Review: Eizo ColorEdge CG 2700S monitor

Friday 1 November 2024, 22:11 by Nando Harmsen | 8,659 views | 3 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

A 27-inch screen is a popular size for comfortably editing your photos or videos. Eizo has released two professional monitors that are perfectly suited to this purpose: the CG2700S and the CG2700X.

In this review, I look at the CG 2700S and explain why this is probably the better choice for photographers.

At the end of 2021, in November to be precise, I received the Eizo ColorEdge CS 2731 for review. This 27-inch WQHD monitor performed very well, and is recommended for photographers who consider a good monitor for image editing important.

In January 2022, the announcement came of the professional version of this ColorEdge CS 2731 monitor: the ColorEdge CG 2700S.

How does this professional monitor perform? Does the monitor offer added value compared with the cheaper CS models? In this review, I try to answer those questions.

Working on video editing with the Eizo ColorEdge CG 2700S.

Resolution and specifications

The Eizo CG 2700 comes in two variants. There is the CG 2700X, which has a 4K resolution (4196 x 2160p), and the CG 2700S with a WQHD resolution of 2560 x 1440p. Although the 4K resolution can be very attractive, WQHD may be a better choice for photographers.

On a 27-inch screen, a 4K resolution results in such a high pixel density that reading text and menus becomes difficult. The display is simply too small to be comfortable.

WQHD provides a slightly lower pixel density (109 pixels per inch instead of 194 pixels per inch), so texts and menus are displayed somewhat larger.

The WQHD resolution on a 27-inch screen prevents the text on the screen from being displayed too small, a risk that is certainly present with a 4K monitor of this size.
The lower resolution does mean that videographers cannot view their 4K footage at a 1:1 display. It has to be scaled.

If you are more video-oriented, the CG 2700X with its 4K panel is the better choice. But in that case, you would preferably want to go for 30 inches or larger.

Since I spend 95 per cent of my time on photography, I chose the CG 2700S. This is therefore the monitor covered in this review, although the CG 2700X will be largely the same, or at least comparable.

Some specifications

• 27-inch WQHD IPS display with 2560 x 1440 pixels
  
• Viewing angle of up to 178 degrees
  
• Wide colour gamut covers 99% of AdobeRGB and 98% of the DCI-P3 colour space
  
• Integrated sensor for fully automatic self-calibration
  
• Maximum brightness of 400 cd/m2 and a contrast ratio of 1600:1 (True Black technology)
  
• 10-bit display with 16-bit 3D Look-Up-Table
  
• Perfect brightness distribution and colour purity through Digital Uniformity Equalizer
  
• HDR-HLG and HDR-PQ-EOTF display
  
• USB-C (DisplayPort signal and up to 92 Watt Power Delivery), DisplayPort and HDMI
  
• RJ-45 LAN port
  
• USB hub with two USB 3.1 and two USB 2.0 downstream ports on the side
  
• Magnetic Light shield hood included
  
• VESA mount
  
• Meets the soft proofing requirements according to the ISO 12646 standard
  

The appearance

The appearance is broadly similar to the CS 2731 monitor reviewed previously. The CG 2700S has the same bezel with touch-sensitive controls, a similar stand and tilt mechanism, and a casing that also has a useful handgrip.

A product photo of the CG 2700S monitor, with the light shield in place.
The monitor can be used in both horizontal and vertical positions. You do have to move the monitor to its highest position and tilt it slightly to have enough room to tilt the huge panel.
Bear in mind that the light shield is no longer useful in the vertical position.

The monitor can be adjusted through 150mm in height. It can also be used in portrait mode. These are photos of the CS 2731, the CG 2700S is comparable.
The light shield is a matt folding hood that clips magnetically onto the monitor's bezel. The inside is non-reflective to prevent light from the monitor itself being reflected. With a brightness of 400 cd/m2, this is no unnecessary luxury.

The light shield clips magnetically onto the monitor. It is very easy to put on and remove.
If you want to make use of the monitor's viewing angle, so also look at the screen from the side, you may need to remove the light shield. Otherwise, it blocks part of the image.

The connections on the ColorEdge CG2700S

The connections on the monitor are located both at the rear and on the side. This is where the CG 2700S differs considerably from the CS 2731.

There is a DisplayPort, an HDMI port and a connection for the USB hub. This hub consists of two USB 3.1 ports and two USB 2 ports on the side of the monitor.

The connections on the underside of the monitor, and the USB hub on the side.
The USB-C connection at the rear supplies 92 watts of power, unlike the 60 watts of the CS 2731, so it can also be used to charge, for example, a MacBook Pro. You can also use it for the DisplayPort signal and other data transfer.

The CG 2700S has an RJ-45 LAN port, allowing you to connect the monitor to the internet. Your laptop then receives the internet signal via USB-C. This makes it easy to create a very tidy desktop, without lots of separate cables running to your laptop.

Whether the monitor could function as a fully-fledged docking station is another question. With two USB 3.2 and two USB 2 connections, the options are limited. There are no additional USB-C or Thunderbolt ports.

So if, like me, you use a lot of external equipment that uses these connections, a docking station for your laptop is still recommended.

The menu and calibration

The touch-sensitive buttons on the right-hand side of the monitor give you access to the menu. They are illuminated, although you can switch this off so that they do not distract you when using the monitor. The sound made when touching them can also be switched off.

A selection of the monitor's menu options. There are many ways to set the image exactly to your own preferences, including clipping warnings.
You get access to the normal settings you would expect from a monitor, as well as a quick menu for switching between the various colour spaces. These include sRGB, AdobeRGB, BT.708 and more.

Two programmable shortcut buttons let you access a function or menu option directly.

You can display clipping in your image to see where the colour falls outside the monitor's display range. Choose yellow or magenta to see where clipping occurs.
The CG 2700S has a built-in calibration unit. It extends from the top of the screen when you activate it. The screen is then calibrated fully automatically.

Since it only occupies a small part of the image, you can simply carry on working.

In principle, you do not have to worry about it. It calibrates automatically every 200 hours, but you can also set a different interval if you wish.
The calibration sensor takes the ambient light into account and interpolates this towards the centre of the monitor's display area. You can start calibration at any time, regardless of the schedule, and there is no need to connect a computer.

The image

When a monitor is switched on, it needs time for the image to stabilise and reach the correct display. The CG 2700S only needs 3 minutes for this. By comparison, normal monitors can sometimes take up to 30 minutes.

The ColorEdge CG 2700S offers both 8-bit and 10-bit colour display. The latter makes it possible to display 99% of the AdobeRGB colour spectrum and 98% of the DCI-P3 colour space.

The graph below shows what the monitor can display from the different colour spaces. BT.2020 in particular falls partly outside the display range. The rest is almost entirely within the range.

A graphical representation of the different colour spaces, and how the Eizo ColorEdge CG2700S fits within them.
The various colour spaces can be set through the menu. For photographers, AdobeRGB will be the most logical choice. As well as choosing this colour space, the monitor also lets you adjust it further. In general, this will not often be necessary.

For working with photos, the monitor can be set to AdobeRGB, for example, for the most optimal colour display.
If you also work with film footage, you can choose a different colour space so that it matches the recorded footage better. Think of BT.2020 or BT.709, DCI-P3 or HLG_BT.2100

If you are working with video, the colour display can be adjusted to match the recorded footage.
Of course, you want to know whether the monitor meets all the requirements when you receive it. Eizo has included a measurement report, so you can check for yourself whether it falls within the standards. In particular, the uniform display across the entire monitor's display area may be of interest.

The monitor comes with a test report. One of the tests checks the uniform image display across the entire display area.
In general, the measurement report will show that everything is within the standards. Otherwise, the monitor would not be allowed to be shipped.

Conclusion, should you choose the CS or CG line?

With the Eizo CG line, you have a monitor that meets the highest standard. The ColorEdge CG 2700S is therefore not a cheap monitor. With a recommended retail price of 2,334 euros, it is almost twice as expensive as the CS version.

You do get a light shield, a cleaning kit and, of course, the built-in calibration unit. In addition, the connection options of the CS 2700S make it possible to integrate it almost completely into your workspace.

Connect your laptop via USB-C, plug the Ethernet cable into the monitor, and in principle your desk is free of cables. Unless you have more peripheral equipment that needs to be connected by cable.
Of course, none of this is the main reason why you choose such a monitor. You choose it for the options it offers in terms of colour. The question is, however, do you really need this highest quality as a photographer?

You naturally have to answer that question for yourself. It is not that you simply choose this monitor because it is better, since the CS version is also very good.

You choose this monitor because you want the highest standards for colour accuracy and contrast, and because you want to be able to switch between colour profiles without problems when necessary.

The built-in calibration helps you guarantee that quality, so you do not depend on separate calibration units and software.

There are more options offered by the monitor, such as clipping display, image scaling and image cropping, allowing you to set everything up as optimally as possible for your work.

I have little to criticise about the monitor. As far as I can determine, the image is excellent, and the options for adjusting and setting the colour range and image display will not disappoint.

The touch-sensitive controls work flawlessly and the menu is well organised. The image display is pleasant thanks to the non-reflective surface, and the light shield helps keep out ambient light.

The USB hub is somewhat limited. If it were really meant to function as a hub, I would have expected more USB-C or Thunderbolt ports. If you are only connecting a laptop, most things can be handled through the monitor.

I think that for most people, a monitor from the CS line will already offer sufficient image quality, such as the excellent CS 2731 that I tested previously.

If you do have the highest standards, however, the additional cost of the Eizo CG 2700S will pay for itself.

Update: At present, until the end of 2024, Eizo is offering an 18 per cent discount on the Eizo CG 2700s.

Een eerdere versie van dit artikel is verschenen op vrijdag 21 oktober 2022, 14:07.

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