Nixeus VUE27D review, efficient 2nd-gen 2560x1440 IPS LED DisplayPort monitor improves on the original VUE

I use a standing desk. Reasonable size and weight for my 3 monitors is almost as important to me as excellent image quality. Having had thousands of hours using my Nixeus NX-VUE27 these past 2 years (Close look at my Nixeus NX-VUE27 2560×1440 27″ monitor Aug 24 2012), I'm now able to offer some comparisons with my newer NX-VUE27D. Overall, I'm quite happy with this more svelte, simplified model. This 27" IPS display that gives me 2560x1440 very vivid pixels, weighing in at only 11 lbs without the stand (I'm using the VESA 100 mount). I cannot imagine going back to mere 1080p, and feel crippled everytime I'm in a hotel using my laptops built-in 1920x1080 display. Yes, IPS 27" displays with this many pixes are that big a leap.

A definite productivity booster and smile generator. My daily use day-job machine is tZilla, a Lenovo ThinkPad W520. But keep in mind that even a lowly 2009-vintage Lenovo ThinkPad T500 can output 2560x1440 over DisplayPort. Tested a T500 myself today actually, seen at right. Not enough GPU grunt on that older laptop to want to game on, but certainly adequate for most any other workflow use, with the ability to see a whole lot more stuff at once. As simply as just plugging it in. The Nixeus turns itself on as soon as signal is detected, without even pressing the power button. As soon as the laptop is put to sleep, so is the monitor.

This seems to be essentially a much more affordable Apple Thunderbolt Display, with a similar bezel. Looking closely, I can even see where the Apple camera and mic would be. Wonderful image quality. No dead pixels. Power supply and monitor stay cool. I have found California based Nixeus Support to be extremely helpful. Those humans are _the _very reason many folks give for being happy they chose a Korean monitor with a US company to handle warranty and service. The VUE37D was released October of 2013, with many folks giving favorable reviews here (4.5 stars overall), with product pages/shopping options here:

Here's what Peter from Nixeus has to say:
overclock.net/t/1430995/at-nixeus-nx-vue27d-a-27-450-wqhd-2560x1440-ips-led-dp-only-monitor/90

I was involved with testing and finalizing the design and parts for the NX-VUE27D... For clarification - if we are using the "EXACT Same" everything, then our retail prices would be close or the same. Howewver we are using A and A+ grade panels, different main boards w/ DP input, fully adjustable base stand w/pivot and height, and include two type of DisplayPort cables for compatibility with Mac and PC devices out of the box. We also include a 2 year warranty. Basically the only thing that is similar is the bezel housing - which is limited to that type of LG panel. We don't use A- or lower grade panels because our North American Retail Partners would not be happy because it is very easy for customers to return monitors due to "extreme back light bleeding" and "more than a few bad pixels." I hope this answers your question.

Improved

• 2 year warranty (previous model is 1 year)
• if you use a standing desk and/or VESA mount, good to know this monitor (without the includes swivel stand) only weighs only about 11 lbs, highlighting the big advantage of LED backlighting, with less circuitry/space needed for inputs, previous model was about 17 lbs., for just the monitor)
• anti-glare coating is apparently improved, with the usual purplish dim reflections about about half as bright as previous model
• easier to clean with a flat glass design
• monitor runs very cool, and the power supply uses just 24 watts at the dimmest setting to 71 watts at the highest setting, with incredible brightness (see my testing video below)
• far simpler to not have an onscreen display to fiddle with at all, which was always very clumsy to use on the older VUE27 anyway, and I can just use NVidea Control panel to make any needed adjustments
• DisplayPort input is oriented correctly this time, making it far easier to release the DisplayPort button release than the older model

Not improved

• bezel width is still a little thick, just a tad 2010 looking, and I'm guessing the expected wave of 29" or 32" 4K displays will be have thinner bezels (like TVs), but at far higher prices
• pricing hasn't dropped since 2 years ago, it's actually gone up, but the next step up to Dell U2713HM-IPS-LED or Dell 27" UltraSharp U2711 displays are still at least $150 to $400 more, a gap that fluctuates daily
• packaging involves a lot of cheap styrofoam and a less-than-fancy box, but mine survived UPS just fine
• a little strange that there are 3 unlabeled non functioning buttons along the bottom edge, that the speaker electronics are still inside this monitor and recognized by Windows, complete with speaker grills are visible on the back, problem is that there are no actual speakers, easily worked around by simply disabling the NX-VUE27D device, seen in Device Manager
• cosmetically a bit strange that there are 3 unlabeled and non-functioning buttons under the front bezel, not really visible from the front anyway, easily ignored
• far less versatility given there's only one DisplayPort video input source (for my dedicated use with one system, this isn't a concern)
• sideways orientation for DisplayPort input requires greater cable length

Conclusion

Efficient, affordable, effective. I'm using my new 27D in my home office. Nobody ever sees it but me. If you're willing to tolerate some tell-tale signs of a somewhat off-brand unboxing experience, you'll be treating your eyeballs to a great IPS display panel, at a reasonable price. Remember, it's actually the IPS panel, not the bezel or buttons, that you're staring at for thousands of hours a year. Also very helpful to know you can get the warranty honored in the US, with very responsive support folks at Nixeus Support. Shipping a Yamakasi Catleap or similar monitor back to Korea isn't exactly affordable for most folks. My Qnix QX2700 cost $199 to ship, for example. Finally, I'll point out that the Apple Thunderbolt display is still around $1000, and seems to burn a default of 106 watts. I'm doing quite nicely with my Nixeus NX-VUE27D in my well lit home's office, using a miserly 55 watts at about 3/4 of full brightness (71 watts max). Lower watt burn also means less cooling is needed, quite important in my small, happy workspace. You can get a Nixeus near-clone of the Apple Thunderbolt 27" display, for about half the price and watt burn.

DisplayPort Cables

This monitor now comes with two 4 foot DisplayPort cables:

White Mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable x 1 (For MAC/Apple, Thunderbolt, and Mini-DisplayPort Devices) Black DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable x 1

For my standing desk arrangement, I needed something far longer. While my Accell UltraAV B142C-010B DisplayPort 1.2 10' cable still worked fine with this 27D, it just barely reached to my laptop's docking station, especially with the DisplayPort input now on the right rear of the display (not the bottom). So I searched far and wide for a 15' DisplayPort 1.2 spec cable. Found one, works great!

Cable Matters Gold Plated DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable 15 Feet amzn.to/1s4HeF6

Funny that the specs at the Cable Matters site don't measure up, stating mere 1920x1080 support. The Amazon reviews and my experience confirm that this DisplayPort 1.2 cable works just fine at full 2560 x 1440 resolution. No color banding or other signs of bandwidth struggles. That said, please try one of the the shorter cables that the monitor came before contacting Nixeus support, should you encounter any issues.

See also

Interested in gaming? I didn't test this use case myself. But the input lag ain't to shabby at all, see details at:

Nixeus VUE27D Monitor Review anandtech.com/show/7585/nixeus-vue27d-monitor-review

specifically, on the "INPUT LAG, POWER USE AND COLOR GAMUT" page: anandtech.com/show/7585/nixeus-vue27d-monitor-review/5

...Using this, admittedly imprecise, method I find the Nixeus VUE27D has an input lag of only 20ms. With no on-screen display or color adjustment that take time to process, we get a nice lag number here. This comes out ahead of almost all the other 27” monitors tested. If you want a display for gaming that is 1440p, the new recommendation is going to be the VUE27D.
In the below video, I unbox the monitor, test the watt burn, tweak the NVIDIA Control Panel scaling, and share some additional tips:

In this AMD FreeSync demonstration at Computex 2014 (a competitor to NVIDIA G-Sync), it sure looks like they're using an NX-VUE27D to me! That said, I suspect it's way more than just a firmware tweak done to the innards.

Aug 11 2014 Update

Two new articles out today, as we enter the dawn of G-Sync 2560x1440 monitors that can do G-Sync. In other words, the display refresh rate will go as fast as the GPU will allow, right up to 144 Hz. No more tearing or other distracting artifacts during games.

PC Perspective's Ryan Shrout
[ASUS ROG Swift PG278Q 27-in Monitor Review - NVIDIA G-Sync at 2560x1440](ASUS%20ROG Swift PG278Q 27-in Monitor Review - NVIDIA G-Sync at 2560x1440)

Tom's Hardware Christian Eberle
Asus ROG Swift PG278Q 27-inch G-Sync Monitor Review

The good

(admittedly based solely on reading above reviews)

I like the very thin bezel design on the new ASUS.

I certainly like the idea of G-Sync, which my current laptop doesn't support, but my household's 750Ti does.

Finally, I like fluid onscreen motions, whether scrolling web pages, or moving the mouse around.

The bad

G-Sync doesn't support Windows, it's currently only for full screen games

It's not a 32" 4K display, which I'm more interested in, since I'm more of a productivity worker than a gamer.

It's not an IPS display, so off angle viewing is dim.

And finally, as described here:

You can choose to eliminate screen tears or improve motion resolution, but not both.

Conclusion

The ASUS has anti-reflectivity coating, which in my glare free office is a bad thing, with reviewers stating that grain is visible on bright backgrounds. I've had grain for years, and now that I've seen my Nixeus monitors' smooth whites for 2 years, I'd have a hard time going back. If you have windows or lights behind your workspace, your opinion on this trade-off will likely vary.

See also my related Google+ post here.