14 DAY TRIAL // Monitors are the sort of product where you don't have a very broad range of features to look for, which makes it harder for companies to set their inventions apart from the rest than, say, desktop vendors. That doesn't mean it's impossible though, as ViewSonic just showed.
The company has introduced two monitors, called VG33SMH series, specifically VG2233SMH and VG2433SMH. The first two figures in the name, right after VG, indicate the display size, so the former is a 22-inch LCD and the latter a 24-inch monitor.
The two have Full HD displays, which means that the native resolution is of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Not all that surprising, or impressive for that matter.
What does stand out, somewhat, is the SuperClear Image Enhancement Technology, which “displays content in crisp text and in vibrant colors,” in the company's own words.
The viewing angles are of 178 degrees, which suggests that the displays are IPS panels (in-plane switching), instead of TN (twisted nematic).
So you should be able to look at the displays from any angle without the image fading or the colors getting distorted.
Sure, it's not really that big a deal now, not like it was ten years ago when LED-backlit LCDs, and LCDs in general, looked horrible unless you were sitting perfectly center in front of them.
Another asset is the ECO mode, which is pretty normal for ViewSonic displays, but not all others out there. Sure, energy-saving tech comes in many forms, and most monitor makers have one, but ECO mode can save up to 50% in energy costs, and prolongs lamp life too.
Meko, Europe's independent display industry analysts, have even said that ViewSonic ECO monitors have the lowest average power consumption on the continent. Businesses can use an online tool (also provided by ViewSonic) to see how much they can save on TCO (total cost of ownership) if they switch over.
Moving on, there are DVI, D-Sub and HDMI inputs on the back of the LCD, making the VG2233SMH and VG2433SMH compatible with pretty much every PC, laptop and home entertainment device (media player, Blu-ray player, etc.).
Finally, the two monitors have stands with swivel, height, tilt and pivot adjustment. All in all, the VG2233SMH and VG2433SMH should be a good fit for people who spend long hours at the office.
Sales of the ViewSonic VG2233SMH and VG2433SMH 22-inch and 24-inch monitors will start shipping in May 2014 (next month), for €130 / $180 and €159 / $220, respectively.