For the professional on a budget, NEC has just launched the MultiSync P241W, with an attractive price tag but still enough color space to satisfy the demanding designer or photographer. Photographers, architects, and not least enthusiast consumers who put image quality high on the checklist when looking for a new monitor, an IPS panel is an absolute must and the new NEC Multisync P241W aims to please with an e-IPS panel that is said to represent 96.7% of the sRGB and 71.4% of the NTSC color space–all at a lower price than previous models in the series. In that regard, NEC is following in the footsteps of Dell and others who have started to unload increasingly affordable IPS monitors on the market. One of the latest examples is that AOC–a manufacturer that is otherwise mostly known for budget monitors–just launched a couple of affordable IPS-based displays.
The new NEC Multisync P241W plays in a higher division, however; it measures 24 inches and has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels (16:10). It has programmable 14-bit lookup tables, two DVI, Display Port and VGA connectors as well as a integrated USB hub that can be used to control two PCs simultaneously. The stand can be adjusted in all directions, including tilt and pivot, which is a useful feature for many professional users.
The specifications are what you expect from a premium display–a 1000:1 static contrast ratio, above-average 360 cd/m² brightness and a healthy 8ms response time (gray to gray) that makes it a good choice even for gamers. NEC has also included emulation of color profiles (ICC), a power-saving Eco Mode, a picture-in-picture feature and a sensor that adjusts screen brightness automatically depending on the environment.
NEC’s Multisync P241W comes with a four year warranty and will go on sale in September, so it should be available very soon. The price is $749 and for a price premium it will also be available in combo packages with a Spectra View hardware calibration device.
ASUS PA246Q Pro Art series P-IPS monitor for US$ 500, that’s the baby to get!