TPV Technology, the company that produces monitors under Philips brand, has started to sell displays with QD Vision’s Color IQ quantum dot technology. What makes this notable is that QD Vision's technology is one such method being developed to significantly and inexpensively increase color gamut that displays can produce. The new 27” monitor can cover 99% of Adobe RGB color space, and is launcing at just $299.

The quality of LCD monitors as well as their ability to accurately display colors depends on multiple factors, including the quality of their panels as well as backlighting. While there are panels which can cover very wide color gamuts, since typical LED backlights usually do not produce whites with a broad underlying color spectrum, color accuracy of actual mainstream monitors gets limited. Several companies, including 3M and QD Vision, propose to apply special quantum dot filters on the backlights to make them as “white” (and therefore as broad) as possible.

QD Vision’s Color IQ quantum dot technology is based on cadmium selenide semiconductor nanocrystals, which can very precisely control spectral output of LED backlighting, essentially allowing light to be shifted to other wavelengths in a controlled manner. The quantum dots can be made to emit at any wavelength beyond the source wavelength with very high efficiency and narrow spectral distribution, which helps to make backlighting cleaner and thus enhance color gamut of displays. Applying quantum dot filters in any form is a relatively cost efficient task because it is basically a process step in assembly of an LCD module. However, those filters have to survive temperatures produced by LEDs, which is why they are not applied everywhere.

The Philips 276E6ADSS monitor is based on a 27" IPS-ADS panel with 1920×1080 resolution, 178°/178° horizontal/vertical viewing angles, 1000:1 contrast ratio (20M:1 dynamic contrast ratio), 300 cd/m2 brightness, 5 ms gray-to-gray response time and 60 Hz refresh rate. The display features a D-Sub, a DVI and an HDMI with MHL connectors along with audio in and out. Thanks to quantum dot film on the backlight of the monitor, the 276E can cover 99% of Adobe RGB color space, whereas typically inexpensive displays only show around 70% of the Adobe spectrum. The new Philips 276E monitor is made of plastic and uses a rather calm white/silver color scheme.

Specifications of Philips Quantum Dot Display
  Philips 276E6ADSS
Panel 27" IPS-ADS
Resolution 1920 x 1080
Refresh Rate 60 Hz
Response Time 5 ms gray to gray
Brightness 300 cd/m²
Contrast 1000:1
Viewing Angles 178°/178° horizontal/vertical
Color Saturation 99%  Adobe RGB

While the Philips 276E display is a product with a rather unique combination of low price and wide color gamut, for TPV Technology it is also a test vehicle for quantum dot technology from QD Vision. Since this is the first ever display with QD Vision’s Color IQ tech, some of its early samples had teething problems. The review unit received by AnandTech did not support constraining to the sRGB color gamut. As soon as we mentioned this fact to the manufacturer we were told that later versions should have a proper sRGB operating mode.

The new monitor is already available at Amazon, B&H and some other retailers for $299.

Comments Locked

40 Comments

View All Comments

  • Death666Angel - Saturday, March 19, 2016 - link

    They didn't try to personally offend you, so why the harsh reaction? If you are fine with your 32"/1080p monitor, enjoy it. That PPI in normal desktop monitor range would be quite horrendous for me, doing any kind of work on it. If you sit farther away, don't do a lot of work or have bad eye sight, I guess that could work though. If all the above is false, weird. :D
  • stephenbrooks - Saturday, March 19, 2016 - link

    Viewing distance comes into the equation. If you have a deep desk and prefer your monitors at the back of it, large 1080p monitors can be just the ticket. I'm on a 24" 1080p with that setup here and actually had to scale this website up to 120%, probably 27" 1080p would be ideal for my desk.
  • Refuge - Wednesday, March 23, 2016 - link

    That is a TV, they are built very differently.

    So you can't really compare the pixel layout between the two when increasing sizes.

    it is also why a 60inch 1080p monitor would probably cost more than two 65 inch 4k curved 3D tv's.
  • euskalzabe - Tuesday, March 29, 2016 - link

    Heh, don't come to my house then, I use a 40" 1080p screen :)
  • monstercameron - Friday, March 18, 2016 - link

    need freesync
  • Lazn_W - Friday, March 18, 2016 - link

    only 1920x1080? boo!
  • chrnochime - Saturday, March 19, 2016 - link

    Yes everyone NEEDS 1440P on a 27" screen /s
  • Alexvrb - Saturday, March 19, 2016 - link

    16K or die! /sarcasm

    I'd be happy with an affordable 1080p 24" (my main monitor isn't exactly far away from my chair) Freesync monitor with an excellent gamut like this. The bigger issue is refresh rate. To me there's more to the experience than raw pixel count.
  • Samus - Saturday, March 19, 2016 - link

    I agree. Just don't get the holdup with 144hz IPS panels. My TN gaming monitor makes me cry just trying to surf the web on it, it's just terrible.
  • Valantar - Saturday, March 19, 2016 - link

    Unfortunately, even if the gamut is good, this monitor has some serious issues (at least if a review I just read (unfortunately I can't find it right now, I'll look for it in the morning) is to be believed). Calibration in the default mode was good for Adobe RGB, but didn't allow for brightness controls(!!!), leaving the monitor stuck at 370 nits - only usable in brightly lit rooms, in other words. The Adobe RGB mode allowed for brightness controls, but had far worse calibration and a clear green tint. Luckily that was relatively easily corrected, but still... And besides, even a $300 monitor without DP? That's dipping pretty far into the cost cutting bin. And of course there's the lack of VESA mounts and tilt-only adjustable stand. Response times and refresh rates were excellent, though, best in class even. I guess this would be a perfect monitor for low budget gamers wanting colours to pop or home users looking to upgrade to something that comes close to their phone's screen.

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now