Why it matters to you
This should be a great, affordable curved display solution for PC gamers on a budget due to its AMD FreeSync support, low response time, and great color coverage.
One of Philips’ distributors announced the upcoming launch of the curvy 278E8QJAB desktop monitor. Slated to arrive sometime in March for $300, the panel measures 27 inches and has a curvature of 1,800R. That number essentially means that if the curve made a complete circle, the radius would be 1,800mm. Thus, the larger the number/radius, the flatter the curve appears when facing the panel.
The whole point of having a curved form factor is to make viewing easier on the eyes. Adding to the panel’s curvature is Flicker-Free technology provided by Philips to help reduce the flashing as the panel refreshes the screen every second. The 278E8QJAB is also based on Vertical Alignment (VA) technology that promises great viewing angles, reducing eye strain.
Here are the specs:
Name:
278E8QJAB
Screen size:
27 inches
Screen resolution:
1,920 x 1,080 @ 60Hz
Panel type:
VA
Backlighting:
W-LED
Aspect ratio:
16:9
Response time:
4ms gray to gray
Brightness:
250 nits
Contrast ratio:
3,000:1
Dynamic contrast ratio:
20,000,000:1
Pixel pitch:
0.311mm x 0.311mm
Viewing angles:
178 degrees (V), 178 degrees (H)
Display colors:
16.7 million
Supported color spaces:
sRGB (130 percent)
NTSC (104 percent)
Audio:
2x three-watt speakers
Ports:
1x VGA
1x HDMI
1x DisplayPort
1x PC audio input
1x Headphone jack
As the specs show, the new desktop monitor completely covers the sRGB and NTSC color spaces, and then some. Normally we see this type of coverage with displays based on In-Plane Switching technology (IPS), which is notable for having brilliant colors and wide viewing angles. VA technology is actually the next step down, serving as the best of both worlds between IPS technology and the older, widely used Twisted Nematic (TN) display tech.
That said, the new curved monitor from Philips would be a great solution for the mainstream market wanting better colors than their old, TN-based display. Given it only supports sRGB and NTSC, graphic artists, ad designers, and professional photographers may want to look elsewhere for a panel that fully supports the Adobe RGB space.
More: MMD jump-starts new line of Philips displays with ultrathin 24-inch monitor
Other notable features provided in this new desktop panel include SmartContrast, which automatically adjusts the colors and backlight intensity based on the on-screen content. There’s also SmartImage Lite that enhances the contrast, color, saturation, and sharpness of images based on a selectable scenario. The included stand merely provides a tilt between negative-5 and 20 degrees.
Finally, the new panel supports AMD’s FreeSync technology. This is great for PC gamers with an AMD Radeon graphics card installed, as the tech will automatically sync the frame output of the Radeon graphics card with the refresh rate of the display. This eliminates annoying screen tearing, input lag, and stuttering.
Ultimately, the Philips 278E8QJAB curved desktop panel may be a great, affordable solution for PC gamers. There aren’t all the PC gaming bells and whistles as seen with gaming-dedicated panels, but with the color depth, low response time, FreeSync support, and low price, PC gamers may want to give this curvy product a second look when shopping for a new desktop panel.