Viewsonic’s presence in the LCD display market has been reduced in the last few years by the entry of other brands such as Dell, AOC and BenQ. As users move to higher resolution displays, they also start looking for larger size monitors. ViewSonic has launched a 27-inch display called the VX2739wm and that's what we'll be reviewing today.
Sturdy stand, but a bit large
Features
The VX2739wm is a 27-inch 1920x1080 resolution LCD LED-backlit display with a TN panel. ViewSonic is claiming that the display has a response time of just 1ms. TN panels often have the advantage of being really low in response times, but we’ll have to see if that translates into a more responsive display. TN panels and almost all other panels for that matter are extremely responsive and it’s difficult to distinguish between them. In terms of video connectivity, the VX2739wm comes ready with HDMI (1.3), D-Sub, DVI and an audio connector for the integrated speakers.
Rear connectors, as well as HDMI and USB options
The user interface of the VX2739wm is different from the previous models. The new interface isn’t the prettiest we’ve seen, but the layout and flow of the menus is similar to the old version. There are options to change the saturation levels for the red, green and blue. The monitor has an option to switch response times, which seems kind of pointless. We enabled it and we saw no difference. Another unseen feature on monitors is the dynamic contrast mode, which brightens and darkens the entire display depending on the kind of image being displayed on it. This can be distracting. There’s also a delay in the backlighting system which makes it even worse. We recommend turning this feature off completely.
Design and Build Quality
The design of the ViewSonic VX2739wm has only changed slightly. The older ViewSonic displays would have speakers built into the thicker bezel, but it’s not the case anymore. The speakers are nowhere to be seen. The bezel is a little thicker than we’d have liked it, and it has a glossy finish. The display itself has a matte finish. All of the input connectors are positioned at the back of the display whereas the controls are placed on the right side. There are two USB ports on that panel and two others at the back with the rest of the input connectors. An audio output jack is also available if you want to connect portable speakers or your headphones to the display.
USB connectors at the side
The stand is simple to attach to the display and it’s reasonably sturdy. It does not offer a lot of options as far as moving the monitor is concerned. There is no swivel or raising of the display - the monitor can only be tilted back and forth. The speakers are positioned inside the display at the back, which isn’t ideal by any standards. The speakers should ideally be facing the user. Other than the large power on button, there are no other controls at the front. The display controls are present at the side and the markings are etched along the bezel. Using the controls can be a little difficult.
The TN panel on the VX2739wm means that the viewing angles of the display aren’t very impressive. Even the slightest change in direction means that the colours look a little off. We ran DisplayMate to gauge the quality of the monitor. The gradient test using grey blocks showed only two third of the entire range. The darker blocks weren’t visible at all. Another observation was that the darker blocks had a hint of green in them. Basic colours look fine except for yellow being a little paler than what it ought to be. Viewing angles were a big issue even in DisplayMate. Being a larger screen, you’re bound to look at parts of the screen from a less than ideal angle.
Controls on the side
Complex patterns showed no signs of flickering. Text on backgrounds with different colours appeared odd. Dark yellow text on grey wasn’t clear and it was the same case with yellow text on a white background. There was clear separation between different shades of colours. Reds and blues were the worst as there was blending of colours in the brighter shades.
Movie playback wasn’t very satisfying as colours seemed a little pale. Viewing angles also affected the look and accuracy of colours. The speakers aren’t very loud and since they are placed in the back of the display, they sound soft and muffled.
The massive 27-inch monitor
Verdict
The ViewSonic VX2739wm sells for Rs. 24,999, which is way higher than any other 24-inch TN panel monitor. There are TN panel monitors that sell for roughly half this price. Paying close to twice as much and getting nothing more than a slightly larger screen isn’t worth it. Performance wasn’t very impressive either and some of the unique features such as the dynamic contrast control and the response time control in the monitor are of little use. If priced at less than Rs. 20,000, this would have been a good purchase.
No comments:
Post a Comment