Product Reviews

Compared to the attention-seeking Asus PG191 monitor on page 43, which goes overboard on special features and flashy lights, ViewSonic's VG2021M looks both functional and plain. This isn't a bad thing though - what the 2021M lacks in style, it makes up for in value for money. For a 20in monitor, it's incredibly cheap.

The 20in monitors we've reviewed in the past have tended to be widescreen models with a native resolution of 1680 x 1050 - and you end up paying a hefty premium for those extra few pixels and an inch or so of screen size. The VG2021M isn't a widescreen model - it uses a

Despite the analogue D-Sub connection, the VG2021M did really well in our image tests. Our Windows Desktop was crisp and the ViewSonic was impressively bright. Colours were vibrant and even tricky photos were well reproduced with believable well-judged skin tones. Not all was so perfect though - the screen's 8ms response time couldn't cut it in fast-moving games and ghosting was evident in frantic moments. Contrast wasn't as good as pricier monitors, which meant detail in dark areas of our test photos was a little lacking, but this is a minor niggle for such a keenly priced product.

The ViewSonic VG2021M is a great monitor for the money. Its native resolution isn't incredibly high, nor its image quality perfect, but for a smidgen over £200, it offers a fantastic alternative to the similarly-priced 19in widescreen monitors currently available.