LG's 23-inch W2353V-PF, one of the company's Smart Series displays, differentiates itself from other monitors with its emphasis on reducing eyestrain.
The display includes an AutoBright function and a sensor that can detect ambient light and adjust the screen brightness accordingly. Using the control worked fairly well, though in some circumstances (such as a room that was just somewhat dim) it was hard to see any discernible difference in the screen's brightness.
Measuring less than 22 inches, Samsung's SyncMaster 2233SW certainly won't replace your big-screen HDTV. But in our subjective tests, this 21.5-inch LCD monitor showed impressive image quality.
Text on both black and white backgrounds looked crisp and easy to read, even at small font sizes. We also saw nuanced color, particularly in photographs, and our test portrait showed realistic skin tones and shading without any distracting contrast.
Dell's ST2310 is a solid display that performs well. It's not splashy or feature-rich, but it does deliver nice image quality.
In our lab's image quality tests, the 23-inch ST2310 showed sharp text and good color accuracy. In a portrait, skin tones looked realistic and nuanced. The ST2310 also did well in our motion tests, showing no visible fluttering or jarring of the image.
Working on dual displays can boost your productivity, particularly if you need to hopscotch through multiple open windows. EVGA's InterView includes two 17-inch displays on a single device; and the monitors are attached to a single arm in such a way that you can rotate each of them 180 degrees--for example, to share your work with someone sitting opposite you. Still, $650 is a steep price to pay to for extra flexibility.
Setting up the InterView took a little more effort than we expected. When we hooked it up to a monitor-testing PC configured to run Windows XP, our graphics driver software detected both displays but would output to only one of them at a time.
Following in the footsteps of such practical, moderately priced widescreen LCDs from Dell as the E228WFP, the Ultrasharp 1908WFP, and the G2210, the $230 Dell ST2310 is a solid display that performs well. It's not splashy or feature-rich, but it does deliver nice image quality.
In our image quality tests, the 23-inch ST2310 showed sharp text and good color accuracy. In a portrait, skin tones looked realistic and nuanced. The ST2310 also did well in our motion tests, showing no visible fluttering or jarring of the image.
LG's 23-inch W2353V, one of the company's "Smart Series" displays, differentiates itself from other monitors with its emphasis on reducing eyestrain.
The $229 unit includes an AutoBright function and a sensor that can detect ambient light and adjust the screen brightness accordingly. Using the control worked fairly well, though in some circumstances--such as a room that was just somewhat dim--it was hard to see any discernible difference in the screen's brightness.
Measuring less than 22 inches, the Samsung SyncMaster 2233SW certainly won't replace your big-screen HDTV. But in our subjective tests, this $200 (as of 10/28/09), 21.5-inch LCD monitor showed impressive image quality.
Text on both black and white backgrounds looked crisp and easy to read, even at small font sizes. We also saw nuanced color, particularly in photographs, and our test portrait showed realistic skin tones and shading without any distracting contrast.
ViewSonic's VG2427wm, a 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor, performed well in our image-quality tests. Text on a page of fonts of different sizes looked sharp, even when at a very small (6-point) size.
The VG2427wm also did a fairly good job of rendering color, though in one photo--a picnic scene with various red, green, and blue hues--we found the color to be slightly dull in comparison to other displays we've tested.
The VG2427wm, a 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor, performed well in our image quality tests. Text on a page of fonts of different sizes looked sharp, even when at a very small (6-point) size.
The VG2427 also did a fairly good job of rendering color, though in one photo--a picnic scene with various red, green, and blue hues, we found the color to be slightly dull in comparison to the way other screens, such as the Asus VH236H, rendered it.
The HP W2558hc 25.5-inch widescreen LCD offers impressive image quality, a host of extra features, and a pleasant design. What's not to like? You have to be willing to pay $549 to get it.
The W2558hc performed well in our image-quality tests, presenting sharp, readable text on black and white backgrounds alike. Text was quite easy to read even at 6 points; we didn't have to strain to see the lettering.
The shiny, black Asus VH236H showed good image quality and smooth video in our subjective tests, making it a nice, well-priced monitor for entertainment-centric buyers. We also saw fine, easy-to-read text on both black and white backgrounds. Photographs generally looked lively and had realistic color, though colors in a few photos appeared slightly dull. The VH236H also handled our motion tests well, showing little visible fluttering. Its solid performance in those tests makes this monitor a good choice for gaming and other motion-intensive tasks.
This monitor hosts a multitude of ports on the rear, including HDMI, DVI, VGA, and audio-in, plus an S/PDIF jack. All are clearly labeled and easy to access, so plugging in cables is a breeze. The VH236H comes with a built-in speaker, which is adequate for basic office tasks but not for music or movies. Another noticeable shortcoming is the absence of any USB ports.
Speed Up Everything!
PCWorld shows you the secrets to improve performance on all your hardware.
Master Windows 7!
Our expert guide will help you get the most out of Windows 7.
Visit other IDG sites:
© 1998-2012, PCWorld Communications, Inc.
Ad Choices