A professional, ultra-high-definition display should deliver on several key features: the resolution, the image quality and the color range. The ThinkVision Pro2840m does that easily and adds a range of features to round out a product well suited to the desktops of many engineers. I received the Lenovo ThinkVision Pro2840m for review; all findings and opinions are mine alone.
Looking Good
Who isn’t a fan of higher resolution? More pixels means more information. However, the development of 4,000-pixel (4K) resolutions on certain devices might not be apparent with all applications. For example, a 4K display on a 15-inch mobile workstation might be great for a video professional on the go, but does it deliver any real value for design and engineering work? Put the same resolution on a 28-inch desktop display, such as the ThinkVision Pro2840m, and you have room for extra information that can make your designs visible and clear with great color and without reducing your application menus to illegible specks.
I also appreciate the 28-inch screen’s 16:9 aspect ratio for desktop engineering work. I find this to be a good size for most desktops used as single display systems. And it is not so large as to be unsuitable for dual display configurations.
I’ve always found that Lenovo takes extraordinary care with packaging, and the ThinkVision Pro2840m is no different. First, the packaging uses recyclable materials. The smart packaging design uses normal cardboard, requires a minimum of foam supports and provides a reusable cloth bag as the slipcover protection for the display. Second, the packaging design allows you to easily remove the monitor from the box. Users will appreciate the ease with which they can unpack their displays — safely and without damage.
The displayed images are sharp and vibrant. This 4K monitor has a nice set of specifications with 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution, 157 pixels per square inch, a high contrast ratio and a wide viewing angle. Lenovo provides the full set of technical and marketing specifications, so I will mention just a few selected points.
The high resolution on a 16:9, 28-inch display does not reduce menus to an eye test. I loaded Autodesk Inventor not only to test the resolution, but also to verify that the menus remain legible at a 4K resolution. While loss of clarity is a common problem with smaller screen sizes, you should not have any issues with the Pro2840m's 28-inch display.
While video may not be a typical target application for engineering, I used Adobe Premiere Pro to check the menu text size as well as the functionality when working with 4K video as well as high-resolution images. As with Autodesk Inventor, the text size was perfectly legible. And this monitor is a dream for anyone working on 4K video or with high-resolution images, which is a much more likely scenario in engineering and design teams.
The glossy display is perfect for generating a high-quality, high-resolution image. With any glossy display, you will have issues with reflections if you do not have a properly lit environment for your work. For its part, the ThinkVision Pro2840m's swivel display base provides an excellent range of motion and allows you to position the display for your personal workspace.
The ThinkVision Pro2840m is a twisted nematic display with LED backlighting. It has a wide viewing angle in landscape mode; however, the vertical viewing angle is slightly more limited. This is normally not an issue, but if you are working in portrait mode, your viewing angle will be smaller.
The refresh can run at 60 Hz if you are using DisplayPort 1.2. With an HDMI connection, as I am using, the refresh is limited to 30 Hz. The monitor offers a 10-bit color display that helps it deliver vibrant colors, although with most engineering applications, this will hardly be an issue.
Functional
The monitor has the traditional Lenovo swivel, which is solid and moves smoothly. The firm base screws together easily and then attaches to the monitor with a single click. The range of motion and tilt (again, important for a glossy monitor) let you position it for your working environment. It also allows you to swivel the monitor from landscape to portrait view.
The on-screen menu system is easy to use, although you might search for the controls for a few minutes if you don't know to access the menu by simply touching the area to the left of the power button. One touch and the controls light up. Wait a moment, and they go dark again.
Once the controls are lit up, you can configure the input source and many other parameters. Input source connectors give users the option of using DisplayPort, Lenovo’s proprietary Mini-DisplayPort, HDMI and Mobile High-Definition Links (MHL). If you haven't been looking for a new display in the last year, you might be wondering what an MHL connector is and what it does. Briefly, it is an HDMI-like connection for hand-held mobile devices such as your tablet or smart phone. MHL is hardly a required feature for an engineering desktop. On the other hand, if you know that the MHL connector is there and what it is for, you'll probably find it to be a handy feature from time to time.
The on-screen menu allows you to select many basic options, such as brightness and contrast, as well as some more specialized configurations, such as setting your red, green and blue values for display or for posting images from two sources side-by-side on the display.
The Lenovo ThinkVision Pro2840m also acts as a USB hub. There are two USB connectors available for a keyboard and a mouse, three additional USB 3.0 ports and a headphone jack on the left side. This monitor also comes with integrated speakers that produce acceptable sound for basic uses. The volume controls are tucked neatly on the right outside edge of the display.
Summary
I haven't talked a lot about the price, but when a monitor like this comes in at just under $800, that is a feature in itself. Not only is the price attractive for a 4K resolution display, that price makes it perfectly reasonable to consider a dual display configuration.
When it comes to resolution, the bottom line is that more pixels means more information, and the 16:9, 28 inch format of the Lenovo ThinkVision Pro2840m makes 4K pixel resolution information beautifully visible for you. The glossy display delivers an excellent image, and the design adds numerous features from adjustability to a portrait mode to a USB hub to a smart phone connection.
The glossy display provides good image quality, but you'll be wise to pay attention to workspace lighting. The display stand has a good range of motion to aid the positioning of the display for your work — even portrait mode. With an attractive price, this high-resolution monitor won't break your budget, and some of you may even choose a dual display system.
The extra ports and controls are well placed and easy to use. It's nice to add decent sound to your workstation with the integrated speakers. They provide basic audio, which is what you need for an engineering desktop.
Monitors like the 4K ThinkVision Pro2840m deliver excellent value at this price-point. It's not hard to imagine one — or maybe two — of these on your desktop.