Since this is an IPS-based panel, we expect to see excellent off-axis viewing performance. Unfortunately, the GB-r-LED backlight seems to have a slightly negative effect on this.
The result we observe is a little unexpected. There is a slight red shift from side to side, and a slight blue shift from top to bottom. It’s subtle to be sure, but it is there. We can only theorize that this is a product of the PA279Q’s unusual two-color LED backlight. Since all of the light coming from an LCD panel is polarized, it follows that two different wavelengths emanating from the screen will shift differently as the viewing angle increases. There is no LCD panel that looks perfect in this test, which is part of why Asus bundles a hood with the PA279Q. To properly judge color on this or any panel, you need to be sitting front-and-center.
To measure screen uniformity, zero-percent and 100-percent full-field patterns are used, and nine points are sampled. In a change from previous reviews, we compare the results to other monitors we’ve measured. First, we establish a baseline measurement at the center of each screen. Then the surrounding eight points are measured and their values expressed as a percentage of the baseline, either above or below. This number gets averaged. It is important to remember that we only test the review sample each vendor submits. Other examples of the same monitor can measure differently in this metric.
Since the PA279Q has a uniformity compensation option, we measured the monitor both ways. This option is not available in the sRGB or Adobe RGB modes, only in Standard or User.
First up is black field uniformity.

This number represents the sRGB mode, so compensation is not active. When we switch to a calibrated User mode and turn that feature on, the black field uniformity improves to 8.39 percent. However, black level increases as well. We feel the gain in uniformity isn’t worth a visible rise in black level.
Here’s the white field measurement, again in the sRGB mode.

This is another excellent result. When you switch to User mode and turn compensation on, the percentage drops to 3.40. But the white level increases too, necessitating a brightness control adjustment. After experimenting with all of the available options, we still feel the fixed sRGB and Adobe RGB modes are the way to go.
Screen Uniformity: Color
Starting with our review of AOC's Q2963PM, we added a new uniformity test to our benchmark suite: color. The above measurements only address luminance. Now we’re measuring the white balance variation in an 80-percent white field pattern. The results are expressed as a variation in Delta E (in other words, the difference between the highest and lowest values). We didn’t perform this test on the Samsung S27B970D, so we can’t include it here.

With a variance of only .40 Delta E, the color variation across the screen is essentially nil. This is another important metric for any pro-level monitor and the PA279Q certainly qualifies. If you’re curious about the effect of the uniformity compensation feature, our result was an incredible .08 Delta E variation! It’s too bad this option isn’t available in sRGB or Adobe RGB mode.
- Asus PA279Q, The Cadillac Of Monitors?
- Packaging, Physical Layout, And Accessories
- OSD Setup And Calibration Of The PA279Q
- 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
- Asus' PA279Q May Very Well Have It All

And are not happy with Dell and HP...
You should be smiling now!
Also at some places you can even get this around $800..
Liking the new Eizo model w/ 240 Hz mode too.
Not this year but sometime next year I'd love to upgrade my system. I built my current workstation when the phenom 1 chip came out and other than a CPU upgrade after the phenom 2 came out and graphics card revision (old one died) I've not needed to do anything else to it. Starting to get a bit long in the tooth though.
120 cd/m2 would be ideal for a darkened room but we calibrate to 200 to better replicate an average viewing environment. Most graphics pros would opt for a darker space but the average user will have more ambient light to compete with. Since we're reviewing all types of displays, we need to place them on equal footing.
-Christian-
If you want "pixel perfect" from Achieva, it'll cost you the same. Quite a gamble, big savings vs. a few dead pixels.
It's technically the same panel, but it's a rejected panel by Apple and sold to 3rd parties like Achieva. That means dead pixels and irregular lighting and color are normal. That also means fewer input options (to save money), hardly any screen controls and settings (to save money), no height or tilt adjustment (to save money), cheaper components internally (to save money), and of course, a very weak warranty.
Tie all this in with poor build quality (some of those displays have been reported as having dirt behind the panel!), and IMO it's just not worth the savings/risk. And considering manufacturers of these "affordable" QHD monitors use cheaper internal components, I'd be most concerned about how long the thing will last even if I got a perfect panel. That would always be in the back of my mind every time I touched the power button.
So while you may be saving 50%, you are paying elsewhere by short changing yourself. I know what 5 dead pixels are like on a QHD monitor, because I had them on my ASUS PB278Q 27". They were concentrated within a 4-inch square in the middle of the screen and impossible to not notice. That monitor is known to have a pretty high dead pixel rate. I promptly returned it to Fry's and stepped up to the more professional factory Adobe RGB calibrated LG 27EA83.
In addition to 10tacle's reason, you also lose the USB ports on that model.
Guess that kinda depends. I don't know why many people would spend $800+ on a 27" display only to hook it up to a cable box or PS3. That much money will get you a very nice, rather large, TV.
As do I. Sadly, the price premium for 16:10 over 16:9 is pretty ridiculous. A quick search on Newegg shows the only 2560x1600 monitor with USB 3.0 is a $1500 30" Lenovo.
I only wish this thing was 120Hz
Liking the new Eizo model w/ 240 Hz mode too.
60 Hz is really about all that's needed to fool the human eye.
TVs went to 120 Hz because of a problem peculiar to displaying movies. Most movies were shot at 24 fps. 60/24 = 2.5 which isn't an even integer. If you try to display them on a 60 Hz screen, you end up having to show one movie frame for 2/60 sec, the next frame for 3/60 sec, then repeat. The result of this uneven timing is something called judder, where smooth motion (especially panning shots) appear to stutter.
With a 120 Hz refresh, you can show each movie frame for 5/120 sec, and a smooth panning shots remain smooth. 240 Hz is just the same thing except for 3D video - 120 Hz for the left eye, 120 Hz for the right eye.
So unless you're planning to watch a lot of 24 fps movies, 60 Hz is just fine. And unless you're planning to watch 3D movies shot at 24 fps, 240 Hz is overkill. If you're watching video shot at 30 or 60 fps, it'll look the same at 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or 240 Hz.