Eizo ColorEdge CG279X
Eizo’s ColorEdge monitors continue to set the standard for accuracy and control
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you gave engineers the task of building the perfect monitor, and then told them not to worry about silly things such as price, then we present to you the Eizo ColorEdge CG279X. It sets the gold standard for colour-accurate monitors, and is able to perfectly render that gold standard on request.
The OSD brings new meaning to the word “control”, with the ability to move up in brightness by 1cd/m2 increments. That same level of co ntrol extends to colour temperature, gamma, hue and saturation. Plus, the buttons on the bottom bezel are so responsive and well explained that a four-year-old could use them.
The irony is that you probably won’t need to head into such detail, because the nine presets are a button press away and cover the gamut of gamuts: BT.2020, BT.709, DCI, Adobe RGB, sRGB and more. They all proved to be accurate, covering almost the entire range with minimal overspill. For example, Adobe RGB covered 94.2% with 95% volume, DCI 95.4% and 98.5%. Its colour accuracy was also the best here, with a maximum – not average – of 1.07 in sRGB, while it also tracks colour temperatures far better than its rivals. What you see is what you ask for.
The CG279X only has one area of weakness compared to rivals, and that’s brightness uniformity. Both ViewSonic and BenQ have clearly put in extra work here, and are rewarded with an average variation below 3%; the FlexScan averaged 4.7%.
So it’s not all perfection, but Eizo offers a number of “extras” to pull it ahead. Top of the pile is the built-in calibrator, which you can set to autocorrect the panel every, say, 500 hours of use. Then there’s the sheer robustness of its stand, with a solidity that would make tanks blush in envy. And you still get pivot support and 155mm of height adjustment.
It goes without saying that the CG279X is expensive for a 27in screen with a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, and note the USB-C connection only supplies 15W of power, but it’s equally obvious that you’re paying for the very best panel backed with supreme electronics. With a five-year warranty part of the deal, it’s worth the price.