NEC MultiSync PA241W

Great beauty in this beast

by Trevor Tan

05:55 AM May 21, 2010

LCD Monitor Review: NEC MultiSync PA241W

For serious photographers and design professionals, having accurate on-screen colour and tonal details is important to their digital workflow. They need professional-grade monitors, such as the latest NEC MultiSync PA241W.

This 24.1-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor features 10-bit active matrix Performance In-Plane Switching (P-IPS) LCD technology with a stunning wide viewing angle of 178 degrees (horizontal and vertical) and an extensive colour gamut of 98.1% AdobeRGB coverage and 100% sRGB coverage.

In addition, it has internal 14-bit programmable 3D lookup tables that allow the display of up to 1.07 billion colours (with 10-bit DisplayPort input), along with a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and an 8ms response rate.

Despite its impressive specifications, the monitor doesn't quite exude sexy vibes. It's quite bulky and heavy at 10.6kg (including the stand), though the built is certainly sturdy.

With the four-way stand, you can easily pivot, swivel, tilt and adjust the height of the screen. You can plug your computer to the monitor via its 10-bit DisplayPort, VGA or two DVI-D ports.

There are three Type A USB ports and two Type B USB ports. However, apart from one Type A USB port on the side, the rest of the USB ports are situated behind the monitor, making them hard to access.

After calibrating the monitor with the Spyder2PRO kit, I found the colour reproduction and tonal range to be far more superior and accurate than that on my calibrated MacBook Pro. Details in the shadow areas are also more distinct and visible.

As P-IPS promised , you can view the monitor even from the sides with its 178-degree viewing angle. More impressively, you will hardly notice any off-angle colour shift even from that viewing angle. This means you can edit photos confidently even if you are slouching or leaning to one side. Your client can also sit at the side and still be able to notice the intricate details of your work. And with the matte display, reflection is eliminated.

However, all these luxuries come at a pretty hefty price of $2,099. If you can afford it, the NEC MultiSync PA241W is a must-have display for your photo editing and design work. Trevor Tan

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Techreviews/EDC100521-0000065/Great-beauty-in-this-beast