HP z27x Review
by Chris Heinonen on December 2, 2014 4:00 PM ESTFor calibrating the HP z27x, we use CalMAN software from SpectraCal. Measurements are made with an i1Pro and a Klein K-10A using APL 50% test patterns. For pre-calibration measurements, I used the sRGB mode on the HP z27x and set the brightness to 200 cd/m2. Our targets are 200 cd/m2 with a Power 2.2 gamma and 80 cd/m2 with the sRGB gamma. We target the sRGB color gamut for these tests.
Pre-calibration the grayscale has a slight blue tint to it. The average color temperature is over 7000K, which corresponds to a blue temperature, and the graphs confirm it. The gamma is very good except at the low end, which is due to the HP using an sRGB gamma instead of the Power 2.2 gamma that we target. The dE2000 error levels stay below 3.0 for almost the whole range from 0% to 100% intensity, so it is still good despite these issues.
More impressive are the color error levels. The color checker and saturations are very good, and would be excellent even if this was after a calibration. Nothing creeps over a dE2000 of 3.0 so these are errors you will not notice in moving content. Pre-calibration, the HP is very good.
CalMAN has the ability to directly control the HP z27x, so it performed the calibration in the display LUT and the video card LUT. This provides the most accurate images possible and allows you to correct color errors that cannot be done in the video card LUT alone.
Post-calibration the sRGB numbers are virtually perfect. There are a couple issues in the grayscale but those are actually reading errors and not real errors. If they were actual errors the numbers around them would be higher as well. I ran into this a couple times with the Klein, probably due to my unfamiliarity with it compared to my usual meters. Gamma tracks almost perfectly, and the RGB balances are basically perfect.
Color errors are practically non-existent, with average dE2000 levels below 0.5. For professionals where accuracy matters, the HP z27x delivers that after calibration.
Results are the same when we target 80 cd/m2 and an sRGB gamma curve. You can see a couple of reading errors, but overall the display is virtually perfect. Contrast ratios fall a bit as it corrects 100% white, but there aren’t any major issues in the display.
Pre-calibration the numbers from the HP are good but they get to be reference class after calibration. Anyone using this display is going to calibrate it, because that is their target market, and it offers the ability to be completely dialed in.
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Wwhat - Sunday, December 7, 2014 - link
It's probably enforced by the damn HDMI consortium. But that's why it's nice to have displayport on monitors eh. Graphics cards use those and computer monitors like this one do.teddyboyd - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
There are a number of higher rated monitors, I recommend seeing http://www.topreport.org/monitors/ among others.dgingeri - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
I have the predecessor for this monitor, the ZR2740w, and I hate it. I had to have it replaced twice under warranty in three years. The support for it was difficult to reach and difficult to convince I deserved to get a new one because the old ones wouldn't power up at all. (Apparently, they thought I couldn't attach the cable properly, even though I'd worked in IT for over 15 years.) I am simply not getting another HP monitor again because of my experiences. I recommend the same to others.Dell makes much better monitors at has better support. Right now, they have the 27" UHD P2715Q for only $700, including a 3 year advanced replacement warranty. That sounds like a much better deal than this to me.
cheinonen - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
The ZR2740w, and the Dell, are consumer targeted while the z27x (which isn't a predecessor to the ZR2740w, it's more related to the LP2480zx) is aimed at professionals. Neither the Dell not the ZR2740w have the expanded gamuts or calibration options, they're a different market.fumanstan1 - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
I actually had a different experience with their support for the ZR2740w. Mine started failing where it wouldn't power up either, but they sent a technician out to my apartment to replace the monitor completely and basically came with a brand new warranty without any questions or problems at all. I came away impressed with their support.YazX_ - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
Dell or HP is same rebraded crap originally manufactured in china, you could get same one as these for 300-400$, but the HP logo costs around 1k$.Things extra in this monitor:
LAN: Not important, well external USB 3.0 NIC is for 25$.
USB Hub: not important, costs around 10$.
save your money and get Qnix/X-Star, same quality for fraction of the price, also Qnix comes with Samsung PLS which is better than LG IPS.
Samus - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
You're forgetting the HP logo comes with an excellent on-site warranty, and Qnix tech support doesn't even speak English (they're Korean)wolrah - Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - link
I think you missed the point on the ethernet port. It's not exposed to the PC, it's a configuration interface for the display itself. Still probably unimportant to you as it is to most, but certainly not equivalent to a random USB NIC.ijozic - Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - link
What are you on about? The z27x is a wide gamut monitor, while the ones you mention are not. Furthermore, IPS screens generally seem to have better color accuracy than PLS ones.Samus - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
I had a ZR2740w, it isn't a "successor" to this monitor. The ZR2740 was never a "Dreamcolor" display. As cheinonen said, it's a cheap consumer monitor. I hated it too. I could never get it close to calibrated. But it was a cheap, name-brand 2560x1440 display, and decent for gaming (other than FPS's)