Eizo ColorEdge CG275W review

Few consumers would contemplate splashing out £2,000 on a monitor, but such a price tag can be entirely justified for industries that demand colour accuracy. The latest addition is the ColorEdge CG275W, a 27in monitor with a nifty trick up its sleeve: a built-in colorimeter for automatic colour calibration.

Still, it would be easy to wonder why the CG275W costs almost £500 more than Eizo’s FlexScan SX2762W. Both have the same monolithic, matte-black physique and both tilt, swivel and spin around on a stand with 152mm of height adjustment. The rear panel shows no obvious differences, with the same selection of dual-link DVI, DisplayPort and mini-DisplayPort inputs alongside a two-port USB hub. The only obvious extra in the CG275W's box is the inclusion of a monitor hood.

Looks aren’t everything. While they technically use the same model of H-IPS panel, with the same massive 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, the ColorEdge CG275W's panel is handpicked to ensure the best possible quality. The other difference is the warranty: Eizo guarantees the ability of its ColorEdge range to retain colour-accurate performance for 10,000 hours or five years of use, whichever comes first.

But the real appeal lies in that colorimeter. As the monitor beams into life, a little panel flicks open along the lower bezel, and a small black arm swivels out in front of the screen. This discreet appendage contains a Konica Minolta colorimeter, which allows the CG275W to automatically calibrate itself.

It’s a brilliant idea. Unlike third-party colorimeters that require you to regularly calibrate a monitor to maintain consistent colour accuracy, and to do so on every computer you intend to use with the monitor, the Eizo is hassle-free. Choose a target white point, brightness level and gamma curve, then pick a suitable day and time – preferably when you know the monitor won’t be in use – and the CG275W calibrates itself monthly, independent of any attached PC.