What They Say
ViewSonic has two new monitors that are VP2768a-4K (27″ UltraHD) and VP3268a-4K (32″ UltraHD) cover 100% sRGB, guarantee Pantone-validated color fidelity and have calibration with a Delta E <2 value and hardware calibration is supported. The AH-IPS monitors have integrated USB hubs and RJ45 gigabit ethernet connections as well as 90W charging.
According to Viewsonic, the two displays of the VP68a-4K series are equipped with the world’s first, TÜV-Süd-tested mode for people with color impairment.
The Viewsonic VP2768a-4K will be available from specialist retailers from September for €799 (including VAT). The VP3268a-4K will be available from October for € 1,149.
What We Think
We published an earlier announcement of a partnership between ViewSonic and TÜV SÜD to work on this topic (ViewSonic Partners with TÜV SÜD to Develop the Testing of a Colour Blindness Feature in Monitors). ViewSonic claims that its algorithm can improve the ability to successfully identify color differences from 70-75% (on average) to 90% for subjects with colour vision deficiency (CVD). As well as correcting for those with CVD, the software can be used to allow graphic designers to see how content would be seen by those with CVD and adjust accordingly.
I can see that this software is very useful to help designers make allowances for the significant percentage of the (mostly male) population that has CVD. I suffer from this and it drives me mad when graphic designers rely on colours that can’t be easily distinguished. However, I can’t imagine that I would apply for a job that needed accurate colour perception. I think I may have to get a ViewSonic monitor in to test. As for the TÜV SÜD certification, it can add a veneer of respectability to claims, but sometimes what is being tested is not very clear and I tend to discount most of the less well-known marks (although the TÜV GS mark on a product has swayed me towards it rather than one without in the past). (BR)
(postscript – I was looking back through my archive of Display Monitors on another topic and came across an article from CeBit in 2006 that mentioned that Eizo had included a kind of function to help those with poor colour vision in a monitor at that time!)
