For me, LC-Power is one of the absolute insider tips among monitor manufacturers. They simply use panels from large manufacturers such as Samsung, pack them into their own housing and charge some of the cheapest prices on the market for effectively good monitors.
The LC-M28-4K-UHD also looks interesting at first glance, at least if you are looking for an office/media monitor.
The LC-M28-4K-UHD offers a 4K “UHD” resolution on 28 inches at classic 60 Hz. However, the price is very affordable at just over €200!
Let’s take a look at how good the image quality of the monitor is in the test.
At this point, many thanks to LC-Power for providing the monitor for a test.
LC-Power LC-M28-4K-UHD im Test
The LC-Power LC-M28-4K-UHD is a relatively simple monitor. This is designed to be very simple and simple. We have a simple flat panel and a black “unspectacular” case.
However, the monitor still has a stand with height adjustment! This also allows you to angle the panel, but you cannot position the monitor horizontally.
If you want this, no problem, because the monitor has a VESA mount.
The monitor is controlled via 5 buttons on the bottom right edge and the connections are on the back. There we find the following:
2x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4 1x 3.5 mm audio output AC input
We have 2x HDMI 2.0 as well as a DisplayPort input. It’s a bit of a shame that we don’t have a USB C input, but otherwise I’m happy!
Plus points for the integrated power supply!
Technical data
LC-Power LC-M28-4K-UHD 28 inch 3840 x 2160 pixel IPS panel 60 Hz 280 cd/m² maximum brightness 1000:1 contrast
At first glance, the LC-Power LC-M28-4K-UHD is a fairly normal “all-round” / office monitor with a high 4K resolution and a potentially good IPS panel.
4K resolution on 28 inches definitely guarantees a sharp image.
Color space and color gamut
LC-Power advertises 99% coverage of the sRGB color space and 80% of AdobeRGB for the LC-M28-4K-UHD.
Solid values that promise a reasonable color representation.
In my test, these values were even exceeded to some extent! This is how the monitor achieved:
100% sRGB
82% AdobeRGB
88% DCI-P3
These are good color space values. Accordingly, the color representation of the monitor is also good in practice. Colors appear clear and strong and the picture generally makes a high-quality impression.
In principle, the color space values are good enough so that the monitor can be used for photo/video editing.
Fortunately, we also have a 10-bit panel, which explains the good color space coverage.
calibration
But what about calibration? Accurate colors are important, especially if you plan to do some photo/video editing on the monitor.
But the calibration is also neat! On average we have a Delta E of 1.51, which is very good. This means that the LC-M28-4K-UHD can be described as color-accurate.
Brightness and illumination
The manufacturer specifies the brightness as an unusual 280 cd/m². 280 cd/m² would be acceptable, but rather a small weakness of the monitor.
Fortunately, the LC-M28-4K-UHD actually exceeded the manufacturer’s specifications in the center of the image! This achieved 297 cd/m² for me.
This is certainly not an outstanding brightness, but +- 300 cd/m² is absolutely sufficient for normal indoor use and is also the common standard.
The illumination is somewhat moderate. This isn’t terrible, but the brightness drops off a bit at the corners. This is not visible in normal desktop operation, but it might become visible with white or very bright images.
However, I can’t complain too much about the illumination in this price range.
Contrast
There are no big surprises when it comes to contrast. Here we have a typical monitor with an IPS panel. IPS panels usually achieve a contrast of +- 1:1000, which is also the manufacturer’s specification here.
In the test, this value was easily exceeded at 1:1200. This is a strong value for an IPS monitor. So there’s nothing to complain about when it comes to contrast.
Subjective image impression in practice
For me, the LC-Power LC-M28-4K-UHD falls into the unremarkably good category. I already had a few monitors in front of me, so I also have some references.
The LC-M28-4K-UHD simply offers a clean and good picture that neither completely blows my socks off nor stands out in any negative way. So I would classify the general image quality as good, which is quite remarkable for a 4K monitor in the €220 price range.
Above all, the color reproduction and sharpness look really good. The brightness and the black point are again typical for an IPS monitor in the €200-600 price range.
The only things that are a little below average are the viewing angle stability and the illumination. However, for the €220 price range, these can still be described as completely OK. Slightly expensive models can be a little better here, but they don’t have to be. I’ve seen wild things happen with very expensive monitors, especially when it comes to illumination.
This would also be where I would normally complain about the menu and OSD, which is rather mediocre on LC power monitors. However, I didn’t notice anything negative about the monitor’s controls. It’s not the best OSD, but it’s not terrible either.
Power consumption
Power consumption is more important than ever. How much energy does the LC-Power require?
In the test, the monitor required between 19W and 37.5W depending on the brightness setting. Interestingly, the power consumption did not fluctuate as much as is often the case.
37.5W maximum is as expected for a monitor of this class.
Conclusion
The LC-Power LC-M28-4K-UHD leaves a pleasantly positive impression in the test!
Of course, we have a very simple monitor, especially when it comes to equipment. We don’t have USB C, the design and the stand are rather simple and in general the monitor has little “luxury”.
The refresh rate is also at the classic 60 Hz, which makes this monitor less exciting for gamers.
But when it comes to the actual picture, it cuts a really good figure! We have 4K on 28 inches, which ensures a clear picture. The general image quality is also high!
So we have 100% sRGB color space coverage, as well as an impressive 82% Adobe RGB and 88% DCI-P3. The calibration is good out of the box, as is the general image impression.
The brightness is a solid 297 cd/m² and the contrast is a reasonable 1:1200.
Despite its very affordable price, the monitor is therefore interesting for hobby photographers and filmmakers who may have to pay a little more attention to money. It is also suitable for general office and media applications.
As far as image quality is concerned, the only minor point of criticism would be the lighting, which is not quite optimal, especially in the corners. But that’s complaining at a comparatively high level.
For a monitor that costs €220, the LC-Power LC-M28-4K-UHD has a very good panel and image quality!
POSITIVE
4K resolution
Good color space coverage
Generally good image quality
Proper factory calibration
IPS Panel
Maximum brightness usable
NEGATIVE
“Only” 60 Hz
No USB C
Simple case and OSD