Review

“Labs Winner”, two “Recommended” awards and overall great results for Philips 279C9, 276B9, 346P1CRH, and 345B1C @ PC Pro (UK)

PC Pro, an IT/hardware-focused print magazine from the UK published in their latest issue in their “Labs” section a group test of 29 monitors, including reviews of the Philips Moda 279C9, Philips 276B9, Philips Brilliance 346P1CRH, and Philips 345B1C.

The Philips Moda 279C9 received 5/5 stars and PC PRO’s Recommended award

The Philps 276B9 received 4/5 stars and PC PRO’s Recommended award.

The Philips 346P1CRH received 5/5 stars and PC PRO’s Labs Winner award.

The Philips 345B1C received 4/5 stars.

Philips 279C9

PROS
+ 279 cd/m² brightness

+ 93.6% gamut coverage with 93.9% gamut volume of the sRGB mode

+ Average Delta E of 0.54 and a maximum of 1.03, in sRGB mode

+ 1304:1 contrast ratio

+ Spot-on 6522K colour temperature

+ Multitude of “smart” presets and an intuitive OSD

+ USB-C input with 65 W power delivery

+ Solid selection of connections including four USB 3.2 ports

+ Ergonomic stand with height adjustment

CONS

– Cable management

Verdict: „Philips plays the style card with the Moda 27, with an art deco feel to the square base and ist cut-out circle. […] Bearing in mind all the quality on show, the price feels eminently reasonable (if you a see Philips Moda 27 for around 300 pounds, note that’s for an older model that includes a 1440p panel). Like a Netflix aspace documentary played over HDMI to take advantage of the Moda’s DisplayHDR 400 certification, this is a monitor that shines bright.“

Philips 276B9

PROS

+ 1440p IPS panel with 1.07 billion colours

+ Peak brightness of 389 nits

+ Wide gamut coverage with 92% DCI-P3 coverage

+ Excellent colour accuracy with a Delta E of 0.4

+ USB-C port with 65W power delivery

+ 1080p IR pop-up webcam

+ Price

CONS

– No change to gamut volume (129%) in sRGB mode

– Relatively thick bezels at the bottom and an effective rather than stylish base

– No RJ-45 connector

– Audio of the webcam lags by half a second behind the image – Mediocre microphone, but better than most laptop webcams

Verdict: “Philips offer punters a choice: if you want luxury, choose a monitor from its Brillliance range. If you’re after value, consider taking the B line […] Considering the price, there’s a lot to like about this 27-inch IPS screen.”

Philips 346P1CRH

PROS
+ High brightness of 463 nits

+ 92% sRGB gamut coverage and 95% volume

+ Average Delta E of 0.92

+ AMD FreeSync

+ 100 Hz refresh rate

+ 4 ms GtG and game modes

+ Brightness uniformity with only 6.4% variation

+ LightSensor

+ Windows Hello supported 1080p webcam

+ Four-port USB hub and a RJ-45 port

+ USB-C with 90W power delivery

+ Daisy-chaining possible thanks to DisplayPort output

+ PiP and PbP modes

+ KVM switch

CONS

– Slightly off colour temperature 7108K

Verdict: “The curved Brilliance lives up to its name, defeating all-comers in the process.[…] If you don’t need all these features or USB-C, then take a look at the cheaper B Line 345B1C, which like the Brilliance enjoys a high-quality and flexible (albeit not the most elegant) stand and excellent speakers. If you’re looking for a curved 34-inch panel that has it all, thought, then opt for the Brillliance.”

Philips 345B1C

PROS

+ Flexible stand with generous 180 mm height adjustment

+ 3440 x 1440 resolution of the 34-inch VA panel

+ Four port USB hub

+ 317 nits brightness is still more than good enough

+ sRGB mode locks brightness with a usable 223 nits + Good overall colour accuracy with an average Delta E of 1.41, but a maximum of 6.72

CONS

– Lacks a USB-C port

– No daisy-chaining

– No pop-up webcam

– sRGB gamut is clamped to 81% in the sRGB mode, instead of default mode with 96% coverage and 121% volume.

Verdict: “If you don’t’ need USB-C docking then this quality-packed 34-inch curved makes sense. […] This isn’t a panel targeted at colour purists, and is instead aiming to deliver good quality for a competitive price – something it achieves with gusto.”