Colin
- Comment
First off, I am a software developer, so my monitor needs arent as extravagant as a gamer or professional digital artist. That being said, I am picky with regards to text clarity, screen real estate and aesthetic, so I spent several months researching. Initially I was set on the Dell 38" or 34" ultrawides, but ultimately decided the utility of two 27" monitors would be better for productivity reasons. I was coming from two Dell 24" monitors and loved them, so naturally I was leaning towards Dell. Here were my main considerations, and why I ended up with the HP 27q: 1) PICTURE QUALITY (and backlight bleed) In this price range, picture quality between most brands out there arent going to vary drastically. While I didnt try this particular model in stores prior to purchasing, HP makes great monitors so it wasnt much of a concern coming from Dell. The picture quality is fantastic, albeit the back-light bleed that is oh-so-noticeable at night. Its not a huge deal for me as I dont watch movies or do professional graphic/photo work in my office. Actually, this monitors grays are fantastic which is generally the background color of my IDEs (i.e. VS/VS Code). Additionally, the displays are in my sunroom office, so during the day the bleed is not noticeable, and the brightness is perfect. I give the display a 4/5 for picture quality for the price, and for matching MY needs. If youre looking for show-stopping image quality that youd find in a photography studio, do yourself a favor and get comfortable with shelling out at least a grand. 2) AESTHETIC This is completely subjective, but my office is in a sunroom with white walls and dark gray wood flooring. If I were in a typical office setting, I would have gone the direction of the Dell Ultrasharps for their more bold and professional look. The HP 27q simply looks cleaner and matches my office decor. 3) UTILITY Dell wins here hands-down. While the base of the HP 27q is sleek and made of quality material, there is no adjust-ability besides tilting forward and back. I use a dual monitor mount for my set up, so this was not a consideration for me. However, if you are not using a different mount, I suggest avoiding this model. **NOTE: This model does include a VESA mount adapter, which is great.** 4) PRICE This was a big one. I wanted a high-quality display that looked great, but that was as inexpensive as possible. I was fortunate enough to grab this HP 27q on Amazon that was being sold for $210, and plan to buy a second soon. $280 is still a fair price. That being said, if you are going for a different look or need more utility out of your monitors base, I would also recommend looking at the Dell Ultrasharp 27" for about the same price.