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A growing number of people are gradually learning about the benefits of using a higher resolution screen. Long gone are the days of 1024×768 resolution as the latest Steam survey in December 2011 has highlighted. 17.59% of gamers are using a 1680×1050 panel now, with 7.77% using 1920×1080. Only 4 percent use 1024×748.
If you are upgrading in 2012, then the review product today might interest you, The Asus VE278 is a 27 inch LED backlit screen with true HD 1080p resolution and a 2MS response time, ideal for gaming.
Specifications
| Display | Panel Size: Wide Screen 27.0″(68.6cm) 16:9 True Resolution : 1920×1080 Pixel Pitch : 0.311mm Brightness(Max) : 300 cd/㎡ ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) : 10000000:1 Viewing Angle (CR≧10) : 170°(H)/160°(V) Response Time : 2ms (Gray to Gray) Display Colors : 16.7M |
| Video Feature | Trace Free Technology SPLENDID Video Intelligence Technology SPLENDID Video Preset Modes : 6 Modes Skin-Tone Selection : 3 Modes Color Temperature Selection : 4 Modes Picture-in-Picture HDCP support |
| Audio Features | Stereo Speakers : 3W x 2 Stereo RMS |
| Convenient Hotkey | SPLENDID Video Preset Mode Selection Auto. Adjustment Brightness Adjustment Volume Adjustment Input Selection Picture-in-Picture |
| I/O Ports | Signal Input : HDMI , D-Sub, DisplayPort, DVI-D PC Audio Input : 3.5mm Mini-Jack AV Audio Input : HDMI Earphone jack : 3.5mm Mini-Jack |
| Signal Frequency | Analog Signal Frequency : 24~92 KHz(H)/ 50~85 Hz(V) Digital Signal Frequency : 24~92 KHz(H)/ 50~85 Hz(V) |
| Power Consumption | Power Consumption < 45 W Power Saving Mode < 2 W |
| Mechanical Design | Chassis Colors : Black Tilt : +20°~-5° VESA Wall Mounting : 100x100mm |
| Security | Kensington lock |
| Dimensions | Phys.Dimension(WxHxD): 643×445.6x220mm Box Dimension(WxHxD): 732x560x176mm |
| Weight | Net Weight (Esti.): 6.5 kg Gross Weight (Esti.): 9.8 kg |
| Accessories | DVI cable VGA cable Audio cable Power cord Quick start guide Warranty Card |
| Regulation Approval | Energy Star®, UL/cUL, CB, CE, EuP, FCC, CCC, BSMI, Gost-R, C-Tick, VCCI, PSB, EK, J-MOSS, RoHS, WEEE, Windows 7 & Vista WHQL |
The Asus VE278 arrives in a large brown box, which isn't as heavy as it looks (9.8kg).
Inside, the monitor is protected between two thick Styrofoam pieces. All the accessories are at the top of the box, stored within recesses in the Styrofoam.
Asus include a power cable, DVI cables, a VGA cable, speaker cable, monitor stand and literature on the product.
The stand slides into a metal bar which locks into place with a large screw. No tool kit required.
The Asus VE278 ships protected with sticky plastic wrap on all edges. It takes a few minutes to remove.
The VE278 is an attractive design, but doesn't offer anything radical to stand out in such a crowded market. The Bezel isn't too thick, and the HDMI logo is positioned top left, with the name of the company in the central position along the bottom of the screen. It is a substantial construction and weighs around 6.5kg.
The VE278Q has an ‘AI light' option which enables the VE278Q to automatically adjust the brightness to suit environmental lighting, helping to reduce power consumption by up to 25 percent.
The stand rotates and pivots, between +20 degrees and -5 degrees. It feels strong and well designed to last the distance.
The back of the screen and the surrounding bezel is finished in piano black, which is not only extremely reflective, but attracts finger prints and dust extremely easily. The interface ports are arranged in a row close to the bottom of the screen at the back.
At the left of the I/O panel is a standard power connector. On the right side we have a DisplayPort, HDMI port, DVI and VGA port. At the far right are input and output audio ports. This screen has onboard speakers, rated at 3W x 2 RMS.
The VE278Q has a row of physical buttons along the bottom of the screen to change settings, which is a refreshing change from touch sensitive panels. This particular panel also has PIP (Picture In Picture) support.
On this page we present some super high resolution images of the product taken with the 24.5MP Nikon D3X camera and 24-70mm ED lens. These will take much longer to open due to the dimensions, especially on slower connections. If you use these pictures on another site or publication, please credit Kitguru.net as the owner/source.
The layout of the onscreen interface is easy to follow, being split up into seven main sections, then the relevant subgroups on the right. The main ‘splendid' panel offers various modes to suit a variety of media. The settings optimise video performance and image fidelity by enhancing color, brightness, contrast, and sharpness. 6 preset video modes (Scenery, Theater, Game, Night View, sRGB and Standard) can be selected via a hotkey.
The Color panel allows the user to adjust the colour temperature of the screen, as well as brightness and contrast settings.
The image settings panel can be used to configure the aspect ratio, and sharpness settings, depending on the user mode.
The VE278Q has two onboard speakers rated at 3W each. The sound is fine for light use, but there is a complete lack of bass response meaning the sound is thin and rather gutless. That said, we wouldn't expect anyone to use the onboard sound of an LCD panel for serious gaming or media demands. Asus allow adjustments to bass, treble and balance, but they don't dramatically enhance the overall quality.
The VE278Q has a picture in picture (PIP) option, to allow the user to monitor a secondary source while using the primary. This is ideal if you have more than one computer attached and are running a time intensive task in the background. It can be used to monitor the other system, while you work in the foreground. The source, position and size can be changed to suit. This isn't a ‘must have' feature, but it is a worthwhile extra to include.
The input selection panel is self explanatory, allowing the user to switch between connected devices.
The System setup panel has options to control a DEMO mode, ideal for a retail store environment. The AI light can be enabled here to allow the screen to adjust the brightness of the screen automatically to suit the environmental conditions. The VE278Q can be reset to factory defaults here and the default language can be changed.
To test today, we are using a LaCie calibration gun along with specific software to measure the readings.
We measured the Gamut out of the box, and the VE278Q returned a reading of 2.15, a decent default setting. We changed the gamut to 1.8 and it returned a 1.83 result, which is very good. We measured panel variance and we recorded a 16% variance from the center rating of 140 nits.
Colour response was very good, although we noticed a slight pink cast around a high portion of the image area. We could remove this with some calibration, however the screen wasn't completely linear across the width.
Black Definition is above average, although the sample we received was rather inconsistent, with shift around 20% in the middle and just over 40% at the edges. This is noticeable to the naked eye, especially with well recorded high definition bluray on dark scenes. The PA238Q which we reviewed in September last year delivered much better results. This problem was less obvious when gaming, although the blacks never really looked as rich as we would have liked.
White purity is average, with a panel shift around 25% at the corners. We noticed two darker patches off set on the left and right of the screen which caused me a little concern during testing. In real world conditions this might not be that noticeable, but once I became aware of the problem my eyes would notice the dark ‘pooling' on brighter scenes. Uniformity of the screen seemed slightly problematic, with bleed visible on various sections of the panel. The VE278Q is not particularly good for viewing high definition media as we noticed some colour fluctuation, out around 1.8% on the R channel.
For gaming duties, the fast refresh helps to ensure that there is no lag or annoying abnormalities which can ruin the experience. We left the screen in the hands of some clan gamers for a day and they felt it was very well suited to gaming. This is more ‘real world' testing than just the technical data we tend to focus on in our labs, so their response was rather positive.
Text rendering is good, although some of the out of the box settings can make text look a little fuzzy. The large 27 inch physical size means that 1080p resolution and the display of fine text can be a little easier on the eyes than with a 24 inch screen.
We measured a contrast ratio of around 530:1 at maximum brightness. the Dynamic contrast ratio was measured at 1350:1. At minimum brightness we measured 92 cd/m2 which rose to 242 cd/m2 at maximum settings.
Out of the box, the screen took around 39 watts of power. When we calibrated it to our tastes, this dropped to 27 watts, which is very impressive. At idle, this drops to around 1 watts of power.
The Asus VE278Q is an attractive looking monitor, although it fails to stand out in such a crowded market. The bundle is impressive, and the stand mechanism feels very strong, clearly built to last.
Technically this is not one of the better ASUS screens on the market with poorly calibrated ‘out of the box' settings. After a little time and effort however it produces some decent images. Colour rendition is impressive, with strong tones, smooth graduations and focused edges. With some calibration it is perfectly usable for non professional oriented Photoshop work.
Text display is good, although some of the poorly set up built in presets can cause issues when rendering fine, small text display. I found myself ‘blinking' to clear my eyes when reading very small website text with a few of the preset options.
Our biggest concern with this screen is the backlighting inconsistencies which can ruin the high definition media experience. Blacks never look as rich or intense as we would have wanted, and there is some bleeding evident on the corners. White purity caused a few concerns for me, with darker patches in the middle of the screen which can distract during some media playback.
For gaming, the response time is fantastic (rated at 2ms) and the clan gamers who spent time with the screen fed back positive comments. Power consumption is a particular strength for the VE278Q, demanding under 30 watts of power after we spent some time calibrating it. The onboard sound is a welcome addition, but don't expect to use it to create an engrossing cinematic experience.
In the United Kingdom, the VE278Q is available for £239.36 inc vat from Amazon, meaning you get a lot of real estate for the money. That said, the Asus PA238Q offers a noticeably higher quality image, with more panel consistency. Unless you specifically need a 27 inch screen, we would rather spend £222 for the PA238Q.
Pros:
- Good pricing.
- onboard speakers.
- DisplayPort connector.
- Good colour rendition.
- Strong gaming capabilities.
- Picture in Picture.
Cons:
- Panel inconsistencies and minor backlighting problems hamper the overall quality of the image.
- Not ideal for High Definition media playback.
Kitguru says: A decent screen with some problems which ruin the overall appeal.
Only 1080p for this display? I found that disappointing. I like high resolutions, but don’t need the extra size. At 27″ I’d expect 2560×1440. Obviously that’d cost more, but if I went to 27″ I’d expect that. Let’s hope the trend of ultra high resolution panels coming soon to tablets will extend to desktops in the future. Otherwise it would look rather silly to have 2048×1536 or whatever at 10″ and 1920×1080 at 27″.
The Sony Z series has a 1920×1080 option on the 13 inch screen, thats pretty impressive, although it actually might to ‘too high’ for ease of reading unless you have eagle eye vision.
Looks ok, I prefer a 23-24 inch at this resolution as I think the screen is too big for the resolution and you can actually see the scanlines sometimes.