Quantum dot QD-Mini LED "King Kong" - Experience Evnia M6 series 27M2N6800ML gam
2024-04-23 / tech
The current display market is akin to a "tripartite stand-off," with WLED, Mini LED, and OLED technologies each leading their respective fields. The once dominant WLED backlit display market is gradually being eroded by Mini LED and OLED, forcing it to retreat to the mid-to-low-end market. Mini LED is forging ahead in the mainstream market, while OLED is holding its ground in the high-end market and continuously expanding its influence. Although OLED displays boast superior performance, their prices are generally on the higher side. If one seeks a balance between cost and visual experience, Mini LED is undoubtedly the best choice at present.
Mini LED has more backlight units than traditional LED displays, which also helps to create more refined local dimming, thus leading in color performance far ahead of traditional LED displays. In fact, the price of Mini LED displays is greatly influenced by the number of zones and the quantity of light beads; for example, a Mini LED display with a hundred zones and over two thousand light beads is relatively inexpensive, but the visual experience is average. What truly delivers a better experience is a Mini LED display with a thousand zones and over four thousand light beads. If you add quantum dot technology, 4K resolution, and a 165Hz high refresh rate... the price gap will further widen.
Advertisement
Currently, some Mini LED displays on the market focus on esports gaming, while others emphasize professional design. For instance, the 27-inch Evnia 27M2N6800ML we are featuring this issue is a gaming-oriented Mini LED display, and its price of less than three thousand yuan used to only allow you to purchase a mid-to-high-end standard LED display. Now, you can get a first-tier brand, 4K@165Hz, 4608 light beads/1152 zones quantum dot QD-Mini LED gaming monitor. Especially during the "618" shopping festival, with various platform discounts, the final price will be even lower. So, what kind of experience can the Evnia 27M2N6800ML offer? We will analyze it below.
Product Specifications:
Resolution: 3840×2160
Refresh Rate: 165Hz
Panel Type: VA
Backlight Type: Mini LED
Number of Zones: 1152
Panel Size: 27 inchesAspect Ratio: 16:9
Response Time: 1ms (gray-to-gray)
Brightness: 450cd/m2 (HDR Off); 700cd/m2 (HDR On); 1200cd/m2 (HDR Peak Brightness)
Contrast Ratio: 3300:1
Pixel Pitch: 0.1554 x 0.1554mm
Viewing Angles: 178°/178°
Color Depth: 8bit+FRC
Pixel Density: 163.18 PPI
HDR Certification: DisplayHDR 1000
Interface Types: HDMI 2.1 x2, DisplayPort 1.4 x1, USB Type-A x2, 3.5mm x1Adhere to the Concept of Sustainable Development
Utilize 100% Recyclable Outer Packaging
Evnia 27M2N6800ML adopts paper-based outer packaging, which is 100% recyclable and meets environmental protection requirements. In addition, the product has also been certified by RoHS, proving that it is mercury-free and does not contain harmful substances such as PVC/FRC, making it more health-friendly and environmentally sustainable.
As people's awareness of environmental protection increases, more and more companies are beginning to focus on the environmental friendliness of product packaging. Evnia, as a brand under Philips, continues to lead the industry in the concept of sustainable development, which can be seen through the product's outer packaging design. Unlike many monitors that incorporate plastic foam in their packaging, pure paper-based packaging has a smaller environmental impact, effectively reducing the generation of waste and enabling 100% recycling and reuse.
It is precisely because Evnia 27M2N6800ML uses environmentally friendly packaging that it has also passed the RoHS certification. RoHS certification is a standard for assessing the environmental friendliness of electronic products, requiring that products not contain substances harmful to human health and the environment, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, etc. Moreover, the packaging of this monitor does not contain substances like PVC and FRC. PVC is a material widely used in plastic products, but its production and use pose certain risks to the environment and human health. FRC is an additive used in flame-retardant plastics; although it can enhance the flame resistance of products, its impact on the environment and human health is also a concern. In theory, Evnia 27M2N6800ML could use packaging containing plastic at a lower cost, but it insists on using more expensive environmentally friendly materials, which may reflect the more responsible attitude of a top-tier brand.
Simple yet Stylish Appearance
From my years of experience in evaluating monitors, gaming monitors often focus on the design of their appearance, such as various patterns on the back and gaming light effects. In fact, users only face the screen, and a beautiful back is futile, and excessive design will only lead to higher costs, making the monitor's price too high and lacking market competitiveness. The design style of Evnia 27M2N6800ML is similar to the Evnia 34M2C7600MV and Evnia 42M2N8900 models we have previously reviewed, with the back designed into multiple small squares, looking simple yet not monotonous. At the same time, Evnia 27M2N6800ML has removed the Ambiglow "Ambient Light," which can further reduce the end sale price.
As a mid-to-high-end gaming monitor, an ergonomic stand is a standard feature of Evnia 27M2N6800ML. Do not underestimate the design of the ergonomic stand; an excellent stand has better damping feel when adjusting up and down, left and right. Many low-end monitors tend to have a "top-heavy" and shaky situation when adjusted. Evnia 27M2N6800ML has a very smooth damping feel in the stand adjustment, supporting not only tilt angle adjustment but also height adjustment and left-right adjustment. In addition, Evnia 27M2N6800ML is also equipped with 100mm×100mm VESA standard mounting holes, which can be used with third-party monitor stands.The Evnia 27M2N6800ML is equipped with a rich variety of interface types and quantities. It features 2 HDMI 2.1 ports, 1 DisplayPort 1.4, 2 USB Type-A ports (with the yellow port supporting fast charging), and a 3.5mm audio output interface. Notably, for the high-refresh gaming monitor with a refresh rate of 165Hz, the HDMI 2.1 can only support up to 3840x2160@120Hz, and it is only through DisplayPort 1.4 (DCS) that a 3840x2160@165Hz output can be achieved. Additionally, the HDMI 2.1 interface on the Evnia 27M2N6800ML can perfectly adapt to gaming consoles like the PS5.
The menu offers a wealth of gaming features, including a crosshair that helps you hit the target with every shot. Typically, monitors of 30 inches or less are positioned at a distance of approximately 70cm to 90cm from the human eye. For user convenience, the Evnia 27M2N6800M has designed a five-way navigation key at the lower right rear, which allows for quick access to the menu and easy adjustment of related functions. This design is much more convenient than traditional vertical or horizontal independent keys, with virtually no chance of accidental blind pressing.
In the menu, for users with gaming needs, it also has a built-in "SmartImage (game)" feature, which comes with preset modes such as Standard, Illustrator, FPS, Racing, RTS, Movie, Low Blue Light, Text, Energy Saving, SmartUniformity, and two customizable game modes. Among them, SmartUniformity is an intelligent brightness uniformity technology of Evnia monitors. By individually measuring and adjusting 25 areas of the screen, it ensures that the overall screen has more than 97% brightness uniformity. This allows users to achieve appropriate screen brightness and color consistency without additional color calibration, making it suitable for professional field users who have high requirements for color consistency.
We know that OLED, after displaying a fixed image for a long time, has a limited lifespan for the organic compound thin film material of the light-emitting diodes, which can lead to a decrease in luminous efficiency and result in "burn-in" phenomena. In fact, Mini LED can also have "burn-in" issues, such as different working times of LED light beads in a certain area, leading to a decrease in luminous brightness efficiency. To avoid this problem, the Evnia 27M2N6800ML has added a "pixel shift" option in the "System" settings of the menu, which is essentially the movement of pixels. It moves the image by a few pixels at specific intervals to prevent afterimages, and this pixel movement is generally imperceptible to the human eye.
As a monitor specifically designed for gaming, the Evnia 27M2N6800ML also has a dedicated gaming mode. This mode offers features such as Adaptive Sync (FreeSync), crosshair, real-time dark area enhancement, sniper window, and SmartResponse. Among them, the role of SmartResponse is to optimize the monitor's response time. Response time refers to the time it takes from receiving the image signal to actually displaying that image.SmartResponse technology offers faster response times to reduce the blurring or ghosting effects that may occur during image refresh. It achieves this by dynamically adjusting the electronic response speed of the display, allowing users to manually switch between "Fast," "Faster," and "Fastest" according to different scenarios and needs, or even turn it off. Additionally, its crosshair and sniping window features are highly commendable. The former automatically generates a crosshair at the center of the screen, which is different from the in-game crosshair as it does not change size when shooting, remaining fixed. This is somewhat similar to adding a physical aid. This feature can enhance the accuracy of shooting in FPS games like "CS:GO" and "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds." The latter functions like a magnifying glass, enlarging the central area of the display and offering three magnification levels: 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0. With the sniping window and crosshair enabled, even novices like me can feel divinely assisted when playing "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," achieving headshots with every shot.
Supports low input lag
Instant response to actions
In this fast-paced era, our demands for display response speeds are increasing, especially for gamers for whom input lag is a crucial metric. Input lag refers to the time it takes for the screen to display the corresponding action after pressing a keyboard or mouse. If the display does not support low input lag technology, the response time will be prolonged, leading to a sense of lag in operation. This is very disadvantageous for gamers because, in competitive games, every second of reaction time can determine the outcome.
The Evnia 27M2N6800ML addresses this issue. It employs low input lag technology to ensure that user actions are responded to in a timely manner. Whether clicking a mouse or pressing a keyboard, the screen responds immediately, with no perceptible delay. Beyond gaming, low input lag technology has broad applications in other fields. For instance, when designers use CAD software for drafting, each operation needs to be accurately presented on the screen for timely modification and adjustment. If the display has high input lag, it becomes difficult for designers to accurately control each operation, affecting work efficiency. The low input lag technology of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML ensures that every operation by the designer is displayed instantly, improving work efficiency and accuracy.
As we mentioned earlier, the Evnia 27M2N6800ML supports AMD's Adaptive Sync (FreeSync) technology for synchronized variable frequency display. But what if you are using an NVIDIA graphics card? No worries, if you are using an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 series or higher graphics card, as long as you have the latest graphics card driver installed, you can enable G-SYNC through NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible technology. For the Evnia 27M2N6800ML, whether you are using an AMD (must support FreeSync) or NVIDIA (must support G-SYNC) graphics card, you can enable synchronized display technology. Although the Evnia 27M2N6800ML has not yet been officially certified by NVIDIA G-SYNC, it does not affect the gaming experience, as there will be no screen tearing or flickering issues.
1152 zones / 4608 LED backlight for excellent halo control
The Evnia 27M2N6800ML is a gaming monitor that uses Mini LED backlight technology, which typically divides the screen into multiple zones to enhance the contrast between light and dark areas. The monitor offers a "local dimming" feature in its menu, with the Evnia 27M2N6800ML's local dimming providing three levels: low, medium, and high. The lower the level, the less effective the zone dimming, and the better the halo phenomenon is controlled, and vice versa.It is worth mentioning that the monitor features 4608 mini LEDs and 1152 backlight zones. But for users, is the actual number of zones really 1152? The method to test the number of zones on a Mini LED monitor is quite simple: turn on the local dimming of the monitor, set the brightness to the maximum, then find a pure dark gray image to cover the desktop. At this point, by slowly moving the cursor, one can observe changes in the brightness of the mini LEDs in different areas, thus counting the number of horizontal and vertical zones. The Evnia 27M2N6800ML has 48 backlight zones horizontally and 24 vertically, totaling exactly 1152 zones. From the actual experience, even when the zone dimming level is set to the highest, the halo effect of starry skies or ripples can still be well controlled when observing demonstration images.
After enabling the local dimming feature, the edges of white screens may exhibit a slight yellowish tint. This is actually a problem faced by all monitors that use Mini LED technology, due to the inherent characteristics of the Mini LED backlight technology. The principle of Mini LED technology is to provide more refined brightness control by using a greater number of smaller LEDs in the backlight source, which can enhance the contrast and color performance of the image. However, the increase in the number of LEDs leads to a slight yellowish tint at the edges. This phenomenon is a common issue for all Mini LED monitors because, with local dimming enabled, the monitor adjusts the brightness of the LEDs in each zone according to the content and brightness requirements of the image. The dimming effect at the edges may not be as pronounced as in the center, resulting in a relatively lower color temperature at the edges, showing a slight yellowish tint.
It should be noted that this yellowish tint is usually only apparent on white or light backgrounds, and for other colored images, this issue is not significant or almost imperceptible. Despite this issue, the Evnia 27M2N6800ML remains an excellent monitor. Its Mini LED backlight technology can provide better contrast between light and dark, making the image more vivid and realistic. Moreover, even at the highest level of local dimming, the halo phenomenon can be effectively controlled, making the viewing and gaming experience more comfortable.
Additionally, once the HDR feature is enabled in the Windows system, the HDR in the menu is automatically activated, and the "Smart Imaging" feature also displays an HDR logo, with the functional options within this feature changing accordingly. The HDR capabilities of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML are very powerful, offering a variety of modes and standards for us to choose from, including Game, Movie, Vivid, and DisplayHDR 1000, and it also allows for personalized settings based on individual preferences.
Beyond the aforementioned modes and standards, the HDR functionality of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML also allows for personalized settings. We can adjust the brightness, contrast, bright light enhancement, and color enhancement according to our preferences and needs, making the image quality more aligned with our desired viewing experience. The flexibility of these personalized settings enables each user to enjoy the best visual effects tailored to their liking.However, sometimes we may encounter issues where the image is too bright and washed out. This could be due to a mismatch between the system and monitor HDR settings. To address this issue, we can use the "Windows HDR Calibration" application provided by the Microsoft Store to calibrate the image. Through calibration, we can adjust the HDR settings to make the image more balanced and comfortable, while also avoiding overly bright issues.
True 165Hz High Refresh Rate
Significant Improvement in Gaming Experience
I tested the Evnia 27M2N6800ML for gaming experience through "Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition." Before the experience, I turned on the HDR feature, switched to game mode, and enabled the G-SYNC Compatible function. After entering the game, thanks to the monitor's 3840×2160 resolution, the image quality was very high. However, to play at over 100fps in 4K high quality, it is recommended to use a graphics card above the RTX 4080. Additionally, if the game supports HDR, you also need to enable in-game HDR. The contrast effect brought by HDR is also very noticeable, which is very suitable for games like the Tomb Raider series. Unlike other HDR monitors I have experienced in the past, the Evnia 27M2N6800ML's HDR also greatly improves the color aspect, not only without the washed-out phenomenon, but even the saturation of the image quality is enhanced, with less color distortion, and you can clearly feel the calibration skills of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML. Coupled with its support for a 165Hz high refresh rate, it brings a smoother image experience in the game.
Additionally, if you enjoy playing first-person shooter games like "CS:GO" and "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," I highly recommend turning on the monitor's crosshair function, which is very helpful for novice players and can increase headshot rates.
Many console gamers are accustomed to using a monitor, and we tested the Evnia 27M2N6800ML with the console game "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom." In the prologue of the game, after entering the underground of Hyrule Castle, the high contrast ratio of 3300:1 of this monitor is highlighted, with a strong contrast between light and dark images. However, in some dark scenes where details need to be displayed, there is a phenomenon of being too dark, and it is recommended to adjust the "Dynamic Deep Color Acceleration" to level 2 or 3 at this time. In addition, during the fighting process, thanks to the monitor's 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, whether it is jumping, running, or slashing to kill, the process is smooth. Moreover, the light effects emitted when killing the Lynel in the game are rendered very gorgeously by the Evnia 27M2N6800ML, which seems to stimulate the player's desire to fight.
In order to intuitively experience the high refresh rate advantage of 165Hz of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML, we conducted a "UFO Test." It can be seen that the trajectory of the UFO in motion under 165Hz is more continuous, while there is a noticeable disconnection phenomenon during motion at 83Hz and 41Hz. In addition, I also tested the authenticity of the 165Hz refresh rate of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML. By using a professional test image and setting the camera shutter to 1/10 of a second, I took a photo of the screen. From the test image, you can see that the gray square image has moved continuously for 17 small squares, indicating that the Evnia 27M2N6800ML is a true 165Hz refresh rate.
Adobe RGB color gamut coverage exceeds 95%Color Accuracy Rivals Flagship Professional Monitors
The Evnia 27M2N6800ML features a native 8-bit color depth FAST HVA panel, which I was able to manually upgrade to 10-bit color depth through the NVIDIA driver control panel's "Change Resolution" - "Use NVIDIA Color Settings" - "Output Color Depth". The higher color depth provides smoother color transitions, eliminating banding issues. Entering the monitor's engineering mode reveals some of its information, such as the panel's internal number "TPM270WR1". Based on the parameters of this monitor, it is likely that the panel originates from the "SG2701D01-3" panel by CSOT. This panel has a resolution of 3840x2160, a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, a brightness of 450cd/㎡ without HDR, and a high contrast ratio of 3300:1, which is one of the key features of the VA panel. The FAST HVA panel is similar to the FAST IPS panel in terms of liquid crystal molecule rotation speed, achieving faster response times, thus allowing the monitor to achieve a 1ms gray-to-gray response time. Additionally, the FAST HVA panel's other advantages include high contrast and no light leakage.
The color performance of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML was first experienced subjectively and further observed through Mr. Qian Yuankai's "4K TV Resolution Test Chart". By observing the color block structure in the test chart, we can see that the color details of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML are clearly visible, and the line boundaries are also very clear. This is due to its 4K resolution, which makes the image details more delicate. Furthermore, the Mini LED backlight module with QD quantum dot film used in the Evnia 27M2N6800ML makes the colors more vibrant. The addition of the quantum dot film allows for a wider color gamut, presenting more natural greens, more vivid reds, and deeper blues in the displayed images. At the same time, this wide color gamut technology can provide more vivid color performance when watching movies or creating images. In terms of color, through the observation of the HSB color system color block chart and color distribution chart, we can see that the displayed color saturation is very high, and there is no obvious banding between colors. In addition, the different color areas in the color distribution chart present a triangular pattern, indicating that the Evnia 27M2N6800ML is very excellent in color performance.
In addition, in terms of tonal levels, the performance of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML is also satisfactory. The 21 levels of gray in the spherical chart are clearly visible, with no obvious banding or stepping. In the gray gradient chart, the transition of gray levels is also quite soft. This indicates that the Evnia 27M2N6800ML performs well in displaying gray levels and color levels, accurately presenting the details of each level. Moreover, when we set the brightness to the highest, the light and dark level diagrams of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML can reach an ideal state. This indicates that it also performs very well in brightness and contrast, providing a vivid picture effect.
In terms of objective testing, we preheated the monitor for at least one hour and restored it to factory settings, then adjusted the brightness to the highest. At the same time, we switched the monitor to "Standard" mode and turned off HDR and local dimming, and used the Spyder X2 colorimeter for color analysis. According to the color analysis report, its sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, and NTSC color gamut coverage areas reached 100%, 96%, 95%, and 92%, respectively, which is basically consistent with the official data, indicating that this monitor has high color saturation, and the data performance is even higher than the OLED monitors we have tested before.
In addition, under the highest brightness setting, the maximum brightness value of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML is 713.1cd/㎡, and the measured brightness even exceeds the brightness value when HDR is turned on, while the brightness in the dark field is 0.22cd/㎡, and the contrast ratio reaches 3241:1, also within a reasonable error range of the nominal value. In terms of brightness uniformity, through the 9 test areas taken on the Evnia 27M2N6800ML screen, we can see that the difference between its maximum and minimum brightness values is 8%, with the brightest area located on the right side of the screen and the darkest area located in the upper left corner. This data is very good compared to ordinary LED monitors, which usually have a brightness difference of more than 10%, and the brightness uniformity of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML has even reached the level of WOLED monitors.
In addition, we also tested the color accuracy of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML. Under the highest 48 test colors, its maximum value is 2.5 (the least accurate), the minimum value is 0.17 (the most accurate), and the average value is 1.09. Its color accuracy is excellent, and the high color accuracy can even meet some professional application scenarios.Additionally, the tonal response output luminance curve of the Evnia 27M2N6800ML closely matches the Gamma 2.2, which means its output luminance accuracy is exceptionally high. Furthermore, its color temperature is maintained at around 6200K with minimal variation, indicating stability.
In conclusion, a first-tier "great ape" worth buying in its class
The Evnia 27M2N6800ML, as another masterpiece from Philips' high-end sub-brand, demonstrates Philips' consistent high-quality standards in product design, craftsmanship, special features, and display performance. It employs QD quantum dot Mini LED backlight technology with up to 1152 zones and 4608 LED chips, achieving excellent display effects through local dimming. Moreover, it boasts a color gamut coverage of over 90%, with an average color accuracy of 1.09. Notably, it supports 4K@165Hz resolution and multi-functional HDR, making it a versatile gaming monitor. Currently, the Evnia 27M2N6800ML monitor is available on e-commerce platforms for just 2799 yuan, offering a high cost-performance ratio compared to similar gaming monitors. For players who pursue a balanced performance and high-quality gaming experience, the Evnia 27M2N6800ML is undoubtedly an ideal choice.
Comment