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The majority of monitors we review are Twisted Nematic (TN) displays, but this isn’t the only kind of LCD technology. Following on from our review of a budget MVA (Multi-domain Vertical Alignment) panel – the AOC e2795Vh – this month we test a monitor with another more refined display technology: IPS (In-Plane Switching).
The HZ27WC is the least expensive monitor in Hazro’s 27in line, and as such it’s stripped down to the bare essentials: a single dual-link DVI connector, a 3.5mm audio input and the DC power connector for the external power supply.
The dual-link input is required because this display as a huge native resolution of 2,560×1,440. This gives loads of room for the operating system, and the high pixel count means that everything looks super-sharp.
IPS panels are designed to have far better viewing angles and colour reproduction than standard TN panels, and the HZ27WC doesn’t disappoint in either area. Hazro claims 178-degree viewing angles from any viewing position, and colours remained accurate even when looking at the screen almost side-on. What really struck us were the colours. We’re not talking about accuracy – the HZ27WC simply displays more colour than any other monitor we’ve seen.
In technical terms, this is referred to as the colour gamut – the range of colours a monitor can reproduce accurately. Because the HZ27WC can reproduce more colours, objects take on more life, and contrast is greatly improved because there are more shades to work with. Test photos that on other monitors looked over-saturated looked more lifelike on the HZ27WC, and the glossy finish on the screen also helps to increase the impact of colours.
The downside is that this glossy finish picks up reflections, and in an office environment with harsh overhead lighting this can be a curse. To be truly appreciated, the HZ27WC should be used in a dimly-lit room – the natural habitat of the gamer – so it’s no surprise to find that gamers are one of Hazro’s target markets for the display. The monitor has fairly low 6ms response times, which makes it suitable for fast-paced action.
One thing we haven’t mentioned so far is movies, and there’s a reason for that: the HZ27WC doesn’t support HDCP, so you won’t be able to play Blu-ray discs from your PC on this monitor. You’ll be fine with downloaded HD content such as that from iTunes, though.
On paper, you might think that a £419 monitor without any image controls (apart from brightness), no HDCP and a single input would be poor value, but the HZ27WC’s image quality has to be seen to be believed. IPS panels seem to be coming down in price, long overdue in our opinion, but until they are more widespread the HZ27WC is one of the cheapest ways to take advantage of the technology’s superior image quality. It wins our Ultimate award.
