Right Size, Right Price, Accurate Colors: A Review of the Asus ProArt 248QV Monitor

As a photographer, what is it exactly that you look for in a computer monitor? Computer monitors and displays may be an under-emphasized important piece of tech that any serious photographer should invest in.

Color is one of the most crucial aspects of your identity as a photographer and your attention to how colors affect your work may define very well define it. Which is why investing on a good computer display is quite crucial especially for professionals who aim to establish consistency in the quality of their output. 

The ProArt Line

Asus is very well known for their consistently innovative developments in laptops, PCs, and peripherals. In the past few years, Asus has really been developing distinct product lines geared towards specific types of consumers and their workflows. The Asus ProArt devices are made specifically for color accuracy, amazing work-ergonomics, and efficiency in multi-tasking.  The ProArt series consists of PC motherboards, dedicated all-in-one PC setups, professional-grade laptops, and a wide variety of professional displays. In this article, we take a look at their most budget-friendly and space-efficient display, the Asus ProArt PA248QV. 

Build and Design

The PA248QV is the smallest display in the ProArt Professional monitor line which comes in at 24.1 inches in a 16:10 aspect ratio. It features an almost bezel-less panel on both sides and on top while the bottom bezel serves as a platform for easy access to the onboard menu. The rim of the bottom bezel is also lined with measurement markings that serve as a ruler for previewing actual sizes of output to be made in print. 

The display features a sleek brushed metal stand that allows for a 90-degree swivel to both sides. The panel height is adjustable between 0 to 130mm (height of the gap between the bottom bezel and the stand) as well as a 35-degree tilt up and a 5-degree tilt down. For added customizability, it can also rotate 90 degrees to the side to achieve a vertical orientation (to be set in the computer’s settings.) Alternatively, the entire panel is also wall-mountable with VESA compatibility. 

Connectivity

From Asus.com

The rear panel features an array of ports for optimal connectivity. At the bottom is a Display Port, an HDMI port, a D-sub port, 3.5mm audio in and out ports, and two USB 3.0 ports. Another pair of USB 3.0 ports can be found on the side making it a handy USB hub. Installed on-board is also a speaker for instant audio, however not remarkably powerful. As a personal preference, it would have been more handy if it had a second HDMI ports for easy switching between sources if needed. 

Resolution and Perception

The Asus ProArt PA248QV packs a 1920×1200 Frameless IPS display optimized with a matte anti-glare surface for a better viewing experience. A resolution of 1920×1200 may seem a bit underwhelming considering the availability of 4K and 5K displays however considering the compact size of the display altogether, the resolution makes perfect sense because of perception. Generally, displays of bigger sizes justify and perfectly resolve details at 4K, however, such high resolution in smaller display sizes would mean too much pixel density and consequently, a waste of resolution. Details that fine in a relatively smaller display at full-screen view would generally be too small to be perceived. Personally, it seems to be a great idea to have released a professional-grade monitor with this size and resolution which ultimately made a cost-efficient option for professionals on a budget. 

Color Accuracy

The most crucial aspect of a professional-grade monitor apart from resolution would be color accuracy. For any kind of workflow for any digital creative, an accurate preview of your work is what the monitor should present to you. Whether producing something for a physical print, or for digital media screens, making sure that every tone is rendered exactly the way you intend it to be can make or break your final output. The ProArt 248QV is quite the cost-efficient option for such a need. 

From www.Asus.com

The ProArt 248QV promises to render 100% of the sRGB color space and 100% of Rec. 709 color gamut for accurate color output preview whether for editing stills or movies for virtually any media output. Each monitor goes through a tedious pre-calibration process before they are packed individually in the factory and comes with their individual calibration report.

Calman verification is a guarantee on each piece of this monitor that they can deliver a high standard of color accuracy graded at ΔE of <2 pertaining to the variability of color display. It’s important to note though that just like any other monitor, this monitor has to be calibrated by the user at the specific spot and lighting condition wherein the display will be used. In the simplest sense, monitor calibration adjusts the color rendering to match the specific lighting conditions that would affect the user’s perception of the display’s output and is ultimately a very individualized process if done meticulously. It is, however, notable that variation from out-of-box and post-calibration was very minimal. For non-color-intensive work or for browsing and watching media, it also offers a blue light filter available in 4 different degrees to reduce the user’s eye strain. 

Conclusion

The Asus ProArt PA248QV is a convenient option for a number of reasons. It is a professional-grade monitor based on resolution and color accuracy while at the same time is a cost-effective and ergonomic solution for individual creatives who may choose a relatively smaller display due to budget or space constraints. The entire setup takes minimal space even on a small desk which makes it a viable choice for a home workstation as well. The various adjustment options in height, swivel, and tilt allow for additional comfort of use. The resolution, color, comfort, and connectivity all considered, this consumer-sized professional-grade monitor appears to be an affordable choice for any photographer, filmmaker, designer, graphic artist, or any digital creative for that matter. 

What I Liked: 

• Good resolution
• Great color accuracy
• Adjustability for comfort
• Affordable price (199 USD)

What Can Be Improved:

• Only one HDMI Port
• No USB-C ports
• Low volume speakers