Which 27" display?

[birthdaymonkey]

Right now I'm considering the Dell U2713HM, the Asus PB278Q, and the Samsung S27A850D.

None of them seems like a slam dunk winner, as all have mixed reviews. Backlight bleed, stuck pixels, poor uniformity etc. The Dell is cheapest, but there are reports of it buzzing when displaying text on white backgrounds, which is to me the biggest flaw of all.

Should I even bother getting one right now, or should I hang on in hopes of better quality, reasonably priced 27" displays later this year?

I'll be hanging the one I choose on a VESA mount with a 17.5lb max weight, so older CCFL panels won't work. I've also been pondering the Dell U3014 as well, although it's almost twice as expensive.

Input?

 

[C1]

Interesting as I just ran into a DELL U3011 on the floor at Frys Electronics ($999). It looked good, so when I looked it up, U3014 review came up on TFT Central. I would read about U3014 on TFT Central as the other LCDs mentioned (PB278Q and U2713H) are discussed as basis of comparison.

There seem to be many IPS units to select from lately. I would pick something out at Frys Electronics because this will allow you both see it then to try it out and if you are dissatisfied then you can swap it for another, or even a different make/model.

I bought an ASUS PA246Q from there over a year ago and have been pretty happy with it. I use it for movies, photo, graphics and office work. It's got lots of different modes which I use as well as even six axis color adjustment for the perfectionist. Seems now that I could even warm up to a 27" or even maybe a 30" screen. Who would have thought?

Displays are very complicated (ie, lots of parametrics which need to be fulfilled correctly) and it is important to be able to actually see the display that you are going to purchase. Hot pixels, backlight bleeds, gross nonuniformities, color tint issues, text readability/clarity issues, screen glares/cross hatches, wobbly stands,etc. are all no nos. Very tough buying sight unseen or by remote control (ie, mail order) and hence not recommended. Treat your local brick and mortar vendors well and remember that it is worth paying them the premium needed to support their overhead expenses.

 

[Yuriman]

I bought this one for my wife: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824116582

So far I've been impressed, but it might just be that I won the silicon lottery. No dead pixels, even backlight, no noticeable ghosting or input lag. After putting my Spyder2 on it and calibrating its colors, it looks fantastic. And the price is right.

 

[nickbits]

I have that dell model. No complaints. Dell has a zero dead pixel policy and I haven't noticed any bleeding issues. Backlight isn't completely uniform but not noticeable really.

Might want to consider a monoprice display. Co worker got one and and it seems nice. Said they also had a zero dead policy but I can't verify. The screen on those are glossy though, but I like glossy panels better. My fav display is the Apple Cinema.

 

[Peter Nixeus]

If you are considering the Dell, it would be a good choice. No monitor panel has 100% uniformity if you look at ALL of Anantech's review on monitors so far.

In regards to the monitor buzzing on white background, it could just be a rare occurance with an issue with the internal powersupply or a grounding wire - just RMA it for one that doesn't make that buzzing sound which should not be an issue with Dell.

 

[birthdaymonkey]

Thanks for the feedback, folks. I wish I had the luxury of buying local, but I live in a small Canadian city, and the selection of specialty products is grim.

The Dell was my first consideration. I'm currently running two U2412Ms and they have been good to me, but I'm looking to simplify my setup.

From the comments I've been reading, it sounds like the more recently built models have fixed the buzzing issue, and Dell have reportedly been working on the backlight bleed as well. Maybe I will just wait a month or two to let the manufacturing continue to mature--while waiting for a sweet deal of course.

Thanks for weighing in, Peter N. I was looking at the Nixeus, which is available now in Canada from NCIX at a good price, but the bezel aesthetics (glossy plastic in particular) don't appeal to me.

 

[Peter Nixeus]

Thanks for the feedback, folks. I wish I had the luxury of buying local, but I live in a small Canadian city, and the selection of specialty products is grim.

The Dell was my first consideration. I'm currently running two U2412Ms and they have been good to me, but I'm looking to simplify my setup.

From the comments I've been reading, it sounds like the more recently built models have fixed the buzzing issue, and Dell have reportedly been working on the backlight bleed as well. Maybe I will just wait a month or two to let the manufacturing continue to mature--while waiting for a sweet deal of course.

Thanks for weighing in, Peter N. I was looking at the Nixeus, which is available now in Canada from NCIX at a good price, but the bezel aesthetics (glossy plastic in particular) don't appeal to me.

No problem... It is true what you say about newer production would fix earlier issues as the manufacturing matures (it is the same with us, too)- so buy with confidence with the Dell.