HP ZR24w - have I wasted my money?

reflux

reflux

reflux

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My main monitor is currently an HP w2408h. I've had it for about three years now, it's a TN panel and there's a stuck green pixel, so I thought it was time to upgrade to a better quality piece of kit. I use my PC for about 50% general use, 30% gaming and 20% graphic design work.

So I just took delivery of an HPZR24w, and got it all set up. But so far I'm really disappointed with it and I'm considering sending it back.

The immediate thing I notice is the horrific amount of glare. Now I sit across the room from a large window, which was occasionally a problem with the glossy-screened w2408h, but only rarely. The glare on this is so bad it's making my eyes hurt. And it's a matte screen!

Adding to that is the fact that the colours are so dull and lifeless. I'm not expecting some blinding rainbow, but it would be nice if things looked a bit better than the cheapo 22'' LG I use at work. I've tried to follow the instructions on TFT Central, but I don't like any of their settings. Maybe it's a case of being too used to the old screen, but the picture really isn't impressive at all.

Is there anything that anyone can suggest, or is it just not 'right' for me? I'm just surprised it's not any better than my old screen really. Maybe I was expecting too much.
 
reflux said:
Adding to that is the fact that the colours are so dull and lifeless. I'm not expecting some blinding rainbow, but it would be nice if things looked a bit better than the cheapo 22'' LG I use at work.
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The zr24w is a standard-gamut screen. If your work panel is a wide gamut screen, then the zr24w will never be able to match the colour range or "vibrancy" of the 22" TN panel, even though it will be superior in other areas (viewing angles etc).
 
Exactly what I was thinking Duff-Man - the colours are just how they should be on a standard gamut screen... P.S. Do feel free to post on my forums too. I noticed you registered a few days ago but haven't felt the urge to post anything yet. ;)
 
PCM2 said:
Exactly what I was thinking Duff-Man - the colours are just how they should be on a standard gamut screen... P.S. Do feel free to post on my forums too. I noticed you registered a few days ago but haven't felt the urge to post anything yet. ;)
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Ah, yes - will do :p

I had a quick check for a "hello" thread and didn't see one (perhaps should have created one?). I'll keep checking in to see if there's anything I can contribute though.
 
Duff-Man said:
The zr24w is a standard-gamut screen. If your work panel is a wide gamut screen, then the zr24w will never be able to match the colour range or "vibrancy" of the 22" TN panel, even though it will be superior in other areas (viewing angles etc).
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OK, thanks. How do I tell if a panel is wide gamut or not? Would it say in the documentation, or is there some set of specifications I'd have to look out for?
 
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reflux said:
OK, thanks. How do I tell if a panel is wide gamut or not? Would it say in the documentation, or is there some set of specifications I'd have to look out for?
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It will be advertised as one of the features (or at least it almost always is for wide-gamut screens). The best thing to do is probably to check a couple of reviews. Most reviews will do an objective assessment of the colour range the screen is capable of.

In practical terms, if you're not happy with the screen then I would say send it back under distance selling regulations while you still can (you have seven days from the point of delivery). Then get a different screen. PCM2 will be better equipped to advise on a replacement screen... But, if you can afford the extra, the Dell 2410 is probably the best of the 24" screens at the moment.
 
OK - that might be a plan then. I did remember reading that the U2410 was wide gamut, now that I recall, so it might be a good idea to give one a go. Thanks.
 
reflux said:
My main monitor is currently an HP w2408h. I've had it for about three years now, it's a TN panel and there's a stuck green pixel, so I thought it was time to upgrade to a better quality piece of kit. I use my PC for about 50% general use, 30% gaming and 20% graphic design work.

So I just took delivery of an HPZR24w, and got it all set up. But so far I'm really disappointed with it and I'm considering sending it back.

The immediate thing I notice is the horrific amount of glare. Now I sit across the room from a large window, which was occasionally a problem with the glossy-screened w2408h, but only rarely. The glare on this is so bad it's making my eyes hurt. And it's a matte screen!

Adding to that is the fact that the colours are so dull and lifeless. I'm not expecting some blinding rainbow, but it would be nice if things looked a bit better than the cheapo 22'' LG I use at work. I've tried to follow the instructions on TFT Central, but I don't like any of their settings. Maybe it's a case of being too used to the old screen, but the picture really isn't impressive at all.

Is there anything that anyone can suggest, or is it just not 'right' for me? I'm just surprised it's not any better than my old screen really. Maybe I was expecting too much.
Click to expand...



I had one of these & sent it back for a Dell 2408wfp.... I found the desktop looked awful with dirty whites & poor text. It looked OK in games but still nothing special.
 
PCM2 said:
Absolutely agree - the U2410 is a great monitor and if you want vibrant colours it's a must-have.
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Aren't most things meant to be seen in an sRGB colour space though? I thought very few things actually use aRGB, and that the vibrancy you see from such monitors is just due to stretching the sRGB colour space into the aRGB colour space, therefore making some colours look over saturated (or vibrant) and not the way they're meant to be seen.
 
That is sadly true at the moment. I have commented many times in the past on how optimistic I am that wide gamuts will be supported more broadly in the future, particularly when OLED monitors take off. Many artists actually restrict their creations so that they display well on sRGB which the majority of devices support. The extra vibrancy is probably closer in some cases to what the artists may desire to display if it wasnt for the restrictions. It is something you have to see for yourself and isn't something you can think through and read about. I find it enhances the experience in many games and does not ovesaturate as some people feel but instead adds extra depth and range. If it does detract from the natural aesthetic that you demand from a particular title (in my case Dragon Rising) adjusting the in-game gamma often helps a lot. Obviously once the broad gamuts are properly supported it will be a good day for the creators and the users.
 
i have just swapped over to this screen from a huyandai w240d pva . i think the Hp compares very nicely and is a prety good screen for the money.

I could have gone for the ultra sharp but to me £450+ for a 24 inch monitor seems a little silly.

i would suggest calibrating your screen.

in the end i went with

14 brightness
80 contrast
247 red
220 green
239 blue
 
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