Monoprice CrystalPro 44522 review: Cheaper 4K without killing features

Price When Reviewed

$299.99

Best Prices Today: Monoprice CrystalPro 44522

Budget screens have improved drastically over the previous half-decade. Humble 1080p screens with restricted connectivity are on the out, changed by a brand new era of 1440p and 4K screens with USB-C. The Monoprice CrystalPro (Model #44522) isn’t excellent, but it surely’s an excellent instance of what cheap screens can ship in 2023.

Further studying: See our roundup of the best 4K monitors to find out about competing merchandise.

What are the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522’s specs and options?

The Monoprice CrystalPro’s headline function is shared between its 4K show decision and cheap $300 MSRP. Neither is uncommon by itself, however the mixture locations the CrystalPro close to the underside of the 4K monitor world. And this really undersells the monitor’s worth. Monoprice routinely slashes the value of its screens throughout frequent gross sales, and the monitor’s worth has already been reduce to as little as $220.

• Display dimension: 27-inch widescreen
• Native decision: 3840×2160
• Panel sort: IPS
• Refresh price: 60Hz
• Adaptive Sync: FreeSync
• HDR: HDR10
• Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with DIsplayPort Alternate Mode and 65 watts of Power Delivery, 2x USB-A 2.0 downstream, 3.5mm audio
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Speakers: Yes
• Price: $299.99 MSRP

Shoppers needs to be cautious to notice the monitor’s mannequin quantity (44522). Monoprice sells a similar 28-inch 4K monitor (mannequin 43019), which we beforehand reviewed. It’s an older mannequin with barely inferior picture high quality and a much less spectacular stand.

How is the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522’s design?

Monoprice isn’t any stranger to generic design—in reality, well-executed generic alternate options to costlier tech gear is kinda their entire factor. Still, the corporate’s newest 27-inch CrystalPro monitor is mundane even by these requirements. Slim black bezels body a fundamental matte-black plastic rear panel, supported by a easy round stand. Nothing concerning the monitor’s design offends, however nothing stands out.

What it lacks in appears to be like, it has in performance. The 27-inch CrystalPro monitor has an honest ergonomic stand that adjusts for peak, tilt, swivel, and rotation. The stand connects to an ordinary 100x100mm VESA mount and features a loop for routing cables. It’s a compact stand, too, with a flat base that received’t take up a lot area in your desk.

None of that is luxurious however, given the monitor’s bargain-bin worth, it shouldn’t be taken as a right. These perks give Monoprice an edge towards cheap 4K screens just like the Sceptre U275W-UPT and Philips 276E8VJSB.

How are the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522’s connectivity and menus?

Matt Smith

The monitor’s connectivity consists of HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, for a complete of three video inputs. A weak set of audio system are included, however they’re not nice. Fortunately, a 3.5mm audio-out is supplied for passing audio-out to exterior audio system.

Using the USB-C port offers entry to 2 USB-A 2.0 knowledge ports, each on the again of the monitor. That’s a slim choice of USB connectivity however, given the value, it’s tremendous. The USB-C port additionally offers 65 watts of USB Power Delivery for charging a related laptop computer. That’s an incredible function to have in a 4K monitor priced at $300 (and sometimes offered for much less).

If your pc doesn’t assist USB-C, although, don’t fret. The monitor additionally has a USB-B upstream port which connects to the USB-A 2.0 knowledge ports. Though not unusual, I’ve seen new screens are starting to ditch this selection. Its presence is appreciated in a finances monitor which, I believe, is much less doubtless for use with a contemporary laptop computer able to USB-C.

Matt Smith

While the CrystalPro’s connectivity is robust, the on-screen menu is merely okay. It’s managed with a responsive, intuitive joystick on the proper flank. The menu system’s font is relatively small, although, and presents few helpful choices. There’s a handful of questionable picture high quality presets, a couple of colour temperature changes, some toggles for fundamental options (like FreeSync and HDR), and that’s about it. To be truthful, that is typical for a finances monitor—however I’d have favored to see a strategy to alter gamma.

How is the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522’s SDR picture high quality?

Budget screens aren’t meant to set a brand new customary for picture high quality, however they need to nonetheless present some eye sweet. The CrystalPro does this by decision—4K on a 27-inch monitor appears to be like loads sharp. But it has different tips up its sleeve.

Matt Smith

Brightness, nevertheless, just isn’t a type of tips. The monitor’s most SDR brightness of simply 226 nits is relatively low and, whereas nonetheless loads shiny to be used in most conditions, it’d look a bit dim in a sunlit room.

Matt Smith

The CrystalPro’s most measured distinction ratio of 900:1 is mid-pack, however strong. This degree of distinction offers an inexpensive sense of depth, dimensionality, and realism, although it falls approach wanting costlier OLED and Mini-LED screens.

You might spend a number of hundred {dollars} extra and never see a greater consequence—as evidenced by screens just like the Asus ProArt PA279CRV which, though an incredible monitor by most metrics, doesn’t meaningfully defeat the Monoprice CrystalPro on this take a look at.

Just be warned: This is an IPS monitor and suffers the acquainted “IPS glow” downside present in most comparable shows. This downside creates a hazy grey sheen throughout darkish scenes. It’s not normally noticeable in productiveness apps, but it surely’s apparent in video games and flicks.

Matt Smith

Now we get to the CrystalPro’s strengths. The monitor introduced a superb colour gamut that spans 100 % of sRGB, 98 % of DCI-P3, and 90 % of AdobeRGB. This is much past many various screens and glorious for the value.

A large colour gamut makes the CrystalPro a gorgeous choice for content material creators on a decent finances. Very few finances screens exceed even 90 % of the DCI-P3 gamut (which is commonly used as an ordinary for images and on-line videography), so it is a nice consequence. It means you’ll have the ability to see colours that aren’t current on different finances shows.

Matt Smith

Color accuracy is one other win, because the CrystalPro unexpectedly offers a degree of colour accuracy that beats much more costly screens that promise manufacturing unit calibration—one thing the CrystalPro doesn’t promote.

I’m considerably skeptical of this consequence. Monoprice is a finances model, and that tends to come back with a decrease degree of high quality assurance. I’ll have received the “panel lottery,” and acquired an unusually good instance. Still, the outcomes converse for themselves, and reinforce the CrystalPro’s potential as a finances monitor for content material creators that want correct colour. Color temperature was glorious, too, hitting the precise goal of 6500Ok.

Gamma, then again, is an issue. I discovered a default gamma curve of two.4, which is off the goal of two.2. This variance means content material can seem darker than supposed. Photos, movies, and video games all regarded a bit too darkish, which in flip decreased element in darkish and shadowy areas of the picture and made low-light scenes harder to view. The CrystalPro doesn’t present a Gamma choice in its on-screen menu, both, so that you’ll have to make use of a calibration device or different third-party software program to right for the difficulty.

The monitor’s sharpness is stellar. The 27-inch 4K panel offers roughly 163 pixels per inch. That’s an enormous improve over a 1080p monitor’s 82 pixels per inch. Small fonts look crisp, whereas 4K movies seem razor sharp. It’s outstanding to see this degree of sharpness on a reasonable show.

On steadiness, then, the Monoprice CrystalPro offers good picture high quality with a couple of caveats. It scores effectively in sharpness and colour efficiency, and does effectively sufficient in distinction, however has some points in brightness and in gamma presentation. It’s an excellent finances choose for residence workplace productiveness and content material creation, however can look muddled in video games, films, and different leisure—particularly when displaying darkish scenes.

How is the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522’s HDR picture high quality?

The Monoprice CrystalPro helps HDR10 enter however doesn’t promise any degree of VESA DisplayHDR certification.

That’s as a consequence of its brightness. I measured a most brightness of simply 348 nits in HDR. That’s lower than what many screens obtain in SDR. Lackluster luminance instantly reduces the standard of HDR, lowering the element in shiny scenes, and the general HDR presentation doesn’t present a profit over viewing content material in SDR.

None of it is a shock. All finances screens fail to offer a satisfactory HDR expertise. Still, it’s necessary to know this earlier than shopping for the monitor. It can deal with an HDR sign, however you might as effectively stick to SDR.

How is the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522’s movement efficiency?

Matt Smith

A 60Hz refresh price is the utmost out there from the Monoprice CrystalPro, and the monitor’s total movement readability is mundane. It’s not horrible, but it surely’s not nice. Fast-moving objects can seem vague and fast digicam pans in 3D video games make your environment tough to see. Gamers on a finances will most likely wish to stick to a 1080p or 1440p monitor that gives the next refresh, however the CrystalPro is ok when you favor video games with a slower tempo like Civilization VI or Crusader Kings 3.

The monitor does assist FreeSync, not less than, and it labored effectively in my testing. Games rendered with clean body pacing and didn’t present display screen tearing artifacts.

Is the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522 price it?

The Monoprice CrystalPro is a robust finances 4K monitor that usually beats its opponents. It offers an especially sharp picture, good colour efficiency, and helpful ergonomics at a MSRP of $300 (which, at time of this writing, is already decreased to $220). It additionally offers helpful USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery for charging a laptop computer. These strengths are barely soured by the modest distinction ratio and a few issues with gamma that may make darkish films and video games tough to view. Still, the Monoprice CrystalPro is a reasonable choose for residence workplace productiveness and content material creation.