ViewSonic VA1912w

Although the 19in. wide-screen ViewSonic VA1912w looks modest, it packs a punch, with above-average performance, full-sounding built-in speakers and a very sweet price.

The ViewSonic VA1912w's design is pretty standard issue for budget monitors; the only touch of colour comes from the six shiny chrome adjustment buttons on the bottom bezel. The large, elliptical base isn't heavy enough to keep the display from wobbling when you make even minor panel adjustments. Flexibility isn't this monitor's strong suit: the panel tilts 20 degrees back and 5 forward but offers no swivel, pivot or height adjustment. The panel is suspended nearly 10cm above the desktop -- a good fixed height for most users. The display accepts DVI-D and VGA inputs (both cables are included), but it's a tight squeeze to attach the connectors, and the only cable-management feature is a plastic cover that snaps over the connector area. We approve of disguising the plugs, but we wish ViewSonic had added a clip to tidy up the cables.

When it comes to adjusting the image, the on-screen menu (OSM) is very easy to navigate, and the control panel offers all the buttons you need. There's a dedicated mute button for the built-in speakers, but we wish that ViewSonic had also made the up/down arrow keys double as volume keys instead of quick-launch keys for brightness and contrast adjustments. As it is, you have to go through the OSM to adjust the volume. The speakers themselves sound quite full for built-in units, but their maximum volume is not particularly loud.

We tested the ViewSonic VA1912w at its native resolution of 1,440 by 900 and were pleased with its above-average overall performance. The VA1912w scored high on our DisplayMate-based sharpness tests: text in particular was crisp, nicely contrasted and easy to read. The display's greyscale performance was average, with some compression at both ends of the spectrum, meaning the VA1912w did not display the very darkest or lightest shades of grey. Greys had a reddish hue that we couldn't correct to our satisfaction using the colour temperature controls. We also noticed that bars of grey looked darker along the bottom of the screen than the top. This jibed with our screen uniformity test, which showed a darker swath along the bottom third of the screen. Colours in both informal tests of Web graphics and DisplayMate screens looked somewhat muted, although fade and saturation screens showed no errors.

The display has a fairly fast 8-millisecond pixel-response rate which we partially credit for the VA1912w's good performance on gaming tests. We saw smooth movement and good detail. However, if you're considering buying this display, be sure to check that your favourite games support the monitor's somewhat unusual resolution; our official test game, Unreal Tournament 2004, did not. DVD playback showed a bit more digital noise than usual and somewhat orange-looking skin tones, but ghosting and streaking (blurred moving images) were within tolerable limits.

ViewSonic backs the VA1912w with an industry-standard 3-year warranty on parts, labour and the backlight. ViewSonic's support site has an email support form, an interactive Q&A knowledge portal, white papers and driver downloads. Telephone support is also available.

Story URL: http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/monitors/0,1000001018,39258736,00.htm