Everyday usability
The first striking difference between the iiyama XB3070WQS and other monitors is the 16:10 aspect ratio which gives more vertical height for the same width as widescreen 16:9 displays. In tandem with the 2,560x1,600 resolution the iiyama panel gives a significant amount of workspace that can facilitate the productive use of multiple windowed applications. The beauty of the WQXGA resolution on the 30in panel is that the resulting 100 DPI requires no scaling, meaning productivity applications, such Adobe and Sony software products, function without UI or toolbar deformities. For reference 100 DPI is equivalent to 1,920x1,080 on a 22in panel.
The iiyama panel has exceptional colour vibrancy which makes it ideal for colour-sensitive workflows, and even some gaming in between. Furthermore, the 2,560x1,600 resolutions means it is comparatively easy to drive 3D content on this display compared to 4K, which requires much more pixel-pushing power without delivering greatly enhanced visual quality. This monitor isn't geared for gaming but the experience isn't too shabby thanks to the large viewing area and resolution, and the input lag is noticeable but acceptable in most circumstances.
The OSD is rather limited in options with only brightness, contrast and colour temperature adjustments on offer, as well as a range of display presets and enhancements. Interestingly, some of iiyama's presets, such as for Adobe RGB and sRGB, actually delivered weaker gamut and accuracy results than the normal display profile the panel ships with. We think the addition of gamma, hue and saturation controls is something iiyama should consider given that this monitor targets professionals in colour-centric occupations.
A noticeable blemish on an otherwise excellent panel is the backlight bleeding that occurs in each of the four corners, with the bottom two being the most pronounced. The effect is at its most noticeable when the monitor is displaying dark colours, such as black and grey, and the bleed creates a white sheen over the panel corners, diverting viewer attention.
The panel also experiences quite noticeable horizontal colour-shift despite the IPS technology, yet the same shift doesn't occur in the vertical direction. Despite this, the panel is still clearly viewable, just not with the same quality as a head-on view. In general, the viewing experience is crisp and balanced with brighter colours but the issues with backlight bleed and colour shift are worth taking note of depending on how the user intends to use the display.