best photo editing monitor Archives

November 14, 2015November 14, 2015

NEC EA275UHD – A Superb High Quality Graphics 27 Inch Monitor

If you’re looking for a 27-inch monitor that delivers high-graphic images, then you should definitely be looking at the NEC EA275UHD-BK-SV 4K monitor. Boy, that’s a mouthful. That’s a summation of the actual title. You ready? The NEC EA275UHD-BK-SV 27” 4K UHD sRGB IPS Monitor with SpectraViewII.

NEC EA275UHD for Photo Editing or Graphic Design

This 27-inch monitor is geared towards those in photo editing or graphic design who need their monitors to deliver high-caliber imagery employing high resolution and high PPI.

Now, if you’re only looking for a decent graphics experience and an ok response time then you don’t need to to consider the NEC EA275UHD. It might just be too much machinery for you. I don’t mean that as a challenge but why spend the extra money on something that delivers more than you actually need?

Let’s take a look at the specs on the NEC EA275UHD and see if it works for you.

Specs

27-inch screen from corner to corner
13.7 pounds without stand and 20.1 pounds with stand
Resolution is 3,840 x 2,160 (that’s nothing to sneeze at)
The screen display is backlit by LED
Response time is 6ms which is not too shabby
163 PPI (Pixels Per Inch)
Color Gamut = 78.1% Adobe RGB and 100% sRGB
IPS (In-Plane Switching) Panel for great viewing angles, up to 178 degrees

The connectivity situation on the back looks like this:

1 Display port 1.2
1 HDMI 2.0
1 DVI-D Dual Link
1 upstream USB 3.0
3 downstream USB 3.0

Additional features

There are a number of additional features that add to the quality of this monitor and makes it stand out amongst other 27-inch monitors. Additional features include a sensor which detects light and human presence to automatically brighten or dim the screen according to what it detects, ECO Mode which allows you to conserve up to 56% more power and thus saving you on energy costs and even ControlSync which allows you to run up to 6 connected monitors in a multi-monitor set-up.

Additionally, as indicated in the full title above it comes with SpectraViewII software which dramatically adds to the the ability to use the color scheme. It basically measures and calibrates the color on the screen and adjusts for accuracy. This is extremely useful in color-dependent tasks.

A version of this monitor is available without SpectraViewII software which will save you a pretty penny. But if you’re going for this monitor then there’s a good chance you are looking for something robust in the graphics department so I wouldn’t suggest doing without SpectraViewII.

What’s the NEC EA275UHD going to be good for?

The NEC EA275UHD is a high PPI (hey that rhymes), high resolution, color-robust monitor that is well suited for anyone working professionally in a high-graphics field. Photo editing and video editing obviously fall into this category but also for those who print banners and posters where color is a real issue.

Here’s what it will work well with:

Video editing
Photo editing
Gaming
Video watching
Any other graphic-heavy application
General office or home use

Professionals in these fields usually go for big monitors which is why this 27-inch monitor is great but if you’re looking for something even bigger with a similar set of color-rich and high-resolution imagery then you should definitely check out the 32-inch NEC PA322UHD-BK. The PA322UHD also comes with SpectraViewII.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

High resolution and color-rich graphics. Need I say more?

Cons:

The price is higher than most other 27-inch monitors but you get what you pay for with this guy.

Price

The NEC EA275UHD with SpectraViewII goes for $949 while without SpectraViewII it goes for $799. You can get either one from .

Summary

The NEC EA275UHD with SpectraViewII stands out as one of the better 27-inch monitors that handles heavy graphics applications. It’s perfect for the professional in any field that needs to see the red reds and the green greens if you know what I mean?

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.”

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!

July 18, 2015December 28, 2015

Best Photo Editing Monitor: My 27 Inch Setup In Detail

The Viewsonic VP2770-LED is the best photo editing monitor you are going to get for your money unless you want to spend out $1500 on a NEC PA272W-BK-SV in my opinion. Want to know why? Read on…

Best Photo Editing Monitor

If you are serious about photo editing, then you are going to need the right equipment and tools. Back when I first started, I can remember downloading Photoshop CC and trying to use it on my old 19″ TN based monitor. It was horrible. Photoshop is best used with a full Adobe RGB colorspace or at the very least an sRGB capable monitor (if you don’t know what that means, don’t worry – look here for a quick explanation).

IPS and Adobe RGB

So, once I had accepted that the old monitor had to go, I set about researching how to choose the best photo-editing for my budget. I quickly discovered that an IPS monitor (or TPS which is effectively the same thing) is essential for accurate colour reproduction. My price range was $300 – $800 and I soon found that it is not possible to find a monitor with full Adobe RGB colorspace for that money. So that brought a comparison of all the IPS monitors I could find under $800 with sRGB. There is surprising large choice and variety in the market even at that niche level.

Size and Resolution

Ever heard that size doesn’t matter – it’s what you do with it that counts? Well – every inch does makes a difference – up to a point. The majority of monitors on sale now are 27 inch. This is partly because it was one of the first sizes where manufacturers could achieve UHDMI resolution on a single panel. I believe it is also partly due to Apple releasing the iMac at 27 inches and driving the industry trend in that direction.

UHDMI resolution is widely available on monitors targeted at the photo-editing industry. This gives you a whopping 3840 x 2160 pixels. QHD is slightly less at 2560 x 1440 which is four times the coverage of standard HD.

Shortlist

Samsung U28D590D

I really liked the Samsung U28D590D – it has UHDMI resolution, comes with HDMI and Displayport connection and looks beautiful. As a bonus it also has a 1ms response time which would be useful should I ever wish to do any gaming. It has a colorspace of 1 billion, known as ‘1K’ which is reasonable for photo editing. It is a 28 inch size which is of course more than sufficient. I very nearly bought it, but the sticking point which I ultimately paid an extra $100 for was lack of IPS. The Samsung U28D590D has a TN based panel which simply isn’t accurate enough for serious photo editing. It is great for gaming although not my pick of the bunch for best gaming monitor.

Viewsonic VP2770-LED

The other main contender in my price bracket was the Viewsonic VP2770-LED monitor. This has an IPS panel and is therefore much better suited to photo and video editing. It is a pro-level monitor for photo-editing and other color critical applications and there are no extras like built in speakers as you might get with many other similarly priced monitors. It does have a built in USB 3.0 hub though, which I’ve found useful for connecting a graphics pad and other accessories to. The USB hub is no good for frequently used devices as it is rather fiddly to reach on the rear of the monitor.

In the end, I decided the best photo editing monitor for me was the Viewsonic VP2770-LED. It has the Displayport and HDMI connectivity of the Samsung and with the more faithful color reproduction using IPS technology, I felt it was the best monitor for my needs. It was tempting to upgrade to the VP2772 which has 99% ARGB coverage for an extra $300 but I decided to stick to the budget.

NEC PA272W-BK-SV

If I had the money and had been inclined, I would have invested in the NEC PA272W-BK-SV. It is really aimed at professional printers who need full Adobe RGB colorspace to see exactly the colors they will get on paper and is pretty much the best photo editing monitor out there unless you go for the 32″ version which really is the cream of the cream. The hood accessory for blocking out reflections and light is a nice touch. Although it is easy to make your own monitor hood from cardboard to suit any monitor which will be the subject of a future blog post. It also includes an NEC-specific calibrator “SpectraViewII” which does look very handy. However there are plenty of aftermarket calibrators available that are at least as good and will suit any monitor. I will be doing a blog post on selecting the best monitor calibrator soon.

Post – Purchase Update

So I’ve had the Viewsonic VP2770-LED for exactly a year now and have done a lot of photo-editing with it. I have found it to be an excellent monitor for the purpose and am very pleased with the purchase. The non-reflective screen is nice and faithful to the image being displayed although some might prefer a more reflective surface such as used on Apple products. I did find the placement of the monitor to be important i.e. away from windows and other non-intentional light sources. I also ended up buying a decent strip lamp to illuminate the wall behind it in order to gain the best possible contrast effect.

Have a comment based on your own experiences? Leave me a comment below, I promise to read them all!

June 16, 2015October 24, 2015

Should You Buy The NEC PA272W?

As the title suggests, this article is about the 27 inch PC monitor, the NEC PA272W. So, should you buy the NEC PA272W? The answer is – sorry I’m not one to spoil endings. We’re going to go over this monitor and see if it holds up across the boards. Can it perform at a high level when it comes to gaming, photo and video editing, every day use, etc?

You may have heard different things about it like that it’s great for graphics-based applications but it’s filthy-expensive and something about something called “SpectraViewII,” but what is that?

Well, let’s get into it.

NEC PA272W Specs

The viewable screen size is 27 inches with a resolution of 2560 x 1440. That’s pretty much the best you’re going to get when it comes to a monitor these days.

The NEC PA272W weighs a cool 28.4 pounds. That’s not light. In fact when you take a look at one of these things it’s got quite a thick body compared to other 27 inchers. The panel itself is 3.5 inches thick. You’re not getting that sleek, slim look you might be used to with an iMac or Dell UltraSharp U2715H.

The NEC PA272W screen display is backlit by LED. This consumes 37% less power than earlier LCD screens including the NEC monitor just before this one.

SpectraViewII, which I mentioned earlier, is a very important feature. This is specifically an NEC tech that utilizes a color measurement sensor and calibration software. In a nutshell it creates color-rich graphics that calibrate to whatever you’re viewing at any given moment.

It has the typical convenient tilt, swivel and pivot ability with a height-adjustable stand.

What is the NEC PA272W good for?

What is it good for – absolutely nothing! Ok, that’s not true but I couldn’t help quoting that song. This monitor was practically designed with the photo and video editor in mind, not to mention the gamer.

With its kick-ass screen performance covering 99.3% of the Adobe RGB color space everything seems to pop. Any monitor that performs well in the graphics department will be sure to work well for general office use for simple black on white word documents as you’re looking at sharper imaging for text.

One important factor that you’re also going to want to think with, is whether or not it’s easy on the eyes. If you’re writing code or sitting in front of word docs or excel spreadsheets or working with highly detailed graphic applications, the last thing you’re going to want is to step away at the end of the day with bloodshot eyes looking like you’ve got a major case of pink eye. Luckily this display allows you to customize the brightness and RGB to find the exact right fit for your eyeballs.
Look for the NEC PA272W to be a perfect fit for:

Gaming
Video editing
Photo editing
General office use
Medical office use
Coding

What kind of connectivity are we looking at here?

Unlike the earlier NEC PA272W this newest model has better connectivity issues. And just to answer a question I’m sure a lot of you are burning to know – yes it is Mac compatible. This is what it looks like:

1 DisplayPort
1 Mini DisplayPort
1 HDMI-DVI-D Dual Link
3 USB ports – Downstream (for flashdrives, printers, etc.)
2 USB ports – Upstream (for connection straight to another computer or a USB hub)

NEC PA272W Pros/Cons

Pros:

Amazing graphic display
Amazing graphic display
Amazing graphic display
Oh and did I mention graphic display.

That is really what sets this guy apart from the competition. The NEC PA272W was made for this purpose. It was not made to show off other bells and whistles or even to be the prettiest one out there. It was made for robust graphics work and it does its job.

Cons:

Bulkier than a lot of other monitors out there. It’s heavier and wider.
The price is a little bit higher as well. But if you watch it closely on Amazon the price tends to drop several hundred dollars for a day or two so I suggest you keep your eye on it.

Price

As of this writing it goes for $1299 on necdisplay.com and $1,295.19 on Amazon. But as I said earlier, watch Amazon because sometimes the prices drop for a short period. I’ve seen it drop to just over $1000.

What you’re looking at here is a monitor specifically designed to run the full color gamut and extract the most from it. If you’re willing to deal with a bulky, high-priced monitor that delivers what it promises in terms of quality then this is definitely the monitor for you.

If price is a concern then keep moving, nothing to see here.