What is Pantone Validated Certification?

BenQ

2020/01/08

Pantone is well known by designers and other pros who work extensively with color. The Pantone Matching System (PMS) standardizes color to ensure consistent hues. This eliminates guesswork when matching colors, which is a big deal. "Almost" is not good enough. Additionally, the Pantone Color of the Year affects trends each time it's announced. But, most people associate Pantone with products made of paper, plastic, or cloth. So why does a monitor brand like BenQ connect with Pantone or the designer circle? In the digital age, digital color is key. Most design and color-focused creativity start on a display. That's why BenQ is the first display manufacturer to seek and earn Pantone Validated certifications.

Background

Pantone started as a printing company in the 1960s. They soon realized the graphic arts industry needed an effective color communication standard. So, they introduced the first Pantone Matching System in 1963 with 500 colors. PMS has evolved ever since with more colors for use in ever-varied media. Nowadays, Pantone Matching System includes more than 1,300 colors. They cover formats including paper, plastics, textiles, and electronic libraries. In 2007, Calibrite, a leading manufacturer of color measurement and management products, acquired Pantone.

Forward to 2019, BenQ announced a wide range of monitors which are “Pantone Validated." DesignVue PD series and PhotoVue Photographer SW series earned this status. BenQ is the first professional display brand with dedicated Pantone Validated monitors. Of note, Calibrite, Pantone, and BenQ started the certification discussion in 2013. And BenQ had pushed for the certification ever since. This is all because BenQ saw the need for color certification in computer monitors.

Benefit

The pantone validated certification tests the monitor’s ability to accurately reproduce pantone colors

The benefit of creating/obtaining Pantone Validated Certification links to PantoneLIVE. PantoneLIVE is a cloud-based digital version of the Pantone color library. The goal is for everyone in a creative color process to access the same color values for any job. The concept is great but presents challenges.

The first problem is finding a trustworthy display. This is where Pantone Validated Certification comes in. The certification tests the monitor’s ability to accurately reproduce Pantone colors. Only monitors that can reproduce a certain percentage of Pantone colors earn Pantone Validated. The test involves thousands of colors. This eliminates guesswork. So, when a designer needs a reliable display, they only need to check whether it is Pantone Validated. If so, they can be confident that the Pantone colors on the screen are accurate.

The second issue is choosing which BenQ display is best for you. DesignVue PD series or PhotoVue SW series both have Pantone Validated Certification. You could choose based on your budget. You might also consider whether you want to calibrate at a later stage. PD series monitors earn Pantone Validated Certification in factory preset mode. SW series monitors earn Pantone Validated Certification in factory preset and calibration modes. Both PD and SW monitors users can enjoy out-of-the-box Pantone color accuracy. SW series users have the added benefit of post-purchase calibration. They maintain accuracy using BenQ proprietary hardware calibration software, Palette Master Element.

Conclusion

BenQ, Calibrite, and Pantone worked to provide creatives a way to confirm a monitor’s Pantone Color rendering capability. BenQ is the first professional monitor brand awarded Pantone Validated Certification. BenQ DesignVue Designer PD series and PhotoVue Photographer SW series are Pantone Validated. If you count on color accuracy, count on a Pantone Validated display.

Pantone Validated Now in DesignVue and PhotoVue Monitors

BenQ DesignVue and PhotoVue monitors offer integrated color correction and BenQ-exclusive AQCOLOR technology to guarantee superior fidelity in color accuracy, including tested quality in achieving Pantone Matching System colors.

The calibration of BenQ professional monitor model must be done at the factory with accurate measurement.

What is BenQ Color Consistency Technology?

Color Consistency Technology is BenQ's proprietary technology to enhance the factory calibration performance. The benefit of incorporting the color consistency technology is to ensure the colors on all units of the same BenQ Professional monitor model will look very similar, no matter what panel is used, and which production line is utilized.

There are different versions of CalMAN software.

What is CalMAN Verified?

In this article, an overview of Portrait Displays, the company that developed CalMAN, is provided, and different versions of CalMAN are also briefly introduced as background information. The article will also describe how to utilize the test project to complete CalMAN Verified validation scheme during the process.

The photographer is examining, editing and communicating his work via onscreen images.

The Importance of Uniformity in Presenting Accurate Images on Screen

Screen uniformity means the ability of a screen to consistently show both color uniformity and brightness uniformity. Auniform monitor provides consistent brightness and color across the entire sceen.

The photographer is testing the BenQ color AQCOLOR technology in the lab.

What is BenQ AQCOLOR Technology?

AQCOLOR Technology is a propietary technology developed by BenQ to deliver accurate colors from professional monitors to respective users. "Colors You Can Trust" is the major benefit that BenQ would like users to experience from the products.

What is ICC Profile and Why Should Designers Care About it?

Color plays a crucial role in things we use and buy, and for those who design items like these for a living, ensuring color is accurately applied and displayed is a key aspect of their work. With most of the steps in the design process now being executed digitally, designers are relying more heavily on their computers and monitors to guarantee the accurate display of colors. In order to ensure the highest level of color accuracy, designers have to first familiarize themselves with a tiny set of data called ICC Profile, which plays a small yet decisive role in the design process.

How is ICC Profile Used in Photographer’s Workflow?

Take a closer look at how to incorporate the ICC profiles in a practical workflow. There are some practical tips for utilizing ICC profiles in the photographer’s workflow, for example, how to set up RGB Working Color Space, where to store the ICC profiles, and how to convert color spaces.

What is Pantone Validated Certification?

Related article

Pantone Validated Now in DesignVue and PhotoVue Monitors

What is BenQ Color Consistency Technology?

What is CalMAN Verified?

The Importance of Uniformity in Presenting Accurate Images on Screen

What is BenQ AQCOLOR Technology?

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How is ICC Profile Used in Photographer’s Workflow?

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What is Pantone Validated Certification?

Related article

Pantone Validated Now in DesignVue and PhotoVue Monitors

What is BenQ Color Consistency Technology?

What is CalMAN Verified?

The Importance of Uniformity in Presenting Accurate Images on Screen

What is BenQ AQCOLOR Technology?

What is ICC Profile and Why Should Designers Care About it?

How is ICC Profile Used in Photographer’s Workflow?

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BenQ Professional Monitors for Color Experts