Catleap Q270 LED + Ergotron MX Arm

[Kosta 122]

For anyone in the market for a new monitor, I wanted to show something that is really incredible.

 

Let's start with a pic:

 

This is an IPS monitor with the panel quality of an Apple Cinema Display and Dell U2711 (same panel, just not A+) for not more than 300€.

 

 

Technical specs:

 

The monitor is a pure awesomeness. I don't know how else to describe it. Space encore, very easy on my eyes, since there is no AG-coating, it's VERY sharp. It's a glossy display, so make sure you have no window behind you. That's one downside.

 

Another is the stand: it's bad as they can only get. Imagine basically a great picture with the crappiest plastic stand ever, it's wobbly, it's hard to move... ugh.

But: considering that you can find stands for 10€ which are quite stable and just screw them in, I don't think that's a huge deal breaker.

 

Now, this monitor has a great picture quality - it is a A- graded panel, which is good for everything except hardcore photography. Mine came with a slight defect - I call it slight because I only noticed it with a monitor test program. Normal use, whatever the picture I gave it, I didn't see it. I would call it a color smudge, but reeeeeeeally have to look for it. I bet most screens have some sort of defect, even those 700€ U2711s (I remember reading about yellow tint, backlight bleed etc). Camera can't pick it up.

 

Another thing is a pixel thing: in Korea, where this monitor is from, there is a 5 stuck/dead pixel tolerance. Meaning the monitor can have up to 5 stuck pixels and does not have to be replaced. Now, the sellers in Ebay give you a possibility to buy a "perfect pixel guarantee", which guarantees you won't get stuck pixels. Probability of dead pixels is also very very small. And in the end, there is one seller - bigclothcraft, who offers to check the monitor prior to shipping for defects (serious backlight bleeding, defects on the panel, dead pixels and tells you he won't send a defective product...).

 

I ordered from him and I got a perfect product.

 

There is one big downside though, and that cause me quite a bit aggrevation:

Monitor stand removal. You can't remove it without completely opening the monitor up. You have to remove the bezel, unscrew, disconnect and remove the panel, just to come to inner screws that remove the backside arch, under which the holes for VESA mounts are found.

 

Summarized:

 

Downsides:

Bad stand.

Cheap plastic.

Hard to remove stand/arch.

Somewhat risky with warranty since you have to send it back if it dies at your own costs.

No OSD (either manually change via driver or get a colorimeter, like I did)

 

Upsides:

Excellent panel quality + great picture.

Price - 27incher IPS with 2560pixels for 300€!

Shortest delivery EVER (2-3 days from Korea to Austria, including customs), included in price

Gamer-friendly - no 27incher out there has really such low response time and such low input lag (I think someone measured about 10ms was it?, not sure)

No AG-coating (not sure if upside, as this is for you to decide, but for me definitely an upside)

 

Since it was this cheap, I had some budget left over to buy some accessories. I always wanted a good monitor arm, so I decided to get one of the best: Ergotron MX, basically can hold anything up to 30inches, and quite heavy too.

Also got a colorimeter, which I can use also for my 2nd screen and my laptop - datacolor Spyder4Pro.

 

All in all, about 500€ investment, while a Dell or HP with the same panel quality cost from 600€ up... (maybe you won't get that mini-unvisible smudge and you can replace it if you have a dead pixel).

 

That all said, I love my Catleap, and if I had to do it all over again - gladly. I am sold.

 

Btw. there are more versions of this screen, including a 120Hz version sold at 120hz.net.

 

Some pics for your enjoyment:

 

Links:

http://www.overclock...ap-monitor-club

http://www.120hz.net...si-Catleap-Club

Ebay Link1

Ebay Link2 Perfect Pixel

[Ben Cap 89]

Stunning display. Can I borrow it... forever? LOL

 

I am running a 3 year old 23inch Acer. This thing makes mine look like crap. haha

[Kosta 122]

Hahahahah! ROFL :LMAO:

 

Nah, I think I'll keep it!

[TechguyMaxC 516]

I have 3 monitors that use the same panel but are a different brand, also swapped the stand out for a better quality unit purchased off of Monoprice. Monitors are EQD 276W models, purchased at Micro Center for $399 each. Also, they have working OSD controls, unlike the super cheap Korean monitors such as this Catleap. Troubleshooting an NV Surround issue right now where the graphics card driver doesn't like one of the monitor's EDID info and forces a lower resolution (5040x1050 instead of 7680x1440).

[Kosta 122]

399 is a cool price if it involves OSD. I would swap a PCB anytime if it had OSD. I could probably run any DELL/HP PCB with this screen if needed be.

[AliB 0]

That looks totally awesome Word Not Allowed, I want one, NOW!!

 

Good housekeeping too, you have a maid keeping the "PC sanctum" clean?

 

:Thinking:

[Kosta 122]

Yeah, the maid in me :LMAO:

 

Thx.

[ferdaisy@yahoo.com 0]

amazing Word Not Allowed fsx must looks exellent@2560x1440 plenty pf detail my friend regards feeer

 

[Kosta 122]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeees......just one the last flight, was landing in Ibiza, I was virtually baaaaaaaaaaaaaam from the detail. It was simply amazing. Man, the yoke, the throttle and this monitor... wow. I think the whole hardware thing is way underestimated. Each time I get something new or better, I feel my landings improving and my situational awareness way better. I had a way better feeling of flaring with this monitor than with my old 1920 24incher. I bet the thing would be even more different with the beamer... maybe in the future :)

[Dash8Q4 4]

I was just about to start a new thread asking for feedback on this display but i tjink thats unnecessary since i found this one. Now all i need is the deal to go thru with the sale of my two asus 23.6" and order me one of these tomorrow.

So Word Not Allowed, you think this display is absolutely awesome for fsx? And am i ok with my current hardware? Also did you overclock it to 100hz? I read they can be overclocked to 120hz + but with the gtx 580 only up to 100hz...

Thanks

 

 

Alejandro C.

[Kosta 122]

You gotta make sure you get the one with the 2B board. Only those are going to overclock. Mine doesn't - I didn't really care much for the 100Hz, so I got a normal one, 60Hz.

120hz.net is selling 2Bs, there is a heap of info there, also there are 2B "Multi" ones sold on Ebay, but be aware that a Multi display could cause higher input lag and/or pixel response.

 

EDIT: And btw. there are supposedly 2B boards coming out in a month or a bit later. If they come, I might get one.

[Chase 303]

Nice set up!

[drumsonly2002 3]

Seriously thinking of pulling the trigger on this. Will 2 x GTX 580's run 3 of those Q-270's? The rez is high and the cards may bog. Any information welcomed.

[Dash8Q4 4]

Yea Word Not Allowed, how is fsx with your tweaks + as2012 and the gtx 580 on it? Im going to do a bit of reading today and order one from bcc. Then set up my sim again. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2

[Kosta 122]

Seriously thinking of pulling the trigger on this. Will 2 x GTX 580's run 3 of those Q-270's? The rez is high and the cards may bog. Any information welcomed.

 

Uhh, very hard to know - be prepared for a quite a low performance. Such high resolution is going to kill the cards - the best thing for FSX is one screen, even on 2560 I don't have fluid 30fps in NGX... and performance dropped coming from 1920. Also take into consideration that FSX doesn't use SLI optimally. But I never really owned 3 screens, so I can't say. This is only from what I heard - if you ask Ben Cap, he had 3 screens, and was happy to go back to one, if I am not mistaken.

 

Yea Word Not Allowed, how is fsx with your tweaks + as2012 and the gtx 580 on it? Im going to do a bit of reading today and order one from bcc. Then set up my sim again. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2

 

It's quite good. Performance dropped as I said, some 15%, but that isn't much considering that ran 28fps at Heathrow with NGX on the runway, and now running 25 or about. Not really that big of a difference, considering the sheer size of the screen and the color quality.

 

If you order from BCC, be sure to send him a greet from me, and tell him he better make sure it's a good screen :)