Asus ProArt PA27AC 27 " black (90LM02N0-B01370)

Top from Asus

Asus does not often update its "graphic" monitor line ProArt, so the update to the 2018 line attracted significant attention among designers. MacBook owners particularly appreciate it, as they can easily connect the laptop to the monitor using the Thunderbolt port, turning it into a convenient workstation. In general, "plug everything into me" is the unspoken principle of this monitor: on the back panel, you will find a multitude of ports, including a pair of HDMI, DisplayPort, a headphone jack, and a USB hub with 3 ports (there's also USB C with charging capability). All this good stuff allows you to connect additional peripherals without occupying the main ports on a computer or laptop. Additional features include built-in speakers, a convenient stand with height adjustment, support for portrait mode, and "picture-in-picture".

27-inch IPS panel with Quad HD resolution

The Asus PA27AC uses a full 8-bit IPS-type panel, which at a 27-inch screen diagonal provides an optimal resolution for this class Quad HD (2560x1440 pixels) with a pixel density of 110 ppi. Additional immersion in what's happening is facilitated by the so-called 4-side frameless design of the bezel-less panel, where all four inner frames are minimal in size. The manufacturer claims increased brightness of up to 400 nits with a truly working uniformity compensation system, color coverage of 100% sRGB, built-in 14-bit LUT with hardware calibration capability, high-quality factory settings, advanced system of backlight uniformity compensation, and support for the HDR10 standard.

Not without drawbacks

However, the HDR here is not quite genuine, as the monitor passed the VESA specification thanks to a software extension using Tone Mapping technology. Considering the "professional" price tag of around $800, such an approach to creating a professional monitor is surprising. However, this is the reality for 99% of displays claiming HDR support. The approach to color calibration is also disappointing. For some reason, Asus decided not to use correction matrices for specific backlight types, as other manufacturers do, and instead chose to write their not entirely successful software. Overall, if 100% sRGB color space coverage fully meets your color reproduction requirements and you need a truly high-quality modern monitor with a bunch of additional features, there won't be many alternatives to the ProArt PA27AC.