SanQ E2400HD

This 16:9 aspect ratio, 1,920 x 1,080 resolution features HDMI, DVI (with HDCP), and VGA inputs. BenQ also integrates its Senseye+ Photo Image

artifacts. The E2400HD also displayed some dark shading at the bottom and top of the screen when displaying bright col­ors. Despite these issues, the E2400 dis­played one of the truest black-and-white gradations of our test group. The stand for the 24-inch monitor is sturdy, but it only allows you to tilt the E2400HD up or down. BenQ integrates five preset modes, including Standard, Movie, Dynamic, Photo, and sRGB (ide-al for people who use sRGB devices to match color), and the controls are built onto the right side of the monitor. We had complete control of the bright­ness, contrast, and sharpness, as well as the red, green, and blue levels on the monitor. We thought the built-in speak­ers produced the best audio clarity and overall volume of the group. The moni­tor's subtle dark patches may deter graphics professionals, but the people looking for a monitor for watching movies and TV will appreciate the deep contrast ratio of the E2400HD's 24­inch screen.

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Viewsonic VG2428wm

Currently available for about $270 online, the VG2428wm is a scream­ing deal if you want a top-end, 24-inch LCD but not the top-shelf price tag that's often attached to such displays. The VG2428wm supports VGA and DVI-D ports but not HDMI. Instead, you get a two-port USB 2.0 hub and a 3.5mm stereo that feeds the 2W integrated stereo speakers. The speakers are sufficient for voice and YouTube, but you wouldn't want to game with them. Using X-Rite's ilDisplay2 package, we measured the VG2428wm out of the box with a 2.2 gamma, an already optimal 6500K color temperature, a minimum luminance of 0.3cd/m2, and a running luminance (at 100%) brightness of 329cd/m2-a respectable 10% above the vendor's specification. We observed only slight blooming around the bottom edge and nothing out of the ordinary for a mainstream CCFL unit. We've heard from Viewsonic that the compa­ny is transitioning to LED backlighting across its product line, and we can see why. Despite excellent color quality (that admittedly favors reds a bit over blues before calibration), deep blacks, zero visible ghosting, and excellent ability to preserve bright color grades without banding, the only weak­ness in this model is its power consump­tion. With a solid black background on the Windows 7 desktop, we measured the VG2428wm drawing 38.4W A solid white background yielded 37.3W.  Withthe default Win7 desktop, we meas­ured 37.9W at 100% brightness, 27W at 80%, and 22.5W at 50%, with full-screen video maxing out at 41.2W LED panels generally con­sume much less. However, Viewsonic's stand is bril­liant, allowing for a 90-degree pivot, 360-degree swiveling, almost effortless tilting from - 5 to 20 degrees, and a height adjustment spanning 5.3 inches, so you can be ergonomically comfort­able. The 0.75-inch bezel isn't remark­ably thin, but it's svelte enough to escape much notice. Overall, the VG2428wm is one of the best monitor values we've tested recently .

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