REVIEW: NEC LCD2690WUXi Part 11

Comparison of the reproducible colour space of the LCD2690WUXi (coloured line) with the Adobe RGB colour space (grey line). The NEC monitor actually covers the Adobe RGB colour spectrum almost completely.

In terms of reproducible colour space, the NEC LCD2690WUXi delivers the second best result of all LCD monitors tested by Prad to date. Only the SpectraView Reference 21, also by NEC, can top it and thereby remains the undisputed Number One.

We used the UGRA Display Analysis and Certification Tool (UDACT) to check if the NEC LCD2690WUXi, with its enormous range, could be used as a proof monitor in printing. This is a testing method developed by UGRA for the authoritative certification of graphics monitors.

UGRA has provided very narrow borders with this tool regarding the deviations that are permitted. Thus, the average deviation for grey levels may not exceed DeltaC 1, with a maximum deviation of no more than DeltaC 2.

In terms of profile accuracy, the UDACT tool will tolerate a maximum DeltaE of just 6 and an average deviation of just DeltaE 3. In addition, we used the well-known UGRA/FOGRA media wedge 2.0 hardcopy proof-system, which permits an average deviation of just 4 DeltaE within its 46 colour fields when placed against the screen.

Only an LCD that fulfils all UGRA criteria is seen as suitable for use in printing and consequently certified positively for ISO printing norms such as ISO coated, ISO uncoated or ISO newspaper.

For the UDACT test, we calibrated the monitor to a brightness of 150 cd/m², gamma of 1.8 and colour temperature of 5800 Kelvin, since the white of the monitor image was then closest to the white impression of a D50 workplace.

The UGRA certification protocol (summary). The detailed UDACT report can be downloaded here as a PDF file.

In terms of profile accuracy, the NEC LCD2690WUXi demonstrated an average deviation of just 0.9 DeltaE (UGRA specification: max. DeltaE 3.0) and a maximum deviation of DeltaE 2.7 (max. DeltaE 6.0 specified).

When tested with the media wedge, the LCD2690WUXi had an average deviation of just 0.9 DeltaE (max. specification = DeltaE 4.0) and the average deviation for grey balance was 0,49 DeltaC (Specification = max. DeltaC 1.0), with a maximum value of 1.95 DeltaC (Specification = max. DeltaC 2.0).

Thus, the NEC LCD2690WUXi meets all the UDACT measurement requirements beautifully. Indeed, in many of the measuring scenarios, the LCD is well under the maximum UGRA values. Only for the grey balance was the 'range' (distance between two maximum values on the colour axis) close to the maximum, but even here, it was still within the acceptable region.

The NEC LCD2690WUXi uses a programmable 12-Bit Lookup Table, so in principle, the monitor hardware can be overwritten directly with colour data. Since the graphics card settings remain untouched with this calibration method and the colour scale is therefore not reduced, hardware calibration is generally preferable to software calibration.

Unfortunately, manufacturer NEC is not yet marketing the necessary software for this in Europe. The SpectraView II software, with which hardware calibration can be carried out on the LCD2690WUXi, is available as an option in the USA. SpectraView II is the American equivalent of the European SpectraView profiler software, which is delivered with each NEC SpectraView LCD.

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