The HP Z27k G3 4K USB-C Show ($534) is a formidable productiveness monitor, with UHD decision, an ergonomically supreme stand, correct colour for web-based artwork, and all kinds of ports. It’s much like a number of displays now we have not too long ago reviewed, together with the Philips Brilliance 279P1, however sells at a significantly increased value than that Editors’ Selection-winning mannequin. If the Z27k G3’s function set and menu-control scheme are extra to your liking, nonetheless, it could be well worth the premium.
4K With All of the Twists
The guts of the Z27k G3 is its 27-inch (measured diagonally) in-plane switching (IPS) display. It includes a native decision of UHD (3,840 by 2,160 pixels), aka 4K, which makes for a really excessive pixel density: 163 pixels per inch (ppi). All else being equal, the upper the pixel density—how intently the pixels are packed collectively—the sharper the picture, and the Z27k G3 ought to be tremendous for working with very small textual content, intricate diagrams, graphics, and images. It additionally confirmed correct colours in masking the total sRGB colour gamut—extra on this later.
As is typical of IPS panels, the Z27k G3’s display has large viewing angles, with a ranking of as much as 178 levels for each vertical and horizontal viewing, that means that colours ought to stay fairly true—freed from shifting or posterization—even in case you view the display at excessive angles from the aspect or above. This was certainly borne out in our anecdotal testing for off-axis viewing.
The Z27k G3 has a skinny, sturdy aluminum body, and it measures 21.9 by 24.1 by 8.1 inches (HWD). Surrounding the display are slender black bezels, plus an extra skinny border, on all 4 sides. The stand helps the total vary of ergonomic options. You’ll be able to alter the monitor’s peak by as much as 5.9 inches, and tilt the highest of the panel as much as 5 levels towards or as much as 20 levels away from you. You’ll be able to swivel the panel as much as 45 levels in both path, and pivot it from panorama to portrait mode.
If as a substitute you wish to mount the Z27k G3 on a wall or a movable arm, it has a sq. array of holes spaced 100mm aside, plus a VESA mounting bracket within the field. VESA-mount compatibility will not be uncommon, however this is among the few displays of its class now we have reviewed that features the precise mounting {hardware}.
You navigate the monitor’s onscreen show (OSD) menus by way of a miniature joystick controller, situated in again. It’s simpler to make use of than the button-based navigation system discovered on many enterprise displays, together with the Philips Brilliance 279P1.
Connections Galore
The Z27k G3 has a wealth of ports. They embrace an HDMI port, one DisplayPort-in and one DisplayPort-out connector, and an upstream USB-C port. That upstream port helps DisplayPort over USB alternate mode, in addition to USB energy supply (PD) of as much as a whopping 100 watts to suitable HP laptops. (For non-HP fashions, PD maxes out at a still-healthy 65 watts.)
Additionally included is an RJ-45 Ethernet jack, which helps Gigabit Ethernet and supplies web connectivity to a laptop computer that lacks its personal Ethernet jack, when it’s plugged into one of many monitor’s USB-C ports. That may be particularly helpful in environments the place there may be poor or no Wi-Fi. Supported community manageability options embrace PXE Boot, LAN/WLAN switching, Wake-on-LAN (WoL), and MAC handle pass-through (MAPT). The primary (for Preboot eXecution Atmosphere) permits a pc in addition instantly from the community. LAN/WLAN switching disables the laptop computer’s Wi-Fi when the monitor is related to a LAN. WoL, in the meantime, allows a pc to be woken up remotely from a low-power state. And the MAPT perform lets a related laptop computer bypass the monitor/dock’s MAC handle so it may be uniquely recognized on the community with its personal MAC handle. These capabilities require that the PC to which the Z27k G3 is related be in a wake or sleep state, not off.
There are 4 USB 3.2 downstream ports, two of which might present as much as 7.5 watts to cost a telephone or different small system. The ports are downward-facing in again, however they are often reached simply sufficient by pivoting the monitor up into portrait mode.
Though HP doesn’t promote it as such, the Z27k G3 is an instance of what now we have variously seen known as USB hub, USB-C hub, or docking-station displays. Along with having an upstream USB-C port that may cost or energy a laptop computer similtaneously displaying content material from it, displays of this sort have a hub of downstream USB 3 ports and an Ethernet jack, along with DisplayPort and HDMI connectors. In impact, they’ll carry out all of the capabilities that you’d count on from a laptop computer’s docking station whereas additionally serving as a monitor. Examples embrace the Dell UltraSharp 27 USB-C Hub Monitor (U2722DE) and the aforementioned Philips 279P1, in addition to the Philips Brilliance 272P7VUBNB (additionally an Editors’ Selection winner) and HP’s personal profitable E24d G4 FHD Superior Docking Monitor.
HP backs the Z27k G3 with a three-year normal guarantee, which is similar because the E24d and typical of higher-end productiveness displays. Dell features a three-year guarantee for the U2722DE, whereas Philips does it one higher, backing each the 279P1 and 272P7VUBNB with a four-year normal guarantee.
Testing the Z27k G3: Coloration Is Tremendous, However Lackluster Brightness
I examined the Z27k G3’s brightness, distinction ratio, and colour accuracy utilizing our normal take a look at tools: a Klein Okay-10A colorimeter, a Murideo SIX-G sign generator, and Portrait Shows’ CalMAN 5 calibration software program. The charts on this part had been generated in Calman.
HP charges the Z27k G3 at 350 nits (candelas per sq. meter) of luminance, nevertheless it solely examined at 235 nits. That’s nonetheless ample for typical use, simply properly in need of its rated brightness. It did higher than its rated 1,000:1 distinction ratio, tallying a 1,333:1 rating.
In response to HP, the Z27k G3 covers as much as 99% of sRGB, the colour gamut for web-based artwork and quite a few different functions. In my testing, it coated a full 100% of that colour area—see the chromaticity or color-coverage chart beneath. The panel can be rated as masking 85% of DCI-P3, a colour area used for digital video; our take a look at pattern coated 80.3% in our testing. (See how we take a look at displays.)
For the Z27k G3, HP claims a Delta E of lower than 2, representing good colour accuracy, for the sRGB colour area. Delta E (dE, for brief) is the distinction between the hue of a displayed colour and the colour enter that the monitor obtained. The dE determine that seems in monitor specs is the common of a lot of particular person colour readings from throughout the spectrum; the decrease the worth, the extra correct the colour. {Many professional} displays tout a dE of lower than 2 in varied colour areas. The Z27k G3 hit that mark for sRGB with room to spare, with a median dE of 1.65. (See the ColorChecker chart beneath.)
I additionally did my ordinary ad-hoc testing, consisting of viewing a number of movie clips in addition to images from our take a look at suite. Film colours had been wealthy, and distinction was good in each shiny and darkish areas. With images, the colours appeared correct and vivid.
Productiveness Panels Are a Powerful Crowd Now
Its 4K decision, full sRGB protection, and excessive colour accuracy makes the Z27k G3 match for processing images and graphics for the net, and its boundless connectivity and ergonomic chops add to its draw. However different producers are equipping productiveness shows alongside the identical strains.
The equally featured Philips 279P1, our newest Editors’ Selection-winning productiveness monitor, prices about $200 much less, and Philips backs it with a four-year guarantee. (Each fashions are pretty new to the market, and are regularly out of inventory attributable to pandemic-related demand.) The Z27k G3 does have a neater and extra handy OSD navigation system, with its mini-joystick controller, whereas the Philips sticks to the extra awkward and trickier button-based management system. We’re unsure we would make that the deal changer between the 2, given the distinction in record costs, however the HP Z27k G3 is a solid-enough various, particularly if its pricing ranges out as time goes on versus the competitors.
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