Hazro series - HZ30Wi, HZ30WiQ, HZ27WA, HZ27WB & HZ27WC

[TAC4U]

any questions, please do ask

I currently have a Dell U2410, which in the review has an input lag of 14.4ms and a maximum of 20ms in Gaming Mode; the Hazro HZ30Wie has a dramatically lower average input lag, with a maximum of 5ms. But that has to be balanced with the response rate, which came out well but slightly behind some of the other IPS panels. I'm not interested in TN-panels, so 120Hz isn't an option for me. The Dell U3011 is more expensive, has considerably higher input lag (more than my current monitor) and been criticised for the anti-glare - but I just want to check I'm not dismissing it unfairly. Colour accuracy isn't critical for me, so I likely won't be turning the backlight down too low. I do the occasional bit of website design and basic image design, as well managing photos from my phone. So:

1) Is the Hazro HZ30Wie actually a good monitor for gaming?
2) Is the anti-glare coating as noticeable as that on Dell monitors?
3) Is the backlight flicker a problem if the brightness is not at the lowest level?
4) How serious is the lack of sRGB emulation?
5) Was the lack of any reference to dead pixels simply because there weren't any?

I bought a Hazro HZ27WC recently but had to return it due to dead pixels. I got a confirmation from OcUK that I'm getting a refund. It was a really nice monitor, though the pixel density was noticeably higher than I'm used to - which is both a good and a bad thing. The lack of anti-glare coating improved the image quality but increased reflections. Obviously it's cheaper, so that works in its favour. Any preference? I can either buy another HZ27WC or go for the HZ30Wie, unless there is a better 1440p/1600p for gaming.

I really don't know what to do.

PS - I hope that wasn't too many questions. And I hope the questions weren't to amateur.

 

[Baddass]

no worries at all, all fair questions

1) Is the Hazro HZ30Wie actually a good monitor for gaming?

as far as 30" models go i think it's a good option really for gaming. Fast pixel response times in practice, and very low input lag because there is no scaler present. so from that point of view it's good. It does however lack any aspect ratio control options so you will need to be able to control the aspect and any pixel mapping from the input (presumably your PC graphics card?). It also lacks any preset modes or advanced settings relating to gaming so you may find you need to change the brightness up perhaps for gaming to make it brighter, and then lower it again when in normal Windows mode so it's more comfortable. not hard to do, but just a note that you can't set up different presets for different uses

2) Is the anti-glare coating as noticeable as that on Dell monitors?

yes, basically the same as Dell IPS models to be honest

3) Is the backlight flicker a problem if the brightness is not at the lowest level?

Are you referring to the PWM tests here or the embedded video about the backlight shimmer / wavey effect we saw from our sample? If it's about PWM then thats hard to comment on as it's very much down to perception. Because of the relatively low PWM frequency of ~188Hz, there is a chance that some users will see backlight flicker, and that is more likely the lower the brightness setting is. Many users would never see any issue though, and keep in mind PWM has been used for many years on monitors with the vast majority of people not seeing any issue with it.

4) How serious is the lack of sRGB emulation?

again depends on the user and their uses really. If you are wanting to work with standard sRGB content, any kind of image editing, photography etc where colours need to be accurate or match other devices (printers, scanners, cameras) then this could present a problem. viewing sRGB content on a wide gamut screen cause the colours to (in effect) be "stretched" so that they look oversaturated, and can in some cases look unrealistic. Some people actually prefer this as it makes colours look very vivid and makes them "pop" as some people say. just depends on your uses really. Without an sRGB emulation mode there's no option to restrict the screen to a smaller colour space if you needed to, or if you found problems when working with sRGB content.

5) Was the lack of any reference to dead pixels simply because there weren't any?

none on the sample we had

 

[djxput]

for those interested, i've just completed a full review of the HZ30Wie here:

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/hazro_hz30wie.htm

Just wanted to throw a shout out for your fantastic website! ... The reviews are great.

a couple questions for you ...

I'd like a great gaming monitor; but I also want something that is big currently running a TNpanel asus 25.5inch 1920x1200. I would prefer to go widescreen format (like the 27" IPS panels out there). I've read about a new asus 27inch ips coming out 3rd quarter of this year~ and a possible lgpanel dm92 that is nowhere to be seen atm.

I've heard a lot of good things about the hazro 27hc; just a bit worried about quality control.

So given your review of the HZ30Wie ...

- Would you recommend this for me considering my desire for a larger gaming monitor/browsing? ... or do you think I would be better suited for a good 27" perhaps waiting to see what lg and asus bring to the table.

- or is there something else that you would consider better? (main goal is a nice monitor to play diablo3 when it comes out. But I also do many other computing things; stock trading, browsing etc ...

 

[Jasonn]

I had my HZ30Wie for a few days now and so far have been VERY impressed. A few points that might help answer some questions:

Anti-glare coating
Yes this screen does have an anti-glare coating but I find it nowhere near as aggressive or intrusive as the Dells. I had previously ordered and since returned a Dell U2711 due to the awful anti-glare coating and this screen is nowhere near as bad. Now whether it’s to do with the Dells screen size and resolution creating some kind of perfect storm for anti-glare coating I don’t know, all I know is it’s allot better on the Hazro.

Gaming
Games look and feel amazing.

Backlight flicker
I do not see the same backlight shimmer / wavey effect as in the tftcentral review.

Build quality
It’s got a real solid industrial feel to it which I really like. It’s true that making positional adjustments can be a little awkward but once I’ve got a screen setup correctly I’m unlikely to ever change it so this is a non-issue for me.

Size and resolution
Be prepared for the sheer size of this beast, it’s a monster and dwarfs my old 24” Dell. The resolution gives you a huge desktop to play with and I find that the 30” size coupled with the 2560x1440 resolution gives me just the right pixel density for perfectly readable text, much better than the high resolution 27” screens. The height of the screen does mean that you will likely have to adjust your seating height (if possible) to keep an ergonomic viewing position.

Dead pixels
Mine has one bright green pixel. I would rather none but I’m realistic plus the pixel size reduces the impact.

Noise
I’ve not heard even a hint of electrical noise.

Hope these observations help as I could hardly find any information about the HZ30Wie when I was looking to order.

 

[TAC4U]

Thanks to Baddass for a quick and comprehensive response. And it was nice reading Jasonn's feedback, as it's always good to hear from normal users.

I really am liking the look of the HZ30Wie and am strongly considering ordering one. I can live without scaling, sRGB emulation and the occasional dead pixel (I only returned the HZ27WC because it had a huge cluster gone). I know they'd made quite a few compromises for cost reasons but the performance seems to be much better than the competition, which is quite unusual. If Hazro could just sort out its quality control then it could be a major player.

 

[Baddass]

Just wanted to throw a shout out for your fantastic website! ... The reviews are great.

thanks, glad you've found them useful

a couple questions for you ...

I'd like a great gaming monitor; but I also want something that is big currently running a TNpanel asus 25.5inch 1920x1200. I would prefer to go widescreen format (like the 27" IPS panels out there). I've read about a new asus 27inch ips coming out 3rd quarter of this year~ and a possible lgpanel dm92 that is nowhere to be seen atm.

I've heard a lot of good things about the hazro 27hc; just a bit worried about quality control.

So given your review of the HZ30Wie ...

- Would you recommend this for me considering my desire for a larger gaming monitor/browsing? ... or do you think I would be better suited for a good 27" perhaps waiting to see what lg and asus bring to the table.

- or is there something else that you would consider better? (main goal is a nice monitor to play diablo3 when it comes out. But I also do many other computing things; stock trading, browsing etc ...

is there any reason in particular you have ruled out just getting a bigger TN Film based panel if you're looking for a gaming screen? there's quite a lot of 1920 x 1080 res (16:9 aspect like you want) 27" models available, some even with 120Hz support which would really add something to your experience. you'd have much higher frame rate support, smoother movment in practice (noticeably so) and support for 3D stereoscopic content as well. migth be worth a look i think given your uses

If you want an IPS panel though the 27" market is perhaps a bit more varied and so offers a better choice. You may want to consider models like the HP ZR2740w or perhaps the Samsung (PLS based) S27A850D? The Dell U2711 is also popular.

Again, while the HZ30Wie is pretty good in terms of responsiveness and input lag, it is lacking some of the other gaming features and options so might not be as suitable as some of these other models

 

[StAnToN]

yup i would agree with jasonn comments regarding the hazro ive got 3 of them set up in an eyefinity setup and image quality and gaming on them are excellent.

i had a dell U3011 and the AG coating on it was really bad but the hazro coating which has been used seem really minimal compared to it.

 

[djxput]

I had my HZ30Wie for a few days now and so far have been VERY impressed. A few points that might help answer some questions:

Anti-glare coating
Yes this screen does have an anti-glare coating but I find it nowhere near as aggressive or intrusive as the Dells. I had previously ordered and since returned a Dell U2711 due to the awful anti-glare coating and this screen is nowhere near as bad. Now whether it’s to do with the Dells screen size and resolution creating some kind of perfect storm for anti-glare coating I don’t know, all I know is it’s allot better on the Hazro.

Gaming
Games look and feel amazing.

Backlight flicker
I do not see the same backlight shimmer / wavey effect as in the tftcentral review.

Build quality
It’s got a real solid industrial feel to it which I really like. It’s true that making positional adjustments can be a little awkward but once I’ve got a screen setup correctly I’m unlikely to ever change it so this is a non-issue for me.

Size and resolution
Be prepared for the sheer size of this beast, it’s a monster and dwarfs my old 24” Dell. The resolution gives you a huge desktop to play with and I find that the 30” size coupled with the 2560x1440 resolution gives me just the right pixel density for perfectly readable text, much better than the high resolution 27” screens. The height of the screen does mean that you will likely have to adjust your seating height (if possible) to keep an ergonomic viewing position.

Dead pixels
Mine has one bright green pixel. I would rather none but I’m realistic plus the pixel size reduces the impact.

Noise
I’ve not heard even a hint of electrical noise.

Hope these observations help as I could hardly find any information about the HZ30Wie when I was looking to order.

thanks, glad you've found them useful



is there any reason in particular you have ruled out just getting a bigger TN Film based panel if you're looking for a gaming screen? there's quite a lot of 1920 x 1080 res (16:9 aspect like you want) 27" models available, some even with 120Hz support which would really add something to your experience. you'd have much higher frame rate support, smoother movment in practice (noticeably so) and support for 3D stereoscopic content as well. migth be worth a look i think given your uses

If you want an IPS panel though the 27" market is perhaps a bit more varied and so offers a better choice. You may want to consider models like the HP ZR2740w or perhaps the Samsung (PLS based) S27A850D? The Dell U2711 is also popular.

Again, while the HZ30Wie is pretty good in terms of responsiveness and input lag, it is lacking some of the other gaming features and options so might not be as suitable as some of these other models

thanks Jason and Badass for the info ...

as far as getting another TN - well just heard a ips would have better colors and blacker blacks ... looking for something newer and exciting

was going to ask about the screen; I see the 27wc has a gloss coating ... wondering if this looks really nice for games as compared to the anti-glare treatment of the 30wie

 

[Sir SpankalotUK]

If say I am looking at the Hazro HZ27WD 10-Bit 27" LED Widescreen Professional Monitor - Black.

What graphic card/feature should I be looking at to power it, so I get the greatest colour depth and accuracy? Do I need anything special to take advantage of the 10bit ips or is it all internal to the monitor?

Basically I need to produce the same colour on 2 pc's in different offices (a print firm), so I was presuming both w7pro > same graphic cards > same monitors, both setup by me.

 

[Axeia]

If you actually want to use the 10 bits (do note it's 8 bit + temporal dithering) you would need to use a NVIDIA Quadro or AMD FirePro videocard and I think you'd need to use displayport. Not quite sure if (dual link) DVI supports 10 bit colours.

If you need the colors to match on both screens you may want to look into getting a calibrator such as the Spyder3Express (that's the cheapest one afaik). In theory two factory calibrated displays should provide the same (or nearly the same) image.

 

[samtara]

Any idea as to when the WC will be back in stock on ocuk? Want to purchase it asap....payday yesterday! haha

 

[TAC4U]

Any idea as to when the WC will be back in stock on ocuk? Want to purchase it asap....payday yesterday! haha

I imagine any day now, as the ETA was the 23/3/2012.

I decided to order the Hazro HZ30Wie instead, though I'm concerned I'll need a second 680 for a lot of games. If needed I'll lower the resolution to start with (centred, not stretched) and see how it goes.

 

[MirrorsEdge]

I think I might have a problem with my HZ27WA.

It's been 10 months so far since I got it and on day 1 the left side of the screen would be fuzzy when turning the monitor on. However, it wasn't a big deal because the fuzziness would disappear after the monitor got warm (around half an hour). So I thought nothing of it.

Recently this problem has evolved and now the left side of the screen is a constant shade of blue. It's very annoying when doing a bit of design work because the shade affects colours, resulting in one half of the screen having different colour than the other half. Not to mention the distraction when watching movies and playing games, etc...

Is there a way I can fix this or do I have to send it back?

Edit: took a few pictures

http://imgur.com/a/u7bZA

 

[The Seventh One]

The glass has started slipping down on my WD again, this is the second one I've had with the same problem. I sent a webnote to Hazro today and I'm considering asking for a non-glass replacement because as much as I like the glass version I can't be arsed with this.

If you're debating whether to get the glass or the non-glass version take this into consideration.

 

[jkkc313]

The glass has started slipping down on my WD again, this is the second one I've had with the same problem. I sent a webnote to Hazro today and I'm considering asking for a non-glass replacement because as much as I like the glass version I can't be arsed with this.

If you're debating whether to get the glass or the non-glass version take this into consideration.

I really do hope you have a response from Hazro soon as for me, they have been very unresponsive.

 

[Besty]

Been playing with a 27WD. I also run an Alienware 120hz. My impressions are:

The Pluses:

- Crysis 2 looks like a film
- Very nice colour reproduction
- Scaler works well at most resolutions
- Input lag is low
- Having all the right inputs and small speakers is a major bonus
- Offers a great workspace for running a multiple Virtual Machine lab.

The downers:

- You need to budget for an additional stand as the packaged one offers no adjustments and is pretty low rent against the high end ASUS/Alienware/NEC/Eizo offerings
- The IPS panel offers poorer than expected contrast
- No mini-displayport cable offered
- You will need 3GPU's (7970/680s) to lock the frame limiter at 60 in native.

 

[Jake_C]

The downers:

- You need to budget for an additional stand as the packaged one offers no adjustments and is pretty low rent against the high end ASUS/Alienware/NEC/Eizo offerings
- The IPS panel offers poorer than expected contrast
- No mini-displayport cable offered
- You will need 3GPU's (7970/680s) to lock the frame limiter at 60 in native.

- You need to budget for an additional stand - For some people the stock stand will be fine, it is the cheapest monitor with this resolution cuts had to made.
- The IPS panel offers poorer than expected contrast - Compared to what?
- No mini-displayport cable offered - Again they need to keep costs down, for us it's a few extra quid but not ideal.
- You will need 3GPU's (7970/680s) - A pain but tbh most people will understand this if they are buying a high res screen and will be fine with upscaled 1080 or lower settings.

I can see where you're coming from but the IMO I'd rather these things than the AG coating of the Dell or the expense/lack of inputs of the Apple Thunderbolt display.

 

[TAC4U]

My Hazro HZ30Wie arrived today and I have to say that I'm very impressed. No dead pixels, a very stable and attractive stand (in comparison to the HZ27WC), an anti-glare coating that is perfectly acceptable (much better than the Dell U2410) and excellent gaming performance. It was incredible playing Skyrim at 2560x1600 with maxed out settings and silky smooth framerates.

I'm very happy with my choice so far, though I've only had it a few hours. It was definitely worth the extra money over the HZ27WC.

 

[The Seventh One]

I really do hope you have a response from Hazro soon as for me, they have been very unresponsive.

They have been ok so far, their first reply was fast and they said that the Warranty team would be in contact with me within 24 hours, this didn't happen so I contacted them this afternoon and they replied fast again asking for invoice and my details etc. From what the guy said it looks like I'm going to get a non-glass replacement which is cool with me as long as I don't have any other problems start occuring with it lol.

 

[macca672]

windows update popped up this morning with an optional update for my 27WD but it says acer-display -GR276HL

anyone else had this and installed it? was it ok? any problems?