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What distinguishes the Spectrum 4K is that Dough, formerly known as Eve, ‘crowd-designed’ the gadget, soliciting feedback from supporters on the monitor’s appearance, among other things. It also implies that the monitor is not widely accessible at the moment.
The Dough Spectrum 4K 144Hz is another candidate vying for a spot on our lists of the best 4K monitors and the best gaming monitors – and the fact that it qualifies for both of those purchasing recommendations indicates that we’re talking with a top-tier, premium-level monitor in this case.
Our comprehensive Dough Spectrum 4K review should provide you with all of the information you need to decide whether this is the monitor upgrade you’re searching for. If it isn’t, you might want to look at our recommendations to the best ultrawide displays and the best curved gaming monitors.
Specifications
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Screen size | 27 |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 |
| Audio | 3.5mm headphone output |
Dough Spectrum ES07D03 Review: Design
The Dough Spectrum 4K is simple to set up, and you won’t even need a screwdriver, which we like. The base slips into the stand, which slots into the screen, and it’s all quite easy, though we’re not sure why the stand is offered separately. In terms of design, the Dough Spectrum 4K has a basic, angular, and black aesthetic that we like.
It’s not spectacular, but the curvature of the stand and the metal finish provide a sense of quality. The screen cannot be swiveled, however it can be tilted, adjusted in height, and rotated through 90 degrees to be used in portrait mode. That’s a reasonable amount of adaptability. You can buy this gaming monitor from its official website.
Dough Spectrum ES07D03 Review: Display
Your TV has a glossy display, and so does your iPhone. The screen on your iPad is shiny. Why? Because it produces richer black depths and clearer pictures than a matte finish, while being more reflective. So, why don’t more monitor makers provide a comparable option.
Dough (previously Eve) hopes to remedy this imbalance with their new 27-inch Spectrum 4K 144Hz glossy display. The freshly renamed monitor company has revamped its original (and superb) 4K Spectrum display to take advantage of the advantages that glossy panels may provide.
While it may not be suitable for every working or gaming scenario, Dough’s Spectrum 4K 144Hz glossy monitor looks incredibly amazing in the proper setting. The Dough Spectrum 4K 144Hz glossy monitor is currently available for purchase and costs $1,099 for the display plus $99 for the beautiful stand.
At just under $1.200 for the pair, that’s a lot of money for a monitor, and while it’s not quite as expensive as the $1599 Apple Studio Display, it’s clearly in the premium segment. Dough’s last matte-coated display was priced at $949.
Dough Spectrum ES07D03 Review: Features
The Eve Spectrum 4K display does not like any other gaming-oriented monitor on the market, which is a good thing. In compared to the competition, which is all bright RGB lighting and aggressive Deceptacon-looking stands, the Eve 4K is absolutely simple.
It has tiny bezels surrounding its 27-inch display and only a color-adjustable LED light in the lower center front to indicate power. In terms of branding, the stand has a logo on the back and that’s all.
The gunmetal grey stand features a slim neck and a broad foot (ideal for storing a keyboard), and that’s all there is to it. The Eve Spectrum is ideal for people looking for a highly competent monitor that will also look at home in a smart workplace setting.
Dough Spectrum ES07D03 Review: Connectivity
It’s punchier, like a TV display or the displays on the greatest MacBooks (note Apple tends to lean towards glossy screens in its own computing products). True, its reflections are more visible… But only in really dark areas, and I found them simpler to manage by moving my sat posture to cause the reflections to vary as well.
With the diffusive bloom of the matte display, it’s difficult to prevent reflecting at any angle, giving everything a little foggy appearance. If you have control over ambient lighting and can reduce it to the point where reflectivity is nullified, it’s a no-brainer – the glossy display just looks nicer. It also looks excellent in motion.
Whether we were watching For All on Apple TV Plus, playing Cyberpunk 2077 on my PC through Nvidia G-Sync, or hooking up an Xbox Series X for some 120fps racing with Forza Horizon 5, input lag was almost non-existent, and movement was buttery smooth.
Dough Spectrum ES07D03 Review: Performance
The gaming magic may be found under the Performance menu. The Response Time (overdrive) feature includes three presets as well as a user-adjustable option. In my experience, no other monitor allows you to fine-tune the overdrive while seeing a test pattern.
You may modify the pulse width for more or less brightness if you use Backlight Strobe instead of Adaptive-Sync. Another interesting feature is the ability to modify the phase. If you see phasing in moving objects, where an additional duplicate of that item moves only a few pixels behind, you may reduce it with this control.
Price
The Eve Spectrum 4K 144Hz monitor was crowd-funded, thus while it is theoretically available right now, it is now on backorder until August 2021. It’s worth the wait, though, and the price is reasonable. The Eve Spectrum 4K is available for $799 / €799 (about £580 / AU$1090).
The monitor’s stand, however, is offered separately for $99 / €99 (about £70 / AU$135). Whatever way you look at it, that’s very excellent value – if you already have a monitor stand, you’re saving money by bypassing the stand, and the total $898 pricing is comparable to the LG Ultragear 27GP950 – the 4K premium gaming monitor Eve’s model is most similar to in terms of features.
Dough Spectrum ES07D03 Review: Conclusion
Glossy displays are widespread in televisions, particularly in expensive versions. The optical benefits are that you can see the pixels more clearly, so contrast and color appear more saturated. In addition, visual detail is clearer and crisper. When installing a glossy display, it is true that the room must be taken into account.
Lamps, overhead lighting, and bright windows may all detract from a spectacular image. However, if the appropriate conditions are met, a glossy screen delivers a huge boost. Last year, Dough, previously Eve Devices, wowed me with its initial Spectrum 4K monitor. It not only has a great image, but it also has excellent video processing. Though it runs at the same 144 Hz as comparable 4K panels, the excellent overdrive makes it appear to operate at a greater frame rate.
Pros
- Excellent selection of ports
- Fast refresh rate and accurate panel
- Gloriously rich display
Cons
- More reflective than we’d like
- Expensive
FAQs
Are Eve Spectrum monitors good?
The Spectrum has so many ways to connect that it’s almost full. The big features are things like the two HDMI 2.1 ports, which make this a good choice for PS5 and Xbox Series X users who want to get the most out of their consoles’ display capabilities.
What is the contrast ratio of Eve Spectrum?
My unit has a good native contrast ratio of 1160:1. The 4K version of LG’s Nano IPS panel doesn’t have the same contrast problems as the 1440p versions, and the Eve Spectrum was even a little better than my 27GN950 sample from LG.
Are there any glossy gaming monitors?
In February, it was announced that Dough, which used to be called Eve and makes the popular Eve Spectrum true HDMI 2.1 monitor, will make a glossy version for gamers.
Dough Spectrum ES07D03 Ratings