27-inch WQHD LCD for advanced amateurs with HDR10 and 14-bit LUT, ASUS ProArt PA27AC

27-inch WQHD liquid crystal display compatible with Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0a

　The "ProArt PA27AC" introduced this time was last year's (2017) COMPUTEX TAIPEI. It was exhibited as a new model along with the portable liquid crystal display "ZenScreen MB16AC", the 32-inch 4K compatible "ProArt PA32UC", and the 27-inch WQHD "Designo MZ27AQ" for multimedia use (related articles: ASUS, USB Type -C compatible mobile liquid crystal, HDR10 compatible liquid crystal, etc. are exhibited).

　After exactly one year, it was finally launched in Japan. As you can see from the model number, the panel size is 27 inches (by the way, in Japan, the ZenScreen MB16AC was released in July 2017, the ProArt PA32UC in March 2018, and the Designo MZ27AQ not yet released).

　According to Kakaku.com, the selling price is over 100,000 yen, making it a high-end display. I don't think there are many people who can spend more than 100,000 yen on a 27-inch display, and unfortunately there are quite a few users who will pass at this stage.

　The main specifications are as follows.

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[Table] Specifications of ASUS "ProArt PA27AC"
LCD size	27 inch
Color Gamut	sRGB:100%
Panel Method	IPS
Display resolution	2,560×1,440 dots (WQHD)
Aspect ratio	16:9
Pixel pitch	0.233mm
Surface treatment
Touch panel	None
Response speed	5ms (neutral color)
Contrast ratio	1,000:1 (100 million:1 when ASCR is enabled)
Viewing angle	Horizontal 178 degrees/Vertical 178 degrees
Brightness	400cd/m2
Display color	About 16.77 million colors
Tilt angle	Lower 5 to upper 23 Degree
Height adjustment	0-120mm
Swivel	60 degrees left to 60 degrees right
Pivot function	90 degrees left to 90 degrees right
Image Inputs	Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0a, HDMI 1.4×2
USB for PC	USB 3.0 Type- B x 1, USB 3.0 Type-A x 2, USB 3.0 Type-C x 1
Audio output	Speaker 2W + 2W, 3.5mm stereo mini jack
VESA mount	Compatible (100×100mm)
Power supply	Built-in
Power consumption	When in use: 25W or less, Standby: 0.5W or less
Accessories	DisplayPort cable, Thunderbolt 3 Cable (20Gbps), HDMI cable, power cable, support CD-ROM, USB 3.0 cable, quick start guide, warranty card
Size/Weight	614×221×386～506mm (W×D×H)/About 8.5kg
Price	Open price (117,504 yen/Kakaku.com research)

　Panel size is 27-inch IPS non-glossy display resolution is 2,560 ×1,440 dots (WQHD). It doesn't support touch. Other specifications include a response speed of 5 ms in neutral colors, a standard contrast ratio of 1,000: 1 (maximum of 100 million: 1), a viewing angle of 178 degrees both horizontally and vertically, a brightness of 400 cd/m2, and approximately 16.77 million display colors. , the color gamut is sRGB 100%, and the color difference is ΔE<2.

　Video input is Thunderbolt 3 x 2 (input/output), DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0a, HDMI 1.4 x 2. Thunderbolt 3 has inputs and outputs, so multiple units can be daisy chained.

　USB port for PC is USB 3.0 Type-B x 1 (input), USB 3.0 Type-A x 2 (output), USB 3.0 Type-C x 1 (output).

　Audio output is a 2W+2W speaker and a 3.5mm stereo minijack (according to the specifications on the company's website, audio input: 3.5mm stereo minijack, but this is incorrect and is output for headphones).

　The panel side supports 100 x 100 mm VESA mount. The stand supports heights from 0mm to 120mm, tilts from 5 to 23 degrees upward, swivels from 60 degrees left to 60 degrees right, and also supports pivoting.

　In addition to the power cable and support CD-ROM, accessories include DisplayPort cable, Thunderbolt 3 cable (20Gbps), HDMI cable, and USB 3.0 cable. It's a complete set, so if you don't have a cable immediately after installation, you don't have to rush to buy it separately or search around in the equipment box.

　Functions include Trace Free technology (so-called overdrive) that increases response speed, Standard mode / sRGB mode / Scenery mode / Reading mode / Darkroom mode / User Mode 1 / User Mode 2 and 7 mode Splendid video settings, color 4 temperature modes (9300K/6500K/5500K/5000K), 1.8/2.0/2.2/2.4/2.6 gamma, 6 color adjustments (R, G, B, C, M, Y), (PIP) picture-in-picture / (PBP) picture-by-picture etc. are installed.

　In addition, hardware calibration using "Quick Fit" that fits any size such as A4 paper, blue light reduction, Adaptive-Sync (DisplayPort/Thunderbolt 3), HDR10, "I1DisplayPro" and "Spyder5", etc. It is very rich, such as 14bit LUT support.

　Body size is 614 x 221 x 386 to 506 mm (width x depth x height), and weighs approximately 8.5 kg. Power consumption is less than 0.5W when in standby and less than 25W when in use. The price is an open price, but when I checked on Kakaku.com, it was 117,504 yen / tax included. WQHD, sRGB 100%, is it appropriate if it supports hardware calibration?

Power LED on the front bottom right. Around the connector where you can see that the frame is narrow. From left: lock port, power switch, AC input, HDMI 1/2/3 (2.0a), DisplayPort, USB 2.0 Type A (for maintenance only), Thunderbolt x 2, USB 3.0 Type-C, USB 3.0 Type-A x 2, USB 3.0 Type-B (upstream), 3.5mm stereo mini jack Operation buttons are placed on the left side of the back of the button system. From the top, menu (5 directions), close, input selection, QuickFit, shortcut 1 (brightness), shortcut 2 (blue light reduction), right side of power supply. Minimum height, maximum tilt. OSD 1 with nothing on the left and right sides. Splendid has 5 modes (Standard/sRGB/Scene/Read/Darkroom) and 2 preset OSD 2. colour. Display A4 portrait with Quick Fit that allows general adjustments such as brightness, contrast, gamma (1.8/2.0/2.2/2.4/2.6). The frame is a picture-in-picture display that can be moved with the menu button. Small window display picture-by-picture display of HDMI1 to DisplayPort. DisplayPort and HDMI1 split

　The housing is silver on the stand side and black on the panel side. As you can see from the photo, it has a narrow frame, but the sides are not so thin. The legs of the stand are a little wider, and the overall feel is solid. As a result, the panel does not wobble and is stable.

Height is up to +12 cm, tilt is 5 degrees down to 23 degrees up, swivel is 60 degrees left and right, and it also supports pivoting. You can adjust it to your preferred position.

　Power LED on the bottom right of the front. On the back, the operation system is concentrated on the left side. From the top, menu (5 directions), close, input selection, QuickFit, shortcut 1 (brightness), shortcut 2 (blue light reduction), power. The five directions of the menu can be operated like a joystick: up, down, left, right, and center. Shortcuts 1 and 2 default to "brightness" and "blue light reduction", but can be changed in the settings.

The OSD allows you to set Splendid, blue light reduction, color, image, sound, PIP/PBP settings, input selection, system, and shortcut settings. The PIP window can be displayed at the top/bottom of the left and right.

　The LCD with a narrow frame does not have a button on the edge, and although there are more and more companies, including other companies, that have buttons on the back like this machine, it is honestly difficult for me to use. I need some ideas.

　Connector area includes lock port, power switch, AC input, HDMI1/2/3(2.0a), DisplayPort, USB 2.0 Type A (for maintenance only), Thunderbolt x 2, USB 3.0 Type-C, USB 3.0 Type A × 2, USB 3.0 Type B (upstream), 3.5mm stereo mini jack are arranged. It's very rich, but it doesn't have a cable management mechanism, so it feels like it's going to be a mess if you put it all in (even if it's a rare case). A long thin panel covering this part is also included.

The display is, of course, all good. Because it is non-glossy, there is little reflection and it is very easy to see. Also, in terms of size, 27-inch 2,560 x 1,440 dots (WQHD) is just right in many ways compared to full HD and 1,920 x 1,200 dots, making applications easier to use. I've never had much interest in WQHD before, but now I want one.

　The built-in 2W + 2W speaker sound was viewed with video via HDMI, but it felt like it was ringing for the time being, and the power and range were insufficient. Not suitable for listening to music or watching movies. The same tendency is observed when listening with earphones connected to the 3.5mm stereo mini jack, and the sound is even more distorted. You should think of it as a bonus. It's a pity because the panel is good.

Attached Testing Report (1/2) Attached Testing Report (2/2) Color profile (outer/gray is PA27AC, inner/color is sRGB)

　Calibrated to sRGB when shipped from the factory, 1 in the package It comes with a Testing Report that measures each one, giving you a sense of security. When the attached icm was superimposed on sRGB with the macOS profile, there was a color gamut of 100% + α.

　The test was performed with the video card "MSI GeForce GT 1030" installed in my main machine. CUDA core 384 with GT instead of GTX, memory is GDDR5/2GB. Although it doesn't have the power of gaming products, it has a Pascal architecture and supports DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0, so HDR10 can also be confirmed. In many ways, it's better than an iGPU with a built-in processor. In fact, in Windows Settings / Display, as you can see from the screen capture, the item "HDR and WCG" was displayed.

　HDR was confirmed on YouTube's "The HDR Channel". I've tried turning HDR and WCG on and off in Settings/Display/HDR and WCG settings, and adjusting the brightness of the SDR content from 1 to 100, but the difference is enough to make it look like a different image. Also, when HDR content is detected, the letters "HDR ON" are displayed on the display, and it is good to be able to understand immediately.

List of manuals on the included CD-ROM ICM and calibration software settings on the included CD-ROM / Display / 2,560 x 1,440 dots, HDR and WCG on settings / Display / HDR and WCG settings

　In the included CD-ROM "ASUS ProArt Calibration" is a utility that allows you to calibrate the display from a PC and adjust the color etc. However, I did not try this time because "I1DisplayPro" and "Spyder5" are necessary for adjustment. I want you to see only the atmosphere in the screen capture. In addition to sRGB, which was not an item in the OSD, it can also be set to, for example, Adobe RGB. The CD-ROM contains the Windows version, but you can also download the macOS version from the company's site.

ASUS ProArt Calibration/Color Accuracy/StandardASUS ProArt Calibration/Color Accuracy/AdvancedASUS ProArt Calibration/UniformityASUS ProArt Calibration/Settings

　I used it for about half a day, and it seems to have perfect performance for an sRGB display. Perfect for design and web production. However, for viewing photographs, a color gamut greater than or equal to sRGB is desired (although it is of course still beautiful in its current state), but primary colors such as red, blue, and green are dull.

　It's a little disappointing that despite having all these functions such as hardware calibration, there is no light shielding hood available as an option. I would like ASUS to consider this point.

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As mentioned above, ASUS "ProArt PA27AC" is a 27-inch WQHD display with IPS type non-gloss. It boasts high performance, supporting various inputs, abundant USB hub functions including Type-C, HDR10, 14bit LUT, hardware calibration, etc.

　The price is over 100,000 yen and there is no light shielding hood, but for users who are thinking of introducing a display for professionals/advanced amateurs that is one rank higher than a cheap display that costs tens of thousands of yen, I would say that it could be a perfect candidate.