It is difficult to imagine a consumer who will not have enough monitor with a diagonal of 34 inches and a resolution of 3440 × 1440 pixels, but there are such. These people continue, as they did 10 years ago, to say that a height of 1440 pixels is frankly small and an additional 160 pixels will definitely not hurt. Two years ago, LG Display thought about this and released a new line of IPS matrices not only with increased resolution in two planes, but also with a larger diagonal of 37,5 inches. The aspect ratio has changed (instead of 21:9 it has become 24:10) and the degree of curvature, all versions of the panel appeared in the form of "workhorses" with the usual refresh rate of 60-75 Hz, and the emphasis in the final products was placed on professional use: working with documents, CAD/CAM, graphics and the like.
Most of the manufacturers who decided to use the new LG matrices released one model each, for the development of which, apparently, they didn’t spend much effort, time, or money. In addition to the difference in appearance, we can note a different approach to the interfaces used and ... in fact, everything. As a result, the buyer could be lured into their camp only at a price, but, alas, not everyone succeeded - ASUS and LG had to leave, probably not a very interesting segment for themselves, at least in Russia. As a result, only four models remained on sale, among which only one deserves special attention - the Viewsonic VP3881 monitor. Why is it so? Now we'll tell you everything.
Technical specifications
The hero of the review was presented at CES 2017 in January 2017, already distant (by the standards of the IT market), together with the no less successful VP3268-4K. Both monitors belong to the professional VP series, which in recent years has firmly established the company in its respective segment, and, frankly, not without reason.
The VP3881 currently has three competitors: one each from Acer, Dell and HP. If you look at the European and US markets, you can find two more production options for the already named ASUS and LG. All available models are inferior to the solution from Viewsonic in terms of equipment level, and the price is close to it or even more expensive.
| Viewsonic VP3881 | |
| Screen | |
| Diagonal, inches | 37,5 |
| Aspect ratio | 24:10 |
| Matrix coating | Semi-matte |
| Standard resolution, pix. | 3840 × 1600 |
| PPI | 111 |
| Image Options | |
| Matrix type | 3-side borderless AH-IPS 2300R |
| Backlight type | W-LED |
| Max. brightness, cd/m2 | 300 |
| Contrast static | 1000:1 |
| Number of displayed colors | 1,07 billion (from a palette of 4,3 billion - 14-bit 3D LUT) |
| Vertical refresh rate, Hz | 24-75 |
| Response time BtW, ms | ND |
| GtG response time, ms | 5 |
| Maximum viewing angles horizontally/vertically, ° |
178/178 |
| Разъемы | |
| Video inputs | 2 x HDMI 2.0; 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; 1 x USB Type-C 3.1; |
| Video outputs | No |
| Additional ports | 3 x USB 3.1; 1 x 3,5mm jack (audio output); 1 x 3,5mm jack (audio input); |
| Built-in speakers: number × power, W | 2 × 5 |
| Physical parameters | |
| Screen Position Adjustment | Tilt, swivel, height change |
| VESA mount: dimensions (mm) | There is |
| Mount for Kensington lock | Yes |
| Power supply unit | External |
| Max. power consumption in operation / in standby mode, W |
66/0,5 |
| dimensions (with stand), L × H × D, mm |
896×499-629×299 |
| dimensions (without stand), L × H × D, mm |
896 × × 398 103 |
| Net weight (with stand), kg | 12,69 |
| Net weight (without stand), kg | 7,97 |
| Estimated price | 92 000-10 000 rubles |
The monitor uses one of LG Display's AH-IPS panels, model LM375QW1-SSA1. This is a relatively new 10-bit (using the FRC method) solution with standard W-LED backlighting without the use of Flicker-Free modulation and a color gamut close to the sRGB standard. The bending radius is 2300R - a relatively small value - there should be no complaints about curved lines, or at least you can quickly adapt to such a curvature.
The monitor is capable of reproducing up to 1,07 billion colors from a palette of 4,3 billion thanks to the built-in 14-bit 3D-LUT. Using the Colorbration program, based on the development of X-Rite, you can carry out hardware calibration and improve the work of the Uniformity Compensation backlight compensation technology, which is available, however, not always and not everywhere. For the VP3881, the manufacturer claims the exact factory setting for four modes, each of which corresponds to a color standard.
With a diagonal of 37,5 inches and a resolution of 3840 × 1600 pixels, a pixel density of 111 ppi can be achieved, which corresponds to the level of 27-inch WQHD solutions and 34-inch UWQHD solutions. The main technical characteristics (brightness, contrast, viewing angles, response speed, and so on) generally coincide with the parameters of competitors, and therefore you definitely shouldn’t bother comparing. We will not talk about HDR10 support and the benefits of this feature, since the matrix used in the monitor cannot boast of multi-zone backlighting and extended color gamut - and these are the two main requirements for a more or less intelligible HDR.
The matrix used allowed Viewsonic designers to make a "frameless" solution out of VP3881 - it has the smallest possible internal and external frames, however, only on three sides - a classic of our days (4-side frameless displays are not yet so common). The stand allows you to change the tilt and height of the display, but does not offer the ability to flip to portrait mode - a typical situation for curved monitors. The control system is built on the basis of a block with physical keys, and the OSD Menu scheme itself continues to blow the mind of almost everyone who has encountered it for the first time.
|
|
|
The monitor is not a gaming monitor, so the vertical refresh rate is limited to the standard 60 Hz, which can be obtained using any of the monitor's available interfaces. The choice here is wide: two HDMI 2.0, Display Port 1.4 and USB Type-C 3.1 for connecting modern models of ultrabooks / laptops that have nothing but this connector. When connecting a monitor via one of the standard ports and USB Type-C, the user can use the KVM switch function, thanks to which two systems can be controlled using one set of keyboard and mouse.
To work with the appropriate peripherals, the monitor has three USB 3.1 ports and a 3,5 mm audio output and audio input for connecting headphones, an external speaker system and a microphone. Those who want to save space on the table (and possibly the family budget) can use a fairly high-quality built-in speaker system based on two speakers with a total power of 10 W with three built-in equalizer presets.
Packaging and appearance
The Viewsonic VP3881 monitor comes in a very large cardboard box, with minimal printing and no plastic handle for easy transport. The appearance of the package, as you can see, has become even more minimalistic, but getting the display out is easier than ever, because the box opens like a book.
It shows the main technical features of the model in brief form. The monitor is presented as a 38-inch IPS-display of the Ultra-Wide QHD + standard.
By one sticker and inscriptions on the box, you can find out the date (December 2, 2017) and the place of production (China) of our copy, its complete delivery set and physical dimensions.
|
|
|
The display kit includes everything you need:
- two power cables with plugs of different standards;
- external power supply;
- USB Type-C ↔ Type-C cable;
- DisplayPort cable;
- USB cable for PC connection;
- Audio cable;
- CD with drivers and software;
- quick setup guide;
- instructions for attaching the stand;
- factory calibration report on three sheets.
The Factory Calibration Report provides results for DeltaE deviations, gamma curves, and grayscale stability for sRGB/EBU/SMPTE-C/Rec.709 modes. The results for sRGB are supplemented with a white field uniformity table with the Uniformity Compensation system active. After getting acquainted with other models from the VP line, we have no reason not to trust the reports presented. But we will certainly check anyway.
|
|
|
The appearance of the VP3881 is typical for all modern representatives of the VP line. In addition to the "frameless" matrix with a plastic overlay at the bottom, the designers used the familiar central column and a stand with a large glossy insert in the area of the pivot element. Such a symbiosis looks recognizable and at the same time unique.
|
|
|
Due to the large curved matrix, the stand of the VP3881 has a slightly modified shape and increased dimensions. Thanks to this, there are no complaints about the stability of the display.
|
|
|
The curved central column is divided, as it were, into two parts. Closer to the top, behind a rubber plug, there are fixing holes for an incomprehensible purpose (most likely, they simply serve to hold the plug, and the lowest one is needed to fix the hinge in one position with an iron clip). The cutout in the column plays the role of a kind of cable management system - not the best solution, but better than nothing at all.
|
|
|
The center stand has a quick-release mount, and there is also a standard VESA-compatible 100 × 100 mm mount on the monitor body. At the very top of the central column, there is a special handle cutout to make it easier to carry the monitor from place to place without fear of damaging the matrix.
The ergonomics of the stand will satisfy almost any request. Tilt (from -1 to +21 degrees), height (130 mm) and body rotation (60 degrees right / left) are available. The possibility of flipping to portrait mode is not provided, however, even without it, there is still play in the case in the horizontal plane - the centering is 4 points out of 5.
All mounting elements of the monitor and the base of the stand are made of metal. Six rubber feet are used for reliable grip on the work surface, which do an excellent job, also due to the large weight of the display assembly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In general, the design of the VP3881 can be called successful, everything is fine with ergonomics, and the materials and assembly did not let us down. You can’t fault the painting, the size of the gaps and the processing of plastic elements - everything is done at the highest level.
|
|
|
The case, despite its very large size, does not lend itself to twisting and does not creak with adequate physical impact. Most surfaces are practical - they hardly show fingerprints, and leaving a scratch is also difficult.
The coating of the matrix, or rather its protective plastic layer, is semi-matte, which is perfectly visible in the picture above. Due to this, the crystalline effect is not very noticeable, and the anti-reflective properties are preserved.
|
|
|
By two stickers on the case, you can find out the serial number, model number, production date and many other, less interesting information.
All main connectors for connection are located on one block in the back of the case and are oriented downwards. Connecting cables is not very convenient, so we hope that you do not have to do this very often.
The built-in speaker system, represented by two speakers with a power of 5 W each, is located on the bottom edge of the case, behind a metal mesh. The maximum volume level is relatively low, but the sound quality is quite decent. It is possible to improve it somewhat both in the OS itself and by choosing a different mode of operation in the OSD Menu of the display. We will talk about it now.
Menu and control
The Viewsonic VP3881 set of controls consists of six physical keys located on the back of the case, next to the right side face. This helped to rid the front of unnecessary elements and create a complete “frameless effect”.
Five main control keys do without backlighting, and an LED is built into the power button, signaling the operation of the display. All keys are pressed clearly, the processing of actions is instantaneous.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When you press any key on the right side of the screen, a small black-and-white submenu appears with on-screen tips, which can be used to judge, among other things, the approximate location of the keys. In fact, fingers often fall on neighboring keys, especially if you have not quite correctly chosen the height of the case on the stand.
Among the options with quick access: selection of a preset mode (all the main ones are presented, but without additional settings), adjusting the brightness and contrast levels, selecting a signal source, entering the main menu. By pressing the second key from the bottom, you can quickly activate the Blue Light Filter.
The menu design is well known from other models of the VP series of recent years. Initially set to English. Above are six main tabs with large icons. Let's go through each section.
The first section presents only the selection of a signal source with the possibility of enabling automatic search for a working source.
You can change the volume level of the connected speaker system in the Audio Adjust section. Here you can also select the audio source, three equalizer presets and the ability to turn off the screen to create a “big black speaker” from the VP3881.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The main part of the preset modes and their additional settings are hidden in the third section, ViewMode. Some of them have additional submodes. Sub-modes, in turn, may have no or seriously different available settings. Among the latter, we met the following: additional enhancement of contour sharpness (Ultra Clear), advanced sharpening (Advanced Sharpness), gamma change (Advanced Gamma), change in overall saturation (TruTone), skin tone change (Skin Tone), increased visibility of extreme dark shades (Black Stabilizer), fine-tuning the operation of the dynamic contrast system (Advanced DCR), and so on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The fourth section suggests going through the brightness and contrast settings, as well as the color format, and moving on to finer color settings with more adjustments in the manual Custom mode set by default (it also corresponds to ViewMode - Off and Native mode. Such a confusion). But the most interesting thing is different - in this section there are additional modes, and for some of them factory calibration is declared. Their activation blocks many settings, but if you suddenly change one of the available parameters (with the exception of brightness and contrast), the mode is also quickly deactivated and the system automatically switches the monitor to Custom Mode. To select presets with hardware calibration and activate a reminder of the need to recalibrate, there is a Color Calibration subsection.
|
|
|
But that's not all. In the fifth tab, Manual Image Adjust (the name involuntarily suggests: and in other sections, before that, did we set everything automatically?), There was a third sharpness setting. Here you can turn on the input lag reduction technology (active immediately), activate another mode - Blue Light Filter with smooth adjustment of the degree of enhancement of its effect (reduction of the blue component of the glow spectrum, that is, a decrease in the color temperature of the white point) and HDR10 (for the possibility of activating HDR WCG on Windows 10). The Uniformity tab, as it became known after experiments and from the experience of communicating with the younger models of the VP series, is available only when four special modes are enabled (sRGB/EBU/SMPTE-C/Rec.709). In the case of sRGB, when the UC system is active, the brightness control is blocked - with this shortcoming, Viewsonic engineers did not cope with the VP3881 either. But in the less often needed Rec.709, there are no such restrictions. Such are the oddities!
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
The last section, the Setup Menu, is filled with items that are directly related to the operation of the monitor, and not to its color reproduction. Here you can select the menu localization language (there is also Russian with a good translation - a rare case), view the main operating information on the monitor, change the OSD screen settings, turn off the power indicator, reduce power consumption using the Sleep, Auto Power Off and Eco Mode functions (reduces maximum brightness, and its subsection hides the Energy Saving function, which must be turned off so that the screen brightness does not depend on the image), enable DP version 1.1 (it’s not entirely clear why), configure deep sleep for DisplayPort and HDMI interfaces, save all settings into one of the available memory sectors (three in total) and reset all parameters to factory settings.
Access to the service menu of the new VP3881 was not found. The general impression of the menu and working with it remained the same: inconvenient, incomprehensible, complicated, confusing. Despite some changes in the content of the sections, unfortunately, it did not get better. However, if you do not plan to make daily forays into the OSD Menu, then this should not bother you. Once tormented - and relaxed.
Source: 3dnews.ru