Monoprice IPS-Glass Panel Pro 27" LCD Monitor

Coming off the cheaper Monoprice display I have to admit I wasn’t looking forward to the IPS-Glass Pro Panel version that much. With the issues that I found before I expected to find a low price that had a pair of serious flaws I would not be able to get past. So when I actually used the Monoprice for a while and ran the numbers on it, I came away very surprised.

Out of the box it really is nothing special. The pre-calibration data is okay but not excellent, and the on-screen display is the same one I used with Nixeus and never really loved. The stand is limited in adjustments as well, and the glossy plastic bezels are a design choice I wish companies would move away from.

Calibrate the Monoprice IPS-Glass Panel Pro and it turns into something else entirely. The panel and electronics have enough quality to provide for an excellent image after calibration. You can even call it almost reference quality if you stick just to the center portions of the screen. Only a few colors that produce dE2000 levels above 2.0 keep it from being a true reference even if the overall average dE2000 is very low. The last thing to cause concern is the bright corners which will distract more if you play a lot of darker games or watch movies on it.

When the price of $475 is taken into account, the Monoprice becomes something of a steal. Yes, you can still get a Korean import model for less but it won’t have the HDMI or DisplayPort inputs, and it will lack the warranty that Monoprice offers. The overall performance comes in ahead of the Nixeus VUE 27 that I’ve usually recommended for a value 27” display as well. The main competition is the Dell U2713HM that offers two main benefits: a more adjustable, ergonomic stand and better pre-calibration results.

The Dell can now be found for around $540 so you’ll have to decide if those features are worth the extra $75 to you. The Monoprice does go on sale for $400 sometimes, but the Dell can be found refurbished for the same $400 making it a wash to me. I’m glad that Monoprice is able to offer a good performing, 27” display for a bargain price. If you’re after a 27” display and want good performance as well as a selection of inputs, the Monoprice IPS-Glass Panel Pro is definitely worth checking out.