ASUS PB279Q
Tactical compromise delivers a capable display.
Representing the economic solution from ASUS, the PB279Q provides access to a 10-bit workflow utilising a direct 10-bit panel with a 10-bit LUT and positioned at a cheaper price. However, this comes with compromises in the display performance.
For example, the PB279Q has a CIE2000 Delta-E value of 2.35, good black levels as opposed to excellent or strong, and a maximum panel luminance uniformity delta of 14%. These stepbacks are likely only to impact professionals who demand the highest fidelity and consistency in colour representation. For the majority of users, and most semi-professionals such as hobby photographers and graphic designers, these shortcomings will likely be overlooked, with the user still impressed by what they see on the display.
When it comes to connectivity, the PB279Q has a neat party trick. By fully utilising the display’s 3,840 x 2,160-pixel Ultra HD resolution and four HDMI v1.4 connections, the PB279Q can display four unique 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD signals at once by dividing the display into four quadrants. The unit also features two DisplayPort v1.2 links in the form of one mini and one full-sized port.
The Ultra HD resolution encapsulate in a 27-inch form factor leads to a beautifully crisp high dpi of 163. This lends itself to beautifully stunning image representation at the native resolution; however, it will also require some operating system scaling to reduce eye strain by the user as the perception of visual elements shrink due to the high dpi.