Viewsonic XG270 with 'PureXP" MBR [pre-tuned by Blur Busters!]

[DanniWantsAMonitor]

Hi, I'm looking to upgrade from a ViewSonic VX2739 which I've had for about 7 or so years. I'm currently eyeing the XG270 because the features sound nice and I'm not really interested in going higher than 1080p. In the past I believe I've only ever had TN panels so this is likely going to be my first IPS.

I'd been curious about high refresh rate and G-Sync for a while now so I impulse bought one of the featured monitors on Amazon, the ASUS VG278QR. I ended up not liking the monitor and I ultimately returned it for two reasons:

1. Viewing angles and color accuracy worse than my old monitor. Whites and grays discolored in ways I didn't even know were possible on a TN panel!
2. Dark room viewing experience was severely marred by a big cloud in the center of the display. I would later find out that the monitor came with a giant dent in the screen! Not good. Thankfully I got a full refund.

It's not all a loss though. I found that I quite like 120hz for desktop use - it's smoother and reduces jitter in 60hz content, and G-Sync works really well to smooth out framerate transitions. I also played around with BFI at 120hz and I really liked the blur reduction although it really ate away at the colors.

So now I'm trying again and hoping that I will have better luck with the XG270. It certainly looks good on paper! Ideally the IPS panel should have better colors and a non-smashed screen. I do have a few questions though:

1. I've read about IPS glow and I'm a bit concerned about how it might affect dark room viewing. I know I shouldn't be using over-exposed photos to judge how it will look in person but this still bites at me. I did see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlOliiiwi8 which has given me a few ideas on how to reduce the effect at least. I use my current monitor on the lowest backlight brightness setting (Eco Mode set to "Conserve"). My room isn't totally dark but still pretty dim. Now, the XG270 does come with RGB lighting. I thought this was silly at first but then I realized that it might actually help here. So for those who already own this monitor, does the back RGB lighting help mask the IPS glow at all?
2. Upgradeable firmware is very cool but only useful if I can upgrade it with my current setup. Is the USB firmware upgrade OS-independent? I run Linux on my main computer so I can't use Windows utilities for this purpose. However, I could boot my laptop to Windows to do this, so it's not a dealbreaker (I already do this to customize my mouse).

I can't really get this monitor yet as nVidia's G-Sync monitor database lists compatibility as needing driver "441.41 or newer" whereas the latest Linux driver is 440.44 (at this time of writing). I'm also waiting for the RTINGS review to come out as well. Hopefully we'll see in a month or so!

[ELK]

Hi, I'm looking to upgrade from a ViewSonic VX2739 which I've had for about 7 or so years. I'm currently eyeing the XG270 because the features sound nice and I'm not really interested in going higher than 1080p. In the past I believe I've only ever had TN panels so this is likely going to be my first IPS.

I'd been curious about high refresh rate and G-Sync for a while now so I impulse bought one of the featured monitors on Amazon, the ASUS VG278QR. I ended up not liking the monitor and I ultimately returned it for two reasons:

1. Viewing angles and color accuracy worse than my old monitor. Whites and grays discolored in ways I didn't even know were possible on a TN panel!
2. Dark room viewing experience was severely marred by a big cloud in the center of the display. I would later find out that the monitor came with a giant dent in the screen! Not good. Thankfully I got a full refund.

It's not all a loss though. I found that I quite like 120hz for desktop use - it's smoother and reduces jitter in 60hz content, and G-Sync works really well to smooth out framerate transitions. I also played around with BFI at 120hz and I really liked the blur reduction although it really ate away at the colors.

So now I'm trying again and hoping that I will have better luck with the XG270. It certainly looks good on paper! Ideally the IPS panel should have better colors and a non-smashed screen. I do have a few questions though:

1. I've read about IPS glow and I'm a bit concerned about how it might affect dark room viewing. I know I shouldn't be using over-exposed photos to judge how it will look in person but this still bites at me. I did see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlOliiiwi8 which has given me a few ideas on how to reduce the effect at least. I use my current monitor on the lowest backlight brightness setting (Eco Mode set to "Conserve"). My room isn't totally dark but still pretty dim. Now, the XG270 does come with RGB lighting. I thought this was silly at first but then I realized that it might actually help here. So for those who already own this monitor, does the back RGB lighting help mask the IPS glow at all?
2. Upgradeable firmware is very cool but only useful if I can upgrade it with my current setup. Is the USB firmware upgrade OS-independent? I run Linux on my main computer so I can't use Windows utilities for this purpose. However, I could boot my laptop to Windows to do this, so it's not a dealbreaker (I already do this to customize my mouse).

I can't really get this monitor yet as nVidia's G-Sync monitor database lists compatibility as needing driver "441.41 or newer" whereas the latest Linux driver is 440.44 (at this time of writing). I'm also waiting for the RTINGS review to come out as well. Hopefully we'll see in a month or so!

1. I haven't tested the RBG as ambient lighting because I always have a lamp on behind my monitor. Keeping that in mind it's only a problem in dark scenes for me. I never turn the lamp off so I don't know how much it is helping. It does however help with eye strain. I suppose I could test it for you if nobody else does.
2. Yeah it's OS-independent. Download data -> put on usb -> unplug usb to put usb into monitor (at this point it's completely separate from OS) The new firmware isn't out yet btw.

You're in for a treat if this is your first IPS. The colors on an IPS are WAY better. Even though it's the same 8 bpc RGB signal there are colors that TN panels simply can not make. IPS also have amazing viewing angles. No matter what angle I look at the colors look the same although it gets darker at extreme angles.

I'm not going to guarantee it will work for you, but I'm on driver version 440.97 on windows and gsync works for me. Earlier in this thread people have had issues with black frames (maybe performance too?) and were hoping for a driver update. I suppose it's just connecting as a generic variable refresh rate display before driver 441.41.

[Wulfgar]

Does anyone knows if Viewsonic is planning 24-25 inch version of this monitor? Friend of a friend brought one to Poland, monitor is superb, but 1080p looks bad if you keep the screen on desk close (like I usually do). He keeps it on the wall, so he is very happy.

[AddictFPS]

A possible way to mix VRR with PureXP+ on this monitor

Set monitor at 100Hz, where are low crosstalk, and enable GSync-Compatible with VSync ON

Update monitor firmware to add a monitor setting where only apply PureXP+ 100Hz strobe if detects rock solid 100FPS signal. This is technically possible ?

If Viewsonic engineers can make it:

1) Below 100FPS we could use VESA-VRR whit a bit of motion blur (Dinamic OD 128 levels can help here), but no tearing (VSync OFF) and no double images and lag (VSync ON)
2) If we can maintain 100FPS, the magic appears

[Kaykay]

Is the new firmware already available? I have downloaded the Elite Display Controller but there is no option to update the firmware.

[AddictFPS]

Chief, would be amazing if you could share high quality full screen photos very good focused of Testufo Crosstalk Test at 100FPS/Hz to see PureXP+ levels, all people that we are interested on buy this monitor we want see the new firmware in action.

And the aproximate bright levels, with OSD brightness 100%, full screen white, at all PureXP+ levels.

Show us the hidden powers of the FW900 reincarnation

[GammaLyrae]

1. I've read about IPS glow and I'm a bit concerned about how it might affect dark room viewing. I know I shouldn't be using over-exposed photos to judge how it will look in person but this still bites at me. I did see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlOliiiwi8 which has given me a few ideas on how to reduce the effect at least. I use my current monitor on the lowest backlight brightness setting (Eco Mode set to "Conserve"). My room isn't totally dark but still pretty dim. Now, the XG270 does come with RGB lighting. I thought this was silly at first but then I realized that it might actually help here. So for those who already own this monitor, does the back RGB lighting help mask the IPS glow at all?
2. Upgradeable firmware is very cool but only useful if I can upgrade it with my current setup. Is the USB firmware upgrade OS-independent? I run Linux on my main computer so I can't use Windows utilities for this purpose. However, I could boot my laptop to Windows to do this, so it's not a dealbreaker (I already do this to customize my mouse).

I can't really get this monitor yet as nVidia's G-Sync monitor database lists compatibility as needing driver "441.41 or newer" whereas the latest Linux driver is 440.44 (at this time of writing). I'm also waiting for the RTINGS review to come out as well. Hopefully we'll see in a month or so!

It looks like in that video he does a pretty good job of demonstrating what IPS glow is and how to reduce your perception of it. A lot of the tricks I already knew (play in a well lit room, sit as far away from the monitor you can tolerate, light behind the monitor also helps) he goes over and shows practical demonstrations of what happens when you play up close in a darker room.

Chief, would be amazing if you could share high quality full screen photos very good focused of Testufo Crosstalk Test at 100FPS/Hz to see PureXP+ levels, all people that we are interested on buy this monitor we want see the new firmware in action.

And the aproximate bright levels, with OSD brightness 100%, full screen white, at all PureXP+ levels.

Show us the hidden powers of the FW900 reincarnation

It would be nice to see some photos. It looks like RTings will be reviewing the monitor (it's got a healthy lead and they're going to decide on their next purchase in 10 days), but their test methodology is weak in terms of backlight strobing tests as they only photograph one section of the screen which can give a very false perception of the quality of a strobe. I've got to imagine there's only so much you can improve for strobe quality until a "rolling strobe" like VR headsets have becomes a standard feature for desktop sized displays, but if it's got like 90% of the vertical space with no visible crosstalk (or better!), that'd be good to confirm.

[Chief Blur Buster]

Is the new firmware already available? I have downloaded the Elite Display Controller but there is no option to update the firmware.

Not yet. I will ask when. It's already in testing at least several more weeks. They want to be sure that the the easy USB firmware upgrader is reliable & safe.

Elite Display Controller will auto-notify you when the firmware upgrade arrives.

2. Upgradeable firmware is very cool but only useful if I can upgrade it with my current setup. Is the USB firmware upgrade OS-independent? I run Linux on my main computer so I can't use Windows utilities for this purpose. However, I could boot my laptop to Windows to do this, so it's not a dealbreaker (I already do this to customize my mouse).

Windows neeeded. The new firmware will be installed via the Elite Display Controller software. Elite Display Controller will auto-notify you when new firmware is available. Yes, booting windows on a different computer works -- as a one-time step.

Also, at some pont, factory shipments of the monitor will likely have the new firmware preinstalled.

Chief, would be amazing if you could share high quality full screen photos very good focused of Testufo Crosstalk Test at 100FPS/Hz to see PureXP+ levels, all people that we are interested on buy this monitor we want see the new firmware in action.

And the aproximate bright levels, with OSD brightness 100%, full screen white, at all PureXP+ levels.

Show us the hidden powers of the FW900 reincarnation

Let's see what I can do once the firmware upgrade arrives. I've been planning an article when the XG270 firmware upgrade is released. I'd like to do it already, but I kind of want to make sure it's done on the FW upgrade.

until a "rolling strobe" like VR headsets have becomes a standard feature for desktop sized displays

Rolling strobe is very hard to make crosstalk-free too. The law-of-physics problem is light leakage from the ON-section to the OFF-section.

A poorly implemented rolling strobe has much more strobe crosstalk than a well-implemented global-strobe backlight. However, with enough engineering, a good FALD scanning backlight can surpass the quality of a full-strobe backlight,

After all, Blur Busters was born as www.scanningbacklight.com almost a decade ago with the Arduino Scanning Backlight Project...

[rasmas]

Has Viewsonic confirmed the XG270 will come to Europe or is US exclusive?

[Zealot]

Its already available in Europe, I am in Germany and picked mine up 2 weeks ago.