Sceptre X270W-1080P Review: A Value 27" That Delivers
by Brian Klug on May 17, 2010 10:22 PM ESTConclusions
I have to admit I initially didn't expect much of the Sceptre X270W in the way of display performance. Having gone through a considerable number of lower-end displays, I've been trained to be skeptical of the cheapest display in any size category, and especially so when dealing with TN panels. As of this writing, the Sceptre X270W-1080P is the cheapest 27” LCD on Newegg at $309.99 - putting it squarely in that category.
I was pleasantly surprised, then, when the Sceptre X270W shattered my preconceptions and demonstrated that you can definitely get decent performance on a budget. Color tracking is relatively impressive for such an inexpensive display, gamut volume is almost right where it should be given the CCFL backlight, and the display is qualitatively uniform when it comes to brightness. The other concerns are nitpicks - you probably won’t use the speakers (honestly you shouldn’t), but they’re nice to have just in case, and while the stand is a bit basic, it does the job without many caveats.
I told Anand about a day or two after I unboxed and started using the X270W on a daily basis that the Sceptre monitor reminded me of Egypt on two counts - it’s huge like the Great Pyramid of Giza, and nearly as grainy due to that pixel pitch. Now that I know that performance and Delta E are actually pretty good, I feel bad saying those things - this is a solid LCD as far as TN panel displays go. Pixel pitch is still a bit large for my taste at 0.311mm, but in all seriousness it doesn’t detract one bit from the performance of the monitor - it’s just a matter of personal taste. Some will like the fact that the .311 pixel pitch is easier on old eyes, for example. When it’s all said and done, if the pharaoh of Egypt really did want a 27” monitor on a budget, the X270W might just have been his Sceptre.
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GuinnessKMF - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
Dead pixels are funny beasts, I've actually raised a few from the dead by simply rubbing them (more often these are 'stuck' pixels, as truly dead pixels are well... dead). If it's going in and out, then it's likely revivable, there are also applications you can use that flash a small square of colors in the area of the pixel, sort of waking it up by having the pixels around it all doing the same thing, don't ask me how, but it does work (maybe it's the power of believing).I have had a handful of Sceptres, and I have never been disappointed, the OSD has always been a bit sparse as you said, but once I get them setup I don't find myself worrying about it, and in the realm of gaming/office work they've been fantastic for their size and price.
juzz86 - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
I agree 100%. My first LCD was a CMV CT-722 and it lasted about two years with no 'dead' pixels. Then all of a sudden three popped up. A bit of massaging later, and all but one had disappeared, and the one that was left was much less noticeable. My Dell 2408WFP had a dead 'line' down one side about half an inch thick, which disappears after the panel warms up. Strange, but I wholly recommend giving them a rub when they appear, assuming you are out of pixel policy warranty of course!Devo2007 - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
My Dell 2408WFP developed that same issue about 2 years after I purchased it - a thin blue vertical line towards the right side of the display. Like your display, it would go away after the monitor warmed up.Dell did replace the LCD, so hopefully this one doesn't do the same thing.
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Yeah crazy hey. I still have this monitor hooked up, it's ridiculous now. There's the single-pixel blue line, then a black bar about twenty pixels wide, then a single pink and a single green. And it all just goes away! Random :)Brian Klug - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Yeah, I know about the eraser head method and pressing lightly on the dead pixels - I've definitely revived a few in the past. This one seems a bit more stubborn though. it's not really visible unless you move to something entirely homogeneous. I never noticed it while playing games or working, only when I was viewing a webpage or something with a solid one color background. Just one pixel though, which isn't that bad.Awesome tips!
-Brian
Pirks - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
you'd better get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...cheaper AND better
kmmatney - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
I had that Hanns-G LCD (well, I think the previous revision) and it was pretty bad. The contrast was awful, and I found it to be totally unusable for dark scenes. It was fine for work, at least for 6 months, but even then the light bleed got to me. I ended up selling it and getting a smaller, but better monitor, and I'm much more productive and my eyes thank me. I never used it for gaming much, because of the poor performance in low light scenes.araczynski - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
my Hanns-G 28" (27?) has been nothing short of great.Basilisk - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I agree that the Hanns-G is a great monitor, and slightly less expensive. I've loved mine for about three years. It's worth comparing the two:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?...
I particularly prefer the 3 yr warranty of the Hanns-G; the single year on Sceptre products means I won't be buying them again -- I had to RMA one at 11.5 months!
GoodRevrnd - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
*cough* Dell U2311h review *cough*