ViewSonic VP201b

We first saw ViewSonic's VP201b in our last TFTs group test, but found there to be certain technical issues. Since then, ViewSonic has updated the panel from a response time of 20ms to a faster 16ms, and made a few tweaks in an effort to correct the flaws.

First impressions were good. There's a pleasing crispness to the definition of icons and text on the Desktop, which becomes even more pronounced when delving into detail on digital photographs or on DTP applications.

The backlight is strong and there were no inconsistencies in brightness. We also had no problems using the panel in the sunniest part of the PC Pro office. Looking at the effect of the quoted 16ms time on DVD video, we found few distracting moments of lag, although we still noticed dragging in tricky areas such as white text credits on a black background. Artefacts were frequently evident however, and darker scenes lacked definition. Nevertheless, viewing angles were excellent.

Further testing revealed underlying problems. The most noticeable issue was a lack of separation at the extremities of the spectrum - explaining the murkiness of DVD playback, and indicating a limited colour range. There was also an element of banding visible in colour ramps. The slight issue we previously noted with graininess on a white screen was also present.

The menu system is an improvement over previous models and, although it keeps the obscure '1' and '2' labelling system, it adds a helpful key at the bottom of the OSD, aiding navigation enormously.

There's a good feature list too, including two DVI inputs, together with a D-SUB and a four-port USB hub. Elsewhere, we've praise for ViewSonic's solid and stable stand, which easily allows a wide range of height, tilt and swivel adjustment. The price has fallen since our group test, and it represents reasonable value; but then the Labs-winning Eizo FlexScan L885 has also dropped in price, and it offers better overall performance.

Author: Ross Burridge