Five monitors for working with graphics

Philips 276E6ADSS 27 " white

The first of its kind serial monitor, which received emitters based on quantum dots as a backlight, offers users the most correct colour reproduction for a very affordable price.

The correctness of the colour palette display is confirmed by monitor tests, the results of which indicate the full coverage of the sRGB space and 99 percent coverage of the Adobe RGB environment. With such indicators, working in professional photo and video editing applications turns into a real pleasure. However, for watching movies and browsing the Internet, the monitor screen also fits perfectly, providing users with a juicy and lively picture.

Another advantage of the advanced ADS-IPS matrix is a lower level of power consumption compared to traditional solutions, which in this case is only 26 watts. The matrix supports FullHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) and has wide viewing angles (within 178°). For connoisseurs of the effect of immersion in what is happening on the screen in the arsenal of the monitor there are a number of tools for automatically adjusting the colour, contrast and brightness of the backlight, depending on the broadcast scene.

A set of connectors for connecting third-party devices is located on the snow-white back of the model. It includes an analogue VGA port, a digital DVI-D Dual Link and an HDMI connector combined with an MHL interface. The latter is responsible for connecting mobile gadgets in order to broadcast their images on the monitor screen. But for some reason there was no place for mounting the VESA on the case, which is why the Philips 276E6ADSS is installed on the table only relying on a stylish stand with a rounded base without the possibility of height adjustment. These disadvantages are drawn to the status of trifles, which pale in comparison with the professional characteristics of the model, which is also oriented to the masses.

The most popular among retouchers and video editors in the lineup of the Japanese company Eizo is the ColorEdge series of monitors, sharpened for professional work with graphics. But the FlexScan line also does not graze the rear — focus on the average consumer, it is an affordable alternative to professional solutions.

A distinctive feature of the Eizo FlexScan EV2450 are extremely narrow frames around the perimeter of the screen (only 4.3 mm). This makes the model a very attractive option if you need to create a configuration of multiple monitors. Moreover, they can be placed both in standard portrait and portrait orientation — a practical stand opens up the possibility of quickly rotating the screen within 344 °.

The main design element of the monitor is an IPS matrix with a typical FullHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels). It boasts excellent detail and natural colour reproduction with viewing angles within 178°. The diagonal of the screen is only one tenth of an inch short of 24", and its aspect ratio is 16:9. The closest relative of the model (Eizo FlexScan EV2455 24 " ) the characteristics are slightly better: at a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, the 16:10 display format covers more screen space, besides the maximum brightness threshold (350 cd / m² versus 250 cd /m² for the hero of the review) allows you to work more comfortably in bright lighting.

The monitor is equipped with a light sensor, familiar to users of modern smartphones or laptops. It helps to automatically change the brightness of the display depending on the intensity of external light sources. In the on-screen menu, you can set the upper and lower thresholds of the brightness adjustment system. But the uniformity of the backlight of the screen in some cases can be slightly found fault with, because according to the test results, it is at about 80%.

The model is equipped with a wide variety of interfaces (VGA, HDMI, DVI-D Dual Link, Display Port), two built-in speakers (1 Watt each) and a separate panel, which includes two USB ports and two 3.5mm audio outputs. The side USB ports are too deeply recessed into the case, which makes them more convenient to use for connecting devices for a long time.

The well-proven AH-IPS matrix, on the basis of which the monitor screen from the American company Dell is built, stands out for its high colour rendering quality, as well as wide coverage of the sRGB and AdobeRGB colour spaces (99% and 82%, respectively). Therefore, Dell U2717D can be safely recommended for serious work with graphics.

With a screen resolution of 140x1440 pixels, an optimal pixel density is achieved — their size will not be too small in order not to miss a possible defect when working with images or video files and not too great so as not to catch the eye. And a bright LED backlight (350 cd/m² at the maximum level) will help to catch the difference between the slightest shades of colours.

The monitor screen practically does not require any intervention in terms of colour calibration — the factory settings provide high colour accuracy with 8-bit colour depth, which corresponds to the ability to display more than 16.3 million different shades. As befits a professional tool, the surface of the matrix is matte, and a special anti-reflective coating is applied on top of it.

There are two ways to install the monitor in front of the user: using a 100x100 mm VESA wall mount or using a practical stand. The latter allows you to adjust the position of the screen by height (within 13 cm), as well as by its angle of inclination. Adherents of the multi—monitor layout will like the thinnest Dell U2717D frames — with a border thickness of 7.3 mm, the line between two or three side-by-side monitors is practically erased.

The owners of the model blame only one disadvantage in its design — the lack of built-in speakers. It is solved by connecting external speakers or headphones to the monitor, for which a 3.5mm mini-jack is provided on the back of the case. It is also necessary to note the support of MHL technology, the purpose of which lies in the transmission of a digital video audio signal from the screen of a smartphone or tablet directly to the monitor display.

The atypically high resolution of the LG34UM88C monitor screen (3440x1440 pixels) is explained by the cinematic aspect ratio of 21:9. On such an elongated display, it is convenient to watch movies, work with several windows at the same time or use part of the screen to place toolbars when processing photos or videos. However, not all games and applications are optimized for a wide format.

The convenience of working with graphics should be highlighted in a separate line, because the model covers more than 99% of the sRGB colour space and about 78% of Adobe RGB. In addition, a 10-bit IPS matrix is able to display more than 1 billion. colours with a uniform distribution of colour temperature over the entire area of the screen. Such advanced features clearly hint at the possibility of more accurate editing of graphic materials (whether it's photographs or video files).

Factory calibration of the monitor requires almost no intervention. In which case, you can calibrate the colours to achieve the desired results manually. The brightness range of the model allows you to work comfortably both in the light and in the dark. And the Flicker-Free backlight frequency elimination technology will assist in reducing eye fatigue during prolonged stay in front of the monitor screen.

AMD FreeSync proprietary technology becomes available to owners of computers with AMD video cards, which helps smooth out delays or image breaks that occur when the frame rate does not match the monitor refresh rate. Another useful Picture-by-Picture feature allows you to simultaneously display images from two different sources (for example, a PC and a laptop), which looks especially good on a widescreen display.

Thin frames around the screen and a semicircular black stand once again emphasize the elegant style of the LG 34UM88C. To ensure a higher level of comfort, the user can adjust the position of the monitor within 12 cm in height, as well as tilt its body by +20 ° or -5°. Finally, it is worth noting the presence of two built-in speakers with a total power of 14 watts in the design of the model. Their presence allows you to do without a separate speaker system, especially since there are no claims to the speakers in terms of sound quality.

The high-quality 27-inch IPS panel from the Japanese brand NEC covers 100% of the sRGB colour space and approximately 80% of the larger AdobeRGB space. Given the good factory calibration of the matrix, you certainly won't have to worry about the accuracy of the display of shades, thanks to which the model is an excellent option for working closely with graphics.

The monitor screen with a WQHD resolution (14x1440 pixels) is illuminated using WLED LEDs with a maximum brightness threshold of 350 cd/m².To reduce the power consumption of the model, two sensors built into its housing are designed at once: the first is responsible for automatically adjusting the brightness depending on the intensity of lighting, and the second puts the screen into sleep mode in the absence of a user in front of it.

The control of the model is tied to the use of touch keys located on the front panel of the case. For comfortable daily work and more intensive graphics, there are a number of automatic image output presets (6 different modes) and manual parameter settings. Among other things, they include a direct change in the balance for each of the RGB reference colours.

A more pumped-up alternative to the monitor is the NEC EA305WMi 30 " , which has a screen size increased to 30" and an advanced GB-R LED backlight system. But its main disadvantage is the high cost. The 27-inch version attracts more potential buyers, especially since it supports a multi-monitor mode of operation with the ability to change the parameters of the image display selection from the master monitor. To do this, a special ControlSync connector is provided among the interface ports of the model, which allows you to connect up to 6 monitors at a time.