Apple’s monitors are overpriced. That’s why even some of the biggest fanboys will buy another brand at the risk of offending Sir Steve Jobs. At the top of the overpriced totem pole is the Apple Cinema Display 30 Inch. While it’s far superior to your standard run of the mill TN panelled 30 inch display, it’s hard to justify the price for pretty. Unless of course you’re the “Father of the Internet” Al Gore. In which case, you need to bask in the glow of three of them because how else are you going to monitor your creation? And when you thought that the Apple Cinema 30 inch is the cat’s meow, NEC drops the PA301W.

Priced at $2299 US (PA301W-BK) or $2549 if you want to go with the top end PA301W-BK-SV which comes with the SpectraView II Color Calibration Solution, this 30 inch beauty can be any photographer or graphics designer’s best friend for only about a grand or so more than Apple’s big display. But that premium price brings with it a whole slew of things including that 2560×1600 resolution with a 10 bit color gamut and the ability to run two computers simultaneously through something called DisplaySync ProT and a USB hub which essentially turns the monitor into a KVM switch.

While this does seem like a fantastic monitor for people totally anal about their color depth, contrast ratio, and color temperatures, it’s definitely not going to be for everyone. Especially at those prices. More pictures and the full press release below.

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HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MULTISYNC PA301W FROM NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS MAKES ITS DEBUT

Dual DisplayPort Connectivity, ICC Profile Emulation Available in 30-Inch Desktop for Graphics Professionals

CHICAGO – March 1, 2011 – NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced today the 30-inch MultiSync® PA301W-BK display and PA301W-BK-SV display with SpectraViewIIT calibration software and sensor.

Ideal for color-critical applications such as photography, retouching, video editing and CAD/CAM, the MultiSync PA301W-BK models offer a robust design with a fully ergonomic stand for added comfort during use. These high-resolution displays feature an impressive 2560×1600 resolution and 10-bit wide color gamut LCD panel that provides the accurate, vibrant colors that professionals require. In addition, the MultiSync PA301W showcases the time-saving features common to the MultiSync PA Series displays, including the ability to load ICC profiles to emulate custom color spaces, as well as offering factory-calibrated digital uniformity correction and five customizable Picture Mode presets.

“If you’re a photographer, designer, videographer, or a serious gamer, then this is a monitor that you’ll want to take a good look at,” said Bruce Bicknell of Photoshop User Magazine. “The NEC MultiSync PA301W really is a game changer for those of us who need to have the most accurate representation onscreen of our work that we possibly can.” Click here to read Bicknell’s full MultiSync PA301W product review.

One of the more unique features of the MultiSync PA Series is the ability to utilize two computers simultaneously through DisplaySync ProT and the integrated USB hub, which functions as a KVM device. Adding to this outstanding feature list, the MultiSync PA301W offers standalone hardware calibration, for simple display calibration without an attached computer.

“The addition of the MultiSync PA301W to our professional desktop lineup brings even more connectivity and color performance to photographers and other graphics users,” said Art Marshall, Product Manager of professional and medical desktop monitors at NEC Display Solutions. “This flagship display, with its high 4-megapixel resolution, four digital inputs and factory-calibrated color and uniformity, is the new standard for professional graphics, and the praise we’ve received from the industry has confirmed this.”

“NEC’s MultiSync PA301W delivers the performance and features that professionals demand, including a number of extras that distinguish it in the 30-inch class,” said Brian Klug, Displays Editor at AnandTech. “It performed as expected in our display tests, leading the current crop of 30-inchers in all categories but one.” Click here to read Klug’s full MultiSync PA301W product review.

“Photographers looking for a wide gamut color display and excellent uniformity can’t go wrong with the MultiSync PA301W,” said Lloyd Chambers of www.diglloyd.com and www.MacPerformanceGuide.com. “Its color gamut and uniformity are fantastic, and it’s sheer pleasure to work with it. But even if you’re not a photographer, you’ll love the working space of 2560 x 1600 and the first-rate ergonomics, with dual pairs of inputs and USB ports icing on the cake.” Click here to read Chambers’s full MultiSync PA301W product review.

Additionally, complimentary MultiProfilerT software, exclusive to the MultiSync PA Series, provides easy-to-use control over several features via mouse, including Picture Mode preset, Picture in Picture (PIP) and Picture by Picture (PBP) window configuration. MultiProfiler also allows users to manage the monitor’s USB hub and map the various monitor inputs. The loading of ICC profiles by MultiProfiler helps MultiSync PA301W users easily create or adjust color modes. MultiProfiler is compatible with Apple Mac OS 10.3.9 or higher and Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7.

“The NEC PA301W monitor, with its massive color space, high pixel density, and superb color accuracy, makes my images come alive,” said David FitzSimmons of FitzSimmons Photography in Bellville, Ohio. “The SpectraViewII software makes calibration effortless! Using a dual NEC MultiSync PA301W monitor setup for photo editing gives me one spacious screen for viewing thumbnail images and another spacious screen for checking individual photographs at full resolution.”

The MultiSync PA301W-BK and PA301W-BK-SV include the following features:
. 2560×1600 resolution
. 10-bit active matrix p-IPS panel
. 98.2% coverage of Adobe RGB
. Brightness of 350 cd/m² in landscape (250cd/m² in portrait)
. Contrast ratio of 1000:1
. Internal 14-bit programmable 3D lookup table (LUT)
. Dual DisplayPort and dual DVI-D input connectors
. Built-in USB hub (2 up, 3 down) with DisplaySync Pro to control two computers with only one keyboard and mouse
. Picture in Picture and Picture by Picture capabilities, which allow two video signals to be viewed simultaneously in a secondary window configuration
. ICC Profile Emulation
. Color Vision Emulation, which allows a real-time preview of Type P/D/T color vision deficiencies in support of Color Universal Design
. DICOM compatibility for medical review and referral applications
. XtraView+T, which provides the widest viewing angles (up to 178°) with minimal off-angle color shift
. 4-way ergonomic stand (150mm height-adjust with locking base, tilt, swivel and pivot) with quick-release capability
. AmbiBrightT ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the displays’ brightness based on external lighting conditions
. SpectraViewII Color Calibration Solution, which includes software and colorimeter to provide automated monitor matching and calibration for accurate, consistent and repeatable color performance (included with PA301W-BK-SV)
. Optional accessories include a Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable (PA-MDP-CABL) for connecting devices using Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt technology, display hood (90HD30), SpectraViewII software (SVII-SOFT), colorimeter (MDSVSENSOR) and complete SpectraViewII Color Calibration Solution (SVII-PRO-KIT)

The MultiSync PA301W-BK and PA301W-BK-SV ship with a 4-year limited parts and labor warranty and are now available at an estimated street price of $2,299 and $2,549 respectively. Customers who purchase any MultiSync PA Series model by March 31, 2011 can participate in NEC’s Made in the Shade promotion, which provides a free hood and cable to registered users. Visit http://necpapromo.necdisplay.com/ for more information.

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About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.
Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD monitors, commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverse line of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for a wide variety of markets, including enterprise, healthcare, education and digital signage. For additional information about NEC Display Solutions of America monitors, consumers can call (866) NEC-MORE, or visit the website at www.necdisplay.com.

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