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Overall
The Lenovo P27U offers seamless USB-C connectivity along with a prosumer-grade IPS panel that is calibrated for color critical work. The product’s Thinkvision branding implements a strictly functional display that sets aside a lot of the gaudy or agressive aesthetics the market is selling. The Lenovo P27U provides tremendous value at its current selling price, but can if fulfill all of the promises made by the company’s advertising?
Lenovo P27U Specifications
- Screen Size: 27Inches
- Resolution:3840 x 2160 4K UHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 6ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 350 cd/m²
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB-C x 1, , USB 3.0 x 4, 5mm Jack
- Dimensions with Stand(WxHxD): 24.08” x 88” x 10.62″
- Weight: 15.32 lbs
Design and Features
The Lenovo P27U sports the brand’s Thinkvision aesthetic that comprises a no-frills design that’s always been great for business applications. The chassis has a sleek, matte black finish that’s resistant to scratches and stains, ensuring that the monitor’s good looks will outlive your other gadgets. The monitor is bezel-free on three sides, giving users a maximized view of the 4K screen.
Build quality is pretty solid, which again, is distinct to Lenovo’s Thinkvision products such as its laptops. The monitor’s seams are perfectly matched, and there is no sign of manufacturing defects on the device. The monitor doesn’t weigh a lot at 15lbs, but it doesn’t feel cheap or fragile if you have it in your hands.
What we love about the Lenovo P27U is its modest proportion which isn’t limited to making the model look good. Placement and setup are easy as peas, especially if you want to use VESA mounts since the rear bulge isn’t too overbearing. The circular base eats up almost eleven inches of depth, but it’s thin and flat enough to not cause an obstruction on your desk.
The only thing that we consider a bit backward is the Lenovo P27U’s use of OSD buttons. The layout is easy to access since its located at the right of the bottom bezel, but having to use them in the dark can be a challenge. At least, each button is responsive enough when pressed, so the degree of difficulty minimizes once you get used to them.
The Lenovo P27U includes a fully-adjustable stand, unlike its predecessors which did not succeed too much in the retail market. The mechanism includes lift, tilt, swivel, and pivot for convenience. You can also opt for a VESA mount as mentioned, but that’s an added cost and you will lose the cable hook at the rear of the upright.
However, the latter isn’t needed especially since the Lenovo P27U supports single cable operation. The layout includes a standard DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0 slots, but what stands out is its USB-C connector for the latest host devices such as MacBook Pros. You don’t get speakers with this model, but that’s a minor inconvenience since built-ins don’t sound decent most of the time.
Display and Performance
The Lenovo P27U sports a 27-inch IPS panel with 3840 x 2160 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and a 4ms response time. It’s supported by a 350 cd/m WLED backlight and is rated to have a 1000:1 contrast ratio like most IPS panels without extra treatment. The monitor is geared towards professional use such as editing, but its also a great medium for casual play.
27-inch 4K monitors offer extreme detail which isn’t comparable to Retina displays, but its one of the choices you can get that is close enough. Images appear considerably sharper so some might require scaling, especially when processing documents or volumes of text. On the other hand, it is fantastic for games and movies since pixelized edges are nowhere near in sight.
The Lenovo P27U posts impressive color coverage in both sRGB and Adobe RGB with 99.9% volume respectively. Color accuracy needs the touch of a colorimeter since DeltaE reached a very high 4.10, but you can bring it down to an excellent Delta E 1.7. Color temperature doesn’t change much, but it’s biased towards a cooler hue compared to the warmth of most sRGB-calibrated screens.
The screen’s gamma is slightly too high at 2.25 which results in some grayscale errors. Contrast at default is acceptable at 950:1, but it receives a slight boost once calibrated to 1050:1. Unfortunately, the grayish-black rendering which is common with IPS panels is still apparent with this model, especially in the dark.
Uniformity for the Lenovo P27U is middling at best due to some inconsistencies in the upper quadrants and the lower right corner. Backlight deviance did not go above 12%, but its concentrated towards the aforementioned corner. Color uniformity is within Delta E 2.6 for the screen, so there are no noticeable over or under saturation at a glance.
Motion handling by the Lenovo P27U is at a superb level since blurs aren’t noticeable in moderate play. The monitor comes equipped with an overdrive feature which boosts the pixels, but the levels add varying amounts of overshoot. We recommend taking a pick over leaving turned off or upping it up a notch since the maximum level induces a lot of advanced ghosting.
The Lenovo P27U doesn’t have adaptive sync features like FreeSync so you are left to deal with dipping frames and the resulting image flaws. We recommend optimizing your graphics settings to balance out the framerate which will, in turn, avoid tearing. What’s great about this model, however, is its low input lag of only 8ms so there will be no delays between your inputs and the display.
Thoughts on the Lenovo P27U
The Lenovo P27U provides nice strong points such as a problem-free USB-C connection compared to other models. The factory-calibrated screen is a bit off, but calibration with a colorimeter is very rewarding for those who require improved accuracy. This model isn’t for gaming, but its connectivity features and the low input lag makes it a central display solution for various devices.
We have mixed feelings over the Lenovo P27U which we highly recommend if you need a USB-C monitor which can function as a dock for laptops like MacBook Pros. We love its robust and industrial design, but it leaves something to be desired in the imaging department. It’s a decent product if you want a hassle-free USB-C connection and setup, but cheaper options like the LG 27UK850 has an advantage where it matters the most.