GCN Lab Review: ViewSonic VG2427wm LCD monitor
Connecting state and local government leaders
The 24-inch widescreen LCD aced every performance and image quality test we threw at it, yet comes with a reasonable $499 price tag.
Pros: Great black, uniform screen image; most accurate colors in review; built-in (hidden) speakers, two-port USB hub; great value
Cons: Slight light bleed at bottom of monitor
Image Quality: A
Features: A
Value: A
Price: $499
The VG2427wm from ViewSonic was the most impressive monitor in the review this year. The 24-inch widescreen LCD aced every performance and image quality test we threw at it, yet comes with a reasonable $499 price tag. Extra features such as completely hidden stereo speakers and a two-port USB hub round out this remarkable display. It earns the Reviewer’s Choice designation for being the best of a pretty good crop of large-size LCDs.
In this GCN Lab review:
LCD monitors go big, with mostly good results
ViewSonic VG2427wm LCD monitor
Eizo FlexScan EcoView EV2411W LCD monitor
Acer B273HU LCD monitor
NEC MultiSync EA241WM LCD monitor
Dell UltraSharp 2709W LCD monitor
HP LP2475w LCD monitor
The VG2427wm has a slim bezel that is only 3.5 inches thick at its widest point and sits on a small Lazy Susan-type of swivel base that lets it easily rotate in any direction. It has the smallest footprint in the review in terms of surface area and depth. The LCD can also move vertically along its stand and tilt.
The VG2427wm came in first in practically every test. It has the best black in the review, which is important because that is the base that colors are built on. It was no surprise to find that this LCD also had the most accurate colors, with true reds and blues and even greens and yellows that almost perfectly matched their respective Pantone digital colors.
Text was a joy to read on the VG2427wm, looking perfect at 9 points in size.
The LCD was also consistent across the entire screen in terms of light levels, something that is not too easy with a large widescreen panel. In the middle of the LCD, we recorded 205 lumens during our testing. That dropped to only 185 in the corners of the screen. A 20-lumen drop is miniscule, given that the naked eye does not see a difference of less than 100 lumens.
The VG2427wm also did well in color registration testing, properly rendering different colored blinking lines on top of one another. This is important because it means the VG2427wm is also a good display for watching videos. Combined with accurate colors and a great black background, movies did tend to look great on the screen.
The only negative was a small amount of light bleeding across the bottom of the screen. That problem didn’t happen at all on the sides or the top of the screen and was slight where it did occur.
The VG2427wm is also packed with extra features. The most surprising is a set of stereo speakers with SRS WOW HD technology that sound pretty good. The speakers are completely hidden inside the LCD, so you can’t see them without cracking open the case. Only the green audio input jack in the back gives a clue that they exist. Given that they sound pretty good, this is a great way to add basic sound capabilities to your desktop without taking up extra room. There also is a two-port USB hub, which is useful if you happen to have a lot of peripherals to plug in and are out of space on your computer. These are, unfortunately, in the back. We would have preferred if they were in the front or at least the side, to make it easy to quickly connect your digital devices.
With only a few minor flaws, the VG2427wm is a wonderful large LCD that can be had for a good price. It would fit into almost any office setting, even if space was at a premium, and would perform excellently with any assigned task.
ViewSonic, 888-881-8781, www.viewsonic.com