Author Topic: HP 25f Review: Almost-Glossy 75hz IPS with AMD Free-Sync  (Read 8699 times)

NCX

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Not an Xbox
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2019, 04:50:28 pm »
Xbox 360 & Xbox One

DSC_0675 by Dr NCX, on Flickr

The HP 25f scales 1280x720 and 1920x1080 without issue, but the Xbox 360 must have its YCbCR709's setting selected to prevent the image from being washed out since the other settings send a 16-235 signal.

Xbox 360

Spoiler (hover to show)

Xbox One & Xbox One X

The HP 25f automatically reads both the Limited (16-235) and Full (PC RGB 0-255) signals sent out by the Xbox One and Xbox One X, and supports Free-Sync with the One S and One X if the Free-Sync setting is selected (Color Control Menu>Viewing Modes>Gaming FreeSync), and if the Allow variable refresh rate setting is selected in the Xbox One S and X's Display & sound Advanced video modes menu.  Here's how to access this setting:

Quote from: Xbox One FreeSync and Variable Refresh Rates: Everything you need to know by Matt Brown


1.) Open the Settings app on Xbox One.
2.) Navigating to the Display & sound tab.
3.) Select the Video output tile.
4.) Select Video modes.
5.) Enable the Variable Refresh Rates checkbox.

Source=Xbox One FreeSync and Variable Refresh Rates: Everything you need to know by Matt Brown
« Last Edit: March 26, 2019, 03:19:04 am by NCX »

NCX

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Settings & ICC Profile

DSC_0634 by Dr NCX, on Flickr

Brightness: 24
Contrast: 75
Red: 255
Green: 231
Blue: 233

ICC Profile

Use Color Sustainer to ensure games use ICC profiles.
« Last Edit: April 18, 2019, 03:45:36 pm by NCX »

NCX

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Bleeding Glossy 75hz Adventurer
« Reply #17 on: February 13, 2019, 04:51:24 pm »
Conclusion

DSC_0674 by Dr NCX, on Flickr

+Affordable
+Stable stand
+Two HDMI inputs and one VGA input
+AMD Free-Sync
+Native 75hz
+Low Haze or Almost-Glossy coating is completely grain free and enhances clarity and color vibrancy
+Very high brightness compared to older models makes the 25f suitable for very brightly lit environments, and possibly outdoor use as long as the monitor is not facing the sun
+High pre-calibrated contrast for a non-VA panel
+No need to reduce contrast from 80 to 75 to remove green tint from greys unlike the older 25" & 27" CW/er/es/XW monitors
+Fairly accurate and vibrant color presets
+Free-Sync and Custom Color mode image quality is the same
+Wide viewing angles
+Minimal IPS glow when the brightness is not cranked in a dark room and viewed from the correct height
+Response Time Level 4 significantly speeds up the pixel response times without obvious overshoot ghosting
+Faster pixel response times and less overshoot than older models
+Negligible input lag

-Very obvious back-light bleed in the bottom left corner
-Preset green tint is obvious when viewing greys and white
-Free-Sync mode locks the color controls
-Inability to properly cover the HDTV/REC 709 and sRGB color spaces, though this is normal for monitors in this price range
-Over and under-saturation of colors
-The best overdrive (Response Time) setting is not preset
-Frame-less casing has an inner black bezel which reduces the perceived black depth
-Not VESA Compliant


The HP 25f offers a few improvements over the older models which are the inclusion of AMD Free-Sync, a native 75hz refresh rate, properly preset contrast (no need to drop the contrast from 80 to 75), faster pixel response times (Response Time Level 4) and vastly higher maximum brightness which makes the 25f suitable for use in very brightly lit environments.  Overall the 25f is slightly less accurate than the 25er and 25es monitors I tested in 2016, has a less accurate color gamut which prevents it from being able to display some colors as accurately as the older models, and the 25f I tested suffered from very obvious back-light bleed in the bottom left corner.   The inability to edit the color controls when the Free-Sync mode is selected is a shame since the 25f improves enough to be competitive image quality wise with significantly more expensive and calibrated monitors.

The HP 25f is a good budget gaming monitor, especially since there are no alternatives with the same coating, AMD Free-Sync and native 75hz.  I prefer the HP 24 Envy since it suffers from less glow, and because its preset color accuracy flaws (slightly too blue and too dark) are less obvious than the 25f's preset green tint, especially when viewing content with a lot of grey shades and white in this screen shot from the Fallout 4 opening cinematic.  However, the 24 Envy costs  more, has slower pixel response times, suffers from <1mm thick  black vertical lines which are visible when viewing blue and oranges, and uses an uses an inferior semi-glossy coating which looks worse than the almost-glossy or low haze coating the 25f uses when exposed to bright lighting.  These facts also apply to the Dell S2418H which is a slightly less accurate version of the HP 24 Envy.

The Dell S2718D is the only higher end or more expensive alternative with a non-matte coating, AMD Free-Sync and 75hz, but it uses the same semi-glossy coating as the HP 24 Envy which looks washed out when exposed to bright lighting, and the S2718D looks grainy when viewed off angle. 


« Last Edit: March 27, 2019, 11:03:48 pm by NCX »