Has your screen lost its luster?
We’ve reviewed five new 24in and 27in monitors that cost less than $300
The monitors that manufacturers bundle with
PCs are often cheap and cheerful, but if you fancy upgrading to a bigger,
higher quality screen, you don’t have to spend a fortune.
In this Group Test, we’ve reviewed five new
monitors that cost less than $300: four 24in models and one 27in screen. Screen
sizes are measured diagonally across opposite corners of the display panel, and
don’t include the bezel (the surrounding casing).
Has
your screen lost its luster?
How we tested
We tested the performance of the monitors
using a colorimeter and the open source software DispcalGUI. The color accuracy
test measured the percentage of colors available from the standard Windows sRGB
palette: the higher the percentage, the better the color
Screen brightness was measured in candelas
per squares meter (cd/m3), and should be a high number, while the black level
should be as low as possible. The contrast ratio shows how many levels of
brightness are available between the brightest while and the darkest black. A
high number means you can still see plenty of detail in high-contrast images.
BenQ BL2410PT
This 24in screen uses a VA (Vertical
Alignment) display panel. Screens with this technology promise better colors
and viewing angles than the older TN (Twisted Nematic) panels, used by the AOC,
HannsG and liyama models in this Group Test. All the screens in this test,
whatever the type of display, have a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.
The BL2410PT has an adjustable screen, so
you can alter its height and rotate it through 90 degrees, should you ever want
your screen in portrait mode.
In our tests, it showed a contrast ratio of
2,242:1, which was the second best behind the other VA panel, the 27in BenQ
GW2750HM. We also measured a black level of 0.1cd/m2, which was equal first
with the other BenQ monitor.
BenQ
BL2410PT
These figures were confirmed by our
subjective image tests. Blacks look deep, whites look bright, and reds, greens
and blue are rich and vibrant. The screen’s matt finish means that reflections
are reduced to a minimum but it makes colors seem less vivid than on glossy
screens,
Our color accuracy tests revealed that the
screen displayed an outstanding 99.9 per cent of colors found in the sRGB
setting, with no adjustments needed. This is hugely impressive, and makes it
particularly handy if you don’t have access to color-calibration tools. Its
viewing angles are also excellent.
The monitor has an extensive range of ports
with VGA, DVI, HDMI and DipslayPort inputs, a 3.5mm audio line-in, a headphone
jack and a 3-port USB hub.
Verdict: 5/5
The BenQ is a brilliant monitor with
outstanding picture quality and a useful range of ports to plug your PC, audio
and USB devices into. It’s right at the top of the price scale but is worth
spending the extra money on if you want a well-calibrated screen with no
fussing about.
·
Features: 5/5
·
Performance: 5/5
·
Ease of use: 4/5
·
Value for money: 5/5
BenQ BL2410PT specs
·
Price: $299
·
Size: 24in widescreen
·
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 pixels
·
Quoted contrast ratio: 5,000:1
·
Quoted brightness: 250cd/m2
·
Horizontal viewing angle: 1780
·
Vertical viewing angle: 1780
·
Response time: 4ms grey-to-grey
·
Portrait mode: yes
·
Wall mount option: yes
·
Height adjustable: yes
·
Integrated speakers: yes (2 x 1W)
·
USB Hub: Three-port USB
·
Extras: headphone output
·
Video inputs: DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, VGA
·
Audio inputs: 3.5mm line-in
·
Warranty: One-year RTB
AOC E2462VWH
We were pleased with the color accuracy of
this monitor, which displayed 92.9 percent of sRGB’s colors at its default
settings. This went up to 98.1 percent after calibration, but you need
specialist hardware to do this.
The black level we recorded, of 0.71 cd/m2,
was higher than expected, and its brightest whites looked a bit grey. We
measured a contrast ratio of 226:1, which is low, but we could still see a reasonable
amount of detail in the high-contrast images we tested it with.
AOC
E2462VWH
Adjusting the image settings on this
monitor is easy, because you can install the software on your PC instead of
fiddling about with the bezel-mounted buttons. The biggest annoyance is its
lack of a DVI connection, although if you haven’t got HDMI on your PC, you can
buy an adapter for around $10
Verdict: 4/5
This is an excellent-quality monitor with
superb colors, though its contrast isn’t as impressive as the BenQ Gold
Award-winner and it doesn’t have the extra ports and features. However, this is
reflected in its cheaper price.
·
Features: 4/5
·
Performance: 5/5
·
Ease of use: 4/5
·
Value for money: 5/5
AOC E2462VWH specs
·
Price: $207
·
Size: 23.6in widescreen
·
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 pixels
·
Quoted contrast ratio: 20,000,000:1 (dynamic)
·
Quoted brightness: 250cd/m2
·
Horizontal viewing angle: 1700
·
Vertical viewing angle: 1600
·
Response time: 2ms grey-to-grey
·
Portrait mode: no
·
Wall mount option: no
·
Height adjustable: no
·
Integrated speakers: no
·
USB Hub: No
·
Extras: headphone output
·
Video inputs: HDMI, VGA
·
Audio inputs: None
·
Warranty: Three-year RTB
