Meural Digital Frame 2.0 - 2017 Product Of the Year (Discount Offer)

Meural Canvas 2.0 Box - Bottom

I rarely do unboxing videos, but for this product I created the article entitled First Look - Meural Digital Canvas Photo Frame 2.0 where I did just that. The reason for this is that I wanted to have a little more bake time with this newest version of the wildly successful Meural Digital Canvas that I first reviewed in August 2016 before I rendered my final verdict on this newest version.

In the first look article you can get an idea of what you get in the box and the frame itself (the Lenora Black in this case), so in this review I'll focus on other relevant points.

Overview - What is a Digital Canvas?

Simply put, this is a dedicated 1080p video display with a low cost computer built in that allows it to talk to my.meural.com. This means that there's a Meural cloud service that is used to keep the files you upload and the settings you set for all of the frames you own. This allows for easy sharing of data between your computer, apps and the frame itself. 

My TV can computer can show photos, why is this better?

While it is true that many smart devices such as modern TV's can show photos, the problem is that this is not their primary purpose so displaying photos typically involves a lot of hassle and it's easy to close the app that is playing the slideshow. As a result, this makes these devices - just like your computer - good for a one off slideshow, but not something that is literally living art in your home.

I've bought small digital frames before and they suck, how is this different?

There's an old saying "you get what you pay for" and sadly most small form factor digital displays are just that. They are a horrifically low quality video display and a terrible software experience making them worse than using your TV or computer for displaying photos and the software is so poorly done that most people are usually turning them off within months of purchasing them.

Great for portraits in offices or homes

What makes Meural different is that this is a high quality display, as the price would suggest, with high quality software with the dedicated purpose of making it easy to display your photos and add more from any location that has internet access.

I'm proud to have licensed some of my images for use on Meural

What's more, you aren't limited to your own photos, so add the subscription service and you can enjoy others high quality art for those times when you want to enjoy art that exceeds your own abilities. To see examples of art you can enjoy on your frame, check out the galleries from artists and partners who have licensed work to Meural for use on your frame.

Setup

Device menu displayed via gesture feature

Setup for this device is much like any other IoT device these days - this frame has its own wifi access point that you connect to from your phone, then use the app to setup the device and get it on your local network. Generally speaking, it works just as easy as any other device of this type (like Nest products), which is to say an average user won't have any trouble setting it up. Some beginners may struggle a bit though.

With that said, one of the setup experiences involves using the gesture support on this frame and that's one of the few areas where I don't have good things to say about this product. Simply put, the gesture feature is terrible.

Frequently I found myself flapping like a bird trying to get the gestures to work with roughly a 5% success rate, but fortunately you can completely ignore this feature after you've set up the frame (and even with setup, it's optional).

Hanging the frame

Hanging the frame requires a drill and a hammer and a little patience with the measurements. It took me about 15 minutes from start to finish to hang the frame. While they include a small level with the frame, I still think it's better a real level for better accuracy. I failed to do so when hanging the frame at my parents house and it ended up being slightly off so it drives me crazy.

If you are mindful when hanging, you can set your frame up where it can change orientation from landscape to portrait, which is handy when you get tired of photos of one orientation and you want to mix them up with those of another. I love this feature, so I always make sure I hang my frames in a way that supports both orientations.

Settings

While Meural is constantly improving the settings experience, as of December 2017 here's what they looked like in the web browser:

App Experience

Here's a demo of what you can do using the app using an iPhone (in this case, the iPhone X) with the phone upright for the first part, and the phone in landscape orientation for the second part:

It should be noted that my mom had a iPhone 4s which wasn't supported since the app requires iOS 10 or later, and her phone only supports up to iOS 9. While it is cool to have apps that take advantage of the latest features, I wasn't too happy about a 4 year old phone being unsupported.

Click here to learn more about the requirements of the app on iOS and click here for Android. While the app has features like being able to switch the images in real time, you can also use the web interface from your computer or phone as another option.

I really wish Meural would be more thoughtful about backwards compatibility for phones or make all of the app features redundant in the web interface so owners with older phones would have more options.

Another frustration point is that the app can only control the frame when you are on the same network, so I can't control the frame on behalf of my parents remotely. Since they are both over 80, this is a real bummer as that could be quite useful.

TIP: The weakest link of any connected device is getting it on a networking and keeping it on the network. The Meural frame is no different, but I do find that it loses its network connection more than other devices. When this happens, the best bet is to just unplug and reconnect the frame to its power source and the connection will restore itself. I suspect this is due to the device failing to send the router a keep alive message, so hopefully this is something they will fix in the future.

Controlling the frame from the app demo

Customization

To me the key differentiator of Meural over the competition is the customization that it supports. In addition to the settings shown earlier, the scheduler allows you to pick which play list you display at each hour of the day plus when your frame sleeps. This is a HUGE benefit over all other solutions I've ever tried, and it's the reason why I proudly own three Meural frames.

Here's an example of how you configure this feature from the web browser (only):

There's a drag and drop interface for choosing which playlist you'd like to display on the frame at any given hour. Once you drop it on the frame you can drag it have it span multiple hours as I've done with the 78 image "portraits" playlist. You can also have it randomly choose play lists for part of the day and fixed playlists for other parts. Finally, you can specify which hours the frame sleeps which is my favorite feature as I don't want my frame running at night.

For simplicity sake, I've only shown two playlists here but it supports as many playlists as you've downloaded to your frame. You can also avoid this altogether and turn on "Playlist Rotation" and "Canvas goes completely dark" (shown earlier) if you want the frame to be more hands off and make those decisions for you.

This is the game changer feature that I can't live without!

Frame & Display Quality Thoughts

The display used in this frame is a good quality 1920 x 1080 (1080p) full HD display that resolves to 100 pixels per inch, and it features a matte finish to avoid reflections. Since it is calibrated nicely from the factory, this results in a very pleasant viewing experience that often times can fool novices into thinking they are looking at a framed print.

For those who do frame prints, the size feels about the same as a 13x19" print, so it's big enough to enjoy but not obnoxiously large. When viewing images in landscape orientation it feels just right for most things, but busy scenes viewed at distances greater than 16 feet can feel a bit on the small side (duh). However, in portrait mode I found that most images felt quite large and enjoyable, but that could also be since I get up close on my portraits so the images are larger than life size.

The frame itself features a nice wooden frame white a white matting that feels very professionally done. As a result, it doesn't feel like a cheap digital frame but instead like a print that you had framed. This is why I think I often get the reaction from guests who so say "I didn't realize that was digital" after they see the image change for the first time.

As previously mentioned, the gesture support is terrible so I consider it a non-feature. In fact, for my parents I had to effectively disable it as they would sometimes accidentally activate it which stressed them out.

I've owned my first version for over a year and heat has never been a problem. It's always cool to the touch, unlike my TV, so that's a good sign that it's using a lot less electricity too. This is one of the big benefits of this solution over a computer or TV used to display your images because I haven't noticed any impact on my electricity bill while running this frame for 16 hours a day for the last 16 months! My room doesn't feel like a sauna either like it does when I'm done watching a long movie.

New for 2.0 - the sleep button

Meural 2.0 Sleep Button

One great new feature for the 2.0 version is the sleep button. This allows you to push a physical button on the side of the frame to put it to sleep. Push it again and you get instant wake up - much like open and closing a Macbook Pro.

But why isn't it 4k?

4k is great, but it also comes at a premium price both in terms of the display cost as well as the the bandwidth and storage needed to transmit photos back and forth. While I'm sure there will be a day in the future when I'm bragging about the 4k Meural, I've found that at this size I don't have any concerns about resolution at normal viewing distances (and I'm a master printer and display expert) . A typical billboard is 15 dots per inch and a magazine which has a closer viewing distance is often 150 dots per inch, so this is a good trade off for price versus performance.

What about Momento?

Yes, I've heard of Momento Smart Frame (B&H & Amazon), but the software is optimized around the mobile photo experience with a lack end to end thought. It's also very cheaply built, so it doesn't have the same quality as a Meural. It's promising given its price point, but at this time I have to say it's poor hardware and software experience by comparison. I've also had a terrible experience trying to reach anyone at this company, so I've been reluctant to invest in one for fear that it would be the same experience as I've had with all of the cheap frames that have disappointed me in the past.

What about the optional subscription service?

I hate subscription services, and that's putting it very politely. This is why I'm happy to report that Meural doesn't require you use their service. What the service provides you is access to their gallery of curated art to display on your frame which for some may be preferable to their own images - especially businesses. However, that's a value added feature and not a required service.

While the galleries from artists and partners offer a lot of great images, some of which I enjoy on my frame despite my photography background, you aren't forced to use it so don't worry. I do recommend you try it out though as I've found some of the images are quite spectacular like the ones from 1x. You could never legally license these photos yourself at this price, so it's a good deal to get this many images at this price.

Conclusion

The Meural frame is the first and only digital frame that I can say that I've truly enjoyed. It has all of the features that I've wished for and its continuous improvement shows a commitment to make it even better for existing owners. My 1.0 frame has all of the software benefits of the 2.0, yet it didn't cost a penny to get those upgrades.

I also have found it to be a profound life changing experience for myself and my family members to enjoy hundreds of digital photos changing on the wall of my home (and my parents). There's no way I could display that many prints, so a lot of touching family photos can be enjoyed at no additional cost. What's more, I have no hesitation to include "bad" photos that I'd never print, but put a smile on our faces nevertheless.

While the first version was good, it felt like a product in progress from a start up. The bones were good and mine still works fine, but this newest version feels a lot more polished. I also had a unit shipped from the East coast to my house and then I shipped it to my parents place in Texas. Despite this the original packaging (shown here) kept the frame safe for thousands of miles of travel.

Simply put, there's no better way to enjoy your investment in photography than to display your photos on a Meural Digital Canvas.  As a result, I can easily give it my highest recommendation for anyone who enjoys viewing meaningful photos. It's also a no brainer for my 2017 ronmartblog.com Product of the Year.

Where to Buy?

CLICK HERE to learn more or buy today.

Discount Offer

For a limited time, Meural is offering $100 off and if you order by December 20th they promise delivery by Christmas (exclusions apply and subject to weather and transportation conditions).

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Meural 2.0 First Look & What's Inside
• REVIEW: Meural Large Digital Frames–The Perfect Way To Display Your Family Photos
• Ron Martinsen Featured on Meural Digital Canvas
• Ron's Windows Computer Setup

Enjoy these and more on the Reviews tab as well as Ron's Recommendations.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this. While I have purchased a 2.0 frame, I was also provided with one for review purposes. I also am a featured artist for images found in the subscription based service as part of a research experiment for a future idea that I have for this blog.

REVIEW: Meural Large Digital Frames–The Perfect Way To Display Your Family Photos

*** See my review for the new version 2.0 released in Nov 2017 ***

Meural Digital Canvas - Show famous art or your own

If you've ever shopped around for digital frames, it's easy to say that you've probably experienced how underwhelming the offerings can be. Generally the digital frames are small, with horrible resolution displays and they usually only allow you to upload your photos via USB or some very bad software.

Wouldn't it be great if you could upload your photos to a digital frame that was housed in a wooden frame with a matte that was suitable for display in a fine home, art gallery or luxury hotel?

Wouldn't it be great if you could not only upload your photos from your computer and have them automatically downloaded to your frame from anywhere in the world with an internet connection?

Wouldn't it be cool if you didn't see the same photos all day long, but could also see the work of others fine art paintings and photos?

Most digital frames suck, does this one?

When the folks from Meural contacted me about reviewing a frame that could do all of this, I was highly suspicious that the quality and user experience would be terrible. I'm a NEC Color Visionary and X-Rite Coloratti Pro with a history of working with display manufacturers. I’ve attended display technology conferences, so I know what good quality displays and accurate color look like.  As a result, I'm used to being underwhelmed and very disappointed by bargain displays that look terrible to my eyes.

I'm happy to report that when my frame arrived I was very pleased and my "geek with a new toy" smile hasn't left my face since it's arrival.

For starters they did a fantastic matte finish that avoids reflections without destroying image quality. They also did a good job of calibrating the color from the factor, so the images on the frame were on par with my calibrated NEC PA Series displays.

What I wasn't expecting is that the wood and matte that surrounds the frame is very well done and feels like something I'd get from a high end framing studio. I've spent $450+ on custom frames of this size, and while I wouldn't say that this frame is as good as some of the ones I've purchased - it's very close. Keep in mind though that those were traditional frames that just housed and protected one photo. This is a digital frame that looks great on the wall, even when it is off, and even better when it is displaying lots of my images and fine art.

Using my Meural Canvas

The Canvas List displays all of the canvases that you've registered

I've been using my frame for a couple weeks, and even though I typically wait longer to do a review - I love this product so much I felt compelled to write my review right away. Part of the reason for this is that it not only performed beautifully displaying my images and the art of others, it did so with zero noise and no noticeable heat. This is a HUGE advantage over using a smart TV or building your own PC to display images - both of which I've already done before myself.

Canvas Settings

When I first got my canvas and started using it, I was disappointed that the phone app and gesture based UI had no mechanism for editing important settings like slide duration and off hours. Fortunately all of these settings are easily accessible via the web site and included even more than I could imagine. Rather than spend a lot of time talking about them, here's a screen shot of the behind the scenes controls I have over my canvas:

Canvas Settings
Some images featured here are copyright their respective owners and used under license

In addition to being able to specify exactly what art collections are stored on my canvas, I can control when they are displayed as well as when the frame sleeps thanks to the handy timeline feature. If you’ve ever used other frames or tried to build your own, this is the key thing that the others fail to offer. This is the game changer feature that really sets this frame apart!

My family really loved how we could enjoy our family photos during meal times but then enjoy other art during the day so we didn't get bored seeing the same photos all day long.

Video Demo

*** Note this covers the original frame and UX – all has improved so I’ll be updating this in the near future ***

While recording a video of any video display is the best way to make a display look terrible, I decided it was important to show off some of the features of this frame. Please know that the image quality of this display is outstanding in real life – much like a high quality computer monitor, so don’t be misled by the video quality.

I also show the iOS and web apps that complement this device. It should be noted that while I demo the iOS app, there is also an Android version too.

Technical Specs

If you are a geek like me then you want more technical details about the display specs and the hardware, so I've created this link  for you to get that info including a video that shows how they are built.It's fun to watch so check it out!

The highlights are the 27” 1080p IPS Display with Anti-Glare Technology, 1920 x 1080 Full HD Resolution and 8GB of storage.

Conclusion

Yes, you can use your Smart TV (or device connected to your TV), your iPad, an old computer or a new fanless PC to have your own digital slideshow solution. What makes this product unique is that you get a fine art quality frame that just works without any heat or noise issues, and great software and stock that keeps things interesting.

It's nicely designed UI makes it simple to see the photos you want when you want them - including art made by others. The simplicity and quality of this all-in-one solution is what makes it unique. The performance of the 27" 16:19 aspect ratio calibrated color display is what makes it feel like a 23x13" print hanging on the wall.

I expected to be underwhelmed, but I can't say enough about how much I love this frame. In fact, now that I have one I seriously want another one so I can dedicate one to landscape photos and another to portrait photos elsewhere in my house. I want one for my elderly parents house  too- that's how much I love this product!

If you've been underwhelmed or disappointed by digital frame offerings in the past, I'm pleased to say that the time has come to finally get one. This is the one I've been waiting for! Even if you don't own a camera - it's useful at displaying lots of great (and currently free) stock art available on the Meural web site, as well as digital art you purchase off  the web.

Verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Where to order

Meural has discontinued all discount offers from partners, but  you can CLICK HERE to order.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this. I was also provided with a review version of this product.

REVIEW: NEC MultiSync PA322UHD-2 32” 3480 x 2160 Pro 4k Photo/Video Editing Monitor (UPDATED: July 2016)

NEC PA322UHD-BK-SV 32" Widescreen LED Backlit
Color Accurate IPS Monitor (Shown with SpectraView II)

When I was a kid there were two ground breaking HBO specials by the comedian Eddie Murphy called Delirious and it’s sequel RAW. These were a uncensored stand up comedy programs like nothing anyone had ever seen on TV before (at that point). As a minor watching them when my parents were sleeping I found it to be rib cracking funny to watch and 30 years later I still quote numerous bits from these movies. Why am I telling you all of this? Well because my first thought when I first started my PA322UHD review unit was a direct quote from these movies – “goonie goo goo”. My jaw literally dropped when I saw this glorious 32” beast come to life, and if you knew my full history with 4K displays dating back to 2010 you’d realize that is a very hard thing to do!

Right out of the box I was able to calibrate this display with my NEC SpectraSensor and SpectraView II 1.1.18 on my Windows 7 system to a staggering 0.26 Delta E. What this means in non-Geek terms is that this display was able to be calibrated – on it’s first try out of the box – to a level that is almost an identical match to the reference target white point. This is one of the lowest Delta E’s I’ve seen on a display right out of the box, so this puts this display up there with the best Eizo display’s I’ve used.

Delta E: 0.26!!!

So let’s see what NEC has to say about the features of this display:

The ultimate in reliable, accurate color. The 32” MultiSync PA322UHD is the benchmark desktop display for color accurate work, from photography to pre-press to videography. Featuring a UHD resolution (3840 x 2160) IGZO technology IPS-type panel with wide gamut white LED backlight, this display provides 99.2% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space while consuming less power than comparable displays. Packed with features and backed by a 4 year warranty with Advanced Exchange, the MultiSync PA322UHD will reliably deliver high quality, accurate images simply and beautifully.

• Superior screen performance (1000:1 contrast ratio, 3840x2160 UHD native resolution, 350cd/m2 brightness)
• 14-bit 3D internal programmable lookup tables (LUTs) for calibration
• Picture in Picture and Picture by Picturemodes increase productivity by displaying two or four sources simultaneously
• MultiProfiler™ software provides complete control over the five picture modes, including the loading of any ICC profile directly into the monitor for optimal color space matching
• DisplaySync ProTM controls two computers with only one keyboard and mouse
• Wide connectivity includes two DisplayPort with 10-bit support, four 10-bit HDMI, two DVI-D inputs as well as a USB hub (new -2 model includes HDMI 2.0 support)
• NaViSet Administrator 2: Free software solution that greatly eases administration and management of larger display device installations
• Available with SpectraViewII Color Calibration Kit (PA322UHD-BK-SV)

Now let’s look closely at that 99.2% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space claim with the Color Gamut overlay that shows the Display’s color gamut on the outside and the faint triangle on the inside as Adobe RGB:

That doesn’t look like 99.2% to me – it looks to be > 100%. However, there might be some tiny bit of red missing that is hard to tell from this graph, but what I can tell you is that if you are doing color critical work – this is THE display to have! This is as good as I’ve seen boys and girls!

If you read my review of the NEC EA244UHD 4k Display, then you can safely assume that nearly every negative comment I made about that display has been properly addressed by this display. Specifically, this is a BRILLIANT display for photo and video editing that has proper physical buttons (instead of the EA series annoying non-tactile touch controls) and it’s physically large enough that Photoshop is actually readable! If you haven’t read that review, I encourage you to do so now as I won’t be repeating a lot of points about 4k / UHD and video cards.

To learn more about NEC 4k UHD, I’d encourage you to check out this web site that they have created.

Warning: This beauty is a beast!

This is definitely the dream display for photographers and videographers, but beware – it is HUGE!  Weighing in at a whopping 45+ lbs (20.5 Kg) and 29.3 inches wide – you need a LOT of space on your desk (or a seriously heavy duty monitor arm). It really is big enough where I’d replace a traditional 2 x 24” display setup with just this one to avoid having to cross displays. As a result, don’t plan on putting this on some flimsy desk – it will destroy it!

White Point Matching/Copy

One interesting feature of this display for those who are doing color critical work is that it features the ability to copy the White Point from one display to another. This is important because it helps you to have an exact match between two displays to reduce the variation between displays.

To learn more, see Page 33 in the English manual.

UPDATE: New PA322UHD-2 Model

PA322UHD-2 (left) vs PA322UHD (right)

In May 2016, NEC replaced the PA322UHD with the PA322UHD-2 model which looks identical at first glance, but on the side you see the key difference (shown on the left above). The new model now features HDMI 2.0 support including a new HDMI 2.0 port on the side. This is important because the best resolution and refresh rate on the previous model could only be achieved via DisplayPort, but its now possible with HDMI as well.

If you have the older model, don't fret unless you need HDMI 2.0 support because the performance of this display is otherwise identical.

Conclusion

When I imaged what 4k UHD would be like on a display, this is what I was expecting. With incredibly accurate color, excellent edge to edge consistency (which is shocking on such a huge display), and a physical size that helps make 3480 x 2160 readable on poor behaving legacy apps (like Photoshop on Windows 7) – this is without question the best 4k UHD display I’ve seen to date. I am simply blown away and will be crying like a baby when I have to send this one back to NEC!!!!

My only gripes about this display are the massive weight and cost. At more than 2x the cost of the EA244UHD (as of this writing), is it really that much better? In my opinion – ABSOLUTELY. However, that’s more money than I can afford for a display, so I’d have a hard time justifying the cost of a display like this at this price. Hopefully as time passes we’ll see it drop to the sub $2500 range where it at least will start approaching the cost of a good DSLR.

NOTE: For more information about UHD video cards, 4k Netflix, Photoshop in 4K & more, then I highly recommend you read this past review of the PA322UHD’s cheaper sibling.

Long Term Report - July 2016

I've had my PA322UHD for over a year now, and I can easily say this has been the most enjoyable display that I've used in my entire lifetime.

I have a lot of experience with display technology and devices that can output 4k and beyond, but many still lack the edge to edge color quality and color consistency over time that this display offers.

Using this display is a bit like watching a Harry Potter movie because it's like looking at photo that is alive on your display. The screen resolution is very close to print resolution, so if you want a display that looks as good as a 15x27"+ size print - THIS IS THE DISPLAY YOU WANT!

I've also appreciated the matte finish of the display which minimizes reflections, and the color accuracy and quality appears - to my eyes - to be superior to the Apple 5k displays (which have an extra 1k due to the width / aspect ratio).

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order on B&H’s web site. My friends at Amazon have it available here. I STRONGLY encourage you to use the NEC SpectraSensor (or equivalent X-Rite) and ONLY the SpectraView II software with it to get an accurate calibration. As a result, if you don’t own a sensor or the SpectraView II software, then I’d strongly suggest that you consider the bundled version with the sensor and software. You can also buy the SpectraView II software here if you already own a 4k wide gamut compatible sensor from X-Rite or DataColor. Please note that this software is only designed to work with NEC displays.

WARNING: If you want the new -2 model, be sure to check for "MFR # PA322UHD-BK-2" when ordering. If you purchase via B&H, you can place your order and call or email to confirm that you will get the "MFR # PA322UHD-BK-2" model. This will only be a short time issue though after inventory is depleted as  only the new model is shipping now.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• NEC EA244UHD 4k Display – nice, but not as good as a PA series for photo editing
• Understanding 10-bit Color by NEC’s Art Marshall
• NEC PA242W Monitor Review (PA241W & PA271W Review)
• NEC PA302W Monitor Review (PA301W Review)
• NEC SoundBar Pro Display Speakers
• NEC SpectraSensor Pro (powered by X-Rite)
• Choosing The Right Display Calibration Device
• Ron’s Photography Gear Recommendations - 2014

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this. NEC provided me with a loaner display for testing and reviewing, but I don’t own it. My love of NEC PA series displays has also led to be being featured on their website.

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The survival of my blog depends on donations  and sales from clicking links on the blog, so please be sure to use my links when ordering. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

You can also find more deals up on the Hot Deals page, as well as from my discount coupon codes.

See my review for Texture Effects and more

B&H Deals

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See my review for the PA series

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More Deals Coming

I’ve got a lot of deal info coming in so check back here often and sign up for my deals newsletter to stay up on the latest deals.

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  • Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM First Look
  • Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS vs 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 DO
  • Canon 100-400m f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM (NEW)
  • Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS with 1.4X Extender
  • Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II at the Zoo
  • Canon G1X vs G12 vs Fujifilm X10
  • Canon G15 vs s110 vs G12
  • Canon G16 vs s120 & Fujifilm X20
  • Canon iPF6400/6450 vs iPF6300/6350 Comparison
  • Canon PRO-1 Printer (PRO-10 Comparison)
  • Canon Remote Releases and Cheap Alternatives
  • Canon SX-80 Pro Photography Projector
• Nikon Product Reviews
  • Nikon D4s (D4)
  • Nikon D610 (D600 vs Canon)
  • Nikon D750 - Yeah, you want this one!
  • Nikon D810 (includes SIGMA 50mm Art & Otus 55mm)
  • Nikon D7200 (and older model links)
• Sony Product Reviews
  • Sony a6000 (includes 16-70mm lens)
  • Sony a7 (includes Samyang lens)
  • Sony a7R Mark II with 24-70mm
  • Sony DSC-RX1 (Full Frame Compact Camera)
  • Sony DSC-RX10
  • Sony RX100 IV (Sony RX100 III)
  • Sony NEX-7
• Fujifilm Product Reviews
  • Fujifilm X30
  • Fujifilm X100s
  • Fujifilm X-E2
  • Fujifilm XPro-1
  • Fujifilm XQ1 (vs X20 & Canon s110)
  • Fujifilm X-S1
  • Fujifilm X-T1 (includes 18-55mm & 23mm lens reviews)
  • Fujifilm X-E1, X100s, X20 & X10 Compared
  • Fujifilm XF 56mm
  • Fujifilm XF 10-24mm
  • Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8
• NEC Product Reviews
  • NEC PA242W Monitor Review (PA241W & PA271W Review)
  • NEC PA302W Monitor Review (PA301W Review)
  • NEC PA322UHD 4k for Pro Photo & Video Editing
  • NEC EA244UHD 4k Display
  • NEC SoundBar Pro Display Speakers
  • NEC SpectraSensor Pro (powered by X-Rite)
• on1 Product Reviews
  • onOne Perfect Photo Suite 9.5
  • onOne Perfect Photo Suite 8 (B&W Products Comparison)
  • onOne Perfect Resize 7.5
  • Photo 10 Review coming soon!

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

REVIEW: NEC PA302W 30" Backlit Wide Gamut Monitor

NEC 30" Widescreen LED Backlit LCD Wide Gamut Desktop Monitor

I’ve been lucky enough for NEC to let me review their new 30” backlit display, the PA302W for the past month and I’ve got to say that I’ve been loving it! While the PA301W (review) didn’t impress me much, this one seems to address my concerns enough that I’m almost sorry that I agreed to review it! You see, I have to return this display when I’m done reviewing it and I can assure you that this is definitely one that I don’t want to send back! Of course, I can’t really afford the whopper $2389+ price tag (at the time of this writing), but if I could I’d get it in a heartbeat.

Perhaps it’s the backlight, but this display seems to be much more uniform from edge to edge than its predecessor. Instead of feeling like a large misfit in the lineup, it feels like it’s on par with the PA242W and PA271W that I’ve already reviewed.

Now this is a beast of a display to have on your desktop, so for many there’s not really a need to go dual screen. Since I already own a PA241W that purchased myself, I’m using it in portrait orientation as my 2nd display, so I’m digging all of this massive screen real estate.

Plan to upgrade your video card

NEC AMD FirePro W5000 Dual DisplayPort Video Card (Amazon)

Unless you are already driving a big 30” display, you’ll probably discover as I did that a faster video card is in order. To get the full advantage of all 1.07 billion colors  (Windows only – Mac doesn’t support it), you’ll need to run a DisplayPort cable from the card to the DisplayPort on the PC. None of the other ports will give you this full color mode AND you’ll have to enable this functionality on the driver. The full color support is built into the driver model for Windows, but for some reason Apple hasn’t bothered to add support yet (yes, even in Mavericks).

I updated my video card and things are smoking fast now, but that was over $400 (via Amazon in Nov 2013) that I didn’t expect to have to shell out to try out this display. Keep this in mind if you are upgrading with a lesser video card.

Now to be fair, you don’t need to upgrade your card if you aren’t doing dual monitors or if you don’t care about the 10-bit per color channel color (and for photo editing you don’t really want it). However, my dual display configuration and an aging video card forced me to upgrade my previous model that worked fine with the PA241W and PA301W.

Enabling 10-bit per channel (30-bit total) Color (for 1.07 Billion Colors)

While I don’t recommend this setting for photography (because Lightroom, printers and web browsers don’t support this mode so you might miss banding problems), if you want to see true 10-bit per color channel color then here’s how you do it (Windows only because Apple doesn’t support this feature yet):

FirePro users can enable 10-bit pixel format (to get 1.07 Billion colors) as shown above

Check 30 Bit Display in Photoshop CC Performance Preferences
if you want 1.07 Billion Color Support

WARNING: On both MAC and PC the display will say 30-bit color mode if the video card is enabled for this mode, but it doesn’t work at the OS level on the Mac. On the PC it only works when this functionality is enabled which in some cases is a manual process like shown above for Photoshop CC.

It should be noted that nVidia also has models which support this color mode, but I do not have a screen shot available which shows how to enable it. If you do, please send it to me so I can include it in this article in the future!

Is it worth it to get the 30” instead of the 27”?

As of the time of this writing the PA272W was more than $1000 cheaper than this 30” model, so it begs the question – is the 30” worth the extra bucks?

Consider the following graphic that shows how much of Excel you can show on the 24” (1920x1200), 27” (2560x1440) and 30” (2560x1600):

Excel on Windows - How much can you fit?

The width of what you can show is identical, so the gain is just in the height. Honestly my opinion from the previous generation hasn’t changed in that I don’t see the value in that extra 409,600 pixels you get for the 30”. It’s a bit like exotic sports cars where you might spend an extra $100,000 to get one more mile per hour for the top speed – beyond bragging rights, you really aren’t going to miss those pixels on a daily basis. As a result, if I were putting my hard earned money down I’d go for the PA272W and use that $1000+ to get a PA242W or PA241W as my secondary display. At that point you are getting 2,304,000 pixels (or 1,894,400 more) for your money – or I’d just save the cash. You’ll also save on your electric bill!

Should I upgrade from my PA301W to the PA302W?

Speaking of electricity bills, one of the big advantage of the new models ending with 2 is the backlit display which helps to use up to 40% LESS energy than the predecessors. As a result you get the same great performance but it cost you less to operate. As a result, the environmentalists out there might find this is a great upgrade for that reason alone!

With better performance and less energy consumption, this is the ONLY model in the PA series line up that I can easily say makes a lot of sense to upgrade. For the other models my advice has been to stick with your model and get the new backlit models when you want to upgrade your primary display. However, the performance of this display and the energy savings really make financial sense to sell off your old 30 and upgrade to the new one OR downgrade to the PA272W for the same reasons.

What about 4k UHD?

Check out my review of the NEC PA322UHD – the 32” 4k UHD (3480 x 2160) equivalent of this display if you’ve got a fat wallet, a big desk and want the best photo / video editing display money can buy.

Conclusion

This is a MUCH improved 30” model that I believe blows away the Apple Cinema Display in every way except for the sexiness of the case (Apple is very good at that). With better uniformity of the color from edge to edge over its predecessor and up to 40% less energy consumption it’s an upgrade worthy of replacing its predecessor. While I still think the smart money is on the PA272W instead, I can’t imagine anyone regretting owning this display unless their desk was too small or they threw their back out getting it out of the box – ha, ha!

Where to order

The following links can be used to get the latest NEC displays from B&H (or use the Amazon links in parenthesis if you prefer Amazon):

• PA242W – 24” Backlit Model (Amazon)
• PA272W – 27” Backlit Model (Amazon)
• PA302W – 30” Backlit Model (Amazon)

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Choosing The Right Display Calibration Device
• NEC PA322UHD 4k UHD 32" Display Review
• NEC PA301W Review
• NEC PA242W Review  (NEC PA241W & PA271W Monitors)
• NEC SoundBar Pro Display Speakers
• NEC SpectraSensor Pro (powered by X-Rite)
• NEC MultiProfiler - A Must for NEC Displays!
• Eizo CG243w

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Dell UltraSharp U2410 24" - $379.99 only with free shipping!

Dell U2410 only $379.99

Save 30% off Dell UltraSharp U2410 24" Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor w/ PremierColor for $379.99 only with free shipping! Code MNXN0MQWV?WW2L

Conclusion

I’ve had my old Dell 2407WFPb (shown here on my desk – page down) for so many years that I’ve lost count, but it’s still kicking. While I haven’t used the U2410 and prefer my NEC PA Series display for my serious work, this at a minimum should make a great 2nd display.

Where to order

Click here to order on the Dell web site and enter the coupon code MNXN0MQWV?WW2L as shown above.

Offer expires February 27th, 2013!

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• NEC PA Series 24 & 27” Monitors
• NEC PA Series 30" Display Review
• NEC SpectraSensor Pro (powered by X-Rite)
• NEC SoundBar Pro Display Speakers
• Eizo CG243w Review
• Eizo FlexScan SX2762W (Only $1469!!!)
• Understanding 10-bit Color by NEC’s Art Marshall
• How do I calibrate my display and profile my printer?
• Choosing The Right Display Calibration Device
• GTI PDV-2020ex - Professional Desktop Viewer

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

REVIEW: Eizo FlexScan SX2762W–27” Wide Gamut IPS Photography Display

Eizo FlexScan SX2762W

In early January 2011 Eizo had a press release for the FlexScan SX2762W that seemed to be too good to be true – a IPS LCD panel with a native resolution of 2560 x 1440, a maximum brightness of 270 cd/m², contrast ratio of 850:1, 6 ms gray-to-gray response time and 178° viewing angles – without the typical several thousand dollar Eizo price tag!

Here are some key features:

• Wide color gamut reproduces 97% of the Adobe RGB color space.
• 10-bit display allows the monitor to show 1.07 billion colors simultaneously from a 16-bit look-up table (LUT).¹
• Digital Uniformity Equalizer (DUE) compensates for fluctuations in brightness and chroma uniformity that are characteristic of LCD panels.
• EIZO-patented technology stabilizes the brightness after start up or coming out of sleep mode.
• Integrated sensor counteracts the influence that changes in ambient temperature have on the display of color tones.
• On-screen button guide for easy adjustment in dark work environments.
• USB 2.0 hub with one upstream and two downstream ports.
• Consumes less than one watt in power save mode and no power when turned off.
• Simulation of two types of red-green (protanopia and deuteranopia) and one type of blue-yellow (tritanopia) color blindness.³ This allows designers to ensure their color schemes can be recognized by people with all types of color vision.
• Limited five-year manufacturer's warranty.⁴

All of these features add up to a nice display that seems to be more consumer focused than their other offerings. One such feature is its EcoView sensor. This feature puts the display in sleep mode when you aren’t actively moving in front of the display. I had to disable this feature as apparently I don’t move much when I’m working and for photography you want the display running at full operating temperature when you are working, so this feature really isn’t for Photographers.

How does it compare to the CG243W?

The Eizo CG243W (replaced by the CG246-BK) is the best monitor I’ve ever used – period. While the SX2762W is nice because it offers a big honking amount of screen real estate and lots of cool new eco friendly features that make it cheaper to operate, I just never liked it as much as the CG243W. I’m probably biased as the CG243W was my first long-term personal experience with Eizo displays, but this display didn’t have that super high-end feel of the CG243W.

From what I can tell, this is not a hand inspected display like the CG series so it doesn’t come with an inspection report. The out of box quality of my test unit was outstanding (no dead pixels, calibrated very well out of the box, and fantastic edge to edge performance).

How does it compare to the NEC PA Series?

See my NEC PA Series article for comparison details.

Very unhappy with the calibration story

Let me state up front that this display supports the superior hardware calibration design and can be calibrated accurately. I just hate how that process works with this display.

Eizo tried to make this display easier to calibrate with its own Eizo branded EX1 Color Sensor, but honestly I hated the EasyPix calibration software. It also really annoyed me that it kept a window open all of the time so my task bar (instead of the system tray) was always occupied with a running app that I couldn’t close. I already own 4 other sensors, yet this display requires you to use their sensor to calibrate which is honestly just lame.

If you haven’t invested in a calibration solution then this shouldn’t deter you as the software works fine and using their sensor makes it very easy to calibrate your display accurately. However, I think hard core calibration geeks with existing hardware will be very frustrated as I was. Eizo users who have used Color Navigator will probably be rather upset at the dumbed down solution of the EasyPIX Software. I give Eizo kudos for trying to simplify the calibration process, but I absolutely dread this product,

WARNING: This display (like all good high-end displays) requires hardware calibration, so you may NOT use a third party calibration solution or software to calibrate it. Doing so is virtually useless.

Ordering

I recommend that you order the FlexScan SX2762W from B&H, Adorama or Amazon. At only $1469 (as of the time of this writing) it’s a screaming deal for an Eizo! A hood is also available.

Conclusion

If you are used to an Infiniti or Lexus car and you end up in a Nissan or Toyota that is functionally equivalent to the luxury brand, you can’t help but still think that the product you are in is inferior. Now a data analysis might suggest they are identical, but there’s that subjective thing that keeps getting in the way. This is basically how I feel about this display.

It’s a good product that performs well and is a true Eizo display, but it feels a bit like some magic is missing. I’m sure if I looked at it objectively I’d have to pinpoint my feelings on my desire to have more control over the calibration process using my preferred calibration hardware, so it really isn’t anything to do with the monitor itself. As a result, I think I can honestly give this display a solid recommendation as I can’t imagine anyone not loving the great picture it offers (especially when calibrated) as well as its great size and feature set.

I’d say that Eizo faithful are still probably going to be happier spending the extra money on something like a CG275W, but this display is half the cost of that so it’s hard not to choose this model instead. That’s the magic that NEC has enjoyed with its PA Series, and after having this display side by side to an NEC PA Series for a couple months, I’d say that the picture quality is probably better on this display. Given the superior warranty and Eizo’s good name, it’s tough not to spend the extra bucks and go for the SX2762W.

Disclosure

I was provided with a loaner display for review. I may also get a commission if you make a purchase using the links in this article. Thanks for supporting the blog by using my links!