Iiyama H1900
The H1900 surprised us several times. Iiyama had first introduced it to us on paper last April. At the time, the available information was that it was a PVA 8ms monitor and that it would cost about 659€. Now that the monitor is about to be released, this information has been considerably modified. The panel is a Fujitsu and, above all, Iiyama says on their website that it would cost …900 € before VAT ! If that is indeed the case, it would cost about 1,100€ VAT included. For this price it had better be good!
As regard Fujitsu, it is surprising to see this manufacturer at this level. We remind you that we reported in February the sale of their panel LCD activity to Sharp. We have to believe that there is still an agreement that allows them to sell their products.
Ergonomics
Inevitably the price of the monitors goes along with exceptional ergonomics. Pivot mode, vertically adjustable, 2 DVI inputs (to clone the monitor on a second identical monitor or to build a wall of pictures).
The analog input included is removable and can be changed into RCA and S-Video inputs.
There is also a four ports USB Hub and the monitor’s adjustments are no longer made from controls in front of the monitor but from Windows, with a software that is easier to use. However, it lacks a sensor to automatically adjust parameters according to ambient brightness. The Nec LCD 1980FXi, its direct competitor includes one…
Color quality
Now each time, we carry out a first test to evaluate the monitor’s initial parameters. As our tool is still at the beta stage, this test doesn’t always work. With this monitor, we obtained the standard monitor gamut, but not the DeltaE. This failure is less disturbing than with other monitors as we can imagine that someone who spent 900 € before VAT will probably calibrate its monitor.
Here are some results after a couple of adjustments:
How to interpret the graphOn the left is the gamut this is the monitor colorimetric range compared to the sRGB range (the one usually used for digital cameras). This doesn’t correspond to its accuracy, but to the range of reproducible colors.
For accuracy, you have to refer to the right graph, the DeltaE. This is a measure between the color requested and the one really displayed on the monitor. The result obtained is also counter-balanced by human color sensitivity.
With Delta E > 3 the desired color is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
With 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. With Delta E < 1, the result is perfect.
It is fortunately very good. However if the average DeltaE is very low, this result is still a little disappointing. This very high-end monitor gamut isn’t better than standard LCDs. We had hoped that Iiyama or Fujitsu would have given us more for our money and replaced the backlight, for example, to extend the addressable colorimetric space.
This result is excellent but not better than other MVA, 8ms monitors 2 to 3 times cheaper. Even worse, it is barely better than the Samsung TN 8 ms panel included in the Iiyama E480S.
Viewing angles
After very good (but not perfect) colorimetric results, we found out that this panel’s viewing angles were lower than usual. The image is still perfectly visible from a wide angle, but colors are only perfect (this is very important for a graphic designer monitor) up to 40°. Beyond 20° on each side, colors tend to grow pale. Sony, who also used a new Fujitsu panel, has added efficient filters to open up viewing angles.
Once again, we can also assume that this monitor will be used with a hood and that the viewing angles won’t matter…hum…
Interpolation
The H1900 resolution can go up to 1600 x 1200 pixels. What? Is this monitor capable of changing its resolution, is it the one that will finally correctly resize images and texts?
No
At 1600 results are very blurred. It is a little less blurred at 1024.
It isn’t better than usual.
Video games, DVD films and HD
The Iiyama website gives the highest grade to this monitor for DTP, CAD and office uses (8 / 8). The Japanese manufacturer is less enthusiastic for games and gives itself a grade of only 4/8. It is quite surprising for a VA 8ms monitor and not a very good sign for the results of our tests.
Well, in the end, this grade was still quite generous. This monitor isn’t introduced by Iiyama as gifted for games and they are right. We advise you to only work with it.
There is however, one good small point in favor of Iiyama: despite different characteristics, the H1900 and Sony SDM-HS95P panels are both 8 ms G2G produced by Fujitsu. Results are indeed quite close but a little bit better for Iiyama. It is probably due to better electronic components.
For movies, just like the Sony flat monitor, this one features twinkling effects in color scales. Colors are vivid but are ruined by the color scale imperfections. Once again: this is not a monitor for games or videos!
Verdict
Iiyama insisted on this point: despite a fast reaction time this monitor hasn’t been designed for games but for picture editing and graphic design. And they are perfectly right. Its ergonomics are excellent, and its color quality is excellent (amongst the best). But the problem is that it isn’t the best. This monitor’s price would be justified if it actually was the best. Six months ago this positioning would have been justified. For the last six months, however TN panels have improved, AU Optronics which has been building its panels since March 2003 based on the 180 patents from … Fujitsu, is now better than the master and Samsung is about to release its own 8ms PVA panels. This is a cutthroat market and we feel that the monitor price positioning isn’t clearly justified. Even if it makes Iiyama unhappy, they should divide it by two.
Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here! 
