Project: Spectrum | Community Tester Entry

[bash]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Gaming	PS5	CoD Black Ops: Cold War ; Spider-man: Miles Morales ; Assassin’s Creed Valhalla;…
Studies	MacBook Pro 13 inch 1.4 GHz 8GB 256 GB 2019	Bootcamp; Matlab; Aspen;Maple; Python;…
Gaming and working	DIY Windows PC and DIY Hackintosh	Bootcamp; Matlab; Aspen;Maple; Python;Battlefield titles; Assassin’s Creed titles;…

The reason that I want to test this device is mainly to see how it can handle the beautiful graphics that the PS5 can achieve: 4k@120Hz but also to use USB-C to charge and connect MacBook Pro. I work for an apple reseller in Belgium and it would be nice to have a great monitor that would be perfect to use with Macs, since a lot of customers are looking for a monitor for their home setup, especially during COVID-19.

[manuel19]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Console Gaming	Playstation 5, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch	120Hz in games like Fortnite, Rainbow 6, Destiny 2; Ray tracing and DLSS in PS5 games such as Control, general visual improvements for ‘older’ systems such as Nintendo Switch or PS4
Office work	Lenovo ThinkPad X390 Yoga to use with the USB-C Hub	Coding in Android Studio, as well as general office stuff like writing mails, having meetings, etc
Media consumption	Lenovo ThinkPad X390 Yoga to use with the USB-C Hub	Watching general media on the web, Netflix, Youtube, Twitch, …
Inspecting photos (not editing)	Mobile phone, either connect via USB C or watch files on PC	I love taking photos with my phone and I think being able to inspect them better (before posting on social media) would be great! Personally, I don’t like editing that much, since I want to see a photo as it was taken, without any extras and as I also think that’s how at least 95% of people take photos

Reason for testing: I’m a huge nerd and sucker for tech. I play a lot of video games and think I could give great insights on a consumer level, but also on a more technical level, as of why this monitor would be great for playing video games.

Additionally, I already have experience with testing, as well as reviewing. For the first part, I am part of several testing groups, which unfortunately I can’t disclose, since I’ve signed NDAs for them . For the latter, I got my last phone in exchange for reviewing it. And it was such an amazing experience doing so! (Also way more stressful than one might think but I’d say I did a good job)

If that made you interested now, I gladly invite you to read my review of the OnePlus 8T.

If I am happy with the device, I might also be able to post my review on the OnePlus Forums, if the moderators there are fine with it. But as I know them, there shouldn’t be any complications.

[ArsirusUK]

[Isehwurscht]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Console Gaming 4k/120	XBOXSeriesX	Assasins Creed Vallhala,Cyperpunk,all Forza and so on
Console Gaming 4k/60	XBOXSeriesX	Assasins Creed Vallhala,Cyperpunk,all Forza and so on
Office Work at 4k	ThinkPad Carbon X1	Office Work
Other Games on Classic Consoles	PS4Pro,XBOXOneX,XBoxOne,Retrobit,…	Several Games

[Jarkko_Laine]

I would like to be a part, I have already pre order the new EVE.
I’m have a few different computer in daily us, same as iPad Pro.!

Eve computers|690x313

[MT]

Hello, I am Marat Tanalin.

I could test integer scaling (pixel-perfect integer-ratio upscaling by pixel duplication). Integer scaling is the exclusive Eve Spectrum feature I’m interested in.

I would test integer scaling and take photos (then publish those photos in review along with detailed description of my experience with the monitor) in:

• 3D games (my main usecase is scaling Full HD to 4K with perfect-square 2×2 pixels, but I would also test other resolutions such as 1680×1050);

• low-resolution 2D games (e.g. 640×480 with 4×4 pixels and black bars around the scaled image);

• Windows desktop (for everyday work with desktop apps like Firefox web-browser and Windows Explorer);

• Ubuntu Linux;

• during PC boot and in BIOS (CMOS Setup) where GPU-powered scaling cannot be used at all;

• with SNES Mini official Nintendo retro-game console (1280×720 via HDMI) that GPU scaling cannot help with too.

Testing would include:

• whether integer scaling is actually integer and not just (distorted) nearest-neghbour;
• whether there is actually no blur even if the scaling ratio is actually integer;
• whether integer scaling does not introduce any extra lag compared with blurry scaling.

Who I am:

• the person who originally asked for integer scaling as a feature of Eve Spectrum;

• the author of the popular detailed sort-of-canonical article about integer scaling;

• the author and maintainer of the integer_scaling subreddit;

• 4K-monitor (Dell P2415Q) owner for 6 years;

• the author of a Dell P2415Q review;

• the author of the IntegerScaler app (freeware, Windows 7+) for GPU-independent integer scaling of windowed-mode games;

• integer-scaling enthusiast and evangelist for years.

I’m not interested in Eve Spectrum features different from integer scaling — e.g. HDMI 2.1 and VRR, and can’t test them because I don’t have a capable GPU. (Sort of interested in VRR, but my GPU apparenly doesn’t support it.) Not sure if my GPU is capable of HFR, but it should be possible as long as bandwidth is enough for specific combination of resolution and framerate.

My GPU is GTX 650 Ti Boost (2013) that has ports of two types:

• DisplayPort 1.x capable of 4K@60Hz — my Dell P2415Q 4K monitor is connected via it. In theory, the bandwidth should be enough for FHD@144Hz, so I would certainly test this HFR mode in conjunction with pixel-perfect scaling;

• HDMI 1.x capable of 4K@30Hz at 4:4:4, and probably 4K@60Hz at 4:2:2/4:2:0.

Thanks.

A copy of my Dell P2415Q review as required

Dell P2415Q. Author’s review of the 4K monitor (2021-03-19 snapshot. See the live version for its most up-to-date and formatted-as-intended version)

Dell P2415Q is a second-generation 23.8-inch IPS-based computer monitor with 4K Ultra HD (3840×2160) resolution. There is also a functionally similar 27-inch model P2715Q.

This review contains details on the monitor specifics and personal impressions of the author based on its use since March 2015. The review updates and extends as new data are obtained during using the monitor.

SST and 60 Hz without MST

Unlike the 2014’s UP2414Q model, the new P2415Q model supports full refresh rate of 60 Hz via DisplayPort interface without using the MST mode. Thanks to this, GPU -powered scaling of signal with resolution different from native monitor resolution does work — this was impossible with UP2414Q.

So, as expected based on the leaked user manual, the P2415Q monitor uses the SST mode to trasfer data. The MST mode in this monitor is used as intended — for daisy-chaining of two 4K monitors operating at half refresh rate of 30 Hz. For daisy-chaining, the monitor is equipped not just with DP input (to connect a computer), but also with DP output (to connect a second 4K monitor to the first one).

Display

In general

• Pulse-width modulation (PWM) for controlling brightness is either not used at all, or works at a very high rate which is multiple times higher than conventional 200-300 Hz. With a photocamera according to TFT Central’s method, using PWM is not detectable.
• Crystal inversion (Vcom flickering): image is perceived as much more stable compared with NEC 20WGX², “fussing around” flickering is much less noticeable — most likely it is largely thanks to smaller pixel and resulting partial compensation of flickering of nearby pixels.
• Interpixel grid is invisible not just on a typical distance from eyes, but also when moving quite closer to the display; picture is very clear; vector images and text are very smooth. Italic is now beautiful even at small font size. Mathematical formulae and hieroglyphs look great as well, though 4K resolution is still slightly too low for them.
• There is no noticeable “crystallic” effect (somewhat “chatoyments” during moving eyes across the screen or changing viewing angle).
• Color reproduction is good (gradients are smooth, photos look great), but it is interfered by heavy Glow effect (similar to the low-end E-IPS-based FHD monitor Dell S2240L): when looking at the display at a nonperpendicular angle, display is as if it was covered by a gradient gray dimout especially noticeable with dark images. Moreover, for the effect to appear, it is even not necessary to look at a nonperpendicular angle — left and right sides of the wide screen are anyway at a noticeable angle, even if screen center is placed exactly in front of the user. IPS monitor NEC 20WGX² did not have this. If a monitor with so heavy Glow effect had a regular resolution like Full HD, it would probably not be interesting, but for the sake of that high resolution, the Glow effect can be temporarily (until more quality and reasonably priced LCD or OLED monitors hit the market) tolerated.
• When using DisplayPort interface, full chroma subsampling 4:4:4 is used, i. e. each pixel has an individual color unlike, for example, 4:2:0 where color is the same for each pair of pixels.

Specifics of the unit

• There are no “dead” pixels. There are neither color non-uniformity nor dust spots reported by some users on Amazon and some forums.
• Sides of the LCD display are sagged inward monitor when slightly pressed.
• Several leftmost and rightmost pixels are progressively get invisible when looking to the screen at an increasing nonperpendicular angle — like if corresponding parts of the screen were slightly curved towards from user (leftmost pixels are affected more heavily than rightmost). Maybe this is backlit specifics: for example, the backlit is placed at some distance from the LCD layer, and light-emitting elements are placed exactly along the perimeter of the visible part of screen without a reserve , so, at nonperpendicular angles, there is probably just physically no backlit behind the disappearing pixels. The author did not encounter this drawback of LCD monitors before.

Hardware scaling

The monitor supports proportional hardware scaling of resolutions different from the native display resolution — to enable this, choose the “Auto Resize” item in “Display” → “Aspect Ratio” in the monitor’s menu. At that, quality of the monitor’s built-in scaling is much higher in terms of image clarity than scaling with an nVidia GPU (GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost).

Unfortunately, bicubic or bilinear interpolation is used regardless of signal resolution (and regardless of whether scaling is done by monitor or GPU), so even if physical monitor resolution (3840×2160) divides evenly by signal resolution (e. g. 1920×1080), resulting image is anyway slightly blurred , though could be perfectly sharp if pixels were just duplicated : for example, 1920×1080 resolution may be output to 3840×2160 display with absolutely no blur by mapping each logical pixel to 4 (2×2) physical pixels displaying exactly the same color.

For demonstrativeness, below are photos of the same screenshot of the Reaper program shot using three scaling methods:

• nonblurry scaling (686 KB);
• monitor -powered scaling (737 KB);
• GPU -powered scaling (740 KB).

Nonblurry scaling (by pixel duplication) is achieved by displaying the screenshot with the XnView viewer that provides the feature.

Fortunately, support of scaling via GPU thanks to that the monitor uses SST mode makes it possible that, in future, scaling by pixel duplication may be implemented on level of graphics-card driver — a corresponding proposal is already sent to nVidia; there are also topics at official forums of GeForce and AMD (1, 2).

Update (2017-04-05): Consider signing the petition at Change.org to help show the demand for nonblurry scaling via graphics driver. See also the author’s article “Pixel-perfect integer-ratio scaling with no blur” that describes the issue and existing partial solutions.

Update (2019-01-19): The free author’s utility IntegerScaler allows to use integer-ratio scaling with no blur with games that support windowed mode.

Update (2019-08-27): Support for integer-ratio scaling with no blur (integer scaling) under Windows 10 has been announced by Intel on June 24, 2019 and implemented by nVidia in the graphics driver since the version 436.02 (2019-08-20). Unfortunately, in both cases, support is only available for latest-generation GPUs (Intel Ice Lake; nVidia RTX / GTX 16*) and so is useless for absolute majority of users. Also, the feature is announced for 27″ QHD monitor EVE Spectrum expected in late 2019. For details, see the “Progress” section of the article about integer scaling.

HiDPI and OS-level scaling

HiDPI compatibility of applications

Many Windows applications are incompatible with HiDPI (High-DPI) modes (i. e., using Microsoft’s terminology, are not DPI-aware ). For some applications, this is solvable by disabling DPI virtualization (automatic scaling by raster interpolation) in properties of executable file (via the “Disable display scaling on high DPI settings” checkbox). But for 64-bit applications, the checkbox is disabled in Windows 7, so disabling scaling is only possible via registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

But some programs either get small (e. g. the Steam client) or all elements of the window are placed inadequately being partially covered by each other (for example, Omea Reader Pro 2). Text in applications scaled by DPI virtualization (which Windows applies automatically to applications that do not formally support HiDPI) looks approximately as blurry as on CRT monitors.

Some applications are formally DPI-aware, but in fact, are rendered without accounting for real pixel density and therefore look very small (for example, ESET NOD32 Antivirus 8 and control panel of the ESI Juli@ sound card in the driver of version 1.18).

In some (many?) applications that work correctly in general after enabling HiDPI mode by disabling scaling, areas intended to drag-and-drop do not account for current pixel density, resulting in that at system scale (zoom) set to 200%, it is harder to hit such area since it is twice narrower than at 100% scale.

It is interesting that even the proprietary Dell Display Manager application for the monitor actually supports HiDPI, but formally not, so is blurry by default. And even Windows built-in dialer “Windows\System32\rasautou.exe” is also blurry by default.

Update (2017-02-01): HiDPI-related capabilities are significantly improved in Windows 10.

In web browser, in layouts not adapted for high-pixel-density modes, raster (pixel) images are always scaled using bicubic or bilinear interpolation, so they are blurry even if originally perfectly aligned to pixel grid and looked perfectly sharp at system scale of 100%. Vector images look very sharp, and, at arbitrary pixel density, using them gets especially essential. Update: disabling unreasonable blur of raster images on web pages in most cases is the purpose of the author’s extension SmartUpscale for Firefox and Chrome browsers.

System scale of 200%

Windows 7

In Windows 7, when 200% scale (zoom) is chosen, there is an unpleasant bug — search field in Explorer window gets very wide while location bar gets very narrow, and it is impossible to change their sizes (maximum observed system scale that search field in Windows 7 is still resizable at is 188%). Windows 10 is not affected by this bug. Update: the free author’s program ExplorerHiDpiFix allows to work around this bug of Windows 7’s Explorer.

Also, mouse cursors become slightly distorted because Windows 7 does not have built-in cursors for 200% scale (it seems cursors for 150% are used in conjunction with scaling them using the simplest “nearest neighbour” algorithm). A workaround is, for example, to borrow cursor files from Windows 10.

To apply a scale in Windows 7, it is necessary to log-off and then log-on again. In Windows 10 (at least starting from the build 10074), scale applies immediately , the system then notifies the user that it is recommended to log-off/log-on for applications to work best, while applications that are already running and do not support per-monitor DPI are scaled as raster images.

Ubuntu

In Ubuntu Linux (e. g. versions 14.10 and 15.04), scale is applied immediately and does not require system reboot or log-off/log-on.

Firefox browser in Ubuntu does not recognize high pixel density. A workaround is to use a corresponding scale coefficient (for 200% scale — 2 ) as a value of the layout.css.devPixelsPerPx parameter on the page of hidden settings available via pseudo-URL about:config . After that, it is recommended to restart the browser, otherwise main (“multi-zone”) dropdown menu of the Australis interface used starting from Firefox 29 looks incorrectly.

Maximum resolution available in Ubuntu for the Dell P2415Q monitor is somehow limited to 2560×1440. The author has not managed to switch to full 4K resolution in Ubuntu (tested in versions 14.04, 14.10, and 15.04).

Virtual machines

Virtualization environment VMware Player does not scale the virtual screen, so working with virtual machines based on an OS that does not support full-fledged scaling (e. g. Windows XP) gets complicated due to that contents of the virtual screen are rendered very small. Also, the maximum resolution available in VMware Player is 2560×1920.

Unlike VMware Player, virtualization environment VirtualBox does support scaling virtual-machine screen (“Display → Scale Factor” in settings of virtual machine).

Games

4K support

Some games do not support 4K resolution.

• Some games (e. g. “Urban Trial Freestyle” ) “kick” user to desktop, while continuing to play game audio in background. However it is impossible to switch to the game as an application anymore, so user is forced to close the game forcedly via Task Manager.
• In some games that are entirely 3D by nature and, in theory, support arbitrarily high resolution, there is just no 4K resolution in the list of resolutions available in the game (e. g. maximum resolution available in “Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - Rise of the Owlverlord” is 2560×1440; update: at 2016-03-15, the issue in the game looks like fixed, or this depends on version of graphics driver).
• Some games (e. g. “Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition” ) are formally not DPI-aware applications, and 4K resolution is available in them only if DPI-virtualization scaling is disabled in properties of the executable file.
• Some games (e. g. “Duck Tales Remastered” ) work in a fixed low resolution (e. g. 1280×720 or 1920×1080) regardless of resolution chosen in game settings and always look blurry. Also, when “Duck Tales Remastered” is running, Windows taskbar is still visible ( update: looks like this depends of graphics-driver version).
• For some games (e. g. “Burnout Paradise” ), whether they work correctly in 4K resolution depends on graphics-card driver : with one version of nVidia driver (347.88), the game crashes when started in 4K resolution with antialiasing enabled, but works fine with antialiasing disabled, while with more recent driver version (350.12+) — works fine with antialiasing enabled.
• Some games support 4K resolution in general, but some their parts work incorrectly. For example, in conundrum sublevels like “Hack enemy network” in the “Bionic Commando Rearmed” game, the only visible thing is the cube skeleton, while conundrum elements inside it are invisible. A workaround for this issue is to temporarily change resolution to a lower one like 2560×1440. The rendering resolution of the game can be increased with the DxWnd application, but this affects performance considerably compared with the game’s own 4K mode.

Examples of games that have no problems with 4K: “GRID Autosport”, “Projects CARS”, “DiRT 3 Complete Edition”, “DiRT 2”, “nail’d”, “Trackmania 2 Stadium”, “Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends”, “Rayman Legends”, “Trine, “Trine Enchanted Edition”, “Trine 2”, “Castle of Illusion”, “Sonic Generations”, “Syder Arcade”, “Tomb Raider: Anniversary”, “Oddworld: New ’n’ Tasty”, “Pool Nation”, “Mirror’s Edge”.

Performance

With Intel Core i7-3770T + nVidia GTX 650 Ti Boost in 4K resolution:

• “nail’d” works and looks great with maximum quality settings and antialiasing enabled, though frame rate is just about 30 fps;
• “Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition” works fast with maximum quality settings, but only with antialiasing disabled. Enabling antialiasing of any level results in a “slide show”;
• “Burnout Paradise”, “Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit” (2010) and “Driver: San Francisco” work almost perfectly with maximum quality settings at a stable frame rate close to 60 fps.

Anti­aliasing

Some people state that antialiasing is unneeded at 4K resolution. This is only partially true. 4K resolution is of course high, but not that high. On static images, it is indeed possible not to see aliasing. But constantly flickering patterning of small, slowly-moving objects (for example, spectators on distant stands) in games like “GRID Autosport” with anti­aliasing disabled is very noticeable and will most likely be noticeable even on 8K monitors of a similar size.

That said, 4K with no antialiasing typically looks better than Full HD with antialiasing.

Recording video

Unfortunately, quality of recording video using nVidia ShadowPlay for graphics cards older than GTX 980/970 is limited to 2560×1440 resolution at frame rate of 30 fps, even if chosen ShadowPlay settings are In-game resolution at 60 fps.

Priorities of video outputs

Priorities of video outputs (in descending order) of the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost (GV-N65TBOC-2GD) graphics card are:

1. DVI;
2. HDMI;
3. DisplayPort.

As a result, if, for example, a TV is connected to the graphics card via HDMI, then up to finishing of Windows boot, signal is output not to the DP output, but to the HDMI output — even when HDMI-connected TV is turned off except for not being off the line. There is no access to BIOS of the graphics card, so there is no a legitimate way to change priorities of outputs. As a result, it is complicated to choose a boot drive and to access CMOS Setup of motherboard.

It is probable that a modern UEFI BIOS could provide an ability to manage output priorities. Windows allows this, so UEFI as a small-size OS which is more advanced that regular BIOS could also support this feature. But, according to an opinion that technical support of nVidia exposed during a private chat conversation, UEFI cannot help here.

By default, full-size DisplayPort port is chosen as input in the monitor’s settings. And if you have connected the monitor to computer via the bundled DP-mDP cable (mini-DisplayPort — to monitor, DisplayPort — to computer), then you should choose the “mDP” video input manually in the “Input Source” menu in settings of the monitor.

USB 3.0 hub

Connectors

The monitor has a built-in USB 3.0 hub that provides 4 ports to connect devices. Unfortunately, three of them a placed on the same panel that contains power jack and video inputs. This panel is pointing downwards, potentially electrically unsafe (power unit of the monitor is built-in, so it has full 220 V linked up with it) and typically intended to be protected by a cover, so these ports are in fact available for fixed connections only, or the user is forced to keep ports uncovered. For hot swapping, only one USB 3.0 port is available, it is placed on the backplate of the monitor, perpendicularly to its surface.

USB 3.0 ports are black instead of the conventional blue color. This can be confusing for users not familiar with specifications of the specific monitor model.

Compatibility

Looks like USB 3.0 hub of Dell P2415Q is incompatible with Etron EJ168 USB 3.0 controllers (in particular, Gigabyte’s motherboards of 2011 were equipped with these): the system cannot start the hub as a device, and even if suddenly (after a computer reboot) starts, then external drive connected to the hub disappears from the system in a few seconds after starting trasferring data.

When the hub is connected to a USB 2.0 port implemented on Intel-chipset level, there are no problems, but data-transfer speed is expectedly just about 30 MB/s.

It is interesting that when the hub is connected not directly to motherboard, but to another USB 3.0 hub (D-Link DUB-1340), there are no problems too, and external drives work correctly at full speed.

Sometimes, the monitor’s USB hub is recognized as an unknown device, and then devices connected to it do not work: power is supplied to USB devices, but they are not visible in the system. This can typically be fixed by turning the monitor off and then on with the button on its case.

Safely Remove Hardware

After “Safely Remove Hardware” action for a USB drive in Windows, power supply to the drive is not off. When the drive is connected directly to computer (Etron EJ168 controller), power supply is not off too, but, for example, if the drive is connected to a D-Link hub, it is off, therefore it depends on implementation specifics, and Dell’s implementation is not capable of it.

Once the monitor is turned off, power supply to drives connected to the USB hub is automatically off.

Buttons and menus

• Monitor’s buttons are physical that makes it possible, unlike sensor buttons, to find them easily at insufficient light if needed.
• Pressing any of 4 buttons shows the menu of the monitor.
• The LED in the power button of the monitor lightens by default, but this can be disabled in settings of the monitor: “Energy” → “Power Button LED” → “Off During Active”. In stand-by mode, the LED progressively decreases and increases its brightness repeatedly.

Nuances

• In Windows 7 with a graphics card based on nVidia GTX 650 Ti Boost, the effective frame rate sometimes decreases to 30 or even 15 fps that’s perceived as stuttering / jerkiness when moving mouse cursor and scrolling. This happens, for example, after returning from stand-by mode, during starting some applications (e. g. VMware Player), when viewing some sites in web browser or with no apparent reason at all.The extent that the issue takes place to depends of version of graphics driver : while before (e. g. with version 350.12 of nVidia driver) stuttering did take place just sometimes, the issue takes place almost permanently with all new versions of the nVidia driver at least starting from 361.91 — up to complete impossibility to work comfortably.The reason is most likely not the monitor, but insufficient optimization of nVidia graphics driver for working in 4K resolution under Windows 7. The issue does not affect Windows 10.
• nVidia driver versions 353.30+ have an issue: once the monitor returns from stand-by mode, screen resolution gets switched to 2560×1440. And it becomes the maximum resolution available in system settings, so it’s even impossible to switch back to 3840×2160 manually.This can be fixed by turning the monitor off and on, rebooting PC or reinstalling the driver. Almost always after that, the built-in USB hub stops working, and Windows reports about successfull installation of a driver for an Unknown Device:

Only disconnecting the monitor from power is effective against the Unknown-Device issue.The latest version of nVidia driver not affected by the 2560×1440 issue is 353.06 (2015-05-31).

• About every several weeks, the monitor does not return from stand-by mode or does not turn on when initially powered on. This is usually solved by turning the monitor off and then on via its Power button, but sometimes it doesn’t help, so full shut-down is required.
• Once for 5.5 years, the screen filled with two gray and yellow single-color rectangles, each occupying a half of the screen. Solved by turning the monitor off and unplugging the DP cable from the monitor and plugging it back to the monitor.

• Serial numbers specified on the monitor and its package (box) are not identical : they have different 2nd (6-character) of 5 hyphen-separated parts. Given that the package has been unpacked by yours truly, we could suppose that manufacturer (Qisda Corporation) has put a wrong monitor into the package, or this has happened on level of packing by the russian distributor (ООО Vektrum-K). But the so called Service Tag (guarantedly unique for each Dell device) is the same on the monitor and its package. Therefore either different serials on the device and its package are OK in this case, or a wrong serial has been accidentally printed on one of the two factory stickers (either on the package or on the monitor).
  Update (2015-09-15): Based on photos of another Dell monitor — UP2715K — and its package (1, 2) in a 3DNews review, difference between serial numbers specified on the monitor and its package while having the same Service Tag is perfectly OK for Dell monitors, or at least the case is not individual.

Miscellaneous

• The specific monitor unit has been produced by Qisda Corporation in China in October 2014. Revision is A00.
• Brightness and contrast of the display are controllable with Dell Display Manager (DDM) application available on the Dell website. Unfortunately, like in a similar NEC NaViSet application intended for NEC monitors, its GUI does not provide a way to create user presets (for example, with lower brightness — for regular work with text, and with higher brightness — for games and videos), so each time user needs to change brightness or contrast, he is forced to move slider manually to a corresponding position. Fortunately, unlike NEC NaViSet, there is at least ability to fast type-in an exact number value into the text field nearby the slider. However, there is a way to specify parameters via command line , so it is possible to simulate preset feature using several prepared application shortcuts with different sets of command-line parameters. Originally, brightness was changed progressively instead of immediately, but after some time brightness started to always change immediately — this is most likely depends on the version of Dell Display Manager.
• The monitor has a built-in testing feature: it is enough to power-on the monitor, turn it on with the round button at the bottom right corner of its case, and hold long horizontal buttons 1 and 4 (in top-to-bottom order) for a few seconds. The screen will get gray, and by pressing button 4, it is possible to show basic colors (red, green, blue, and black) on the screen one by one.
• Thanks to LED backlight, compared with monitors with CCFL-based backlight that noticeably warms face of user (and, by the way, thermal action is a reason of cataract, i. e. lens-form opacity), there is almost no noticeable warming here — at least at brightness level of 18% which seems to be optimal for yours truly (later settle upon a combination of brightness of 10% and contrast of 70%).
• The monitor supports LCD overdrive, this can be set up in the monitor’s menu “Menu” → “Display” → “Response Time”). This mode is disabled by default, overdrive in this monitor has no noticeable effect in games.
• The monitor is not affected by any noticeable image-retention effect.
• Resolutions supported by the monitor: 3840×2160, 2560×1600, 2560×1440, 2048×1536, 2048×1280, 1920×1440, 1920×1200, 1920×1080, 1768×992, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1600×1024, 1600×900, 1440×900, 1440×1050, 1366×768, 1360×768, 1280×1024, 1280×960, 1280×800, 1280×768, 1280×720, 1176×664, 1152×864, 1024×768, 800×600.
• The monitor and its stand comes separated. Their mounting does not require any tools and is done just by latching. The monitor can be released using the button placed under the stand sink on the monitor.

Warranty replacement (January 2018)

An attempt to replace the monitor on a warranty due to the issue of that the monitor sometimes does not quit from stand-by mode was not successfull. The provided replacement monitor came out to be used (refurbished) and defective (whistling), and probability of getting a really new one came out to be close to zero. Details are below.

Call to Dell

In January 2018, I called to a phone number specified in a document bundled with my monitor, and told that my monitor not always quit from stand-by mode.

A Dell employee replied in Russian and asked whether the monitor was affected by the issue from the beginning, then asked for the Service Tag (SrvTag) of the monitor, my visiting address, postal code, and sent to my email a 9-digit number (as it became clear later, it was the identifier of my case). He asked to write the number on a piece of paper and send him a photo where the number was shown together with the monitor’s rear panel containing the service tag. Also, he asked to send him the sales check photographed or scanned. There was no paper at my hand, so I typed-in the number on my cellphone and photographed it against the rear panel of the monitor. Together with the sales check, I also sent the fiscal check just in case.

It’s interesting that the email of the Dell employee contained a typo in its part corresponding to his last name, but the email is working — in fact, messages sent to it are received by the recipient.

Delivery

Six days later, at about 14:00, there was a phone call by a courier of the UPS delivery service, he said he has a package “probably from Dell” and will come to me in about 45 minutes.

After entering, the man cheerfully put a box in front of me and asked me to undersign on the screen of his electronic device looking similar to a portable cash register. Lines were appearing on the screen with a delay of about half a second, so my sign was somewhat distorted, but it seemed the courier did not care. Also, he asked me to say my last name verbally. The entire process took a minute at most.

Naively supposing that the monitor is new and in a complete set, I asked whether it’s allowed to return my monitor in its own box instead of the delivered new one. He said this does not matter.

Monitor and package

The monitor was packaged in a box that was noticeably bigger than the original Dell box.

The monitor came out to be not new, but refurbished that was evident from the corresponding captions on stickers on the box and on the bottom of the monitor’s stand.

The box contained only the monitor coupled with the stand which were isolated from the box with transparent amortizing spacers. The spacers were resembling small-size air matrasses.

The A02 revision number was sticked on top of the original revision number (obviosly A00).

The monitor’s production date is January 2015. The date specified on a box sticker ( Date of Label Application ) (20-07-2017 in my case) is just a date of sticking the sticker .

Defect

When testing the provided monitor, I noticed a high-frequency sound similar to whistle or, more likely, to a sound produced by grasshoppers. The sound took place at low brightness , and also when displaying dark images regardless of brightness. My unit produces such sound in stand-by mode (exactly the mode that the monitor not always quits from). A similar sound under similar conditions, as it came out, is produced by my unit, by the sound is much quiter, so I didn’t notice it before. The provided unit had no drawbacks from the image-quality perspective.

Since the monitor turned out to be used and defective, I was forced to return it. It is possible that the whistle sound was exactly the reason why the monitor’s previous owner returned it, and the monitor’s firmware was then probably updated to the A02 revision and added to the exchange fleet “as is” (with the whistle sound). Update: monitors of this model produced after February 2016 are equipped with HDMI interface version 2.0 instead of HDMI 1.4 of original model, so the A02 revision must differ from A00 at least by the HDMI version.

Return

Next day, the same courier took the monitor back, now calling at about 12:40 just about 5-10 minutes before the visit. This time he was not as communicable as for the first time: he kept saying “time is expensive” multiple times and did not wish to spend even a few seconds to make sure the box contains the monitor. After seeing the monitor anyway, though with undissembled displeasure and resistance (up to physically pushing my hands off the box), he carelessly stuck the scotch and quickly carried the box to elevator.

He did not provide any document as a proof of that he took the monitor back. In reply to my corresponding question, he said that the company anyway sees he came to me, so there is nothing to worry about.

A few days later, in reply to my question, a Dell employee said they can’t confirm they received the monitor, but if the monitor did not return, then UPS would already inform the Dell’s security about that, so by default, everything is OK.

Replacement only

As Dell said, the point of warranty service for Dell monitors is solely replacing the monitor entirely.

Repair or updating firmware of the monitor originally purchased by the end user is not possible in Dell’s service centers in Russia as well as in any other country. Dell also can’t guarantee replacement to a new monitor or a monitor of a specific revision.

Replacement to a monitor of a more recent model potentially free of the corresponding defect is also impossible according to the Dell rules. Replacement to a newer model is impossible even with an additional payment because they are “not a trading company”.

I didn’t make another attempt to replace the monitor since according to the Dell employee who handled my case, the probability to receive a really new monitor is very low .

Conclusions

Pros

• Reasonable size of 24″.
• Great clarity and invisibility of interpixel grid thanks to high 4K resolution.
• Crystal inversion is barely noticeable.
• Good color reproduction thanks to IPS-type display.
• No noticeable image retention.
• PWM is not used or has a very high rate.
• SST: 60 Hz without MST, and ability to scale using GPU.
• Built-in hardware feature of proportional (aspect-ratio-proof) scaling.
• Ability to daisy-chain two monitors using a single DisplayPort port of computer.
• Built-in USB 3.0 hub with 4 ports.

Cons

• Heavy Glow effect.
• Problematic visibility of outermost pixels on each side of the screen.
• Sometimes the monitor does not return from stand-by mode.
• Blur even at integer scaling ratios.
• Sides of the LCD display are sagged inward monitor when slightly pressed.
• 3 of 4 ports of built-in USB 3.0 hub are hard to reach.
• USB 3.0 hub is incompatible with Etron EJ168 controllers.
• Turning the monitor off leads to turning-off its USB hub.
• External drives are not powered-off after “Safely Remove Hardware” action in Windows.
• Serial numbers specified on the monitor and its package (box) are not identical.
• Proprietary Dell Display Manager application is blurry by default at system-level scale of 200%.

Resume

The writer of these words still dreams of an OLED monitor: without crystal inversion, without Glow effect, with quality color reproduction, true deep black color, and almost zero response time. Now — with resolution not lower than 4K.

But even relative to LCD monitors, switching to Ultra HD resolution is a really qualitative improvement. And enough maturity of the technology (without using workarounds like MST to achieve full speficications), regardless of some shortcomings of specific models and nuances related to HiDPI support on application level, allows to recommend switching to 4K monitors to all who works much on computer, do value comfort, and preserves his eyesight.

[f5alcon]

Focus of my Youtube channel is comparing different types of displays and sizes for what is the best experience, Comparing 135" Projector screen with Epson 5040UB, Alienware AW3420DW Ultrawide and will be adding the Spectrum to compare the difference between 4k and ultrawide.

PC specs:
Ryzen 3700
RTX 3080
32GB 3600 CAS 14 RAM

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Youtube Video Creation	Windows PC	Adobe Suite
PC Open World Games	Windows PC	Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Skyrim, GTA V, Hitman 2
Racing Games	Windows PC	Forza 7, Project Cars 2, Asetto Corsa, Asetto Corsa Compeitiozione, Automobilista 2, Dirt Rally 2, Dirt 5
Space Games	Windows PC	Elite Dangerous, Star Wars Squadrons
Strategy Games	Windows PC	Stellaris,Civilization 6, C&C remastered
Console Games	PS5	Spider man Miles Morales, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn
Console Games	SeriesX	Forza 7, PUBG, Yakuza 0, Dragon Quest 11S
Console Games	Switch	BOTW, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart 8
4K Movies	SeriesX/PS5	Back to the Future, LOTR, 2001 ASO, Harry Potter

[JohnnyQuid]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/Game
3D Modeling	PC: i9, 64gbRAM, 2080ti; 2019 Razer Blade 15: 64gbRAM upgrade, 2080 Super	3DS MAX, VRay, Rhino, Revit, Sketchup, Lumion
Photo Editing	PC: i9, 64gbRAM, 2080ti; 2019 Razer Blade 15: 64gbRAM upgrade, 2080 Super	Adobe Photoshop; Lightroom
Graphic Design, Presentation	2019 Razer Blade 15: 64gbRAM upgrade, 2080 Super	Adobe InDesign; Illustrator, Photoshop
Video Editing	PC: i9, 64gbRAM, 2080ti; 2019 Razer Blade 15: 64gbRAM upgrade, 2080 Super	Adobe Premiere Pro; Photoshop; After Effects
Office	Surface Pro 7; Razer Blade 15: 64gbRAM upgrade, 2080 Super	Microsoft Office; Heavy Excel; Heavy Blubeam
Gaming	PC: i9, 64gbRAM, 2080ti; Xbox One X	Valheim, Borderlands 3; Call of Duty; Cyberpunk

Reason for testing: I am an architect and head of our visualization team. I’m frequently in many different 3D modeling softwares like Rhino and Revit and have a continuous stream of renderings, animations, and VR environments to render through VRay and Lumion so a display that can keep up and VERY accurately show colors, something we’re always trying to tune on screens around the office. I’m also the office photographer (not any good, just the guy with the decent eye) and I do fly our drone every few months then edit the video and photo on my PC tower or Razer Blade. All that requires close attention to architectural details, material colors, so we always need high quality displays to make sure it’s accurate before sending to a client. We’re also very collaborative so 3-4 people gathering around a screen should have a display you can see clearly from multiple angles. The Razer Blade is connected through Thunderbolt to my current 4k monitor and frequently connected then disconnected for meetings throughout the day. I’d love to test this dude out!

I haven’t done huge reviews for things but I have a few short product reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2PRWJX94SC6PK/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/review/R1SR2W2TVFYHW5/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[mor911]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Lots and lots of gaming – I game for about 5 hours a night and this device will have to keep up with nightly use.	PC gaming almost exclusively. I like high framerates and high settings. I run an i9 9900k with an RTX 3090 FE - 64GB of 3200 ram	Rocket League, ESO, Hitman 3, Cyberpunk, NBA 2k21, pretty much name it.
Office work stuff - I also work from home full time. I will spend 8-9 hours every weekday using the monitor at my desk.	Same PC as above.	Slack, AWS management, Adobe Premier, Office , pretty much all work stuff.

[Tikio]

I would love the opportunity to share feedback and test out Spectrum. I have two 144HZ 4K Spectrums on order currently, and If I were given the opportunity, here are the devices I could test a Spectrum with.

1. Desktop PC with Ryzen 9 5900X and RTX3080.
2. Surface Book 2
3. Surface Pro 7
4. Xbox Series X
5. Other Consoles
   a) Playstation 4
   b) Xbox One X
   c) Playstation 3
   d) Nintendo Switch
   e) Playstation 2
   f) Playstation 1
   g) Wii
   h) Gamecube

** I listed out the devices I own so that I can list them in the table below by number.

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Gaming at 4K 144hz	1, 4	Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 3, Valheim, Game Pass Ultimate Games, and over 500 other games on Steam, Epic, Origin, etc.
Video Editing	1	Adobe Premiere Pro
Photo Editing	1, 2, 3	Adobe Lightroom
Office Work	1, 2, 3	Office Suite & Web Version, Adobe Suite, Website Design, Web Development, Teams video conferencing, Google Ads, etc.
Video Playback	1, 2, 3, 4	Streaming Services, Youtube

Though I do not have an online presence as a reviewer, I spend most of my time in front of a screen for work and play. I have experience in programming and am adept at troubleshooting hardware and software issues. I’ve been building computers for the last 17 years (since I was 10) and have no issues with opening hardware to fix issues if required.

As a member of the community, I can offer my honest opinion on the Spectrum. I have a Canon 70D which I can use to either take photos or video and am capable of writing or speaking in both French and English. If I were given the opportunity, I plan to test the Spectrum on every device I have listed above to ensure compatibility, while also reviewing the gaming capabilities, and the convenience of working with a “hopefully” color accurate, high-resolution monitor.

--------------------------Edited with Review and Images-------------------------

Review of the Xbox Wireless Headset

Review of the Xbox Wireless Headset - Product Page

Synopsis

The Xbox Wireless Headset is a fantastic choice for the average gamer and the price conscious individual, as both are typically looking for good quality audio, a clear microphone, and headphones with a solid construction. The Xbox Wireless Headset provides those qualities, with an excellent feature set, all while being quite comfortable.

The Full Review

The Xbox Wireless Headset released on March 16, of 2021 after being announced a month earlier by Microsoft. The headset boasts 15 hours of battery life, dials on both ears for controlling volume and voice/gaming mix, surround solutions such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Windows Sonic Support, and the ability to connect to Xbox consoles, and/or any Bluetooth device.

When lifting the box for the headset, I was surprised by how light it was. Opening the box is incredibly easy and Microsoft has done an excellent job on using primarily recyclable material, with little plastic to protect the headset. The headset is prominently displayed in the box, with the USB A to USB C cable in a compartment below with the required manuals.

To the touch, the headset feels very-well built, with soft, plush ear-cups and a nice exterior plastic. The interior is supposably metal, which helps provide support. It looks great in a nice black finish with very slight accents of the Xbox green. The microphone is attached to the left ear-cup and can be tucked around the cup but cannot be removed.

Wearing the Xbox Wireless Headset was incredibly enjoyable as it was much lighter than my previous headset, a wired, on ear pair of SteelSeries headphones. The ear-cups of the Xbox Wireless Headset provided plenty of room for my ears, and my average size-head was no problem for the headset. Unless you know you have an incredibly large head, I believe the headset should feel comfortable for everyone. I wore the headset for five hours with no discomfort, but with some slight ear-sweat as the cups are made of synthetic leather which can trap moisture. Taking them off every couple of hours though to go to the washroom, or to eat solved that issue for me though.

Setting up the headset to my computer with Bluetooth was exceptionally easy, holding the green button near the end of the microphone for a few seconds, my computer quickly connected to the headset with no issues. I recommend downloading the Xbox Accessories app on a computer to be able to update the firmware, as it does provide some audio and connection fixes. Connecting the headset to an Xbox console will automatically prompt you to install the firmware. All-in-all, I was ready to go in a few minutes with no troubleshooting required.

On the Xbox, the Xbox Accessories app allows the user to change the EQ of the headset, increasing certain frequencies, or boosting bass. I left the EQ as it was, as I am no audiophile and it already sounded quite good to me. I did download Dolby Atmos on my PC (it comes with a 6 month trial) and set the audio profile to detailed.

Listening to music was a delight, as was playing games. I started by listening to Bohemian Rhapsody which is my go-to song to test audio. I came back pleased and with no qualms on the audio quality. Other reviewers with more audio experience have said the audio can sound a bit muddled, compared to higher-end headsets. You can read a great review here by Jez Corden of Windows Central for amore in-depth analysis.

I then proceeded, to try playing Battlefield 5 and Doom Eternal with the headset. After a few hours of being completely engrossed in Doom Eternal, my conclusion was that though there may exist better audio headsets, I, being an average gamer, found no major issue with the audio quality, especially when considering the price.

Finally, the microphone is the last component of the headset which I tested. It sounded clear to my teammates, with no comments of anyone having a hard hearing me. I also played my own voice back to myself and found that the mic does in fact sound good to me. The mic does have auto-off which ensures that background noise does not get broadcasted. As of this writing, I have heard of some people having issues where the auto-off doesn’t turn on quick enough, or misses the user talking altogether, I have experienced no issues, but I am not using the feature as I use Nvidia Broadcast on my computer and did not find the need. My understanding is that a new firmware update is incoming that will solve the issues that some people are experiencing with the auto-off feature.

Overall, the Xbox Wireless Headset was a great purchase for myself as they are comfortable for long periods of time, sound good and are economical. For the price, I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find a better pair of headphones which work with both the Xbox consoles and Bluetooth devices.

Hopefully, you enjoyed the review of the Xbox Wireless Headphones. Please let me know if you did, or if you have any feedback.

[the_massive]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Photo editing	13in MBP	Lightroom/Photoshop
Photo editing	AMD/3080RTX Win10 Pro	Lightroom/Photoshop
Programming	13in MBP	XCode/VSCode/SublimeText/VIM
Programming	AMD/3080RTX	VisualStudio/PHPStorm/VSCode/SublimeText/VIM
Gaming - HDR/Freesync/120Hz	Xbox Series X	Destiny2/Gears5/Ori2/ForzaHorizon4
Gaming - HDR/Freesync/120Hz	AMD/3080RTX	WoW/Gears5/Ori2/Brogue/DOOM Eternal
Video editing	AMD/3080RTX	DaVinci Resolve

Why the test suite:

Photo editing: My side gig for years has been sports photography, utilizing mostly lightroom, and if heavy editing for advertising is needed cleanup and composition in photoshop and other DTP apps. I use both Windows and MacOS for these tasks and would be looking out for image clarity/sharpness and seeing the editing results or other end points like iPhones and random Dell computers.

Programming: I code on MacOS and PC, and have been looking for a sharp, bright 4k monitor for various IDEs and lots of open terminals, as well as good image quality when rotated 90deg. I also create graphics for UI elements using Photoshop and Illustrator etc.

Gaming: I have fallen in love with my LG OLED for gaming - 120hz, HDR, Freesync. I also have a Dell 4k monitor (lower end business type) that I game on now, so I will be evaluating the Spectrum against those. Testing HDR, HDMI2.1, 120hz and Freesync across a suite of games that show off those features, and some regular games I play like World of Warcraft, along with Brogue (a roguelike in every sense)

Video editing: I do this once in a while and use DaVinci Resolve for editing and color grading. I would look at how grading performs and HDR editing.

Review - Ubiquiti UniFi Switch PRO 24 PoE - $699 from https://store.ui.com

The USW-Pro-24-PoE is a managed 1U, rack mountable, Layer 2 + Layer 3 Functions (1) gigabit switch. It features 8 Gigabit RJ45 802.3bt PoE++ ports, 16 Gigabit RJ45 802.3at PoE ports, as well as 2 10Gigabit SFP+ ports.

Other features include 400W max PoE power, UniFi SmartPower RPS DC Input (2), near silent cooling, 1.3in touchscreen, and included rack ears (and appropriate mounting screws), and rubber feet for other types of installations.

This switch has been tested in a home environment, acting as the core switch. It is managed by a Unifi Dream Machine Pro, and connected to that via the 10G SFP+ port.

While the controller and firmware get updated often to expose new functionality, the features being used on this switch are:

PoE
VLAN
Aggregate ports

The home network has four wireless access points, a smattering of cameras, and they are all powered by this switch via PoE. It has worked perfectly, sensing the different PoE needs of each device. Utilizing VLANs and the network controller, isolating traffic has been a cinch, as some APs are only used for Internet of Things (IoT). This switch can be logged into manually, but the configuration is generally handled by the controller, so making changes to the network topology there will reflect on any devices that need to change their configs.

Speaking of the controller, it is very easy to configure a lot of things like port availability, if it will deliver PoE, and Aggregate ports. This last I use in conjunction with my QNAP NAS, and unlike configuring this with my last switch via command line, I was done in a few clicks in the management UI, and got to use that time savings doing… anything else.

The switch makes some noise. If you have this installed in a silent area in a home/office, this will wreck that. It’s not offensive, but noticeable. To be fair, it is FAR less noise than switches meant to only sit in racks though - the switch this replaces I had to remove the fans as it sounded like a jet engine.

Performance wise, it has been spectacular. I very often move huge files across the network while games are downloading, streaming from plex, and backups are all going. Not a hiccup. My setup for sure would not be able to stress this to any point it would be unusable.

There is a small touchscreen on the front that shows status items and can perform some actions. This goes along with the overall very nice aesthetic of the device. The standard array of indicator light festoons the front, but once the port is all in place it’s pretty hard to see at a glance (which, is not abnormal for the stacked port design)

If there are any negatives, it’s that you have to have a Unifi controller, which can be put on as little as a raspberry pi, but the need for something else can make this a daunting purchase if you are not going to get into this ecosystem.

(1) VLAN, Routing, DHCP
(2) UniFi Redundant Power System

[NikGud]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Photo editing	Dell XPS 15 with Radeon and Intel GPU and USB Type-C output, iPad Pro 11" (2020), DIY Window PC with RTX 3080 and 9700k(with graphic core)	Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom
Video editing	Dell XPS 15, iPad Pro 11" (2020), DIY Window PC with RTX 3080	Adobe AfterEffects, Adobe Premiere, Rush, iMovie
Office work	Dell XPS 15, iPad Pro 11" (2020), DIY Window PC with RTX 3080	Word, PowerPoint, Excel
iOS games	iPad Pro 11" (2020) via USB-C or USB-C to HDMI adapter,	PUBG Mobile, COD, GRID Autosport
PC single games	Dell XPS 15, DIY Window PC with RTX 3080	RDR 2, Control, Shadow of the Tomb Rider etc.
PC online shooters	DIY Window PC with RTX 3080	Destiny 2, SW Battlefront 2, Apex Legends
PC space sim	Dell XPS 15, DIY Window PC with RTX 3080	Elite: Dangerous, Star Sitizen
Online serfing	Dell XPS 15, iPad Pro 11" (2020), DIY Window PC with RTX 3080	Firefox
Video Playback(HDR/SDR)	Dell XPS 15, iPad Pro 11" (2020), DIY Window PC with RTX 3080	YouTube, Netflix, VLC

Hi! I work as a graphic designer, maybe you remember the wallpaper I made for Spectrum, play video games and have been interested in various technical innovations for a very long time. I also graduated in IT.

These scenarios, as I see them, are the main ones for most of the community. I want to test the Spectrum as the main monitor for combining work / entertainment/games. Also, I think these scenarios will help show how all the claimed advantages of the monitor work, such as high resolution and wide color coverage for working with photos and graphics, HDR for games and watching videos, and a high refresh rate for games. Connecting a tablet and a laptop can show the variability of different methods of connecting and operating the monitor.

The reasons why you should let me test the monitor are quite simple:

1. Because this will be the majority of use cases for the average consumer with a small expansion in the number of scenarios and the depth of tests.
2. (And this is not so obvious) because I live in Russia, and our postal system is not the best. It will be possible to test the speed of sending, the security of the packaging for transportation, and the ease of sending the monitor back.

I would really like to test the 2k 240Gz model (which I’m going to buy), however, the 4k model is also very interesting.

Here is one of my past reviews, however it is quite old and in Russian:

Обзор Razer Blade 2013. Конкурент Macbook Pro 13”

And here is a new one:

Dell XPS 15 9575 2-in-1

In this review, I will not focus on the technical characteristics, but will try to briefly describe the use experience, advantages, disadvantages, and identified bugs/shortcomings.
So, the laptop was bought for working and showing presentations " from hand”, but along the way it is used for watching videos and sometimes for games.

Pros:

• Screen. 4k at 15 inches gives a very good ppi, which is very convenient when working with graphics and presentations. The saturation and contrast are also high, and thin frames around the display look very good.

• Keyboard and touchpad. Very similar to the MacBook keyboard (scissors), it has three levels of illumination, but has a more clicking sound when printing. The touchpad is also very similar, the size is sufficient for comfortable control.

• Appearance. The laptop is quite thin, feels well-assembled and pleasant to touch. No unnecessary sounds, creaks, rattling when using does not occur.

• Embedded Windows Hello systems. The infrared camera for face recognition and the fingerprint scanner in the power button are very convenient when unlocking. Since the purchase, I do not remember when I entered the password manually.

Cons:

• The battery is clearly not enough for such a screen and components. With standard use, you can expect about one and a half to two hours of battery life, which is very little.

• The power of the laptop is quite good, but the poor support of the video card drivers and the 4k screen have a very strong impact on performance, so you can forget about the high graphics settings in games.

• The plastic parts of the case and the glossy screen collect a lot of fingerprints, and cleaning them is sometimes problematic due to the materials used (soft-touch plastic).

Identified bugs/shortcomings:

• Charging can be connected to any of the 4 USB-C ports, but only one of them supports 125W fast charging. And when connected to this port 1 out of 5 times, the computer does not recognize the native charging and displays a warning.

• On the AMD website, there are no drivers for the graphics card built into the laptop, they can be found on the Intel website, but they are very outdated there.

• Despite the fact that the speakers on the laptop are good, at maximum volume, sometimes you can hear sound distortion.

• The touchpad started working incorrectly after a month of use, but after reinstalling Windows, this problem was solved.

Other:

• The laptop has a touch screen and a rotary display, however, seeming to be a good addition when purchased, these functions are almost not used in real life. However, they work properly. The touch screen is accurate and fast, and flipping the screen unlocks the accelerometer, which is used to rotate the image on the display, and also puts the computer in a more economical mode to avoid heating up.
  

• When turned on with a weaker power supply connected, the BIOS shows a message about this, although this feature can be disabled

And of course, since this is a review for the community, ask your questions and I will try to answer all of them in detail and with examples.

[tim_miller]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Software Development	16" MacBook Pro Core i9, DIY Windows PC with RTX 2080 TI	Xcode, Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, TextMate, Sublime Text, .NET Core, Docker
PC triple-A title	DIY Windows PC with RTX 2080 TI	CyberPunk 2077, Destiny 2, Control, Baldur’s Gate 3, Diablo III, The Division 2
PC Simulation Title	DIY Windows PC with RTX 2080 TI	Rocksmith 2014 Remastered, Microsoft Flight Simulator
Console	PS 5, Xbox Series X	Destiny 2, Call of Duty Cold War, Watch Dogs: Legion, Ghost of Tsushima, Hitman 3, God of War, Assassin’s Creed Origins

Reson for testing: I’m a software developer doing most of my development on Mac. I’m will be leveraging multiple inputs and switching between inputs throughout the day as I change active devices. I connect my MacBook Pro to the USB-C port and will be leveraging the power delivery for charging. My gaming PC will be connected to Display Port and I’ll be running games that support ray tracing at 4K with DLSS. I also game on console in my office and want to ensure HDMI 2.1 works as expected for PS5 and Xbox Series X as there have been problems with certain HDMI 2.1 chipsets.

OWC Thunderbolt Dock Product Review: Many whom have purchased a modern MacBook Pro understand the port dilemma. For a lot of users that would consider themselves professional there are some glaring omissions. Anyone into photography, even at an amateur level, likely misses the SD Card Slot. Another consideration is if you are a user that has a “home base”. Someone who spends the majority of their time in a static location with their MacBook.

Take myself, for instance… I have a desk where I work 8 hours of most every day, especially during COVID. While seated at my desk working I usually have the following connected: an external display, external HDD for Time Machine backups, keyboard, mouse, Ethernet, and more. Already I’m beyond the port capacity of my beloved MacBook Pro. To make up for this lack of ports I’ve used a USB Hub via one of those dreaded USB-C to USB-A dongles. However, there were times when my Mac would transition to low power state and, for whatever reason, when I woke it up the drives would be unmounted. Several times this act of being unmounted incorrectly has required me to repair or, worse yet, format and setup Time Machine again from scratch. Take another port for an external display, yet another port with a USB-C to Ethernet dongle, and well… you get the picture.

Luckily, OWC announced a Thunderbolt Dock. One of the first of its kind, if not the first, that has a built-in Thunderbolt Hub. Most docks/hubs out there that claim Thunderbolt only provide power and replicate USB and other connectors. I wanted to shrink my setup down to a single cable to disconnect when on the go and connect upon my return. This new dock is Thunderbolt 4 and has one Thunderbolt in with three Thunderbolt out. Additional connections include: SD Card Reader, one USB Type-A 2.0, 3 USB-Type A 3.2, 3.5mm audio in/out, Ethernet, power, and a Kensington Lock. It also provides up to 90 Watts of power delivery to the connected computer.

My MacBook Pro is the 16” variety that released in 2019 so it does not have Thunderbolt 4. However, it is fully compatible because Thunderbolt 4 doesn’t increase speed or have any other breaking changes and Apple has never skimped on the quality of the Thunderbolt controllers in their Intel Macs. This dock has been a game changer! I’m almost down to my goal of a single port to connect my laptop. My external HDDs remain connected (even in power save state). So, I’m no longer dealing with random disconnects.

“But wait,” you may be saying… “You said ‘almost’! With all those ports, what else do you need!?!” Well, I have been unable to use the ethernet port for a while. Everything seemed to be great until the last MacOS update. I then began experiencing an issue that caused me to return a different dock I had tried, the Plugable USB-C Dock. If I connect ethernet through the dock and my laptop goes into a power-saving state, my network stops functioning. No… I’m not talking about the network on just the laptop. I’m talking about my entire home network. I’m not just using some all in one router from Linksys, Belkin, or any other number of companies that do home networking devices either. No, I’m using a professional class Ubiquiti UniFi network. For some reason, it seems, during power nap it DDoS’ my network into oblivion. The only solution is to reboot my DreamMachine Pro. Plugable blamed the issue on the network drivers in MacOS and recommended waiting for updated drivers from the manufacturer of their network adapter. However, with MacOS 11 Big Sur the legacy way of creating drivers has been deprecated and there isn’t a clear direction forward for companies that provide 3rd party drivers. Also, this issue seems to have appeared with this new dock only after the last update to MacOS. Before then, it appeared as though power nap was working fine while connected to the network. So, for now I continue to play it safe and use the Belkin USB-C to Gigabit ethernet adapter.

Perhaps, in the future I’ll get the nerve to try again after a few more updates to MacOS. Right now, with the family always home, I just don’t want to deal with the hassle of network interruptions.

[tech_o_maniac]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Photo Editing	2018 MacBook Pro i7 32GB RAM w/Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB; 2018 iPad Pro	Photos; Sometimes Adobe Photoshop; Photos taken with Canon 5dMkII and 40D
Photo Editing	2020 Lenovo X1 Carbon i7 16GB RAM	Adobe Photoshop
Video Editing	2018 MacBook Pro i7 32GB RAM w/Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB; 2018 iPad Pro	iMovie
Office Work	2018 MacBook Pro i7 32GB RAM w/Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB; 2018 iPad Pro	Office Suite & Web Version, SAP; WTS; Screen Share with Teams/Zoom
Video Playback	2018 MacBook Pro i7 32GB RAM w/Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB; 2018 iPad Pro	Netflix, Apple TV+, YouTube
Web Development	Alienware 15 R3 i7 32GB RAM	Visual Studio; Unity; SQL
Gaming	2018 MacBook Pro i7 32GB RAM w/Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB; 2019 iPad Pro	Apple Arcade Games

Reason to test:
The reason to test, is to ensure everyone gets the best,
Test, test, test I must, until the will to break is laid to rest,
For, the Spectrum has to be the best,
And leave others in the dust, it must.

For the photographer in me,
Test for Color,
Test for Light,
Test for Contrast,
Test for Brightness,
Test for Connections,
Test multiple Devices,
Test multiple Computers,
Test for Tablets,
Test the Buttons,
Test the Menu Options,
And test everything in between.

Photos, I must Edit,
Videos, I must Edit,
Games, I must Play,
Games, Spectrum to not play,
Work, I should.
Spectrum, I must Test.

I am a hobbyist photographer. I’ll be able to take high quality pictures to post for reviews.

Previously Posted Review: here is the review link - look for reviewer ‘tech_o_maniac’.

Peak Design Travel Pack 45 L | REI Co-op

Peak Design Backpack:
Very nice looking and elegant backpack.

My usage: I use this with two cubes - one small and one medium, I carry a 5D MkII with 70-200 mm and a 40D with 24-70mm. I also have a 135mm stacked in there. 2 Speedlites also come with me.
Very functional for photography if you pair this with the Peak Design Cubes (sold separately).

Pros:
Grab-Handles: All sides have handles enabling quick grab and go.
Shoulder Straps and Suspension: Good support over-all. The Sternum and Waist Straps are essential for a backpack of this size and really help in stabilizing the load.
Multiple Access points: This is made for photographers, although could be used for general purpose travel as well. There are four access points for grabbing equipment - 1. Back Opening - this is awesome when you lay the bag down and open this up, you get to see the whole interior! 2. Front Opening - gives access to the large 4 pockets (for passports, etc) 3. Two side access - for quick access to cameras. This is really convenient!
Expandability: There are three sizes in this - compressed, medium and large. Mine is mostly set to medium.
Bottle Holders: There are two expandable bottle holders on both sides.
Laptop Pocket: There is a laptop slot in the back flap. This nicely fits my 15" MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro as well.
Anchor Points: There are multiple anchor points (loops) on the backpack. This also comes with two straps to anchor in a tripod or a yoga mat or hiking poles on the outside.
Build Quality: This is really well made and made to last! I see several years of use for me! The zippers are also of great quality!
Cons:
Weight and Size: This is slightly on the heavier and bulkier side, but you need this if you carry a lot of equipment.
I wish there was a water bladder compartment for hikes. This is a big miss for me!
Recommendation:
I definitely recommend this for a photography enthusiast. This really works well during hikes, travel and even for work!

Here are some pictures from the review -

[Bexin]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Photo Editing	MacBook Pro 15" 2017, iMac, iPad Pro 2019	Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom
Video Editing	MacBook Pro 15" 2017, iMac	Final Cut Pro
3D Software	MacBook Pro 15" 2017	Blender
Video Playback	MacBook Pro 15" 2017, iMac, Xbox One X, PC	Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV+
FPS Gaming	MacBook Pro 15" 2017, Xbox One X, PC	CS:GO, War Thunder
Graphics Games	PC, MacBook Pro 15" 2017, Xbox One X	Skyrim, Shadow Of The Tomb Rider, Minecraft with texture and shader packs, Life is strange
Strategy Games	PC, MacBook Pro 15" 2017	Total War: Medieval 2, Total War: Warhammer, Stellaris
USB C Charging	MacBook Pro 15" 2017, iPad Pro 2019	Usage during intensive workloads, just connected to monitor by USB C

Windows 10 Pc: i9 11900k, aorus z590 master, running iGPU for now
Reasons for testing: Photo editing and Video editing: May be important for quite a lot of people ordering Eve Spectrum, especially 4K 144hz version (one of reasons I would like to test the 4K model), and it can show color accuracy well.
Video Playback: Something that nearly everyone ordering Eve Spectrum will do, can show both color accuracy and HDR capabilities of the display. FPS Gaming: FPS gaming could show off monitor’s use on higher refresh rates, it’s response times and motion blur. Graphic and strategy games: Could again show off color accuracy, HDR capabilities of the display, and general look of content on it. USB C charging: this would confirm if spectrum could charge MacBook Pro at high enough rate, so it does not lose battery percentage while under intensive workloads, as it does with many other monitors that provide insufficient charging.

Review

Review of LG 43UD79-B

Introduction, and specifications:
Release date: 2017
Price: 745$ at launch, now often down to 500$
Weight: 15.9kg
Monitor has been discontinued

Display Specifications
Panel type: IPS	Resolution: 3840x2160	Refresh rate: 60hz	Response time: 5ms GTG
Color Gamut: NTSC 72%	Brightness: 350cd/m2	Aspect ratio: 16:9	Size: 42.5"
Connectivity
HDMI 1.4: 2; 2.0: 2	USB C: 1	DP: 1	USB A: 2
Features
60W USB C charging	10W speakers: 2	Remote control	PIP and PBP

Image quality and performance
Monitors offers 5ms GtG response time, which is plenty enough for a 60hz monitor. There is no noticeable ghosting, or invert ghosting of the image, at any mode.
60hz is usable for gaming, and enough for anything else. For people used to 60hz or lower, there will be no problem with this monitor, however switching from higher refresh rate may not be the best experience. For console gaming, 4K 60 is a sweet spot for Xbox One X, and Playstation 4 Pro. Image quality is quite good, for watching movies, playing games and also professional work, unless you put your monitor that sun shines on it, as it is not bright enough for directly facing sun. Contrast ratio is one of a normal IPS, so this monitor is not the best watching movies or playing games during night, the blacks look gray. It comes pre-calibrated and it is in fact quite accurate. Monitor is not over saturated, neither undersatured. There is no noticeable backlight bleed on my unit, but this may differ for other units.

Connectivity
Monitor offers 4 HDMI inputs, 2 of them being able to run at full speed, and 2 at max 30hz, which should be enough. There is also one DP input, and one USB C input that supports video input and 60w charging. The USB C cable comes included, however its quite short, and hardly usable. There is also one audio jack, and AC input. Ports are really hard to reach, especially if you have monitor next to wall, and changing anything with cables is not easy. This monitor however does offer very good connectivity. Monitor works well with any device I tried to connect to it so far, including Xbox One X, MacBook Pro…

Design
Designs of this monitor is pretty minimalistic, with just black color all around, so I do not think anyone would have problem with it fitting their setup well. Monitor has matte coating, that does pretty good job at eliminating reflections. The only issue may be that when wall mounting this monitor, there will be LG logo sticking out of it, which is not very esthetically pleasing. Bezels are not smallest, neither huge, however considering the size of the monitor, bezels definitely were not an issue for me.

Issues
On my monitor, once upon a time image or audio drops out for few seconds, after using monitor for longer periods of time.
60w USB C charging is insufficient for most of laptops over 13", and may cause discharging when connected to monitor, which for example happens during intensive workloads on my MacBook Pro 15" 2017.
While testing life is strange and war thunder on it, there have been some issues with readability of white text using some presets from further distances.

Features
The monitor lacks ARC or eARC capabilities, which are kinda lacking, as there are lot of HDMI ports, and the built in speakers have their flaw.
Built in speakers definitely are not bad for a monitor speakers, especially their max volume. If you are used to lower quality headsets or phone audio, even the one of better phones, it will sound quite good. However after listening to better speakers, and even in comparison to HomePod Mini, this monitor will become sounding clearly bit bad, with voices sometimes having robotic tone to them. For people who never had soundbar and just want to use in built speakers, these should be good enough, however switching from soundbar or normal speakers, this monitor’s in built speakers will most likely come out as downgrade.
It also comes with FreeSync.
Monitor is capable of PIP and PBP, even being able to split itself into four sections, which can be useful for creativity.
There is one easily reachable joystick on the bottom of the monitor, and monitor comes with an IR remote controller, which is a nice addition, as the remote controller is pretty compact, looks simple, and has every control you may need from it, and actually makes monitor simpler to control than using joystick. It is powered by 3 AAA batteries, that I never had to replace during two years of using this monitor. It would be nice if more more monitors, especially the ones of bigger sizes came with remotes, as even though you may not use it as often as on TV, still many people can watch movies on their monitors, and being able to control everything remotely using an IR controller is a nice to have feature.

Conclusion
LG 43UD79-B offered some unique features when it came out, most of this can however now can be found in lot of monitors. The monitor is not bad, however for it’s price, there are better options for nearly any customer. 60W charging does not allow for use with most high end laptops, without having power cord connected, and it’s size and refresh rate are not the best for gaming, nor most of professional work. It however can be quite a good choice for now last gen console gamers, that occasionally do some professional work using their notebook with USB C.
Overall when monitor came out: 4/5
Overall currently: 3/5
Productivity: 4/5
Design: 4/5
Connectivity: 4.5/5
Gaming: 2/5
Content consumption: 3.5/5

Reasons for testing: I have Cannon EOS R5, with which, combined with my photo/video editing experience I would be able to provide high quality photos and videos of Spectrum, both while using it, and It being off. I would also be able to test quite a lot of different usecases, that may be important for many.

[hando]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Photo Editing	DIY PC Windows with RTX 3090	Lightroom
Video Editing	DIY PC Windows with RTX 3090	Premiere Pro
Fast paced PC Gaming	DIY PC Windows with RTX 3090	Warzone
4K and Image Quality PC Gaming	DIY PC Windows with RTX 3090	Control
Graphical Fidelity Gaming	DIY PC Windows with RTX 3090	Cyberpunk
Console Gaming	Playstation 5	Ghost of Tsushima, Warzone, Demon’s Souls, Spiderman: Miles Morales

Reasons for testing: I’m a photo and video editor, and this will allow me to calibrate the colours of the spectrum, test and share the results with the community or however it is deemed fit. Since I also use my monitors for gaming, I will be able to demonstrate the abilities and features of the spectrum in this way. since a big selling point for many people on this monitor is hdmi 2.1, I can test the 120hz capabilities with the Playstation 5 and how it affects gameplay. I can also test the refresh rate on PC games and how it affects gameplay as well.

I shoot with a sony a7r2 which can shoot very high res photos, so not only can I take great pictures of the monitor, the pictures will look good on and take advantage of the colour specturm of the monitor as well. I run a modest youtube channel that has shifted to tech reviews recently but has always been a review channel, I test thoroughly and leave no feature untouched.

[darkevilapie]

Hi!

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Gaming	W10pro PC I5-8700K @5.1ghz , Asus GTX1080 OC strix	World of warships, Warthunder, synthetic and warhammer40k DOW2
3Dmodelling	W10pro PC I5-8700K @5.1ghz , Asus GTX1080 OC strix	autodesk Inventor, Autodesk autocad, Blender.
3Dmodelling for work	W10pro laptop Dell Precision 7740 (I7-9750H Quadro RTX3000)	Autodesk Autocad 3D, Cadmatic outfitting, Ebrowser, Siemens NX, Siemens Teamcenter en visualizer.
office/administration for work	W10pro laptop Dell Precision 7740 (I7-9750H Quadro RTX3000)	Outlook, MS office, Cadmatic Library management, Teamviewer.

Reasons for testing:
I’m currently using a Asus 4K 60hz TN panel for gaming and work at the moment (i work from home atm). i have to switch between inputs using a cable. thats why i ordered the 4k model 3 (also sweet ips angles and colors).
my work laptop is a powerful Dell precision 7740 and it has USB-C, HDMI and DP(mini) output.
because I’m part IT Tech support and application administrator i have to work with multiple programs and systems. that’s why i think I’m a good test subject!

Review: samsung note 9 512GB.
its Fast! it has lots of space to store your pictures or downloads! good camera! excellent screen! and it has a stylus! even the speakers are good (for a phone)
the Note 9 is an excellent working (wo)man’s phone. the high screen resolution can be annoying with bad scaling and the cornering glass is just a gimmick but at least it has a 3.5mm audio jack and USB-C and wireless charging. and if you get a dual sim you can use it a work and private phone all in one! Use Samsung DEX™ with a screen to simulate a desktop environment.
i actually hate the note 9 because of non existent bezels.

[WhiteMamba]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
Console Gaming FPS in 1080p/1440p/4K	PS5	Call of Duty Warzone & Black Ops Cold War
Console Gaming Multiplayer (couch co-op) 2-4 players at once on same screen	PS5	Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Console Gaming Open World	PS5	Elder Scrolls
Movies in 4K/UHD	TV & PS5	Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Falcon & Winter Soldier, Etc.
Phone charging (efficiency & duration) & gaming (through mirroring/casting)	Pixel 4	Call of Duty Mobile, Candy Crush
Mirroring/casting & charging (efficiency & duration) from other devices Older & New	Amazon Fire Tablet, Surface Pro 4, Lenovo Legion Laptop, etc.	Windows 10, Amazon Prime Video
Office/School work	Surface Pro 4, Lenovo Legion	Multitasking with other monitors, video calls, Microsoft Office 365, YouTube, etc.

Reasons for testing: I frequently use a monitor with gaming and I want to be able to maximize what the PS5 has to offer in terms of gaming, movies, streaming, etc. I have yet to find a monitor to which I can use for everything I need. I will give an un-biased view and I will compare it to my experiences with other monitors. My views will come from the angle of an average person who wants HDMI 2.1 but also needs a monitor for a variety of reasons.

No in depth reviews yet but this could be my first one. You won’t regret it.

[Merrith]

Use-cases	Devices	Software/game
KVM for use with peripherals	XIM Apex	Various Games
Competitive PC Games @240hz	DIY Windows PC with GTX1080Ti	Various Games
Competitive Console Games @120hz	PS5	Various Games

Reasons for testing:The KVM specifications of Spectrum seem to indicate compatibility in both upstream and voltage requirements to use in conjunction with a Xim Apex; I will test this. Naturally, gaming performance at the highest level of play will also be employed both on PC and PS5.

XIM Apex Pseudo Review: XIM Apex is a versatile input adapter that was designed by a small group of engineers and gamers to provide a wide array of playstyles. It works by utilizing a USB hub to curate controller authentication and support alternative inputs such as otherwise incompatible: joysticks, mice, keyboards, etc. XIM Apex is the successor to the now defunct XIM 1, XIM 2, XIM 3 and XIM Edge, however, it’s direct predecessor the XIM 4 still receives support via community forums and firmware stability updates. The intrinsic idea behind this device was that gamers should have a choice on input, be it for comfort or to assist those with mobility issues. You’re familiar with an xbox controller and would rather use that on your playstation? You can. You suffer from limited range movement that impairs your ability to make micro adjustments with a control stick? You can use a mouse, or keyboard, in lieu of a traditional controller. The device provides an unsurpassed in-game 1-to-1 feel thanks to advanced Smart Translator technology. With a vast library of supported games, each game’s control schematic is carefully tailored using the ST (Smart Translator). Coupled with the complementary XIM manager application, you can further configure control profiles using your PC, smartphone, or tablet in real time. The device itself is reminiscent of a thumb drive with a female USB port on one end. It comes equipped with LED lights that you can customize for various gaming profiles for visual verification. Included with the XIM Apex is a USB hub, which can be interchanged with an aftermarket hub or KVM/hub solution. I have found this device to be quite indispensable as it allows me to remain consistent switching from PC to console, albeit with caveats. While it’s not necessary to be technologically savvy, calibration will beckon experimentation with adjusting ballistic curves and mitigating repelling bubbles of aim assist. This of course, is a quandary that is very game specific and results will vary from title to title. If you can get over the hurdle of troubleshooting or refining the Smart Translator configurations, it’s a rewarding experience. Backed by an active community forum and lifetime support via updates and firmware revisions, there is little to no reason I wouldn’t recommend the XIM Apex.

[CarlitoPepito]

Use-cases	Device	Software / Game
Take my courses	Alienware Area 51 / i7-6800K / Dual NVIDIA GTX1070 &Microsoft Surface Book 2 / i7-8650U / NVIDIA GTX1060	Microsoft Teams
Office work	Alienware Area 51 / i7-6800K / Dual NVIDIA GTX1070 & Microsoft Surface Book 2 / i7-8650U / NVIDIA GTX1060	Microsoft Office
Movies / Series	Alienware Area 51 / i7-6800K / Dual NVIDIA GTX1070 & Microsoft Surface Book 2 / i7-8650U / NVIDIA GTX1060	Netflix and Youtube
PC - MMORPG	Alienware Area 51 / i7-6800K / Dual NVIDIA GTX1070	League of legend
PC triple-A title	Alienware Area 51 / i7-6800K / Dual NVIDIA GTX1070	Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
PC simulation title	Alienware Area 51 / i7-6800K / Dual NVIDIA GTX1070	Civilization 6
Coding IT	Microsoft Surface Book 2 / i7-8650U / NVIDIA GTX1060	Sublime Text / MySQL / Fork
Coding Electronics	Microsoft Surface Book 2 / i7-8650U / NVIDIA GTX1060	MATLAB
PS5 triple-A title	PS5	Hitman 3
PS5 triple-A title	PS5	Watch Dogs : Legion
PS5 simulation title	PS5	Gran Turismo : Sport

• Reasoning for testing :

I am a student in electronics and computer engineering school and I am literally in front of my 2 computers all day. And I would like to participate in the development of Spectrum 4K.
I take my lessons, code, program, work and play on different machines and games, all on one screen.
My Spectrum 4K display will be exposed to direct sunlight in the afternoon while in the evening in dark light and in the morning in soft light.
I think I would be useful to help you develop Spectrum with light exposure that varies a lot throughout the day but also with very wide screen usage.
Thank you for developing a product with such value for money.

• My review : Microsoft Surface Book 2 15 '/ i7 / 16go / GTX 1060

Computer with a minimalist and clean design. The whole body is made of magnesium, to the touch and when you take it in your hands you immediately feel that it is solid and that nothing will move. The keyboard is great when it comes to typing and it’s backlit. The touchpad is also very pleasant to use with its very large surface.

It is a computer where the screen is detachable from the keyboard. All the components are therefore located behind the screen except the graphics card and 3/4 of the battery. The hinge that connects the screen and the keyboard is very strong from any angle. The screen is maintained by a magnetic system and by mechanical fasteners. You can try to tear the screen off its hinge as long as you do not press the “disconnect screen” button to switch to tablet, this is not possible. Please note that only 1/4 of the battery is located behind the screen so in tablet mode you don’t last long. Overall the computer is very well finished and solid.

This design has a big advantage, when the processor is pushed to its limits we do not feel the heat because nothing is under the keyboard and our fingers / knees suffer nothing. The processor being located on the upper left side of the screen heat dissipation is very efficient and the processor can speak without problem.
By cons as soon as the graphics card starts (especially in games) then your fingers will go through it because it is located under the keyboard and the heat dissipation is much less efficient. But it can provide good performance even on a 4K screen. On the other hand you will not be able to play in 4K with the ultra settings for AAA games.
The 15-inch 4K screen is very well calibrated with PixelSense ™ touchscreen. The extra stylus can snap onto the screen magnetically and recharge at the same time.

After 3 years of use I find this computer a very good investment with a nice design, high-end materials and very good battery life as long as you are not in tablet mode. Of course you can detach the screen, turn it over and connect it in the reverse order to have all the battery available. For daily use, to run engineering programs or play games at the average graphics level, its power is sufficient. To be able to detach the screen, turn the screen over, simply use a PC or have only a tablet in your hands and a lot of strength from this computer. It is very versatile. It is undoubtedly one of the best computers on the market even 3 years after its release.