Any interested parties who do not have a color manegement enabled environment (eg Adobe Photoshop) and are not planning to calibrate the screen by means of a measuring device, do not read on. These are operated much better with a monitor with standard color space and can save a lot of money. Here I recommend the Dell U2713HM - the "little brother" of the reviewed here screen.
Product selection and decision-making:
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For many years I have been an enthusiastic amateur photographer and user of Adobe Photoshop. I need the screen but also to work (eg MS Office), and browsing the Internet. Until recently, I would have been here do not necessarily do well with a wide gamut monitor, because so beautiful the extended color gamut in a color management enabled environment such as the Adobe product family may be, in an environment that does not support ICC profiles, such as eg office programs or surfing the Internet this monitor technology then ensures the infamous candy-color effect. The manufacturer, however, with the "Dell Display Manager" an ingenious solution to exactly this problem. But more on that later.
With a current street price of less than 600 euros, the U2713H costs even a little less than middle class models from EIZO or NEC, which can only show the standard color space sRGB. Simultaneously, the U2713H has the possibility of a genuine hardware calibration and is therefore absolutely unrivaled in this price range.
Dell advertises the U2713H as factory pre-calibrated and provides a "Color Calibration Factory Report" with which is to show that the screen is color consistent with an average DeltaE of less than 2 factory. Of course that confidence trick, because that's technically not possible at all. A color calibration includes not only monitor, but refers the operating system or the video card with a. For this reason, anyone who intends to use this screen with the claim of a color matching plan even 180 euros for a colorimeter with. It should then be a necessarily "X-Rite i1 Display Pro", because this is the only supported by Dell's "Color Calibration Solution" software and just so genuine hardware calibration is possible.
Delivery:
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Amazon provides as of May 2014 the latest hardware revision A07. Monitor and Bottom are separated in the unadorned but sturdy cardboard packaging. In addition to said Calibration Report "contains a DVI cable, a DisplayPort cable and a cable for the USB hub or card reader supplied. The manual and the software for hardware calibration and color space management are included on a CD ,
The mounting of the foot is straight forward in seconds. The screen acts sufficiently stable and is also quite chic. Although it has been dispensed with the now common piano finish - yet you see every fingerprint on the plastic frame that simulates a "brushed" look.
Connection:
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I have the monitor connected classically via the DVI cable. After the first turn on the screen surprised with a good basic neutrality. As far as I can tell, all the preset color modes are virtually free of obvious color casts. The illumination seemed at first glance fairly evenly.
Calibration and image quality:
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Since I use the monitor calibration has long been an X-Rite i1 Display Pro of course I am happy that I can use this instrument in conjunction with Dell's software for hardware calibration. For the HW Calibration Two independent memory locations are available. A space I use for an sRGB Konfiguaration, the second for the Adobe RGB color space. The software is very simple and absolutely self-explanatory. Each of the two calibration procedures take about 10 minutes. In conclusion then each an appropriate ICC profile to Betriebssytemebene is created.
Purely visual image impression is even better after the HW calibration and the gray balance seems absolutely perfect! When switching between CAL1 (with me sRGB) and CAL2 (in my Adobe RGB) you can clearly see the difference in color gamut.
Partial criticism is that there is little adjustment in the HW-calibration. This is only partially correct. In mode "Custom", you can select the color space, color temperature (white point) and brightness free. However, the input is unfortunately only possible via xy values, which is likely to overwhelm many users. I've uploaded a screenshot in which the correct values for sRGB can be seen. The values for AdobeRGB displays the software by default.
Color space management for mixed application environment:
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The wide color gamut I want to use only for photo editing and publishing. In all other applications I want to work with the normal standard color space (sRGB), so as to avoid exaggerated and misinterpreted colors. To this end, you can "install and configure accordingly. Simply drag and drop moves to the desired application in the window Automatic mode" Dell Display Manager software and sets the desired preset. As a default preset I use CAL1 (sRGB). For the image processing and publishing programs I use CAL2 (Adobe RGB). Absolutely brilliant! I have to worry about anything else, when it comes to the color space. The wide gamut is my only available there, where I can use it because of ICC color profile support also. Of course, the ICC monitor profile for CAL2 (Adobe RGB) is enabled in the operating system fix. For the setting CAL1 (sRGB) This ICC monitor profile not fit, but that does so in an environment that has no use ICC profiles not matter anyway. That is, when I surf the Internet or a PowerPoint Presentation Create, I have normal color and no candy effect. Such a brilliant color space management was not known to me. I do not know if other monitor manufacturers now offer similar. I've read it as yet nothing and I think that most users of the U2713H not know that you can so easily handle it.
Errors & problems:
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My copy know on no dead pixels. Purely visual is also the homogeneity in order. However, I have the monitor metrologically undergone Gleichförmigkeitsüberprüfung, a corresponding software is supplied with the X-Rite i1 Display Pro. Here the U2713H not particularly convincing. Basically, the top third of the screen is about 17% darker than the rest of the monitor. When white point, the left half of the screen is somewhat striking, they soaked up to 140 Kelvin from. See also uploaded screenshots. None of this is tragic, but perfect is different.
However, the Dell U2713H has a feature called "Uniformity compensation" can, however, only needs to activate. Lt. However, the review of Prad made this a good job. There, a device revision A01 has been tested. Apparently Dell has the now better under control, because with my revision A07, the result is almost perfect. See also this the uploaded screenshot.
The problem is that these "Uniformity compensation" for the two hardware calibrations is not available. Here I have to decide if I give myself satisfied with a software Kalibierung and excellent homogeneity enjoy or I rely on the advantages of a hardware calibration and live with the little problems of inhomogeneity as a user so. Since I can not visually recognize the slightly uneven illumination, I have decided to do without me on the compensation and prefer to use the HW-calibrations. Overall, the monitor acts thus voiced for me.
Ergonomics and operation:
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This point is mostly well done. The mechanics of the Dell screen is smooth, the Monitor is extremely simple height adjust, swivel and pivot. The sensor-controlled keys of clear and concise OSDs are not the last word. It's quite a hassle to the respective keys react as you would like it. However, one needs the keys hardly ever, switching the settings accepts the yes Display Manager automatically.
The USB 3.0 ports and built-in card reader function so far without complaint. I use this feature very much, because I better at the slots of the monitor zoom'm as to my computer under the desk.
Conclusion:
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For the price of a mid-size screen with standard color space Dell offers here a hardwarekalibrierbares device with wide-gamut color space and a successful management, which eliminates the need for trouble in a mixed application environment. Only negatives are not perfect illumination and the nonexistent usability of homogeneity compensation in conjunction with the hardware calibration.
There are no alternatives in this price range, however. The comparable NEC PA272 should be a bit better, but also costs twice as much.
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Update after 3 weeks use:
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Unfortunately, the joy supposedly almost perfect monitor was short-lived. After about 10 days was an ugly reddish, the read is not eliminated by a new hardware calibration. So I exchanged the monitor. First, the replacement unit worked flawlessly. After a few days, however, also joined here in exactly the same problem. Following all picture modes've been here penetrated by a clearly visible red tint. When scrolling longer texts appeared green-brown shades. If an ink presetting changed, the screen flickers in a rainbow of colors. I suspect an error in the internal screen electronics.
I have now, willy-nilly returned also the second monitor and revert to my "old" U2713HM with sRGB color space. I have not adapted to evaluate the U2713H. Probably I had caught bad luck and two copies of a faulty series. Should you get a free copy of defects, the U2713H is certainly highly recommended. I for one remain now only times "little brother".
