NEC Monitor model help

[tommm]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a new 27" NEC monitor and struggling to work out what the different models actually entail.

On the NEC website there are four models, which I think are all the same basic monitor:

1. NEC Multisync PA271W
2. NEC Spectraview 271
3. NEC Spectraview Reference 271
4. NEC Spectraview Reference 271 with X-Rite i1 Display Pro

It's not made clear on the website but I'm assuming 2 is the same as 1 but with Spectraview software built in, 4 obviously includes the i1 and I'm not sure what the Reference bit refers to.

Does anybody know the exact difference between these models and which would you recommend?

Many thanks,

Tom

[digitaldog]

The display hardware is the same, it's how it's bundled (with or without colorimeter, software etc).

[tommm]

Thanks. Presumably the Spectraview version comes with Spectraview software and colorimeter, the X-rite version swaps this for an i1 display pro but an extra £400 for the X-rite i1 display pro seems pretty steep (in the UK), is it really that much better? And what does the Reference model refer to?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

[digitaldog]

It is confusing enough here in the US and it is different from the UK so you need to examine all the little details and get just what you want. The display is set. At one time here, it was much less expensive to get the full bundle than separately but that seemed to change. Ideally you want the SpectraView II software and a supporting instrument, the i1D-2 if possible.

[tommm]

Thanks again. I've been jumping between the US and UK NEC websites and think I've finally figured it out. Spectraview version includes Spectraview software and a colorimeter, Reference means it comes with a hood and the display can be rotated to portrait orientation (for £430 extra!) and X-rite version swaps the Spectraview software and colorimeter for X-rite software and colorimeter. Incredibly badly presented on the website in terms of working out what the difference between packages is.

My current monitor can't rotate, if your's can, would you recommend it sufficiently to justify the extra cost? And is the i1 significantly better than Spectraview?

Thanks,

Tom

[degrub]

My understanding early on was that the European "reference" model was a hand picked panel rather than a regular take whatever the panel quality was version in the US. That may have been marketing as much as anything else.

Frank

[digitaldog]

That may have been marketing as much as anything else.

Very much so!

[tommm]

My understanding early on was that the European "reference" model was a hand picked panel rather than a regular take whatever the panel quality was version in the US. That may have been marketing as much as anything else.

Frank

That seems to fit with the blurb on the website if you read between the lines, doesn't seem a great marketing ploy given that it implies the standard version is sub par, which going by reviews isn't the case.

Anyway thanks for the help, I've figured out which version I'm going to buy (the standard spectraview one).

Tom