HP ZR30w review: HP ZR30w

It's difficult to review the $1,660 HP ZR30w fairly, without also mentioning the $1,500 Dell UltraSharp U3011. I won't speak in specifics concerning the Dell's performance (we've tested but not yet reviewed it), but I will say that it offers many more connections and features than the HP ZR30w, at a lower price. The monitors use the same LG panel, but unlike Dell with the U3011, Hewlett-Packard decided not to include an onscreen display (OSD) with the ZR30w, severely limiting its performance potential, as the only adjustable option is brightness. Although the ZR30w has great baseline performance, it's difficult to recommend it when there are other, much more well-equipped 30-inch monitors on the market for a lower price.

6.8

HP ZR30w

The Good

The HP ZR30w has excellent performance, high brightness, and ample USB connections.

The Bad

The HP ZR30w lacks an OSD, limiting its adjustability. Also, compared with other 30-inch monitors, the ZR30w is missing many video connection options.

The Bottom Line

The HP ZR30w lacks too many features to be competitive with other, lower-priced 30-inchers.

Design and features
The HP ZR30w is a giant beast of a monitor. Not unexpected given its 30-inch screen size. The panel measure an ultrawide 27.2 inches and is 2 inches in depth initially and adds another inch for the power and connection options, bringing the panel's full depth to 3 inches. The footstand is the footstand to end all footstands, measuring a full 17 inches in width and 10.6 inches in depth. The monitor offers screen height adjustment, swivel, and a 35-degree back tilt. The bezel is 0.9 inch thick and the screen measures 5.2 inches from the desktop at its highest and 1.6 inches at its lowest. When at its lowest height, the monitor doesn't budge when knocked from the sides, and moves only slightly even at its highest height, thanks to its super footstand and 27.3-pound weight.

In the lower right-hand corner of the bezel is a button array, aligned horizontally. Options include brightness control and a source button and on the far right is the power button. Each button is about an inch wide, and each has a tactile feel and emits a soft "pop" when pressed.

The ZR30w's connections include DVI, DisplayPort, four USB downstream ports, and one upstream. Accessing these from the front was an exercise in mental anguish, as they are embedded fairly deeply in the monitor.