Eizo FlexScan T2351W review

Touch on a desktop monitor just isn’t comfortable to use for long periods, but Eizo’s FlexScan T2351W has just the thing to rectify that. Instead of height adjustment, a latch on the back of its LaidBack stand lets the panel slide backwards, taking it anywhere from upright to almost flat against the desk.

After installing the drivers and calibrating the screen – a quick, painless process – the optical sensors along the glossy panel's edge detect two-fingered multitouch gestures, such as pinching and rotating pictures, or swishing left and right through photo galleries. The ability to reach downwards rather than straight out meant we comfortably prodded away for hours without feeling as though our arms were going to drop off.

The fine ergonomics are matched with superb image quality. The only downside to the 8-bit VA panel is the slight smearing on fast-moving images, but given the sheer vibrancy of the images that beam out of the Eizo's glossy panel, it's a minor moan. We'd make sure to install the correct monitor profile from Eizo's website for the best colour accuracy – it isn’t included on the disc – but once done, the T2351W really delivers.

We measured the contrast ratio at 2,351:1 – a little behind the claimed 3,000:1 – while brightness reached an ample 215cd/m2. Gamma and colour temperature measured at 2.2 and 6,548k respectively: an almost perfect result.

Colour accuracy was even better, and the Eizo's sRGB preset delivered a fine average Delta E of just 1.7 (where below one is indistinguishable to the naked eye), with only a peak of 4.7 in the blues to mar its performance. Other presets sacrifice all-out quality, however, with “Game” artificially boosting contrast and applying a vivid sharpening effect, and “Paper” reducing the contrast range to limit eyestrain.

To add to this fine quality, the Eizo's automatic brightness sensor swells its eco-friendly aspirations, and all the basic elements are present and correct too. D-SUB, DVI, HDMI and 3.5mm audio inputs hide around the rear, while a headphone output skulks on the left-hand edge. The mono 0.35W speaker won't win any awards for music reproduction, but at least it goes reasonably loud while keeping speech intelligible.

If you're in the market for a quality touchscreen, Eizo has clearly spent time and care designing the T2351W to be genuinely usable, and by and large it’s a success. The one glaring issue is the considerable price. If you can stomach that, rest assured fine ergonomics and superb image quality make this touchscreen monitor more than just a novelty.

Author: Sasha Muller