HP 2009m LCD Widescreen Monitor

HP 2009m LCD Widescreen Monitor
The $200 HP 2009m, an affordable 20-inch widescreen display, produced impressive image quality in our subjective tests. We saw nuanced, accurate skin tones in photographs, and found small fonts easy to read. The screen has a glossy, antireflective coating that gives the display a nice sheen--and thankfully, the coating also seems to enhance the screen's readability rather than detract from it.

The display's 20-inch-diagonal size enables it to have a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1600 by 900 native resolution, which makes it appropriate for showing HD content. However, the 2009m does not have an HDMI connection--it offers only VGA and DVI ports. The ports are set in at the back of the display; to plug in cables, it's actually easier to lay the display down on its face, which isn't the best (or most convenient) thing to do.

If the lack of an HDMI port and the placement of the existing ports aren't deal-breakers for you, the 2009m won't disappoint. Our motion tests showed little visible blurring, a good sign that the display should be a fine choice for watching movies or playing games.

To access the on-screen controls, which are easy to navigate, you must use buttons that are set into the lip of the bottom bezel. The display can swivel only on its stand, and tilts with a slightly aggressive push. It cannot pivot.

Despite a few drawbacks--no HDMI connection and little maneuverability--the 2009m is a very reasonably priced monitor that offers great image quality.

ViewSonic VG2427wm 24-Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor

ViewSonic VG2427wm 24-Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor
The VG2427wm, a 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor, performed well in our image quality tests. Text on a page of fonts of different sizes looked sharp, even when at a very small (6-point) size.

The VG2427 also did a fairly good job of rendering color, though in one photo--a picnic scene with various red, green, and blue hues, we found the color to be slightly dull in comparison to the way other screens, such as the Asus VH236H, rendered it.

In our motion tests, the VG2427wm stumbled a bit, displaying some just-detectable jittering of our test image. Though the jittering was slight, it was noticeable enough that active gamers might find it distracting.

The VG2427wm's 1920-by-1080-pixel native resolution theoretically makes it 1080p-ready, and well-suited for HD content. Unfortunately, the display lacks an HDMI input, offering only DVI and VGA ports. ViewSonic says that it intends the monitor for corporate and office use; but to take full advantage of its resolution, an HDMI input would seem to be a necessary feature. The VG2427 does include three USB ports at the rear.

Four buttons on the bottom of the front bezel control the on-screen display (OSD). The power button lies at the center of the cluster of buttons, which unfortunately increases the likelihood that you'll press it by accident while aiming for the button for cycling through the OSD's menus.

The display tilts and swivels with ease. It also has a height adjustment, which works smoothly as well. Its bezel has a pleasant, charcoal-black finish.

At $400, the VG 2427wm is quite reasonably priced for a 24-inch widescreen in today's monitor marketplace. It would make a good choice for users who need a big screen for text-intensive work, but the less-than-totally-smooth video playback and the lack of an HDMI-in port may disappoint for gamers and movie watchers.