ASUS PB278Q WQHD LED PLS Professional Graphics Monitor

For those that found the 1920 x 1080 resolution for the 27-inch ASUS MX279H IPS Monitor too small when it was reviewed earlier this month on Phoronix, today we are looking at the ASUS PB278Q. This monitor is part of the ASUS Professional Graphics Monitor series and offers some brilliant specs for those in the market for a 27-inch 2560 x 1440 display with DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI connectivity.

The ASUS PB278Q Professional Graphics Monitor features a PLS LED back-lit display, 100% sRGB color reproduction, and its stand features the full assortment of tilt / swivel / pivot / height adjustment capabilities. This display I had actually purchased to go with my new ASUS Zenbook UX301LA-DH71T Haswell ultrabook, in having retired the Retina MacBook Pro with Apple Thunderbolt Display. I've been very happy in using the monitor for the few weeks that I've had it so I figured it would be worth sharing with Phoronix readers.

Display
Panel Size: Wide Screen 27.0-inch (68.47cm) 16:9
Color Saturation: 100% (sRGB)
Panel Type: PLS Panel
True Resolution: 2560x1440 (HDMI/DisplayPort/Dual-link DVI), 1920x1080 (D-sub)
Pixel Pitch: 0.233mm
Brightness(Max): 300 cd/m2
ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR): 80000000:1
Viewing Angle (CR>=10): 178°(H)/178°(V)
Response Time: 5ms (Gray to Gray)
LCD ZBD Warranty: Yes

Video Feature
- Trace Free Technology
- SPLENDID Video Intelligence Technology
- HDCP support
SPLENDID Video Preset Modes: 5 Modes
Color Temperature Selection: 4 Modes
Gamma adjustment: Yes (Support Gamma 2.2/1.8 )
QuickFit (modes): Yes (Letter/A4/Alignment Grid/Photo Modes)

Audio Features
- Stereo Speakers: 3W x 2 Stereo RMS

Convenient Hotkey
- SPLENDID Video Preset Mode Selection
- Automatic Adjustment
- Brightness Adjustment
- Volume Adjustment
- Input Selection
- QuickFit

I/O Ports
Signal Input: HDMI 1.4, D-Sub, DisplayPort 1.2, Dual-link DVI-D
PC Audio Input: 3.5mm Mini-Jack
AV Audio Input: 1.4
Earphone jack: 3.5mm Mini-Jack

Power Consumption
- Power Consumption(Typical): Less Than 33.2W*
- Power Saving Mode: Less Than 0.5W
- Power Off Mode: Less Than 0.5W
- Voltage: 100-240V, 50/60Hz

Mechanical Design
Chassis Colors: Black
Tilt: +20° ~ -5°
Swivel: Yes
Pivot: Yes
Height Adjustment: Yes
VESA Wall Mounting: 100x100mm

Security
- Kensington lock

Dimensions
Physical Dimension with Stand(WxHxD): 643 x 552.3 x 218 mm
Physical Dimension without Stand(WxHxD): 643 x 386.2 x 69.6(mm) (For VESA Wall Mount)

Weight
Net Weight (Estimated): 8.8kg
Gross Weight (Estimated): 12.0kg

Included with the 27-inch Professional Graphics Monitor was a dual-link DVI cable, VGA cable, audio cable, power cord, DisplayPort cable, quick start guide, HDMI cable, and warranty. It was nice that ASUS included DisplayPort and HDMI cables with the monitor where as some vendors/models will skimp on these cables, but then again the PB278Q carries a retail price of currently about $550 USD.