Typed Review
Where did I get the HP Z30i?: HP loaned it to me for 30 days, I have two weeks left.
Official Product Page.----HP Z30i Specifications PDF
Always purchase from retailers with hassle free return+exchange policies so read the retailers return policy before buying.
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Important Questions:
Who would NCX recommend this monitor to? People who must have a 30" monitor and will not accept anything smaller.
Which monitor would NCX recommend if I can easily afford the HP Z30i but would rather have proper colors for consumer media and less IPS glow? Eizo EV2736W since it may have almost no glow or the NEC PA272W.
Does the HP Z30i suffer from obvious overshoot ghosting like the Dell 3014 & Lenovo LT3053P? No, once the Video Overdrive setting is set to On the HP Z30i is unquestionably the fastest non-TN panel I have reviewed.
Should NCX be banned from [H]ard Forum? Yes
Does the HP Z30i have an sRGB Mode? No
Does the HP Z30i have 6 Axis Color Controls which can be used to limit the color gamut to sRGB? No
How can I limit the wide gamut to sRGB with a Nvidia GPU? Learn how to enable color management in color managed programs.
How can I limit the wide gamut to sRGB with an AMD GPU? Learn how to enable color management in color managed programs. or go into the AMD Catalyst Control Center>display color section and check "Use Extended Display Identification Data (EDID)" in Color Temperature Control.
Do games support color management? No
Will I be stuck with the wide gamut when connecting to consoles and blu-ray players? Yes
Does the HP Z30i use LED PWM Dimming? Yes, it has a super high PWM frequency (needs to be verified with an oscilloscope) which can not be detected with a camera using the testing methodology from TFT Centrals Article.
What kind of matte coating does the HP Z30i use? It uses LG's new, grain free semi-glossy coating.
Does the HP Z30i suffer from matte coating cross-hatching like many of the 24-27" AH-IPS panels? Mine does not
How bad is the IPS glow? The IPS glow is far more pronounced vs. a 27" monitor when viewed from my normal distance of 2-2.5ft. One has to sit at least 4ft away to reduce the glow to the same amount as a 27" when viewed from 2-2.5ft.
Does NCX think the more pronounced IPS glow (vs. a 27") kills the immersion a 30" offers for normal viewing distances of 2-3ft? Yes
Should I buy the HP Z30i if I do not care about IPS glow, art design and color accuracy and must have a 30" monitor? Yes
Should I buy the HP Z30i for amateur color critical work? No, it suffers from a very strong green tint out of the box.
Should I buy the HP Z30i for color critical work if I own a colorimeter? Maybe, like the Dell 3014 and Lenovo LT3053P the HP Z30i suffers from gradient banding before and after calibration. The NEC PA272W and Viewsonic VP2772 should be free from gradient banding.
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