Anyone using those ~$350 27" 2560x1440 S-IPS screens with their Macbook Air?

The problem with those panels is that if you get bad pixels, just to ship back is so costly that it won't make that much sense to be honest...
I don't do that much design work, so I'm using 27" TN panel that I got awfully cheap...

I have one en route. Should arrive by Monday. I'll report back, but yes, feedback has been very positive.

Here's an all encompassing thread detailing the experience of MANY who've went the Korean route.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1215866/...z-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/4120

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5885/the-achieva-shimian-qh270-a-350-27inch-wqhd-sips-display

Don't forget to factor in the pricey $65 Dual-Link DVI adapter though.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=6904&seq=1&format=2

If you have a Microcenter nearby they're selling the Korean 27"s at a reasonable markup. That way you have an easy return in case of any problem.

Here's one: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0384780

Philflow said:

I think the version with HDMI input should work without the pricey adapter.

In Europe these dual link adapters costs about ~100 eur. So buying the monitor with HDMI should be cheaper.

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You would be limited to only 1920x1200 through HDMI though.

Philflow said:

Really? HDMI 1.3 supports 2560×1600
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

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Yeah but do Apple have the rights to implement it?

Philflow said:

Really? HDMI 1.3 supports 2560×1600
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

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Yes but the way apple has HDMI implement currently there isn't anyway to get anything higher then 1920x1200. Also since we are talking about Macbook Air's you would have to use a mini displayport to HDMI adapter which are limited to that resolution, are two similar but different technologies. There are a lot of factors as to why it is limited.

Besides we are just talking about these monitors with the Macbook Air specifically which will be limited to 1920x1200. Just look at the Mac Mini and the new rMBP the HDMI ports on them are also limited to that resolution. If they are then I can bet that the MBA would be to.

Philflow said:

Interesting. How do you know this?

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Experience and some research. If you can get HDMI to work with 1440p let me know.

Not the ringing endorsement I had hoped to give

Ok. Well... Having had a 2011 27'' iMac and being somewhat color conscious as an amateur photographer I can say that with the exception of the bezel, the PQ is pretty damn solid. The colors and rich and images sharp

BUT...

I rolled the dice and went for the tempered glass version - which the sellers warn run the risk of shipping with dust behind the glass.

Well, there wasn't any dust.

BUT...

There is what looks like a god damn crumb of Styrofoam about a centimeter off the bottom edge on the right corner... behind the glass. F Me.

AND...

If you jack the brightness up and toss on a pure black image you'll definitely notice some bleed in the corners. You'll see it clearly in the image below but it's being grossly exacerbated by the camera sensor.

BUT...

for $360 (Monitor plus Dual-link DVI from Monoprice) I'm still satisfied. Very satisfied.

very interesting. this is the first time i've heard about this monitor. i'm definitely picking one up soon!

How shoddily are those things being put together if the seller themselves warn of dust in the screen? I do wonder about their longevity.

I am still considering whether to pull the trigger or not. Basically, these cheaper Korean brands (Shimian, Yamakasi, Achieva, CrossOver) all run the LG IPS panels which Apple uses for their Cinema screens.

There multiple variations of each brand (some more than others) and comes with different options (built-in speakers, HDMI stero, tempered glass, etc).

Unfortunately, one of the biggest drawbacks is their main use of DL-DVI. If you search MBA or MBP with any of these monitors, you'll find a few articles stating u need certain DL-DVI, Thunderbolt, MiniDisplay hardware to make it work.

You can't find any other monitor of that size with that sort of resolution w/o spending a fortune.

As long as you take the $60+ USB/MDP adapter into consideration when purchasing, you shouldn't be disappointed. It's simply not plausible to get the max resolution (with a MBA) w/o one of those "pricey" adapters.

If you want a similar monitor for more money and one that doesn't require one of those adapters, you left with an option such as this one which has a DP connection:
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0384780

I bought the Shimian in April and it has been well worth it. I'm still really impressed with it. I wouldn't buy the tempered glass version though because it's just one more thing to potentially have a problem. The monitor worked perfectly with my 08 MBP but I didn't need any adapters for it. I plan to pickup an Air next week when I get back from vacation so I can't speak about that, but like others said you would need the DL-DVI adapter and not HDMI.

Being a gamer, I'm glad most of these monitors are pretty bare bones without a scaler and OSD, but having only one output is a nuisance sometimes. The only problems mine has are 1 stuck pixel in the upper left I never notice, a slight tilt to the left which was corrected by a folded piece of paper, and it does buzz at full brightness on huge white images/websites (doesn't bother me since I always have music or a fan going). Despite this, I think it's a great value for the money and I'd order another one in a heartbeat.

Surprised there isn't more talk about these on here. My buddy just informed me on these and he bought two of these from Green-Sum. They come with HDMI, speakers and US power plug since all the cheaper ones only have the Korean plug on them.

I can't wait to check them out. I'd love two of them myself to replace my dual 23" ACDs.

Does anyone know if they are glossy or matte?

I purchased this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/23077444612...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_9921wt_936

It arrived in 3 days! I'm extremely pleased with the screen quality and build. Many people have complained about the stand, but I see nothing wrong with it as it does what it is supposed to. Although I ordered the perfect pixel version, there were still a good amount of dead pixels (10-20). However, the pixels are so small that they are almost impossible to see. Had I known that the advertised "perfect pixel" ones also come with dead pixels, I would have just bought the normal version and saved some money. Per the seller's policy, I'm going to try to get a partial refund for the monitor due to the # of bad pixels. Here is a link comparing the different versions of these displays:

http://www.swiftworld.net/2012/04/1...omparison-of-the-different-brands-and-models/

I know this is a MBA thread, but if anyone could shed some light on a MBP/27" IPS issue I am having (details here), I would greatly appreciate it. Perhaps it would help others as well.

*** Updated with the solution at the link above.

Does the mid 2012 macbook air integrated GPU have enough power to drive the monitor? :/

RepusJonathan said:

Does the mid 2012 macbook air integrated GPU have enough power to drive the monitor? :/

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It should be able to run it. I can't speak from experience how well it runs (I have a 1080p monitor, not 1440p), but it definitely is capable.