ViewSonic VP2768a Review: A Top-Notch 27-Inch Monitor With Built-In USB Hub That Wows with Looks and Features

ViewSonic VP2768a Review

The ViewSonic VP2768a offers stunning views into the virtual world. The 27-inch IPS monitor delivers excellent depth of color and awesome greyscales. It tilts, it swivels, and it makes any desk look like an executive desk. Most creatives will find it a powerful addition to their editing arsenal, and everyone else will just be happy they work on a monitor that delivers beautiful images without glare.

What we like

Thin and light come with their limitations. Designers may trade balance and sturdiness for elegance or an ethereal line, often at the cost of function. The ViewSonic VP2768a is not the thinnest or lightest monitor, but it may be the most functional in its class–and I mean that on all levels. The display projects colors quickly and deeply. The stand and housing work in concert to spin, rotate, move up, move down, and tilt while sitting firmly on the surface, unwilling to move as the smooth joints accommodate repositioning.

The VP2768a is a monitor made for people who need a monitor to perform in more than one way, to fit emergent situations, to adapt.

The thin bezel around the wide quad high definition (WQHD) panel displays natively at 2560 x 1440 pixels or 2K of stunning graphics that visually pierce with their clean edges and soothe with their clean gradients.

The monitor includes two DisplayPorts for daisy-chaining up to four monitors and two HDMI ports for shared duty. It also includes a 90W powered USB-C port that can handle data and power, charging a laptop. An audio port redirects sound from the computer via the USB connection. The monitor does not include built-in speakers.

There is also an upstream USB port (for connecting as a hub to non-USB-C devices), two USB-A ports and an Ethernet port for wired networks. That means the ViewSonic VP2768a can become a power supply and a USB hub for the attached computer.

The basics of the ViewSonic VP2768a include 350 cd/m² peak brightness, a 1000:1 native contrast ratio, a 16:9 aspect ratio, a 60Hz refresh rate, and a 14-millisecond (gray-to-gray) pixel response. The anti-glare, hard coating (3H) seems to just absorb light. The monitor rejects reflections. A 14-Bit Look Up Tabe (LUT) delivers hardware calibrate color management.

Creatives will enjoy 100% sRGB, EBU, SMPTE-C, Rec. 709, DICOM-SIM color uniformity, Delta E<2 accuracy and a palette of 4.39 trillion colors for reliable color precision. The display is Pantone-validated. Setting buttons manage Brightness, Contrast, Sharpness, and provide access to eight color space presets, including sRGB, EBU (European Broadcasting Union), SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers), REC709 (HDTV), DICOM (medical imaging), and three CAL (calibration) presets. Other settings include color temp, gamma, black levels, gain and offset values, blue light filtering, aspect ratio, and viewing presets–along with power management and sleep.

So let me just gush for a moment. The ViewSonic VP2768a is a handsome-looking monitor that will complement any environment. It is highly functional for creatives, makes for an outstanding hoteling station, and its professional profile makes it ideal for managers and executives looking to complement their sleek laptops. Day in and day out, the anti-glare coating will reduce eye strain and distractions to a minimum for any audience. The colors are natural and accurate. Though not curved, the monitor still feels immersive.

At well under $500, the ViewSonic VP2768a becomes an easy choice for creatives looking for a serious 27-inch editing canvas, regardless if they use a laptop or desktop. A three-year warranty proves ViewSonic stands behind the 2768a. The monitor is also Energy Star, and EPEAT certified.

What could be improved

While I appreciate the hub features, they seem like an added expense to someone who already owns a hub. For example, my VisionTek hub sits beneath the VP2768a, connecting and coordinating my plethora of devices. Its DisplayPort connection reaches over to the monitor, but beyond power, that is the extent of my use of the back panel’s connections.

I understand that not everybody has a hub already, or if they do, it might be a mobile one that requires set-up with each deployment. However, in a hotelling situation, the built-in hub would have time for each visitor, as long as the USB cable remains attached (who steals USB cables anymore?)–and of course, owning this monitor would likely eliminate the need for an additional hub.

Given the size of the case, I would prefer the ports face out from the back. Not as aesthetically pleasing, perhaps (as pointing down hides the ports from people walking behind–and it also puts less strain on the connection), but it would be easier to reconfigure. However, reconfiguration may prove a more significant issue for people like me who change configurations often as I evaluate new hardware.

Also, putting the buttons on the front would make changing options easier for configuration purposes. The integrated On-Screen Display menu maps to the physical buttons, reducing issues around guessing which button does what. However, I still found myself second-guessing my finger placement when exploring the built-in options.

As for features, those looking for Full DCI P3 or Adobe RGB will find the VP2768a falls short of their color palette requirements. The panel also does not support HDR, making it less desirable for refined video viewing or editing.

ViewSonic VP2768a: The Bottom Line

ViewSonic nails the business 27-inch monitor with the VP2768a. The WQHD IPS panel does its job with aplomb, serving up responsive graphics. Those working with the sRGB and Rec. 709 gamuts will find the VP2768a a valuable work companion. Those who don’t know much about color gamuts will just think it is perhaps one of the best monitors they have ever used.

ViewSonic provided the VP2768a for review. Images courtesy of ViewSonic.

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