NEC PA271W Professional LCD Monitor Review
Conclusion
Performance Summary: NEC's MultiSync PA271W is the first monitor we've reviewed since adding DisplayMate to our suite of tests, which is both brutal and unapologetic when it comes to pointing out even the smallest flaws. As we review more panels, you'll see what we mean, but as far as the PA271W is concerned, there really wasn't much to criticize. The 10-bit panel didn't break a sweat throughout testing, whether we were looking for geometry imperfections or color tracking issues. That's impressive, even for a high-end IPS panel that's supposed to perform better than your typical TN screen. Usually we'll find something to gripe about, even if it's minor, but the PA271W didn't give us that chance. Black level was as good as we've ever seen, we didn't notice any backlight bleeding, and even movies and games displayed well. We were most impressed with the PA271W's performance out of the box. NEC told us it calibrates each unit before it leaves the factory, and they weren't kidding. The PA271W is ready to go as soon as you hook it up to your PC.
We will, however, point out what the PA271W brings to the table that other similarly priced panels might not. The biggest feature is the integrated KVM switch, which NEC dubs DisplaySync Pro. For graphics professionals who do a lot of work with CAD design, photo editing, or other types of projects that don't fall under the "everyday use" umbrella, this alone might justify the added cost. Whether in landscape or portrait mode, there's enough screen space to where it feels like you're playing with two monitors when utilizing the Picture-In-Picture (PIP) or Picture-By-Picture (PBP) functionality, and the KVM makes it all the more easy to manipulate two PCs. On top of that, these technologies mesh with different platforms, so you can connect, say, a Windows machine to a Linux rig or a Mac and not have to futz with any complicated settings or hacks. It just works.
Let's go ahead and address the 900 pound gorilla in the room. As good as the PA271W performs, it's still a $1,400 monitor, and that's a lot of Skrilla to hand over for 27 inches of real estate. You can spend the same amount, and in some cases a little less, and grab a quality 30-inch panel with a slightly higher resolution. That's a fair knock against the PA271W, and we're not going to defend it .
For the graphics professional, however, it's an entirely different story. There are other quality panels that don't cost as much, but few, if any, bring as much to the table as the PA271W does. The bottom line is the PA271W is a serious monitor loaded with useful amenities that make it easy to recommend to anyone looking for a high-end workhorse.
