Philips has unveiled their new 4k 28″ monitor – the 288E2UAE, along with their partner MMD. Coming in at a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels (4k UHD) and a screen size of 28 inches, it would have a pixel density of 157.35 PPI. How does PPI affect you? PPI stands for Pixels per Inch. So the more the number of pixels you have per inch making up the image, the sharper the image reproduced on the screen. Thus, greater PPI also reduces your ability to see individual pixels the closer you come to the screen. For context, 157.35 PPI is exactly the same pixel density that one would find in a 14″ laptop with a 1080p screen or a resolution of 1920×1080. The monitor is also capable of a max brightness of 300 nits.
According to Philips, the monitor features an Ultra-wide Color Gamut. What does that signify? It means that the monitor can reproduce 106% of the NTSC and 119.7% of the sRGB color spectrum. While a greater color spectrum coverage can be a good indicator of how color accurate a monitor or screen might be, it is not a one-stop metric to gauge a monitor’s overall color accuracy. Suffice to say that as per current reports, we expect the monitor to be color accurate enough for typical workloads such as browsing, media consumption, gaming, and light picture/video editing. It’s Delta E of < 2, while indistinguishable to most consumers out there, might not, however, suffice the most trained eyes employed in serious media/content creation workloads. So if you are someone looking for a decently color-accurate 4k monitor that is reasonably affordable while being capable of gaming and light content creation/editing workloads, the Philips 288E2UAE might be the monitor you need.
The monitor also features an IPS panel. IPS stands for In-Plane Switching panel. Today, an IPS panel is perhaps the most popular amongst others, such as TNs, OLEDs, etc. Their enormous popularity is owed to their ability to reproduce highly detailed and spectacularly color accurate pictures while being easier to manufacture than traditional OLED screens, increasing their cost-effectiveness. Their downside, however, comes in the form of a relatively conservative contrast ratio, generally ranging from 800:1 to 3000:1. Most IPS screens in the market typically have a contrast ratio of 1000:1, and the Philips 288E2UAE is no different. However, newer local dimming tech such as the QNED displays announced by LG during CES 2021 contains promises of greatly improved contrast ratios in the LCD space.
How does the contrast ratio affect your viewing experience? Contrast ratio is a quantity used to signify the brightest a screen can be vs. the darkest. Sometimes the same picture might have highly contrasting zones of color, e.g., a brightly lit object in the foreground against a dark background. The way IPS technology currently works, it is fundamentally incapable of accurately reproducing such stark contrasts in a picture. However, a screen with a superior contrast ratio would be capable of producing such contrasts much more accurately.
Other noteworthy features of the Philips 288E2UAE include a 4ms (GTG) response time and a standard 60 Hz refresh rate. The monitor connects to your computer using an HDMI or DisplayPort connection. The retail price is set to 300 USD or 21,900 INR. For all except the most hardcore FPS gamers, the 4ms response time should be just fine. For those accustomed to higher refresh rates, the 60 Hz refresh rate would take away from the system’s fluidity. However, running games above 60Hz at 4k would require you to purchase nothing but the top-of-the-line in terms of graphical processing capabilities. As of the present moment, most cards at such price points are either out of stock or selling way over MSRP.
The Philips 288E2UAE offers some incredible features, including an EasySelect menu, LowBlue mode, and integrated cable management. LowBlue mode technologies reduce eye-strain for those long gaming or productivity sessions spent continuously staring at the screen. It also compliments the Flicker-free technology and SmartImage Game mode very well, while the EasySelect menu makes navigating the menus a lot simpler. Other comforts of choosing the Philips 288E2UAE include support for picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes, thanks to Philips MultiView, allowing you to display two video sources simultaneously. The monitor also features a quick-charging capable 4-port USB 3.2 hub for connecting peripherals and charging your devices in no time (USB-IF BC1.2 charging standard compliant). Additionally, Philips has included two 3W speakers and a 100 x 100 mm VESA mount and stand capable of tilting -5/20 degrees. The mounting system is also height adjustable upto 100 mm.
Our verdict: The Philips 288E2UAE is a great 4k monitor for pretty much anything you would want to do except for serious media/content creation/editing or highly-competitive FPS gaming. It is decently color accurate with an average response time and a max brightness, which is nothing to write home about. However, Philips has also added quite a variety of features for added comfort during use. Still, coming with a price-tag of just around 22,000 INR, there is, in our opinion, nothing much to complain about.
