors (speakers) at either side of the monitor. Be careful to get screened speakers when placing them near any displays as the magnets in the speakers can distort the image.

Why Use a Multiple Monitor Setup?

Big Jam use a second smaller monitor as a line monitor. This allows Kevin and the team to monitor the frequency content of audio in real-time and while editing. This allows them to make changes to improve the overall audio quality while keeping the main 27 inch monitor free for either audio timeline management or for video footage editing.

Big Jam Studios Best Video Editing Monitor Setup — Big Jam Studios Setup

What is The Best Video Editing Monitor?

Going forward, Kevin and the team are investing in a brand new 27″ iMac Retina setup. When I asked why, Kevin commented

It’s just a great combination of awesome graphics, sleek design and the Mac is built in too.

The team have settled on a final iMac spec of:

2 x 2.06GHz quad core processors
Retina 27 inch screen
8TB External media drive

Big Jam are also planning to add a new 19″ monitor to complement the iMac and continue frequency analysis capability which keeps the main display free for video and audio timeline editing.

What is the Best Software to Use For Video Editing?

Kevin uses Adobe Premiere exclusively. It’s hands down the best video editing software out there. With the new Adobe CC range, it can be purchased for just a few bucks a month.

Can we See an Example of Your Work?

Kevin has recently comopleted a series of Vlogs (Video Blogs) for local hypnotist Tim Box.

I was really pleased with the way these came out, the clarity is great and of course Tim and Zoe are naturals in front of the camera.

Where do You see the Video Editing Industry Headed in the Next 20 Years?

Well vlogging is growing rapidly. Smartphones are becoming more and more powerful and I do expect to that a semi professional video editing platform might be available in the not too distant future. Right now it’s just about possible to take professional video with a Nokia Lumia 1020. In fact Ellie Goulding’s music video “How Long Will I Love You” was famously shot using this exact phone as a publicity stunt by Nokia.

It’s impressive although the industry still has a way to go before pro-editing capabilities are available on the move. I think the future is exciting with technology driving the availability of online video, the quality and proliferation will continute to increase rapidly. With organic LED and curved screen technology already available, the best video editing monitor in two decades will be very different to the tech we have now.

What is the Webcam For?

Many eagle eyed readers will have noticed a 3rd party webcam on top of Big Jam’s 27 inch video editing monitor. When I noticed, this is what Kevin had to say:

We’ve noticed a strong trend into online learning. A lot of people are using technolgy to reach education they might never have been able to access. I’m currently teaching a DJ in Australia how to make better sounding trance music and a student in Hungary how to improve his electronic music skills. As an award winning music creator I tend to be quite well known in the DJing and techno / trance music space. It’s an unusal niche to be in and it is very rewarding when you see someone on the other side of the world achieve something special that you helped inspire!

Have a question for Kevin? Drop a comment below and I promise to get a direct response for you!

September 22, 2015October 18, 2015

Best Gaming Graphics Card – NVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti

What is the Best Gaming Graphics Card? Upgrading a graphics card is the second most common upgrade for a computer, after additional memory. Even undemanding users may find the need for more graphical power. Any expert gamer will tell you that you need to do your homework before you choose the graphics card for your rig. Without one that’ll match your monitor in performance, it’s just not the same. And with a lot of people making money from gaming online, you’ve got to wonder, can you really afford to use equipment that’s lacking? That’s not to say graphics cards aren’t easy to choose from, or that you need a professional with you whenever you make a purchase. But we’ve brought back our E-Sports Manager to help make the pathway to a decent graphics card easier to navigate.

What is a Graphics Card?

So let’s start at the beginning; what is a graphics card?
ESM: Put simply, a graphics card is a piece of computer hardware that translates the data into a signal your monitor can understand, so that images are produced on your monitor. The easiest way to note the performance of your graphics card is to check its model number. It’ll tell you about the graphics processor (GPU), clock rates and memory bandwidth. It quickly distinguishes between the deceptively impressive looking overclocked product and that of a higher model that looks far simpler.
When game performance is a priority, buying a high-tier graphics card is a must; but that doesn’t mean you need to buy something super expensive. Spending over £150 on a graphics card isn’t always worth it, not in the long run. It’s all about finding a graphics card that compliments your monitor and vice versa. Trial and Error knowledge in this instance is a massive help.

NVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti Ports — GTX 980 Ti Ports

Memory vs. Bandwidth

With regards to memory vs bandwidth, which is more important?
ESM: Bandwidth, every time. People can get incredibly caught up in the idea that more memory is better, but that’s just not the case. Unless you’re running incredibly large resolutions, the quantity of RAM isn’t worth worrying about. High end model graphics cards should have a decent default memory amount. A piece of advice I received when I was first setting up a rig is GDDR5 memory provides twice the bandwidth of a DDR3 at the same clock rate. That means when it comes to your own rig, 1 GB of GDDR5 is going to be miles better than 4 GB of DDR3.

Bottlenecking

When it comes to choosing either a monitor or a best gaming graphics card, the phrase ‘bottlenecking’ comes out a lot. What does this mean?
ESM: The bottleneck theory is the theory that the maximum total output of any system is equal to the maximum output of the slowest part of the system. In laymen’s terms, imagine filling a funnel with marbles, and watching at one marble at a time falls out. In gamer’s terms, your rig is only as good as your slowest component. You need a graphics card, monitor and processor that can keep up with your demands, as well as keep up with each other. A brilliant graphics card will be worth nothing to you if your monitor can’t keep up.

Pairing Graphics Cards

What about pairing graphics cards?
ESM: Again, this seems to be a fascination with newer gamers, but I’ve never found from personal experience that two is better than one. If, for example, the graphics cards offer links to increase performance then I can see the appeal, or if you have multiple monitors. But scaling performance by multiplying GPU isn’t as easy as that. In fact, multi-card setups can suffer from inconsistency, incompatibilities and micro-stuttering. They can also leech power and generate a lot of noise. I would always recommend quality rather than quantity when it comes to graphics cards.

One Thing Most People Miss

Is there any common but easily avoided mistakes when choosing your graphics card?
ESM: It’s the silliest thing, but I see it all the time where people will buy a new graphics card, and it won’t physically fit. As in, it’s too long or too short. My advice is do your homework and measure how much space your case has to offer before you put the money down and get disappointed. Whilst we’re on the topic of homework, think about your power supply. It’ll make a massive difference if your PC is struggling to handle your new graphics card, and if you do need to upgrade your power supply, remember that trusted brand names are worth more than the maximum wattage advertised on the package.

Care of Your Graphics Card

When it comes to maintaining your graphics card, what should be your priorities?
ESM: Your cooling system has got to be capable of controlling the heat, otherwise your GPU will fry. Reference coolers (the kind that channel heated air out the back of the case) are better because they don’t increase the temperature of your PC, but they are noisier. Some high end gaming graphics cards have been outfitted with high-performance custom coolers. They are quieter and do a better job but they cost more for the privilege. Plus they recycle the hot air back into the case which could put stress on the rest of your system.

What is The Best Gaming Graphics Card?

Which graphics card are you currently using?
ESM: I’m using the NVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti. For
$750 you get 6GB of GDDR5 memory, a cut-back version of the GM200 processor, with 96 ROPs and a 384-bit memory interface that moves 336.5 GB/s of data. I’d recommend it to any hard core gamers; but it’s a bit pricey for mainstream gamers, or anyone looking for a simple upgrade. You’d be better off looking at AMD’s Radeon collection. They’re cheaper, and all have different specs to suit each individual, so of course the Best Gaming Graphics Card is subjective depending on the application.

August 16, 2015October 18, 2015

Best 27 Inch Monitor for Graphic Design & Art

Best 27 Inch Monitor for Graphic Design dell-p2715q

If you’re an artist or designer (whether you’re doing it for a living or as a hobby) then a monitor is probably one of the most important pieces of kit you’ll ever buy, so it’s worth investing a little time and money, and doing it right. Luckily for you, we’ve already invested the time to save you some of yours*, so have a look at our top three picks of the best 27 inch monitor for graphic design & arty types.
*Sorry we can’t invest any of the money for you, you’re on your own with that one.

What you’re looking for is the classic monitor hat trick of resolution, colour and connectivity options, so if you think you can just stroll into Micro Center and pick the first special offer you see, you’d best think again…

Dell P2715Q 4K Monitor LED – IPS

This Ultra HD 4K Monitor has a very desirable 3840 x 2160 res and IPS. The Dell P2715Q also boasts 99% sRGB straight out of the box, although it wouldn’t hurt to have calibration tools on standby for fine tuning. Connectivity is more than adequate with DisplayPort 1.2 means that you can easily Daisy Chain with other monitors, and this plus the cable control make it all very neat and tidy. Speaking of which, the Dell is a very tidy model thanks to built in cable management, and that allows you to really take advantage of the impressive ergonomics. Obviously the Dell P2715Q isn’t going to be a great choice for those running Mac or Linux, but for Windows users it’s a fine pick. There have been scattered complaints about mouse lag and it’s not the ‘sexiest’ of hardware, but with a RRP of $699 , this monitor is definitely a good, cost effective option for designers.

ViewSonic VP2780-4K 27-Inch Ultra HD SuperClear IPS LED Monitor

Another UHD with IPS, the ViewSonic VP2780-4K gives you a rather impressive 14 bit 3D LUT as well as pre-calibrated Delta E≤2 for truly stunning colour. DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 have prompted the manufacturers to label the ViewSonic as futureproof in their own blurb, and such amazing connectivity definitely makes for a striking refresh time (60hz). Multi picture functionality is definitely a plus for designers, giving you the freedom to view various projects simultaneously and making comparisons with reference images and the like far easier. The price tag is a little heftier than the Dell at $899 and the base is kind of bulky but I’m afraid that’s the price you pay for colour like this!

Dell UP2715K 27-Inch Ultra HD 5K LCD Monitor

So Dell’s response to the Mac 5k was to bring out this little beauty the UP2715K; a 5120 x 2880, 12 bit LUT, In-plane switching diva with ports in all the right places. The specs are sky high, but unfortunately so is the price, and with a RRP of $2499 it’s definitely not for the feint hearted. Having said that you’ll need to go a long way to find someone with anything really bad to say about the Dell. The biggest downside as far as I can see is that it’s not great for displaying low-res footage (you kind of get the feeling that that sort of thing is below it). Even the monitor’s aesthetics are superior, with sleek lines and a delicate base making it as nice to look at as it is to use.

Resolution

Let’s be honest here, when it comes to resolution size does matter and anything less than a 2560 x 1440 just isn’t going to cut it. Ideally you want to be looking at an Ultra High Definition (UHD) monitor with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, but you can go higher, with Apple claiming dibs on the top dog spot with their 5120 x 2880 5k behemoth, until earlier this year when Dell launched a comparable model (see above). Obviously when you go above your standard Full HD you’re immediately looking at a big hike in price, but it’s definitely worth the investment in terms of clarity, and hopefully you’ll be future proofing your purchase to-boot.

Colour

The holy grail of design based monitors is one that shows you colours as close as possible to those that will appear in print and this part is all about performance. Opting for a high spec model is key, so look for features such as Advanced High Performance In Plane Switching panels (AH-IPS) and a minimum 10 bit look up table (LUT). A 10, 12 or 14 bit LUT will allow you to perform frequent calibrations, which means that you’ll be able to keep on top of your palettes (although professional monitors will often come with integrated calibration tools, you’ve always go the option to buy third party if they’re lacking).

Connectivity

You’ll need an HDMI port of course, but remember that if you’re opting for UHD then your graphics card will require two of its own. The card will also need to support Multi Stream Transfer (MST) if you want to get the best resolution with a fast refresh rate. Other ports you’ll require are DisplayPort 1.2 and dual link DVI.

Best 27 Inch Monitor for Graphic Design Summation

You’ve probably noticed that I’ve picked two Dell monitors. Am I biased? Yes. I’ve always used Dell for design and their latest offerings are just as good as they’ve always been. Of course that doesn’t mean you can’t shop around, but if the reviews on the wonderful world wide web are anything to go by I’m not the only one who rates Dell. Having said that the ViewSonic is an unexpected but very welcome contender and definitely one I’ll be keeping an eye on in the future.
So do we have a winner? Well of course I was always going to go for the P2715Q in terms of definition and, as far as artists are concerned, this one is the full package – looks, performance and specs are all spot on. Unfortunately, considering the price tag, it simply doesn’t offer enough given that the ViewSonic provides only slightly lower specs (and in fact better LUT) for virtually a third of the price. However, my overall favourite is the P2715Q. Call me a Dell groupie but I’d choose this monitor even if it wasn’t the cheapest, and the fact that it is, is just the icing on the cake!