Can a business-class monitor work well for the entertainment-oriented? We discover the answer is yes if you’re using HP’s new EliteDisplay E271i 27-inch AH-IPS screen. Not only does it perform well, but it also offers some unique features and great value.
Performance-oriented PC enthusiasts have a lot of choices when it comes to monitors. With more and more screens touting features like wide color gamuts, high refresh rates, and factory calibration, you don't have to look very far to find a model that matches your specific set of needs. Naturally, we don't like to leave any stone unturned, so we often look at business-class products in the hope of finding something that satisfies our desire for performance and our quest for value.
The reality of economics is that manufacturers put their resources into the products that make them the most money. While it's nice to get have resolutions like 2560x1440 in a model line, most bread-and-butter displays are still FHD, or 1920x1080. With that said, it’s increasingly common to see 27" screens sitting on desks, and sometimes even two (Ed.: I run three!). Could they be slowing taking the place of 24" panels?
HP tends to deliver products, in all categories, that are very functional and well-made tools of the trade. Its monitors aren't always mentioned first in conversations about specialized applications, but the company's displays are well-suited for enthusiasts, as well as productivity-oriented business users. The screens we've tested from HP show up in the top tier of pretty much every benchmark category. They are responsive enough for gamers, accurate enough for both graphics pros and movie fans, and they deliver solid image quality, regardless of the content.
The business-grade E271i is HP's latest addition. This monitor employs a Full HD panel, translating to a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. While most enthusiasts are looking for QHD’s 2560x1440 (or even higher, given the 4K monitors hitting the streets), business users who need a solid basic display that costs less than $350 are still buying FHD in both 24- and 27-inch sizes. Beyond that, a 27" screen at 1920x1080 strikes a pretty good balance between pixel density, screen size, and value.
The E271i utilizes an AH-IPS panel from LG, along with a white LED backlight rated for 250 nits of maximum brightness. Other goods in the package include HP’s Display Assistant software, which lets you manage document windows in multiple screen regions, adjust and calibrate the monitor, manage power-saving settings, and more. We'll give you a more complete rundown of HP's utility shortly.
| Brand | HP |
|---|---|
| Model | E271i |
| Street Price | $349.00 |
| Panel Type | AH-IPS |
| Backlight | W-LED |
| Screen Size | 27" |
| Max Resolution | 1920x1080 |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Response Time (GTG) | 7 ms |
| Brightness (cd/m2) | 250 |
| Speakers | No |
| VGA | 1 |
| DVI | 1 |
| DisplayPort | 1 |
| HDMI | - |
| Headphone | - |
| USB | v2.0: 1 up, 2 down |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Dimensions w/base WxHxD | 25.3 x 21 x 11 in 642 x 532 x 279 mm |
| Panel Thickness | 2.06 in, 52 mm |
| Warranty | Three years |
At $349, the E271i falls roughly where we'd expect, given the competition at this screen size and resolution. Most QHD screens are still selling for more than $600 (except for Korean gray-market products, like the Auria EQ276W we reviewed back in April).
- Is HP’s New EliteDisplay E271i All Business?
- Packaging, Physical Layout, And Accessories
- HP Display Assistant: Monitor Control From The Desktop
- OSD Setup And Calibration
- Measurement And Calibration Methodology: How We Test
- Results: Brightness And Contrast
- Results: Grayscale Tracking And Gamma Response
- Results: Color Gamut And Performance
- Results: Viewing Angle And Uniformity
- Results: Pixel Response And Input Lag
- Is HP's EliteDisplay E271i A Budget User’s Ideal Monitor?

I'd guess it's merely a chicken/egg issue - people won't buy high-res screens until they are cheap and they won't be cheap until lots of people buy them.
I'd guess it's merely a chicken/egg issue - people won't buy high-res screens until they are cheap and they won't be cheap until lots of people buy them.
That is the beauty of Capitalism. The rich have more than enough money, and will be more likely to spend money on something new. Companies wanting to maximize profits, try and make production cheaper. When company X makes production cheaper than company Y, then Y undercuts X and yay cheaper products.
Aside from the fact that compared to the QHD monitors you can pick up for under $300 this is garbage, it's just a silly format. Dated resolution on a cheap panel that's too big.
Aside from the fact that compared to the QHD monitors you can pick up for under $300 this is garbage, it's just a silly format. Dated resolution on a cheap panel that's too big.
I understand where you are come from bot not every is looking for an extreme like that. If I had one of those I wouldn't complain. The monitor I currently have is better than this one, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't use this monitor. Tom's I believe is just trying to cater to everyone they can. So i say this kind of review is good for everyone.
Why on earth would anyone want 1920x1080 on a screen 27 inches diagonal? Are you looking for pot holes between the pixels?
The reason I say this is, I work with media all day, We currently create, edit and produce 4k video and store it for transfer to quad layer blu-ray disc's (200GB).
Also, if you use any digital camera over 8MP, you will get close to a 1:1 pixel ratio at 4K resolutions.
We want to see a continuous image and seeing the gaps between the pixels is distracting.
24 inch monitors should have a minimum 4k pixel resolution, 708 might be able to get away with 4k on a 27 inch, but 8k would be better.
Now, lets look at the other side, How much would a 24 inch 1920x1080 flat trinitron cost you back in the day? $6,000 ? $12,000?
For this size and price though .... I would ne looking at the Asus VG27AH.
Seems to provide more value.
Specs may not match the HP ... but can you "see" the difference?
On the other hand, the reviews of the VG27AH indicate that the 2D/3D experience is excellent.
Has anyone tried this with games? I don't see a mention of that.
Oops sorry, did not see the 1920 x 1080 resolution - this just doesn't work well with a 27" screen.
HP makes several good monitors. Some have been very highly rated. Their "Dream Color" monitor is still probably the best color monitor on the market, though NEC may compete with it.
For me, the point of having a larger screen is to have more 'usable' real estate. I want to be able to put more on screen while maintaining sharpness. Larger dimensions at the same resolution doesn't offer this.
Who here would rather have a 24" screen at 16:9 versus 16:10? I believe the numbers would highly favor the 16:10 crowd.
Summarizing: The majority of us buy larger monitor for increased resolution, not just to make our existing images bigger.
The only downside is that you need to up your GPU bigtime if you game. I took a huge hit in games like Far Cry 3 with a single GTX 680, going from ~45fps at ultra high quality settings on the 1200p monitor to barely above 30fps on the 1440p. Was able to find a second 680 on eBay at a decent price and now enjoy 55-60fps at the same ultra high settings. Between the monitor and two GPUs, I spent about $1,600 just on them. But wow is it gorgeous.
1) They may be made in smaller numbers
2) Their consumer base may be more willing to pay a higher margin
3) Their yield/QC may be tighter than TV panels
Once you use QHD screens you cannot go back to FHD. I had a 24" 1920x1080 and loved it. QHD screens were super expensive at this time and I thought why would you even need anything over 1920x1080. It looks awesome. Then when I finally used one it blew my mind. Your working space feels endless and so expansive. When I'm stuck on a 1080 monitor it feels so crammed and claustrophobic.
I will trade color accuracy and contrast ratio for cheap QHD any day of the week. Luckily I don't have to anymore. I highly reccomend scanning craigslist for high end monitors. I got a beautiful Dell u3014 2560x1600. The guy wanted 750 and I talked him down to 515. Huge discount and only thing wrong with it was a scratch on the bezel.