HP Z30i Review: Wide Gamut Semi-Glossy 2560x1600 AH-IPS

NCX

Supreme [H]ardness
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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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Ehh i don't get it how any company thinks it's ok to make a panel without sRGB mode - especially at 1300$.
 
You mentioned the Eizo EV2736W (which is $400 cheaper than the nec). is this your perfect monitor or does it have major flaws (though ips glow is not one of them) ?
 
You mentioned the Eizo EV2736W (which is $400 cheaper than the nec). is this your perfect monitor or does it have major flaws (though ips glow is not one of them) ?

The Eizo has >1 frame delay which might be a deal breaker and no one has used an hdmi-dvi cord/adapter to test it with consoles/blu-ray players. Aside from not being able to afford one I would not buy an EV2736W unless I knew it worked with consoles and I could easily return it (no re-stocking fee) if it was not glow free like my Qnix. The lack of glow+light bleeding=extreme advantage in games and movies if the monitor is set up in ideal lighting conditions.
 
Ok. This (Eizo) monitor is @900 which is about $150 over the Vp2770/Benq which are approx $350 more than the Qnix. Hum. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Hum. Kind of want 16:10. Everything has a flaw; that one glows; that one lags; that one doesn't have an adjustable stand; that one has light leaks; that one is expensive; that one has dead pixels. Why can't someone just make a cheap perfect monitor with great and accurate colour; 360 degree visibilty no light leaks; auto adjust the colour space based on your viewing mood and has sub ms response ?


The Eizo has >1 frame delay which might be a deal breaker and no one has used an hdmi-dvi cord/adapter to test it with consoles/blu-ray players. Aside from not being able to afford one I would not buy an EV2736W unless I knew it worked with consoles and I could easily return it (no re-stocking fee) if it was not glow free like my Qnix. The lack of glow+light bleeding=extreme advantage in games and movies if the monitor is set up in ideal lighting conditions.
 
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