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NEC PA241W

tjv

Active member
Hi all,

I'm looking at buying the above monitor for use at home. At work I use an Eizo Coloredge CG246, which is amazing, but I can't afford to spring that kind of money for myself. I have an iOne Pro calibrator, do don't need the built in options anyway –*although I'd probably buy the NEC Sprectraview software if I went that way.

I'm just wondering if anyone could comment on the quality of the NEC and if I'm going to regret not saving / spending more on an Eizo.

To give you an idea of what I do, I'm a fine art photographer and I use an Imacon 949 to scan 4x5" and 6x7cm colour negative film. I spend a fair amount of time in front of a monitor trying to perfect colour so accurate white point and black point is really important. I like to control the finer points of my printing – I use an Epson 7800 for my final prints – and I calibrate to D55. For all of this the Eizo is perfect, but I didn't spend my own hard earned money on it! I'm hoping NEC, or someone else for that matter, might make a more affordable option that does a near enough job without making me bankrupt...

Any help you can give me in making a decision would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

TJV
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I use the larger PA271W with Spectraview calibration software, albeit with a Colormunki calibrator. The wide gamut monitor is excellent and I very much doubt that you'd be unhappy with it. I certainly have no complaints with it compared to any of my other calibrated monitors.

I did find that the NEC Spectraview software does a superior job calibrating their monitor compared to the results from my Colormunki Photo software that I use to calibrate the other monitor alongside the NEC. I can't speak to the difference that NEC puck makes though.
 

Rand47

Active member
I think you will end up being surprised just how good the NEC is.
Many pros are now using them preferentially, even where cost is not an issue.
I second the comment on the SV software.

Rand
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I have the new 27 inch with SV software. Outside of a Eizo about the best you can buy for a good price. I had a older 30 inch NEC but was a little big for my new office setup so I went down to the 27 and don't regret it for a minute. Plus the new units have a display port connection which is much easier for the MBP.

If you can swing the money I would go for the 27 as you'll probably never outgrow it. I had my 30 inch for 3 years and still was perfect the day I sold it. The also have a 4 year warranty
 

Frederic

Member
What about color and luminosity uniformity on those PA monitors ?
It seems my ageing nec 2690wuxi has never been great in this regard...
 

hcubell

Well-known member
I would stay away from the NEC monitors based upon quality control considerations. In March 2012, NEC replaced on warranty a defective 2690WUXI that had developed color uniformity issues on the screen. The "new" (i.e., refurbished)monitor was a PA271W. In March, 2013, that monitor developed serious brightness uniformity issues and NEC replaced it with another PA271W. Now, 2.5 months later, that monitor has developed a really obtrusive smudge-like line of about 4 x 1 inches on the screen that shows through all of my application windows. Excellent service, horrible product. Time for an EIZO.
 

tjv

Active member
Thanks for all your feedback, guys.
Howard, I've heard other people talking about these kinds of issues with the NEC and it bothers me – I'd have to import anything NEC as they don't seem to be distributed in New Zealand, or at least NEC don't want to tell me where to get one! Eizo here is very expensive, about three times the price of the PA241W for an equivalent model, which is way out of my price range.
Is there any other game in town that I could consider and not compromise on performance?
 

Chris C

Member
tjv - Ok, it's 2 months since your last post, and I realise that I might be adding to a dead thread, but I've been in a similar position of needing a new monitor.

Here in the UK, there has been a traditional price difference between top Eizo and NEC monitors. When I first costed monitors the Eizo tax made them prohibitive for me.

I am now ready to purchase, and the pricing has changed here in the UK, typically now :

NEC Spectraview Reference 241 ......................£1167
Eizo Coloredge CG246 ....................................£1178

That now makes my first choice the Eizo. Whether or not the above price equalisation is merely local [hey, it's about time those of us living on Treasure Island got a financial break], or if it's a possible indication of a world-wide reduction of Eizo prices -- I have no idea. But it might be advantageous for you, or anyone else in a similar position, to dig around a little, or hold off your purchase if it's possible.

.............. Chris
 
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