14 DAY TRIAL // For every few consumer-grade monitors, regardless of who launches them, NEC seems to be releasing a professional one, and sometimes more than one, like right now.
Which is to say that the company has introduced the MultiSync PA242W-BK color accurate display and the color critical PA242W-BK-SV display solution with SpectraViewII calibration software and sensor.
Both of them measure 24 inches in diagonal and employ GB-R LED backlighting, which provides a wider color gamut than usual and better control while calibrating.
The monitors have a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, plus 10-bit wide color gamut LCD panels (10-bit active matrix AH-IPS panels) with 340 cd/m2 brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio.
Because of all these elements, the monitors possess near perfect (99.3%) coverage of Adobe RGB and 100% of sRGB color space.
In other words, they nearly perfectly reproduce colors, allowing graphics designers to be thorough and precise.
Furthermore, it is possible to load ICC profiles (emulate custom color spaces and easily match image prints) and use one of five customizable Picture Mode presets (in case people don't want to spend time calibrating and correcting colors).
An internal 14-bit programmable 3D lookup table (LUT) is chosen as well, plus three display ports: 10-bit DisplayPort (HDCP), 10-bit HDMI (HDCP), DVI-D (HDCP) and VGA.
Other specs include a built-in USB hub (2 up, 3 down, DisplaySync pro supported for controlling two PCs with the same keyboard/mouse), Picture in Picture / Picture by Picture capabilities, a bunch of optional accessories, and a 4-way ergonomic stand.
"The PA242W's greater color gamut and color control provide trusted color reproduction, empowering photographers and other graphics users to focus on their work," said Art Marshall, product manager of professional and medical desktop monitors at NEC Display Solutions.
"The simple print matching and built-in KVM feature improve their overall productivity as well."
MultiSync PA242W-BK and PA242W-BK-SV have 4-year warranties and estimated street prices of $1,049 / €818 – 1,049 and $1,299 / €1,015 – 1,299, respectively.