[DougWilsons]

I ended up getting the BenQ EW3270U as it was (1) available and (2) on sale (as an outgoing model) for 32% off. It doesn’t really have many features, but other than PIP (I use 2 PCs) and a camera I’m not sure I’m missing much. Text, to my eye, seems to be clear and the anti-glare seems to be excellent. I’m glad that I went flat screen, for my circumstance. I’m not sure about the brightness yet, but we’ll see. I’m running it at 125% scale, so far.

As an adjunct, I picked up a Samsung SJ55W 34 UW to compare. The width of the screen is nice for what I do, when comparing two redlined Word documents side-by-side with comments in the margins, BUT it was just too wide for me. I’m constantly shifting my head from left to right of the screen and the width was just too much. 5/6th of the 34 UW is perfect for me, but I use the snap feature in Windows constantly. Maybe something like DisplayFusion would help — where I could “snap” for 5/6th of the screen only? Not sure. I also didn’t think the text looked good on the monitor, at all.

I’m sure that a curve on the 34 would be better than the flat I tried, and the 34 certainly looks “cooler” than a 32, but I think the 32 is more comfortable and efficient for my uses.

Thanks for all the help in this community, and especially to PCM2.

[untoo]

I have an ultrawide too. The pixel density is just a bit too low. And I find it lacking in vertical space.. Its good for gaming and music production (probably video editing as well). But so is the 32 4k. I mostly end up using the 32 with several virtual desktops…
What would be even better is if the 32 4k screen got 2-4 extra inches in horizontal space as well.. That would be the ideal screen for me… but it would have an odd resolution.

[untoo]

“You should also make sure you’ve actually corrected the colour signal in the graphics driver, if applicable, on the Samsung. You shouldn’t feel the need to set ‘HDMI Black Level” to “Low” if this is correct, but again it may be that you prefer the oversaturated look that might bring with it.”

How do I correctly adjust the colour signal using the graphics driver? Is it the Intel Graphics panel? Not sure what colours to adjust…
I have both screens side by side now…

[PCM2]

I can’t help you there I’m afraid, I have no recent experience with Intel graphics solutions. You’d have to search around on the internet or try CRU as suggested in our article on correcting the colour signal. Note that this isn’t a free technical support service, a point made clear in the forum rules.

[untoo]

thanks again for your reply.

I found out:
I like the colours on the 328E1CA better. But the amount of detail that pops out when you use Samsung Magic Upscale option on the UR590 is very noticable. Pictures on the phillips looks washed out in comparison, they look like 1k lower resolution…
I havent managed to get that crisp detail on the phillips by tinkering with the calibration. Tried sharpness and contrast settings… If i turn off Samsung Magic Upscale the details get to the same level as the phillips…

Any suggestion of how I can try to close the gap with the phillips? I want the vesa-mount…

[PCM2]

‘Magic Upscale’ is simply a sharpness filter which creates an excessively sharp and artificial-looking image. You should really get used to the more natural and accurate look to the image without using it. It offends most people’s eyeballs, so it really is just a personal preference you have with that one. The Philips is perfectly sharp and clear in a natural way due to the high pixel density. If you like an oversharpened appearance then you can increase the ‘Sharpness’, but that’s all you can do really. It isn’t the same sharpness filter, so it doesn’t have exactly the same effect as ‘Magic Upscale’.

For reference, the setting you need to adjust in the Intel Graphics Control Panel is called ‘Quantization Range’ according to the linked Intel support article.

This is really the very last I’m going to say on either issue, I’ve already pointed out the fact this isn’t a free technical support forum. This sort of content is not useful for other people and giving out free technical support is not a constructive use of my time.

[berniepcm]

Would the BenQ PD3200U or Dell U3219Q would be more suitable for a programmer using a single monitor?

Other similar posts comparing the 2 monitor discuss colour accuracy or viewing angles. Neither or those are important to me. I just need to be able to stare at clear text without eye fatigue for long periods of time. Being able to read the text in different light conditions (e.g. if it’s a sunny day or in the evening) are also important.

Amazon also recommends the Samsung LU32J590UQUXEN as a budget alternative. What problems could arise if I use that for long hours of coding?

[PCM2]

Have a read through this thread, which I’ve merged yours with, as it covers your uses. The clear recommendation here is for the Philips 328E1CA. I’d recommend this over the IPS-type models you list due to the stronger contrast and somewhat more effective matte anti-glare surface. And simply because it’s cheaper and I see no solid reason to consider paying more for your uses. Some users also find the curve enhances their viewing comfort, but as covered in that article there are many factors to consider and it’s very subjective. It’s also made clear in this thread why the I consider the Samsung U32J590 (preferred shorthand for the long code you provided) and others using a similar panel to be inferior to the Philips.

[berniepcm]

Thank for the recommendation. I will take a look. The 4K monitor is for a new machine that I’ve ordered but has not arrived yet (due in a months time). I currently have a Quadro 4000 card that only supports up to QHD. If I plug that into a 4k monitor, will it still work, albeit at a lower resolution? I am hoping that if I set the display at FHD resolution, there shouldn’t be any funny scaling issues.

[PCM2]

It will work. But I’d advise referring to the ‘interpolation and upscaling’ section of relevant reviews (BenQ PD3200U and Philips 328E1CA) as it certainly isn’t the case that the Full HD resolution is displayed perfectly on ‘4K’ monitors. An interpolation process is used, just like at the WQHD resolution. You’re better off sticking to WQHD if that’s supported by your GPU, you stand to lose but not gain by selecting the Full HD resolution.

[cOrange]

Hi! New user here. First of all, let me thank you for the wealth of resources and the wonderful site you have built!

I was not sure whether to open a new thread, but I hope my conundrum fits well within this topic. I am looking for a monitor for web development – so text readability, reading comfort and screen real estate are the most important factors. The budget is up to 450$, but I would be prefer lower; I would also maybe go to 500-550$ but only if it means getting a really good monitor I would be happy with a long time. So far I’ve worked on a great 200 PPI 13.5″ laptop screen, 2256 x 1504 (201 PPI) at 1.75 scaling. I’m afraid it has spoiled me. The distance from the monitor can in the 60-90cm range (and more with mounting), with the upper limit being more preferable.

I’ve been banging my head against this problem for days and finally decided on Philips 276E8VJSB, only to discover it is not currently available in my country. My currently available favourite options are:

1. Samsung S34J550W at 360€
2. Samsung UR590C at 430€
3. AOC Q3279VWFD8 at 230€

That’s quite the spread in price, I know. My first instinct was the AOC, thinking I could get by on it for a year or two until prices settle and 4K becomes more widely adopted. But I’m worried about the low PPI. The ultrawide Samsung is quite appealing but a VA panel across 34″ at that price – the jump to 32″ 4K is not that costly – is holding me back. Also, PPI to some extent. The 430€ for UR590C subjectively feels like a lot to me, for a not-so-great (?) panel and little stand flexibility. The Philips 276E8VJSB was priced low enough (and had an IPS panel) for me to make peace with the fact I’d probably loose the 4K real estate (I estimated I’d use it at 1.5 scaling); at least I would get high PPI.

I’ve considered the Philips BDM4350UC, thinking I could justify the price by having the option for it to someday be used as a TV, but I’ve decided it’s too big. I’ve considered Dell U2719D for its quality; but at that price point (420€), I would prefer ultrawide or 4K. As for something similar to Philips 276E8VJSB, available are
Samsung LU28E590DS (280€, VA, low quality display seems like) and LG 27UL600-W (400€, too much). Maybe something like Lenovo L27q-30 could be a good compromise, but I’m not enthusiastic about it (the AOC is at least big!).

Some of my questions are:

1. Should I hold off on the purchase for now? Due to the pandemic, the availability is bad and prices have gone up. Holding off would mean I either stick with my current (horribly repaired) Samsung 226BW, or buy something cheaper (up to ~200€, such as the AOC, or 24″ QHD).

2. Should I correct my feeling that UR590C is not ‘worthy’ of its price tag? I don’t know whether 32″ 4K will become more affordable by end of year? Can we expect low-priced quality IPS 32″ 4K (similar to Philips 276E8VJSB or the AOC)?

3. Are my fears about the S34J550W and Q3279VWFD8 justified? The S34J550W becomes retina around 80 cm, which is the sweet spot for my current desk.

I understand I must be the one to ultimately make the decision and decide which trade offs are acceptable to me, but some guidance would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

[PCM2]

I appreciate the kind words about the website and also the thorough post plus use of an existing thread. I feel this is an interesting addition to this thread, so an appropriate place for it to be. I’m afraid the concept of a screen becoming “retina” at a specific viewing distance is a very flawed one. Everybody’s eyes are different – they have different visual acuity and different sensitivity to certain things. I can tell you that for me, viewing a 34″ 3440 x 1440 model (or 27″ WQHD model – same pixel density) at 80cm or even some way beyond provides quite a different experience to viewing a 32″ or smaller ‘4K’ model from such a viewing distance. There is a certain distant clarity to games, fine edges and texture details that appear distinctly different on the ‘4K’ models. This isn’t replicated by upscaling the content to ‘4K’ on the lower resolution models, either. However; I’d agree that the differences are much less distinct than when viewing things closer up, especially for text. And by this, I mean that native, unscaled text might appear perfectly ‘crisp’ and clear on a 34″ 3440 x 1440 model, so just in that respect you might be fine sticking with that sort of pixel density.

The U28E590D uses a TN panel, not a VA panel. It’s very similar to the U28D590D we reviewed a while ago. In fact this model was used as the basis for our article on the ‘4K’ UHD experience. It may be perfectly respectable for your uses, but whether you’d be happier with that or something like the Samsung S34J550W is really too subjective to answer. I don’t think you’d notice much positive impact for text-viewing from the pixel density, but the VA model does have a lighter (less grainy) screen surface and bolder text due to stronger contrast in its favour. If you’re thinking of ‘saving up’ for a monitor then make sure it’s a ~32″ UHD model, because as covered in this thread that’s where you’ll benefit most from the resolution and the real-estate on offer without needing to use scaling (or as much scaling). And the U32R590C is a perfectly good example of a monitor that’s well-suited to your uses. Not sure why you’re being put off the VA panel, given that’s the panel type I’d generally regard as most suitable for text-based work.

[cOrange]

Thank you for the (quick) reply.

From what I’ve read online and my experience with the laptop screen, I’m surprised that your post seems to downplay the impact higher pixel densities have on text-viewing. Could you elaborate on this?

Your post points me to the Samsungs S34J550W and U32R590C. You have corrected my impression about the U32R590C. I’ll have to decide whether the price difference is worth it. You wouldn’t happen to be able to compare the overall picture quality of the two displays?

Having no experience with curved displays, I also wonder whether the curve on U32R590C would be a nuisance when watching films with another person, some distance away from the monitor?

A final consideration. I would have the monitor comfortably tucked away in a shaded area and, at any rate, prefer lower brightness settings. In your Philips 328E1CA review, you said it is not PWM controlled; same is true for U32R590C. For S34J550W only a customer review on Amazon mentions it being PWM-controlled. Not sure how much of an issue that is, but I do notice PWM on the Samsung 226BW on low brightness settings.

And a quick note. On your page for U32R590C you state “HDMI 2.0 noted on the official spec sheet”, which is quite right. Looking elsewhere online, it does seem to have a DisplayPort 1.2 as well, which is crucial for 4K 60Hz and Intel integrated graphics.

[PCM2]

The point I was trying to make with respect to text representation was actually a lot more specific than that. I’ve modified the paragraph slightly to clarify. I was simply saying that there will be a certain distance from which you’d observe a 34″ 3440 x 1440 and the text would appear perfectly crisp and clear – assuming an unscaled state. The imperfections (slightly jagged edges) that can be observed from closer up are no longer clearly visible. That point may well be 80cm for some users, for others further and some closer. In my case it would be somewhat further than 80cm and it depends on the actual text being observed as well, including size and font. But there’s always a distance where these imperfections become unnoticeable. However; whilst your text on the 32″ ‘4K’ UHD screen might not necessarily look ‘smoother’ with this distance in mind, it will be smaller. And you’ll have more of it on the the screen at any time. If you try to replicate this on the lower pixel density monitor by zooming out, you don’t get the same crisp and clear look at all and it simply doesn’t look at pleasing. It would take quite some scaling or application-specific zoom before you lose out in terms of vertical real-estate going from a 34″ 3440 x 1440 model to ~32″ 3840 x 2160 model. And the beauty of the ~32″ UHD model is that you should be able to get away without scaling or just a little of it.

I’ve had a similar conversation with respect to curvature and watching movies from a distance on this related thread. It’s unlikely to be an issue. There’s always a slight adaptation period with curves, but the curve in this case is not super-steep or anything and most users would adapt to it very readily even if viewing from some distance and watching movies. I’m not sure how that Amazon user you referred to determined that the S34J550 uses PWM for backlight regulation, but it’s at odds with that is reported by French review website Les Numeriques. Who are usually quite reliable with such things. It’s possible Samsung use hybrid dimming as they do with some other models, which means PWM might be used at low brightness levels, perhaps below ’30’ in the OSD.

[cOrange]

I understand your point about viewing distance, different visual acuity, real estate, etc. I think maybe I should have been clearer. Let’s take a 27″ QHD and a 27″ UHD at 1.5 scaling (so same resolution as the QHD one) monitor, both at 70cm distance from the viewer. My point is that, everything else being equal, text on the UHD display should look better. Do you agree?

Thanks for that and your other comments.

I’m convinced – I’ve ordered the U32R590C. I will let you know my impressions after it arrives next week.

Thank you for the timely responses! I couldn’t have imagined choosing a monitor would require this much effort. I guess it speaks to the breadth of available formats and sizes.

[PCM2]

I certainly agree with that and indeed I’ve affirmed those thoughts in our reviews of such models and in our ‘4K’ UHD experience article. The pixel density itself is important and superior pixel density will be noticeable for text – as long as the text is scaling ‘cleanly’, which it will in most cases.

I hope you enjoy the U32R590C, I think it was ultimately the right choice given the sort of extreme pixel density you’re used to with your laptop. I’m really fond of that screen size and resolution combination as you can probably tell by now. 😉

[cOrange]

Two months in, I am still getting used to the U32R590C. I am satisfied with the purchase, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that I’m still getting comfortable with it. I’m using it at 1.25 scaling and, when I’m seriously working I have to move a bit too close (~70 cm) for my comfort (due to its size). The panel is fine, but at this distance the non-uniformity of the display is quite prominent. I still notice the curvature, but only when full-width horizontal lines are present on the screen. The curving effect becomes really strange if I tilt the monitor backwards – which is something I would like to do to offset the prominent washing out towards the bottom of the screen (due to my desk setup), but simply cannot tolerate with the curve. All of this is worth it for the screen estate and not bothersome while engaged in work. And it really shines when watching videos. So, thank you again for the recommendation!

I’ve had trouble calibrating it (to my liking) though and was wondering if you can offer any advice on this. Out of the box, I noticed the picture was significantly warmer than on my laptop screen, whose display I quite liked. I then borrowed the (calibrated) settings from a review, which was even warmer (though it, admittedly, looked very natural). I’m not sure whether I can just borrow the settings from their unit and expect the monitor to be pretty well-calibrated?

Next I used the Windows calibration tool. But after using this (and ClearType) settings, I’ve been under the impression that something doesn’t look quite right. I get ‘artefacts’ in certain applications (like File Explorer): text doesn’t look as sharp, there a shade of yellow under “ll” in words, etc. Though, I was more satisfied with the tone, on comparison with a designer friend’s laptop screen it still seems too warm and not badly calibrated.

Any advice on how to proceed? Not sure whether I should put any stock into the Windows calibration tool. I’m also currently using the darkest of gamma modes, unable to make the decision between having ‘inky’ text and less artificial picture.

Thank you!

[PCM2]

Unless you’re comparing to a calibrated reference screen, you will notice differences in colour temperature and other aspects due to different phosphors used and colour temperatures. You can’t simply copy settings from another unit, every one is different – but if you prefer how things look using those settings then by all means use them as a base. I’d suggest using the screen in isolation rather than trying to match with what I assume is an uncalibrated reference screen.

The only way to properly calibrate it and even adjust it is to use a colorimeter or similar device. But adjusting using familiar images or using Lagom to help give you a variety of grey tones and white to check against for neutrality (overall colour balance) can also help. And you can also check the black levels test to make sure you’re not crushing dark shades too much or revealing too much there with any adjustments you’re making. With a VA model like that and with the ‘2.2’ gamma curve in mind don’t expect all blocks to be visible – in fact they shouldn’t, or your gamma is almost certainly calibrated incorrectly (too low).

P.S. This verges on free technical support which is against the forum rules, so I won’t discuss this further. But I’m glad you’re enjoying the monitor overall and I hope you can find a balance you’re more comfortable with and perhaps find the simple but actionable advice above helpful.

[Author]

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