Monoprice CrystalPro 28-Inch 4K Monitor Review

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Results: Viewing Angles, Uniformity, Response And Lag

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, please click here.

Here’s the part where enthusiasts jump on the inferiority of TN panels. Yes, there is an obvious color shift in the horizontal plane and a serious loss of detail in the vertical. At 28 inches large, you have to position the Monoprice just right for optimal image quality. We are looking forward to the advent of IPS in the value-priced Ultra HD category. Right now though, the next best option is Dell's UP2414Q, which we've seen under $800 online. If you can overlook the image above, you'll save at least $300 by going for the Monoprice.

Screen Uniformity: Luminance

Even before we ran this test, we could see that Monoprice offers a high-quality and uniform screen. There is no visible light bleed in an all-black field pattern and the 9.56-percent result bears that out. While this is a tough test for TN panels, Monoprice, Dell and Samsung manage to deliver good results.

Here’s the white field measurement:

The white-field result is equally impressive. Samsung moves to another level with its 6.65 number, while Monoprice beats out another Tom’s Hardware award-winner, Planar's IX2850. The CrystalPro boasts not only excellent build quality, but excellent quality control too.

Screen Uniformity: Color

Any color uniformity result below three DeltaE means you can’t see aberrant tints in a white-field pattern (we use 80-percent brightness). Monoprice shows nothing but a perfect white field from edge-to-edge.

Pixel Response And Input Lag

Please click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

TN-based monitors are known to have faster pixel response than their IPS counterparts. But some TN panels are faster than others. For gamers or movie-watchers, the least motion blur is found from the Monoprice and Samsung displays. The only hardware differences are the control boards, and obviously Monoprice picked the right one.

Here are the lag results:

While you wait for super-fast graphics hardware to come down in price, 4K gamers can at least buy a reasonably-affordable monitor with low input lag right now. Speed-wise, the choice between Monoprice and Asus is pretty much a wash at this point. Asus demonstrates slightly less lag, but slower response. We doubt anyone will be able to tell the difference in actual gameplay.

Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

  • cats_Paw
    4k, 3d... next they will make a 5 something.
    THe market is not ready yet for that resolution, and the price is too high.
    Reply
  • milkod2001
    Looking at Amazon link with price:$749 and other Amazon links for monitors from well established brands(cheaper) ,this Monoprice TN looks like bad attempt for joke.



    Reply
  • milkod2001
    Amazon link for Asus monitor brings me to AOC
    Reply
  • de5_Roy
    i wish it was IPS too!
    i also wish it was a 22-24" display. IMO woulda helped with viewing angle issues that plague TN-based monitors i.e. smaller size leads to less need for eye movement, sharper image from higher PPI.
    Reply
  • Karsten75
    Your links are FUBAR. The link for the Asus PB287Q links to an AOC monitor. In any event, the price for the Asus PB287Q on Amazon is $612, NOT $399.
    Reply
  • aberkae
    The price is $429 for this 4k monoprice monitor, thanks for the review you guys listen to requests much appreciated.
    Reply
  • DisplayJunkie
    Wow, Monoprice FINALLY managed to produce a display which isn't completely useless like their previous products with no backlight/brightness control.

    Seems well built and the factory calibration is decent but $575 for TN, 60Hz...and most importantly and not surprisingly, only 850:1 contrast ratio (which Tom's calls "Good contrast" LOL).... as with all 4K TNs, all it has going for it is the high resolution. No other compelling reason to buy it, many other compelling reasons for other displays.
    Reply
  • aberkae
    15320841 said:
    Wow, Monoprice FINALLY managed to produce a display which isn't completely useless like their previous products with no backlight/brightness control.

    Seems well built and the factory calibration is decent but $575 for TN, 60Hz...and most importantly and not surprisingly, only 850:1 contrast ratio (which Tom's calls "Good contrast" LOL).... as with all 4K TNs, all it has going for it is the high resolution. No other compelling reason to buy it, many other compelling reasons for other displays.
    they just had a sale that ended it was $429 I have the promo in my email, I'm expecting the price to fall again to that price

    Reply
  • beshonk
    Where's the Benq XL2420G review? I'm debating on 4k, but whatever i buy will be G-sync for sure.
    Reply
  • Chris Droste
    right now; today, 2/18 on AMAZON; this monitor is $750
    Dell P2815Q = $409
    Samsung U28D590D = $529
    both are UHD, HUNDREDs of dollars cheaper from brands with better reputations, and based on what Tom's knows about the panel it's all from the same Manufacturer, so...why get the Monoprice one again? adjustable stand for an extra $200 maybe? i don't get it...
    Reply