12Jul Affordable 2560×1440 IPS editing monitor from YAMAKASI CATLEAP
I’ve always found it nice to edit on a single large monitor and for the past 2 years I’ve been relatively happy with the Hanns-G 28 inch screen I use. At 1920×1200, it gives me enough editing room to work, but I always find myself jabbing at the – and = key (or Alt scroll wheel if that’s your thing) to zoom in and out of the timeline. This has always made me want just a little more screen real estate to work with. Sure I could switch over to dual 24 inch panels and rearrange my layout, but there has always been something about the bezel that distracts me.
Recently I had a chance to look at Apple’s new 27 inch thunderbolt display. After admiring it for awhile and enjoying all of the space available on the timeline I decided to check the resolution and found 2560×1440. As with all Apple products, the price is very high ($939.99), but like most Apple products there is usually a PC equivalent out there being sold for a 1/3rd the price.
Sure enough, South Korea comes to the rescue with the $300 Yamakasi Catleap Q270 27 inch IPS monitor. Besides the odd name (who calls a monitor CatLeap?), from everything I’ve been able to gather, this monitor uses the same 2560×1440 IPS display found in Apple’s thunderbolt, crammed into a stripped down case. When I say “stripped down” I mean, no built in speakers, no onscreen controls (adjustments must be made at the graphics card), and only a single dual-link DVI (DVI-D) input.
It’s a little more hassle to get the screen setup without these controls but the posted results look pretty convincing. I don’t use the on screen speakers and the GTX 285 2gb graphics card (CS5.5 mercury engine supported) I use has pretty decent color management so I don’t think I’ll really need the onscreen controls.
If your a gamer then the GTX 285 2gb graphics card probably wont keep up with a 2560×1440 display at ultra high frame rates, but for video editing I don’t think it should be a problem. If it is I might have to upgrade to the GTX 580 3gb or get another GTX 285 and go SLI.
I think the Yamakasi Catleap Q270 27 inch IPS monitor could be a very nice upgrade for desktop editing. If you’re looking at the Catleap, be sure to read the listings on ebay carefully. Some models are sold as “perfect pixel” which raises the price about $50 but guarantees that there are no dead pixels. None perfect pixel monitors are considered A- grade which usually means no more then 5 dead or hot pixels and are prices a little lower. Also make sure the monitor comes with the proper power supply for your country.
This has moved up to number 5 on my want list. I’ll let you know if I actually pull the trigger on the Yamakasi Catleap Q270 27 inch IPS monitor. I might have sell off a few of my old displays first to make room.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:33 am
Here’s basically the same monitor (same panel at least, an supposedly a better scaler) but from a US vendor with a warranty –
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0384780
July 12th, 2012 at 10:55 am
Call me ignorant, but would this monitor work as a second monitor coming from an iMac?
July 12th, 2012 at 11:08 am
As long as you can get from your mac to an DVI-D jack on the back of the monitor it should work. Although I’m not a mac guy so I’m not sure what the iMac provides for outputs.
July 12th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
It’ll depend on the age and model of your particular iMac.
If your iMac is a pre-2009 iMac, it has a mini-DVI port that only supports single-link DVI, which means that it will not drive the monitor at its native 2560×1600 resolution (if it drives it at all, I don’t know how a monitor without a built-in scaler would deal with a non-native signal).
If your iMac is from 2009 or later, it has a mini-displayport port that can be converted to dual-link DVI using an active adapter (it has to be an active adapter given the difficulty of pushing through such a high resolution signal) like this – http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=6904&seq=1&format=2 – or this –
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A
It’s more expensive than a regular adapter because it has to be an active adapter – you’ll notice that it also uses a USB port to power itself.
Unfortunately, only dual-link DVI and Displayport can support the resolution of 2560×1600. Not VGA, not HDMI, not single-link DVI.
In your situation, rather than buy a $300-$350 monitor from eBay (without warranty), and then buy a $70-$100 adapter on top of that, I’d recommend just buying the $400 monitor in my previous comment, and then buying a mini-displayport-to-displayport cable like this –
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10246&cs_id=1024606&p_id=6007&seq=1&format=2
July 13th, 2012 at 6:04 am
Thanks, that helps a lot.
July 12th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
DeeJay, you may want to clarify in your post that anybody buying one of these monitors will need either a Dual-Link DVI or Displayport output on their video-card to drive this monitor at its native 2560×1600 resolution. Not all video cards are properly equipped, unfortunately.
July 12th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Oops, in both this comment and my previous comment, I mean 2560×1440, and not 2560×1600. Muh bad 🙂
Still requires a dual-link DVI or Displayport connection, unfortunately.
July 12th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
That is a good point. I’ll add a note!
July 13th, 2012 at 9:39 am
I just bought one of these and could not be more thrilled!!!!! The monitor is beautiful and blows away my other 27″ Planar Px2710 out of the water. I got mine for 299 shipped it arrived in three days from SK. To all sitting on the fence about this go for it. you will not look back!
July 13th, 2012 at 10:00 am
DeeJay, I am researching a GPU for my MacPro 3,1. One thing I read constantly is that the GTX 580 can be plugged into a macPro but will pull too much power and kill the PSU over time. I’ve read many times it requires an external PSU or External Cubix box. Only the GTX 570 can be run longterm in the macPro with the stock PSU. It requires Lion as well.
July 15th, 2012 at 2:41 am
I am running a Radeon flashed 6870. It pushing the yamakasi with Dual link DVI-D and a another 27″ 1080 display with no problems. You can pick up one of these cards for about $150. For flashing info check out netkas.org.