NEC EA244UHD 24-Inch Ultra HD Monitor Review
NEC sells seven different monitor lines and we’ve reviewed several examples from two of them – the EA and PA series. PA screens are billed as color-accurate and, in our experience, that is quite true. We found the PA272W to be extremely well-engineered and perfectly suited for color-critical applications. From the EA line, we tested NEC's EA274WMi; it also proved to be a superb performer lacking only a wide gamut.
Today’s subject, the EA244UHD, presents something of a conundrum. While it comes from the EA series of high-end business-class monitors, our testing shows it to be one of the most accurate and consistent performers we’ve ever seen. You'll notice in the benchmarks that its out-of-box performance is pretty much unequaled.
The display also offers features found in the professional PA-series screens like SpectraView calibration and an Adobe RGB gamut option. While it’s definitely not cheap, this monitor definitely gives other professional products a run for their money.
| Brand & Model | NEC EA244UHD |
|---|---|
| Price | $1349 |
| Panel Type & Backlight | AH-IPSGB-r-LED, edge array |
| Screen Size & Aspect | 23.8-inch / 16:9 |
| Max Resolution & Refresh Rate | 3840x2160 @ 60Hz |
| Native Color Depth & Gamut | 10-bit (8-bit w/FRC) |
| Response Time (GTG) | 6ms |
| Brightness | 350cd/m2 |
| Speakers | 2 x 1W |
| Video Inputs | 2 x DisplayPort, 2 x HDMI (1 x MHL)2 x DVI |
| Audio | 1 x 3.5mm stereo in |
| USB | v3.0 - 1 x up, 3 x down |
| Control | 1 x ControlSync in/out |
| Panel DimensionsWxHxD w/base | 22 x 15.2-20.3 x 8.6in558 x 387-517 x 218mm |
| Panel Thickness | 2.9in / 72mm |
| Bezel Width | .7-.7in / 15-18mm |
| Weight | 16.3lbs / 7.4kg |
| Warranty | Three years |
In the category of 24-inch Ultra HD monitors, there are only two panel parts to choose from, both manufactured by LG Display. The EA244UHD and Dell’s UP2414Q are both made from the same wide-gamut component. It sports a GB-r-LED backlight and 10-bit color via an 8-bit native depth with frame rate conversion.
To take full advantage of a monitor’s bit depth, the incoming signal must match up. Ten-bit-capable video cards are generally found in the workstation space, including Nvidia's Quadro and AMD's FirePro boards. Even something as advanced as the GeForce GTX Titan only outputs 8-bit color natively. Of course, a true 10-bit panel is even better. But they are less common and more expensive.
When it comes to pixel density, today’s 24-inch Ultra HD monitors are about as high as you can go at 185ppi. Products for the desktop are still lagging behind smartphones and tablets (and even a few laptops). However, the gap is obviously closing.
The EA244UHD is aimed at high-end business users. Still, we think that photo and graphics jockeys will want to take a closer look at this new screen as well. In addition to Ultra HD resolution, it offers a wide-gamut option, calibration with SpectraView and performance to rival any professional-class screen we’ve encountered. Let’s take a look.
