Monoprice IPS-Glass Panel Pro 27" LCD Monitor
by Chris Heinonen on October 22, 2013 2:40 AM EST
The first Monoprice display I looked at didn’t fare well. While very affordable, it only offered a DVI input and very little in the way of controls. The worst sin was that the brightness control on the display just didn’t work correctly. A step up from that model is their IPS-Glass. With HDMI, DSub, and DisplayPort inputs to go with a dual-link DVI input, it is far more flexible than the cheaper model. It also returns the display controls to the front of the monitor instead of the rear. As important as these changes are, it won’t really matter if the issues found in the cheaper model exist here.
The Monoprice IPS-Glass Pro Panel is a 27”, 2560x1440 display using an IPS panel. It has a standard white LED backlight and uses the standard sRGB color gamut. To utilize the full resolution you’ll need to use the DVI or DisplayPort inputs as the HDMI port is 1.4a but not capable of the full 2560x1440 resolution. The included stand offers a bit of tilt but no other adjustments are available, though the 100mm VESA mounting holes make it easy to replace that with a better model if you desire. The features of the Monoprice are rounded out by a pair of speakers on the rear of the display.
The menu system inside of the Monoprice is exactly like that of the Nixeus displays. With a lot of these cheaper displays the panels and electronics are all being sourced from the same suppliers. There is still a lot that a company can do to improve upon the default performance, but the guts are the same. Unlike the cheaper Monoprice display we're glad to report that the Brightness control here works properly. Beyond the Brightness and Contrast controls you have a few preset modes that are best avoided, and a single point white balance control. There is a dynamic contrast mode but it blows the gamma curve way out of proportion, crushing shadows and highlights in the process. Overall the controls are bare-bones, but they do operate correctly.
The Monoprice IPS-Glass panel has a substantial feeling to it. There are vents at the top and the bottom and the display stays cool during use. Using an external power brick helps with this but also means another item on/near your desk. The bezel is a thick piece of glossy plastic that really picks up fingerprints, so try to avoid touching it if you can. It helps to slightly enhance the apparent contrast to your eye though I still prefer a matte finish that doesn’t show smudges as easily. The screen surface is very glossy as well. If you are in a room with bright, direct lighting the glare is probably going to be an issue.
The speakers provide adequate sound but are nothing to write home about. If you have no other speakers handy they can suffice, but that's about all I'd say of them. Since they’re rear-mounted they may also get muffled if you wall-mount the display, though wall mounting is usually only something we see with HDTVs so it's probably not a major concern. Overall the Monoprice design shows its value roots but it does not feel cheap. The HDMI resolution limitation would be a bigger deal without DisplayPort but most people should be fine with that.
| Monoprice IPS-Glass Panel Pro | |
| Video Inputs | DVI-DL, DisplayPort, HDMI, Dsub |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.2331mm |
| Colors | 1.07 Billion (A-FRC) |
| Brightness | 440 cd/m^2 |
| Contrast Ratio | 80,000:1 |
| Response Time | 6ms GtG |
| Viewable Size | 27" |
| Resolution | 2560x1440 |
| Viewing Angle (H/V) | 178/178 |
| Backlight | White LED |
| Power Consumption (operation) | < 90W |
| Power Consumption (standby) | < 1 W |
| Screen Treatment | Glossy |
| Height-Adjustable | No |
| Tilt | Yes |
| Pivot | No |
| Swivel | No |
| VESA Wall Mounting | Yes, 100mm x 100mm |
| Dimensions w/ Base (WxHxD) | 25.9" x 19" x 8.5" |
| Weight | 18.3 lbs. |
| Additional Features | 2W Stereo Speakers |
| Limited Warranty | 1 Year |
| Accessories | Power Cord, Power Brick, 3.5mm Audio Cable, DL-DVI Cable |
| Price | $474 |
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peterfares - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
Would you really count $475 for this as a steal? It seems quite expensive for a rebranded cheapo WQHD monitor.The Dell is probably worth the extra money, especially considering the 3 year advanced exchange warranty included vs 1 year not.The Microcenter monitor also has the same inputs for $400.piroroadkill - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
I'd agree that a far more premium look, more inputs, better stand, etc are worth $75 alone.Let alone 3 year advanced exchange warranty. The Dell is definitely worth the extra money.
Fergy - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
I would gladly play $50 not to have glossy plastic bezels. And $50 to calibrate it for me. I have had my current Dell monitors since 2006 and I am not going to pay $100 less for a cheap looking monitor. It would just irritate me every day.DanNeely - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
To a large extent these monitors are aimed at people who consider $600-700 crazy; but are willing to make compromises to stretch up from a 1080p screen. They're the same people who bought the low end 1920x1200 monitors a half dozen years ago when good ones cost $500 and most people bought $200 1680x1050 screens if they were stepping up from the cheapest common denominator.LancerVI - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
.....or they're just gamers who don't need/want that kind of color fidelity, but want the resolution and decent response time. Now that GPU's are getting beefy enought to push beyond 1080p maxed out, it's only natural for gamers to look beyond 1080p monitor solution.Flunk - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
With a $75 delta over a $400 base, I would get the Ultrasharp every time. Dell's monitor is not only better out of the box but you've got a much better history of quality with their high-end monitors. I was going to post that I would rather have a 24" Ultrasharp than this 27" cheapie but the price different is much less than I expected.Maybe if they priced this at $350 it would look like a deal to some. I still wouldn't buy it, LCDs last too long to buy a cheap one.
CaedenV - Thursday, October 24, 2013 - link
That is what I learned the hard way. 4 years ago I picked up a 1200p display for $300 because it was what I could afford, instead of spending the $5-600 on one that would really be nice. But now I am stuck with a monitor that has a faint but noticeable buzzing sound, backlight bleeding, horrible color, huge pixels (1200p on a 28" monitor), and displays have improved so much that there is no possible way to resell the thing to help me move up. So now I am stuck with this thing for another couple years every day being painfully aware that I made a bad call.Next time around I will be waiting for a non-tiled 4K 60fps display in the 35-42" range. It will cost a pretty penny, but if I am going to have to look at it 4-10 hours a day for 7-10 years then the price will be more than justifiable. Monitors, power supplies, and hard drives are things that cost a bit more up front for quality, but more than pay themselves off in reliability and longevity.
CecileWamsley - Monday, October 28, 2013 - link
my Aunty Maria recently got an awesome cream Chevrolet Corvette Z0-Six by working off of a macbook. pop over to these guys... http://smal.ly/8wUo2blau808 - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
Sorry, but that thing is hideous.imsabbel - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
Okay, this monitor is just as unusual as the other monoprice one. Over 150 Cd/m^2 MINIMUM brightness? I know people like "brighter is better", but 100 Cd/m^2 is the recommended brightness in a well lit workplace. For a reason.At night, in a dark room, its already too bright. 163 minimum means you are messing up your eyes bigtime if you are a nighttime gamer. In a dark room, 20-30 are perfectly fine.