NEC PA322UHD-BK Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor
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- NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 1
tH NEC PA322UHD 32Inch Ultra HD Monitor Review By Christian Eberle , MAY 10, 2015 12:00 AM E#6 1. Introduction We've been reviewing Ultra HD monitors from every major manufacturer for over a year. The firstgen models, all of which are still for sale, were based on IGZO technology (similar to IPS - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 2
PA322UHD to whatever standard you desire. And for those looking for a quick occasional touchup, again, the monitor can calibrate itself without the use of a computer. NEC's price a setup manual and a CD with a complete user's guide. From the front, this looks like one of NEC's typical industrial - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 3
we've become fans of joystick and S Switch controllers, NEC uses some of the best bezel buttons in the business. Panasonic plasmas come to mind) - a swappable input board that fits in a cavity on the PA322UHD's right side. By default, it comes with a DisplayPort input but you can also purchase two - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 4
the contrary, it's nearly four inches thick (mainly due to the massive you use an aftermarket bracket, be sure it's rated for the PA322UHD's 45pound weight. I don't think we've ever seen this so many inputs, toggling through them can be a pain. NEC kindly sets them up to autosense. When you press - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 5
dynamic range. Note that there is no contrast control. A wellengineered monitor shouldn't need one as long as it doesn't clip the brightest signals. NEC's PA322UHD does not. You can position windowed images, adjust the aspect ratio and dial in sharpness from this screen. We saw no evidence of edge - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 6
that it says Advanced Setting at the bottom. Choosing this option takes you to an extensive service menu that we'll dig into below. The Advanced menu has all the functions of the can be turned off. When you calibrate the PA322UHD, be sure to turn if off for maximum contrast, since it's on by default. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 7
exactly what the carbon footprint of your PA322UHD is. At the bottom of this menu is a StandAlone Calibration feature. You can plug in a calibrator sold separately by NEC and adjust the monitor without a computer. It works just like the HP Z27x we reviewed last fall. You can also calibrate with - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 8
Returning to the main OSD, the above screen adjusts audio options, MultiPicture, PIP, USB port selection, input signal detection and the off timer. Audio signals can be carried over both HDMI and DisplayPort, and played through the internal speakers or headphone output. The MultiPicture function ( - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 9
unchanged. NEC PA322UHD Calibration reviewed IGZO screens: Asus' PQ321Q, Sharp's PNK321 and Dell's UP3214Q. We also have NEC's EA244UHD, one of the most accurate screens ever tested on Tom's Hardware. Rounding out the group is a valueoriented entry, BenQ's BL3201PT, the leastexpensive 32inch - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 10
NEC rates the PA322UHD at 350cd/m2. It almost gets there in the High Bright mode. If you choose sRGB or Adobe RGB, the monitor tops out around 317cd/m2. Though it lands in fifth place, all of these monitors are plenty bright for any application. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 11
We're happy to see a low black level from an IGZObased monitor. Previously, only Dell delivered decent contrast. NEC's effort results in a .3078 cd/m2 max value. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 12
NEC's PA322UHD takes the crown as the highestcontrast Ultra HD screen we've tested. To achieve this, you have to forgo uniformity compensation. We'll have more on that below. Uncalibrated - Minimum Backlight Level - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 13
NEC typically specifies its monitors to a low brightness level at the minimum backlight setting. An image that dim is not terribly useful in our opinion. Fortunately, the brightness control is ticked in 1 cd/m2 steps, which match our measurements. For example, to set 50 cd/m2, move the slider to 50. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 14
Of course, the minimum black level is extremely low as well. While this test result is impressive, it's not really practical. It's a good thing the PA322UHD has great contrast at all backlight levels. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 15
Minimum contrast takes a 12percent hit when you turn the backlight down all the way. If you set it to our recommended level of 50 cd/m2, the contrast ratio rises to 1023:1. After Calibration to 200cd/m2 - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 16
This is where we see the effects of uniformity compensation. Turning it to the highest level raises black luminance by almost 25 percent. NEC still beats the Sharp and Asus screens, though. Is uniformity compensation worth using? Check out our screen uniformity tests on page eight to find out. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 17
With uniformity compensation turned off, we record an excellent calibrated contrast ratio of 1002:1. NEC's offering is edged out ever so slightly by Dell, though you'll never be able to tell the difference. Both screens offer superb dynamic range, even when they're calibrated. ANSI Contrast Ratio - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 18
The PA322UHD is a seriously wellbuilt monitor, and for $3000, it should be. We rarely see ANSI contrast ratios over 1000:1. Not surprisingly, then, NEC handily beats the Dell in this test. The only way to get better performance is with a VAbased panel. 5. Grayscale Tracking And Gamma Response Our - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 19
At this price point, it's reasonable to expect precise outofbox performance (at least in the sRGB and Adobe color modes). We're showing you both graphs to demonstrate that the PA322UHD does indeed match its factorygenerated tests. The box includes a data sheet for each monitor that shows similar - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 20
The RGB adjusters are extremely precise. They offer very fine resolution, allowing us to generate one of our best grayscale tracking graphs ever. It doesn't really get much better. Results from the Adobe RGB mode are pretty much identical. And here's our comparison group again: - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 21
NEC's own EA244UHD still sets the standard for outofbox grayscale performance, though the PA322UHD is only a tiny bit behind. The sRGB mode is the most accurate, followed closely by the Adobe RGB preset. Like we said earlier, calibration is definitely an option, not a requirement. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 22
The gains we realize from adjusting the PA322UHD are worth it in our opinion. Any professional monitor should score under one DeltaE for grayscale tracking, especially when you're spending $3000. Really though, - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 23
None of the screens have any serious tracking errors, and yet the PA322UHD comes out on top. As with the grayscale result, it matches NEC's factory data sheet perfectly. We calculate gamma deviation by expressing the difference from 2.2 as a percentage. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 24
The slight dip from 70 to 90 percent drops the NEC to fourth place. Only Sharp's PNK321 demonstrates any visible gamma flaws. The rest of the monitors are visually perfect. 6. Color Gamut And Performance For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, please click here. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 25
When we measured the PA322UHD's default state in Adobe RGB mode, we were surprised by the undersaturated and offhue blue primary. After exploring the Advanced menu, we discovered - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 26
After turning Metamerism off and making a few tweaks in the CMS, we recorded the above result for the Adobe RGB mode. With all errors under two DeltaE, you won't see any color issues at all. This is what we expect from a $3000 display. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 27
The result from sRGB mode is pretty much the same. All color saturations are on or near their targets, and luminance levels are only slightly above the zeropercent line. Now we return to the comparison group: - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 28
color accuracy, but only by a hair. For all intents and purposes, it and the two NEC screens are in the same category. BenQ's BL3201PT appears just behind them; that monitor sells for about onethird the price. Of course, it doesn't enable the wider Adobe RGB gamut though. Gamut Volume: Adobe RGB - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 29
The PA322UHD doesn't quite hit 100 percent in our gamut volume calculations due to colors that are just the tiniest bit undersaturated. With error levels below - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 30
At sizes over 27 inches, TNbased screens just won't cut it. IGZO is a variant of IPS and detail remains solid. Screen Uniformity: Luminance NEC includes uniformity compensation on all of its professional monitors, including the PA322UHD. Earlier models were more aggressive at the bottom end of the - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 31
the 100percent level. The monitor goes from last place to first in our comparison group, and measures better than almost every display we've reviewed to date. Still, after some time using the PA322UHD, we preferred the greater contrast with UC turned off. Screen Uniformity: Color - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 32
you won't see an issue either way given our results. With a factory calibration and topnotch quality control, it's highly unlikely you'll ever buy a PA322UHD with visible problems. Pixel Response And Input Lag Please click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures. - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 33
Gamers probably won't find it necessary to spend $3000 on this screen, but at least it posts decent response results. Its motion rendering is nowhere near the quality of a fastrefresh gaming monitor. Among its businessclass competition, the PA322UHD has a slight edge. Here are the lag results: - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 34
in monitor performance still have to settle for speedy TNbased panels or one of the rare IPS displays that can run above 60Hz. 8. NEC PA322UHD, UltraPerformance, Ultra HD Obviously there aren't legions of computer users willing to spend $3000 on a monitor, regardless of its quality or performance - NEC PA322UHD-BK | Tom s Hardware Magazine: NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor - Page 35
you'll find it. Our monitor reviews reflect this phenomenon pretty well. If top professional models. The big jump in price happens 32inch form factor. And though it's a firstgen product, it still outperforms newer monitors (it even edges out this NEC in a few areas). Overall though, the PA322UHD
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NEC PA322UHD 32±Inch Ultra HD Monitor Review
By Christian Eberle ,
MAY 10, 2015 12:00 AM
1. Introduction
We’ve been reviewing Ultra HD monitors from every major manufacturer for over a year. The first±gen models, all of which are still for
sale, were based on IGZO technology (similar to IPS, but with a potentially more responsive pixel structure). Those screens from Dell,
Sharp and Asus originally sold for $3000 and up. They've since dropped to saner prices, though. In fact, the Dell UP3214Q ± still a great
monitor by today’s standards ± can be had for well under $2000.
Today we’re checking out the latest IGZO±based panel on the market, NEC’s PA322UHD. It gets us back up to that $3000 level. But compared to the others, the PA322UHD
offers even better performance and build quality. It's a great addition to the pro±oriented PA line of precision monitors. With a self±adjusting mode that doesn’t require a
computer and a wide±gamut option, professionals shopping for a jumbo Ultra HD screen may have a new top±end model to lust over.
Products
NEC PA322UHD
Pricing
Panel Type & Backlight
IGZO / W±LED, edge array
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio
32in / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh
3840x2160 @ 60Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut
10±bit w/14±bit LUT / Adobe RGB
Response Time (GTG)
10ms
Brightness
350cd/m2
Speakers
2 x 2w
Video Inputs
2 x DisplayPort, 4 x HDMI, 2 x DVI
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB
v3.0 ±2 x up, 3 x down
E
6
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