Auria EQ276W 27" IPS LED Monitor- Is it worth the upgrade?

[WitzTech]

OK folks, here is the dilemma- I currently have an ASUS VE278Q. It's about 8 month's old (I got it after UPS trashed my old LG unit). Even though it is a TN panel, for a 27' inch 1080 screen it looks pretty sharp and I am pretty happy with it, other than lackluster viewing angles.

About a week ago I was reading Tom's Hardware and came across this review (see bottom). Needless to say I was very impressed by the overall package. Later in the week I was browsing my local Microcenter's open box page and noticed that they had 2 of these babies for just 340 bucks, 60 less than MSRP! (see bottom). With both positive reviews from Tom's and from Microcenter buyers, I fell confident that this monitor isn't going to break as soon as I get home (and it still comes with a 30 day return period, although my local Microcenter is 45 min away...), it's time to answer the 340 dollar question: SHOULD I BUY IT?

My questions: folks who have moved to 1440p- how much of an improvement is it? folks who have switched from TN to IPS- how much of an improvement is it? An extra bonus to anyone who owns the ASUS or Auria mentioned above!

Is it worth spending 340 dollars on this upgrade? I plan to sell my ASUS (PM me if interested) for about $220 if I do this, so the real cost of investment will be about 120-140 bucks. If I do buy it, I will do an unboxing/review of it and my ASUS.

Thoughts?

My specs:

i5 3570K @ 4.2ghz

AsRock Pro-4m

Antec 620 Kuhler

Sapphire Dual X 7950 OC

8 gigs RAM @ 2133mhz

Kingston HyperX 3K 120gb, many many HDDs

Antec 520 HCG

ASUS Xonar DGX

All wrapped up in a white, windowed Define R4!

Corsair K60, M60, SP2500s

JVC HANC250 Headphones

ASUS VE278Q, Crap HP f2105

Links:

[url=http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/auria-eq276w-review-ips,3465.html]http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/auria-eq276w-review-ips,3465.html[/url=http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/auria-eq276w-review-ips,3465.html]

[url=http://www.microcenter.com/product/384780/EQ276W_27_IPS_LED_Monitor]http://www.microcenter.com/product/384780/EQ276W_27_IPS_LED_Monitor[/url=http://www.microcenter.com/product/384780/EQ276W_27_IPS_LED_Monitor]

[WitzTech]

bump?

[notenoughtv]

I would go for it. For a 2560x1440 monitor that is a really good price. And going to an IPS panel makes a world of difference

[WitzTech]

I keep trying to talk myself out of it, but I just can't substantiate spending the money on other upgrades and getting as big of a benefit as I do from this.

[GoodBytes]

Oh that's easy... ahem:

-> The monitor is glossy monitor, that means that will reflect anything and everything. If you don't live in a cave, it will be annoying to use. You'll need to increase the brightness during the day to really high levels to make the screen visible, which will make your eyes hurt. This is not particularly good for your eyes. It might be a good monitor, but what's the point if you can't enjoy it properly.

-> The monitor has a non adjustable stand. This is pathetic. For me, the simple fact that it doesn't have an adjustable stand, even if make be bacon and eggs and self clean itself, I won buy it... well no, if it made bacon and eggs... I guess I would buy it. The point is, it's stupid. You won't be able to sit comfortably, and you'll need to pile books under it to lift it. Books under a monitor, beside looking pathetic, shows that how much you hate these books and probably never finished them.

-> It uses a propitiatory power adapter which is peculiarly the same as the cheap Korean monitor which uses uncertified monitor rejects called "A" or "A-" grade. Meaning that they have issues with them and the manufacture (LG if its IPS panels, most likely, as you only have a hand few IPS manufactures and LG is big one). These faults is not just dead pixels or stuck pixels. It could be that, but also it can be miss formed LCD grid for example, which makes the sharpness of the panel uneven at some pixels or area, or can have back light bleeding on a per pixel basis, or has half dead pixels (hard to see dead pixel, as they still work.. just half of it), which can result in strange, and more. Keep in mind that like any product sent to reviewers.. they always get a carefully selected products, where it's the best of the best. That is, of course, if it is like those cheap Korean monitors that you found on ebay... but the price, and the similarity of the power supply tells me it is.... But I don't know for sure. In any case, it looks like it does have an up side... it does have a good internal circuit, so that means that you won't get any graphic card compatibility, and on screen menu to adjust things.. so that's something good.

-> Questionable support, and service.. this is teh web site: http://eqdcorp.com/ It's empty, no details, and even warranty says nothing more than "1 year warranty". Yea thanks!

1 year warranty is nothing.... decent monitors have 3 year warranties. The company also has no focus.. they make monitors.. but also apparently audio system, motherboard, SSDs, TVs, Coffe Makers (I kid you not), knifes, electric portable burner, wall mounting kits, DVD players... it's like a new startup company and goes "Yea.. lets be GE and have EVERYTHING...".. What's next trains? Get a website up and running properly first... and fix your English, then you can start making products all over the place... sheessshh

And on the about section.. it looks like they only make TVs and Monitors.... I guess they forgot they make other products. And they compare their quality of their products as "major U.S companies". Riiiiiiiiight. And there is no info about the company...

And apparently this is their company:

http://goo.gl/maps/iP9O7

For a company that produces all these things.. or so it claims.. it doesn't have a big office.... assuming of course this is a real place.. because the "for rent" sign is there and there is no company logo, and the company has been established in.. apparently 2008.... And if this is their office... where they produce the goods?

What a joke.

[Vaoh]

I'd say look into the Monoprice 2560x1440, they're taking preorders on it currently for $10 less then the Auria.

[WitzTech]

Goodbytes, that was possibly the best argument I could ever get to not buy this thing. I hadn't even thought about the warranty other than it having "1 year". It looks like this company just imports all these goods from Korea/China and rebrands them. I may still take a look at it (I am going to be right by the store this week), but I have a feeling I will not be going for this unless they have one out on display and the picture quality is drastically better than my ASUS. I may as well wait for prices to come down on the name brand screens.

I will defend Tom's Hardware though, as they did actually go to Microcenter and buy one, but still, I should just wait for the "higher performing" LGs and the like to drop to the high 400s. Or if the Monoprice IPS gets good reviews...

But again, thanks!