Philips 298P4QJEB – Hardware Review
Monitors nowadays serve different purposes compared to several years ago. Back then monitors had to do all sorts of tasks and deliver a fairly ‘standard’ quality for all of those purposes. Now a lot of people try to determine which factors they deem most important for their ‘computer experience’. Last time we discussed the AOC g2460Pqu which was great for gaming purposes and now we have the chance to discuss the Philips 298P4QJEB, a monitor that might awaken the cinephile inside you.
When taking a first look at the 29” monitor it will immediately stand out compared to other monitors on the market. Not the fact it’s 29” and it has a stylish appearance will make it different but the fact it’s an ultra widescreen. This means it’s a lot ‘lower in height’ when it comes to the screen size but it will give you a feeling that you just bought your very own ‘mini cinema’.
The 298P4QJEB has all its basic features on fairly easy to reach locations. You’ll have a USB hub on your left hand side and all your basic other input features on the bottom of the screen. The ports on the bottom are easy to reach because you can tilt the monitor in ways the AOC G2460Pqu was able to. This is a great extra feature comfort wise.
A fun fact is that the Philips 298P4QJEB has 2 HDMI ports, which is more than most monitors. Also the monitor will serve as a ‘TV’ for your consoles or other devices, even when a PC is not connected to it.
The Monitor also has built in speakers that might sound a little flat compared to a regular music set up but the volume the screen produces is not to be underestimated.
Your buttons for controlling several options are on the bottom side of the frame. These are quite easy to use but feel fairly cheap compared to the rest of the monitor and the actual functions are sometimes in way too many menu’s to access several basic functions. It’s not very practical if you have to go through several menu’s to simply change the volume level. Other than that, everything works as it should be and the menu’s are pretty straight forward. You’ll have a limited set of buttons to work with, which might simplify things. Sadly those aren’t really quite visible when you have to use them.
Once again you’ll not buy this monitor simply for its looks and accessibility but for its overall performance as well. Of course seeing this game has a totally different focus than the AOC gaming monitor it will not support as many frames per second but it will have a decent amount of other merits. Those who enjoy movies and series above all will surely love the ratio of this screen as well as the multiview possibilities the screen supports. You’ll be able to create a picture in picture (a small extra window on your screen) or simply divide the screen in half.
Own opinion
Like the g2460Pqu the 298P4QJEB has a high and adjustable base which immediately increases the comfort level. Especially with a big screen like this, you will have to keep in mind how you position yourself as well.
When unboxing the screen it looked stylish but also as if something was wrong. Not being used to an ultra widescreen surely gave me a wrong first impression, seeing after the screen was turned on it was clear this monitor is a piece of quality. The ultra wide ‘proportions’ also create a new dimension when watching your favorite series or movies. Even gaming seems to get an extra edge with the Philips monitor.
Multiview is fairly new to me and thus it was fun to do some experimenting with this function of the monitor. Multiview creates opportunities like hooking up two consoles to the monitor and play different games when you and your company like other stuff. Watching tv whilst doing some work is fairly easy to do as well. The only issue the monitor has it’s not really that big when you actually start using the multiview functions. It’s fun to use, it saves up place but isn’t really the WOW-factor you need, to buy this monitor.
Usability is no issue with the 298P4QJEB either when it comes to the simplicity of the menu. All options are easy to access and easy to adjust as well. You’ll be able to easy create and adjust everything till you reach the point it will satisfy your need. Sadly the buttons don’t feel that sturdy compared to the rest of the screen and they are poorly visible when you’re looking for them. A small mishap but it might annoy you when you’re operating in the dark.
Conclusion
From start to finish when testing this monitor it’s clear this is not your everyday type of LED – screen. Whilst it comes at a greater cost than most other monitors if you’re a fan of multiview purposes and just an enthusiast of movies and series you’ll surely not regret buying the Philips 298P4QJEB. Throw in some casual gaming at the side and you’re certainly good to go. If you’re only interested to use it for gaming purposes you might want to take another look around.
Philips 298P4QJEB - Hardware Review,
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[…] the previous Philips monitor we’ve discusses, the 298P4QJEB, this monitor has the same buttons to arrange all your settings. Whilst the buttons aren’t half […]