ViewSonic VX2435wm

More and more people are now opting for the extravagance and sheer comfort of a 24in monitor, and prices are coming down as demand rises. We've seen HDMI monitors before, such as the superb BenQ FP241W, but this ViewSonic VX2435wm is the first 24in screen we've reviewed to offer the port at a price that really grabs our attention. It costs just £390, which undercuts the BenQ by at least £80, and even beats the HDMI-less Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP (web ID: 104798) by around £50.

We were therefore expecting the odd corner to have been cut, but we're pleased to say the VX2435wm is a high-quality piece of kit. Behind the large rear panel you'll find VGA, component, composite and S-Video inputs, all vertically mounted for easy access. The HDMI port also carries audio to the impressively loud 3W speakers, but there are 3.5mm and RCA connectors, too, and the OSD allows you to individually adjust bass and treble to ensure a strong sound.

We hooked up the HDMI port to our PC using an HDMI-DVI cable and used DisplayMate to set up the display. The 500cd/m2 brightness gave a startlingly strong and even white, and we were also pleased to see a fairly deep black level thanks to the 1,000:1 contrast. Our colour ramp tests showed smooth gradients in both greyscale and colour, and greys showed no problematic hint of colour.

However, a few issues came to light when we played HD video clips. Fast-moving scenes displayed a slight hint of blurring, perhaps betraying a weakness with the 8ms response time. The screen also has a mottled antiglare coating, which has the side-effect of bringing the individual pixel lines to your attention and giving everything a slightly speckled finish. Finally, unlike the fully adjustable stands of the BenQ and Dell, the ViewSonic's stand only tilts.

But these foibles are compensated by the superb price, and the VX2435wm is sure to appeal to anyone looking to invest in their first large-format HDMI display.

Author: David Bayon