Review: Philips 272P7VPTKEB 27-Inch 4K Monitor

Archive republication: This article was originally published on 27 January 2021. It has been translated into English and lightly updated for clarity while preserving the original reporting and context.

This article originally appeared in Digital Production 03 : 2020.

When discussing monitors, we are often asked for a capable option costing roughly one third of a professional grading display. We accepted the challenge and found a monitor with a street price around €500 that performs solidly after calibration and avoids unnecessary extras.

After testing models from several manufacturers, our recommendation at the time was Philips’ 272P7VPTKEB/00, a 27-inch 4K IPS monitor selling for about €450. Its 68.5 cm, 16:9 panel offered 3,840 × 2,160 pixels at 60 Hz, 350 cd/m² brightness and 163 ppi. Connections included HDMI, DisplayPort input and output, Mini DisplayPort 1.2, VGA and MHL 2.0.

It also provided three USB 3 ports—one with fast charging—plus audio input and headphone output. This covered everyday needs, while VGA could still be useful with older docking stations.

An acceptable webcam was built into the housing and extended only when required, a practical solution for users who were not constantly in video conferences. A power sensor detected when nobody was seated in front of the display. It worked in testing, although unconventional seating positions in a multi-monitor setup could fall outside its detection area; the feature could be disabled easily.

The USB connectivity was particularly useful for charging a phone or laptop, and a phone connected to the large display also proved surprisingly practical.

The Monitor Itself

There was more to criticise here than with the EIZO reviewed elsewhere in the issue. Although the theoretical specifications were similar, the panel difference was visible: measured gamma was closer to 2.6 than 2.2. Brightness-distribution deviations measured between 2 and 3 across the tested levels, while colour delta was around 2.

This did not disqualify the Philips, but it meant users should measure it before colour-critical work and recalibrate two or three times a year. It also worked particularly well as a second display because of its broad connectivity.

The VESA-mount recess was slightly cramped, but otherwise the physical construction, menu and feature set formed a coherent package.

Conclusion

The display did not creak, performed its job and offered excellent value. It was an easy recommendation for software users upgrading from Full HD and arguably more capable than necessary for ordinary office work. After testing around a dozen comparable products, the Philips 272P7VPTKEB/00 was our winner in the class up to €500.