Overview

Attractive modern design, good build quality, wide viewing angles, stunning picture quality, good connectivity options (although no HDMI port), adjustable stand can be removed for wall-mounting (VESA mount), excellent OSD (on screen display), great value for money and no complaints at this price.

The Dell UltraSharp U2312HM is a first rate widescreen LED monitor that comes with a 23 inch widescreen display using IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel technology to produce stunning image quality that you wouldn’t normally expect of a monitor in this price bracket. Fans of photography, budding designers and home media enthusiasts will be thrilled by the Dell UltraSharp U2312HM’s performance. Featuring an adjustable stand, as well as a host of connectivity options, the Dell UltraSharp U2312HM is ideal for home or office use, making it the perfect choice for anyone in the market for a versatile top end monitor with an attractively affordable price tag.

Design

The first thing that strikes you about the UltraSharp U2312HM is how good looking it is. We often hear consumer complaints that monitors in this price range forego style completely as manufacturers try to keep the cost down. Fortunately this can’t be said of Dell in this instance, as the UltraSharp U2312HM has been attractively designed with modern good looks to fit into your office or home alongside your existing computer equipment.

Dell has sensibly opted to allow the UltraSharp U2312HM’s display to speak for itself, with only the tiniest of bezels surrounding the 23” screen. Whilst the overall design remains the same, the bezel comes in a choice of a matte black or a shinier silver finish. We think that the silver version looks terrific, adding a touch of class to an already attractive design. The screen is also usefully equipped with an extremely effective anti-glare coating that all but eliminates reflections on sunny days.

Another great aspect of the design is the UltraSharp U2312HM’s adjustable stand. In addition to featuring a clever cable management system to keep unsightly wires out of the way, the stand can be tilted, pivoted, raised or lowered according to your working needs. It is fully rotational, allowing you to easily use it in landscape or portrait view. The stand is also removable in case you want to mount the UltraSharp U2312HM to a wall or computer arm using the built-in VESA mount. The monitor has dimensions (including stand raised to full height) of 493.9 mm (height) x 564.4 mm (width) x 185.4 mm (depth), so it won’t require too much surface space. A light weight of just 2.96 kg should also set your mind at ease if you decide to wall mount the UltraSharp U2312HM.

A very minor complaint about the design is Dell’s decision to house the UltraSharp U2312HM’s physical controls on the front right hand side of the monitor instead of concealing them on one of the sides. We’re nit-picking here though as the buttons work well and don’t interfere in any way; it just would have completed the picture to have them out of view. Still, when there’s so much that’s good on offer with this monitor we’d be surprised if anyone is remotely put out by this. The wide array of connectivity options found at the back of the monitor more than make up for it too as Dell has provided plenty more choices than we’re accustomed to with a monitor in this bracket. Unfortunately there’s no HDMI, but you do get DVI, DisplayPort and VGA connections, as well as 4 USB ports. The positioning of 2 of the USB ports on the side of the UltraSharp U2312HM is especially convenient when working.

Features

It’s not often that a manufacturer gets a product so right that we’re left with practically nothing to critique, but in the UltraSharp U2312HM Dell hasn’t only met our expectations, it’s far exceeded them. In addition to its stylish good looks, the UltraSharp U2312HM also has an impressive feature set that outshines far pricier displays.

Dell has decided to use IPS LED technology in the UltraSharp U2312HM, a decision which is key to the stellar image quality that the display achieves. IPS technology allows for wider viewing angles than most monitors, whilst also reproducing colour to an incredibly high-standard that is extremely true to life. IPS technology is usually only found in higher priced monitors, making it extremely pleasing to discover that Dell has used such a high quality IPS panel in the UltraSharp U2312HM whilst still offering an affordable price.

Image quality is what a good monitor is rated on and we’re pleased to report that the UltraSharp U2312HM doesn’t disappoint in this department either. Picture quality is absolutely magnificent on the 23 inch IPS panel display, making it the perfect choice for home entertainment or even graphic design. The UltraSharp U2312HM is viewable from almost any angle thanks to the IPS technology, allowing you to marvel at the extreme image sharpness from anywhere in the room. Blu-rays and DVDs look phenomenal, with the monitor’s authentic colour reproduction making for a more realistic experience. Fans of gaming will find plenty to be pleased about too as the impeccable image quality looks just as good for video games. The UltraSharp U2312HM’s response rate is very good and it hardly suffers from any of the image ghosting that we’ve come to associate with many monitors at this price point.

The UltraSharp U2312HM is well equipped for advanced users and beginners alike thanks to its excellent out of the box settings. Less advanced users will be pleased to find that the UltraSharp U2312HM is almost perfectly calibrated upon arrival to make it easy to get started. Experienced owners can customise settings according to their preference using the excellent OSD (on screen display) which comprehensively lays out all of the adjustable settings. An added bonus that you’ll find in the OSD is ‘Energy Smart’, a feature which can be activated to optimise the monitor’s energy efficiency.

Conclusion

The Dell UltraSharp U2312HM widescreen monitor is an excellent display that has exceeded our expectations at every turn. Whether you need a new monitor for the office or home, the UltraSharp U2312HM is a seriously attractive option. Its contemporary appearance looks at home in virtually any setting and the superb image quality that the 23 inch IPS panel display produces speaks for itself. Viewing HD video on this display is a sheer joy and video games look great too. Dell’s inclusion of a wide range of connectivity options and fully adjustable stand make the UltraSharp U2312HM an even more compelling choice. Best of all, the UltraSharp U2312HM outperforms far costlier rivals, making it one of the best displays available right now as far as we’re concerned.

Overview

Amazing image quality, unbelievable value for money, removable stand & VESA mount with wide viewing angles but no HDMI or USB ports.

On first sight the ViewSonic VX2336s doesn't look like anything special, but in this case more than most it's worth remembering that looks can be deceiving. ViewSonic has decided to forego fancy housing and an expensive monitor design in favour of packing as much quality as possible into the monitor itself. The result is an impressive no-frills display that boasts phenomenal image quality. ViewSonic has focused on creating the highest quality monitor possible for the lowest price and we think they've done a stellar job. This no-nonsense display is ideal for home or office use and will be an attractive option for anyone in the market for a functional and affordable monitor.

Design

In designing the VX2336s it is immediately obvious that ViewSonic consider visual quality and overall functionality to be of paramount importance.

The VX2336s has a pleasingly large 23 inch display which is surrounded by an unremarkable plastic housing. The monitor's matte black plastic casing doesn't give the most reassuring impression, but the build quality seems solid enough. More pleasing is the anti-glare coating which is wonderfully smooth and works very well.

Unfortunately the supplied stand is on the flimsy side and only offers a tilt function, limiting the display's adjustability. However, the stand is removable and ViewSonic has included a VESA mount so that the VX2336s can be mounted to a wall or computer arm. The monitor (including stand) has overall dimensions of 548 mm (width) x 201 mm (depth) x 426 mm (height), making it a reasonably compact display that won't take up much surface space. Wall-mounting is made even more attractive by the device's light-weight of 3.23 kg.

The physical controls are positioned directly beneath the screen in the centre of the housing. This does make the controls easy to find, but is somewhat unsightly and cluttered in terms of the display's overall aesthetic. Another drawback comes in the limited connectivity options, with only a VGA socket provided as an analogue connection and DVI for digital. The lack of HDMI and USB ports will disappoint some users, although this omission can be overcome with the use of adapters.

Features

ViewSonic has used IPS LED technology in the VX2336s which, although beginning to emerge in the smartphone/ tablet market, is rarely seen in a PC monitor at this price. IPS (In-Plane Switching) technology improves the viewing angles and colour reproduction of monitors; and, until recently was reserved exclusively for high-end displays.

Image quality is what any good monitor is measured by and in light of the full IPS panel that ViewSonic has used the images provided by the VX2336s are excellent. The screen is absolutely stunning, yielding extreme levels of detail and incredibly balanced colours. Moving around in front of the screen provides immediate evidence of the benefits of IPS technology as it is fully viewable from almost any angle.

One of the biggest benefits of ViewSonic's no nonsense approach to the VX2336s is how easy it is to set up. All you have to do is clip the display onto the stand (or wall/arm mount), connect it to your computer and you're ready to go. Amazingly, the settings are calibrated almost perfectly straight out of the box; saving you time and allowing you to enjoy that incredible image quality all the sooner.

The VX2336s really comes into its own when viewing HD video, with the IPS panel achieving as close a reproduction of the original source material as possible. Unlike other affordable IPS monitors, the VX2336s doesn't suffer from backlight bleeding either, further cementing its pedigree as a high quality monitor. Although hardcore gamers may not be satisfied with the response time of 14ms, the VX2336s copes perfectly well with casual gaming and is sure to satisfy all but the most demanding players.

The only small complaint that we had regarding the features of the VX2336s relate to it's on screen display which omits options that advanced users might favour such as overdrive calibration. Still, it's a very minor complaint when you're getting so much that's good at such a low price.

Conclusions

The ViewSonic VX2336s-LED is a superb monitor that's worth every penny of its astoundingly affordable price tag. At a time when too many products favour superfluous features over their primary function, the VX2336s is a breath of fresh-air, doing away with the fancy frills and focusing squarely on the task at hand. It's not the most attractive monitor on the market, but if you want an affordable IPS display that gives superb image quality, the VX2336s is tough to beat. The picture quality that it provides far exceeds what you'd expect for such an affordable price, making the VX2336s one of the very best value displays available. Despite its low price tag we think of the VX2336s as a high quality display in budget housing and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Overview

Sophisticated design and premium finish featuring a glossy 27 inch display, outstanding image and sound quality coupled with super-fast thunderbolt connectivity for maximum effectiveness.

The Thunderbolt from Apple inc. is a premium monitor which boasts an incredibly high resolution display and multiple connection options including Intel’s super fast Thunderbolt port, from which it takes its name. On closer inspection it becomes evident that this is a far more comprehensive device in terms of functionality than ‘just another monitor’ and that will make it interesting to fans of Apple’s products and those in the market for an advanced display option, whether for work or just for fun.

Design

The Thunderbolt monitor has been designed with the minimalist look that make Apple products so fashionable and desirable. The front of the Thunderbolt is naturally dominated by its glossy 27 inch display, around which there is little to speak of, just a clean, clutter-free border void of lights or switches. The only two notable physical aspects to speak of here are the company’s iconic logo beneath the screen and the high definition webcam which sits above it. The rear of the housing is smooth and sleek, resembling that of an iPad and has an array of connectivity options. The entire monitor is absolutely void of any buttons or controls whatsoever (it powers up when you turn on your computer), so you can save time and simply plug it in.

The only design feature that is questionable (and we hasten to add that its aesthetics are not) is the stand on which the display sits. Attractive as it may be, it only has the ability to tilt back and forth with no height adjustment possibilities. You could, of course, simply add support underneath until the desired height is achieved, but that does little for the tasteful, minimalist look that Apple fans love and are more than willing to pay for. On the other hand it is worth noting that this is no light device (at around 24 lbs) and the stand supports this easily and effectively with little or no movement whatsoever when disturbed.

Features

Apple’s latest range of Mac Books, both Air and Pro are the first devices in the world to debut Intel’s Thunderbolt connectivity. This is, according to its creators, 20x faster than USB2 and 12x more rapid than FireWire800 which is a dramatic increase in anybody’s estimation. It also has huge capacity enabling you to connect up to six separate devices via a single port no bigger than a mini-USB. The true beauty in all of this for anybody who already owns a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac is that the monitor will act as a plug & play docking station (essentially transforming your notebook into a full desktop) with the added bonuses of a large screen with high quality audio and ‘Facetime’ enabled HD camera.

The display of the Thunderbolt monitor is impressive to behold and features a widescreen cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio in an IPS panel which is LED backlit with an incredible resolution of 2560x1440. Should you wish to, (and the only limitation here is the cost) there is also the option to add a second Thunderbolt monitor (via daisy-chaining) which would provide your MacBookPro or iMac with an additional 7 million pixels: more than enough to either browse the holiday snaps or perform detailed colour-critical work.

Viewing angle is absolutely no problem for the Thunderbolt thanks to its premium IPS panel technology which provides a great image regardless of where you are sitting. Image quality is first rate with outstanding resolution and colour reproduction as you would expect from a monitor of this stature. Brightness is excellent and instant thanks to the LED backlighting and blacks are true and dark, making this a truly universally applicable display (whether for gaming or editing for example). A further, really innovative addition to this is Apple’s Ambient light sensor which automatically gauges the light conditions in the surrounding area and intelligently adjusts the Thunderbolt’s display to correspond to this environment. This has two-fold purpose: to prevent discomfort when using the monitor and save energy by reducing brightness levels according to the situation.

Connectivity is no problem for the Thunderbolt either. Aside from its aforementioned Thunderbolt port, it features three USB 2.0 interfaces, Firewire800, Gigabit Ethernet and a MagSafe connector for charging your laptop (the MagSafe connector is included with the Thunderbolt monitor) which replaces the need to use the power adaptor adding a good degree of versatility and convenience. This is again added to by the Thunderbolts integrated speaker system with inbuilt subwoofer, which is more than adequate for use whilst in front of your computer and features good depth of sound quality.

Conclusion

The Thunderbolt Display is a highly desirable product from Apple. Whether you want to expand your existing MacBook into a desktop work station or merely need a high-end display, the Thunderbolt is well worth considering. It really comes into its own when paired with Apple’s new line of products featuring Thunderbolt connectivity which leaves older technology such as USB trailing in its wake. Excellent image quality, stunning aesthetics and an impressive feature set make this one of the most desirable high-end monitors available today. We thoroughly recommend it as a best-buy to anyone looking for a top-end display.