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Packaging, Physical Layout, And Accessories
The VP2780-4K comes in a substantial carton made from heavy duty double-corrugated cardboard that could possibly withstand a small explosion. Between that and the large foam blocks inside, it’s unlikely any of these monitors will come to their new owners damaged.
The cable bundle includes a standard HDMI cable, plus a second one with a mini-MHL connector for compatible devices like phones and tablets. You also get DisplayPort and USB 3.0 connectors. Power is provided by a small external brick. A quick-start guide and CD with drivers and a full user manual rounds out the accessories.
The only assembly required is to attach the base with a captive bolt (no tools are needed). The entire package is quite solid and almost as tank-like as the NEC PA322UHD we recently reviewed. That monitor weighed in at over 45 pounds, but this ViewSonic is a much more manageable 18.4.
The anti-glare layer is typical of nearly all LCD monitors sold today, being of medium hardness (3H-rated) and good clarity. We didn’t see any grain in the image and even the tiniest details are clearly visible. Thanks to an extremely bright backlight, the image pops nicely and even at saner output levels looks well-saturated, with deep contrast.
Front bezel controls are small touch-sensitive icons that require a bit of precision to activate. Now that we’re spoiled by the controllers and joysticks used by some displays, these keys seem old school. They work reasonably well, although we found them a little finicky.
The base and upright are built very well and offer a full range of adjustments for tilt, swivel, height and portrait mode. The base is nearly 14 inches deep and over 20 inches wide, which means you're unlikely to topple the VP2780-4K over, no matter how hard you may try.
From the side, the panel looks fairly slim, and at just over two inches (including the bulge), it actually is. Some weight and bulk are saved by the external power brick which also removes a lot of heat from the panel. There is ventilation visible around the sides, but the VP2780-4K doesn't run hot. The two USB ports are version 3.0-compatible, and there are two more on the main input panel. On the back of the upright are two small cable management hooks.
The display is almost featureless across the back, with nothing but flat smooth surfaces. Once you remove the four bolts from the upright, a 100mm VESA mount is exposed. The inputs face downwards but are clearly labeled from the rear.
More and more screens are leaving analog VGA inputs behind, and the VP2780-4K is no exception. You get two HDMI 1.4 inputs which support MHL. A third HDMI port is version 2.0 compatible, which means it will support the panel’s native resolution at 60Hz. Or you can use one of the two DisplayPort inputs (one is a mini-connector). The analog audio jack is a headphone output. At the far right is the power supply connector, and the far left has the USB 3.0 upstream and downstream ports.
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