24" LCD Roundup

by Jarred Walton on May 1, 2008 8:00 PM EST

ASUS MK241H Specifications and Appearance

ASUS MK241H Specifications
Video Inputs DVI with HDCP support
HDMI
Analog (VGA)
Panel Type TN (ACI 24A1)
Pixel Pitch 0.270mm
Colors 16.7 million (6-bit with dithering/interpolation?)
130% color gamut
Brightness 450 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio Up to 3000:1 (Dynamic)
Response Time 2ms GTG
Viewable Size 24" diagonal
Resolution 1920x1200
Viewing Angle 170 horizontal/160 vertical
Power Consumption <130W max stated
74W max, 29W min measured
Power Savings <2W
Screen Treatment Matte (non-glossy)
Height-Adjustable No
Tilt Yes - 30 degrees back/5 degrees forward
Pivot No
Swivel No
VESA Wall Mounting 100mm x 100mm
Dimensions w/ Base (WxHxD) 23" x 18" x 9.6" (WxHxD)
Weight w/ Stand 19 lbs.
Additional Features Integrated 1.3MP webcam and mic
(USB connection to PC required)
Audio 2 x 2W Speakers
Audio in, Line out
Limited Warranty 1-year parts and 3-year labor
Price Online starting at ~$530

ASUS claims an impressive 130% color gamut for the MK241H. That seems rather high, and some of you may be wondering how exactly a display can be higher than 100%. The reason is quite simple: color gamut is usually measured against the NTSC standard, which is getting a little long in the tooth. Modern technology is thus able to exceed that standard, though it requires the use of an appropriate color space in order to do so. Naturally, we'll see whether there's any truth in the 130% claim.

Most of the remaining features are typical of an entry-level 24" monitor. The MK241H includes DVI, HDMI, and VGA inputs and it has built-in speakers (that as you might expect don't sound particularly good, but they'll get the job done if all you need is basic audio). In other areas, the ASUS LCD is more spartan. It lacks height, tilt, and pivot functionality; none of these are absolutely necessary, but we appreciate them nonetheless. The MK241H also lacks any USB ports, but it makes up for this by including an integrated webcam and microphone. That last is one of the few things that sets this LCD apart from other offerings.


The MK241H uses a TN panel, and the biggest drawback to such a panel is the limited viewing angles. TN panels have improved over the years, to the point where many people are no longer bothered by the viewing angle limitation. Still, they are clearly inferior in this area to PVA and IPS panels. Looking at TN panels from below is the worst-case scenario, and in fact they are practically unusable from this angle. However, this should not be a problem for most users unless you tend to work on your computer while lying down.

The MK241H is a reasonably nice looking LCD whose appearance is marred by the presence of many stickers proclaiming the various features it comes with. It's possible to remove most of the stickers with a bit of effort, but we would prefer not to have to look at marketing material every day we use an LCD. Most of the information would make more sense on the packaging material -- though of course it's already there as well. While the LCD does not come with a full-featured base stand, it's not quite as flimsy as some of the cheapest LCDs we've seen on the market are. It is a little odd that ASUS includes a "warranty void if seal damaged" sticker on the stand, however, as anyone wanting to use a VESA wall mount will definitely want to take the stand off.

Index ASUS MK241H Evaluation
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  • feraltoad - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    Do you think a subsequent Dell Revision will fix this or as you suggest are we seeing possible limitations in that panel technology?

    Currently some users are reporting a "red tint" on the left side of their monitors. Has anyone experienced this?

    Owners of the Dell 2408 I would appreciate some opinions about this monitor, because I want to upgrade to a 24inch LCD (& get rid of a CRT on a second PC), but as I currently have a 21inch LCD (HP f2105) that I am mostly happy with I want to get something thing that will be a definite improvement. As Jarred states the Dell, sans any lemons, looks to be perfect except for the slight input lag, and that's the concensus I've seen among opinions on various sites. I don't think I could even notice but I would like to hear some people with experience with the 2408. I would value Anandtech readers' opinions more than reviews off Dell's site since we are probably more on the same page.
  • Gast - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid...">http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid...

    From this should come your dork binding monitor, which looks to be the DoubleSight DS-263N with the chance of a polarizer. I'm sad that the article neglected to even mention this great resource.
  • rcraig - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    I, too, am waiting for a review of the DoubleSight DS-263N. I have read a lot about this monitor in another forum and it seems to be the one monitor to rule them all. Great colors for phtotgraphs, low lag for games, IPS for great viewing angles, and 26 inches for only $680! It only lacks the many input features some offer, but it does offer dual DVI, VGA, and 4 USB's.
  • JarredWalton - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    I've sent a couple email messages to DoubleSight, so far with no response. Same goes for a variety of other manufacturers. I'd love to go out and buy the LCDs I want to review, but that's not financially practical. :-(
  • XtAzY - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    I'm just skimming through the article, but does it mention anything about GHOSTING?
  • JarredWalton - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    You're talking about pixel response times. See page 12 and look at the images.
  • musicman1352000 - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    I have been waiting - desperately hoping and praying - that anandtech would review the dell 2408. It seems to be a stand out performer to me but I've been really put off buying it by the number of complaints of pink/red "tint", uneven brightness, colourful font halos, and bad input lag posted in forums. Reviews contradict each other and many people are waiting for a revision to solve the perceived problems like input lag (coming from an engineer, I am fully aware this particular problem can't be solved by a revision!). What I'd like to know is whether you noticed any of the problems I mentioned (not including the input lag which you obviously picked up on), and what revision of monitor you received (A00 or A01)? Also, Dell don't seem keen on telling users what versions of HDMI and displayport are used - do you know anything about this?
  • JarredWalton - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    I noticed no problems with the quality of the panel on the 2408WFP I received, with is revision A00. However, that doesn't mean some panels don't have problems. If overall quality is that important, LaCie seems to do a better job judging by their reputation (and price).

    I imagine part of the problem users have is that the default brightness on many monitors is way too high, and sometimes color settings need to be turned down as well. You can see that at 80-80-80 RGB with 50 on brightness and contrast, the Dell achieved exceptional color accuracy even without calibration. Is this just a cherry-picked sample? I certainly hope not!

    I have no idea what version of DisplayPort the 2408 uses - and lacking any video cards with the feature I couldn't even test it right now. For HDMI, I would assume it's not 1.3, but I could be wrong. Probably v1.1 or maybe 1.2 - is there any easy way to tell? If someone can point me to a utility that will report the HDMI version, I'll be happy to test.
  • musicman1352000 - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    Mmm okay - thank you for replying.
    One of the worst things about living in New Zealand is the increased cost of buying computer parts, and the reduced ranges available (see http://www.pricespy.co.nz/cat_5.html#g147)">http://www.pricespy.co.nz/cat_5.html#g147). The Dell costs $1199.00 NZD here (and the Lacie is unavailable). That's approximately $930 when translated to USD. As I understand it the cost is ~$700 in the US?
    With regards to the HDMI/displayport versions: unfortunately I don't know of any way in which you could test the display to find out. Tektronix offers software for 1.3b compliance testing (trial: http://www2.tek.com/cmswpt/swdetails.lotr?ct=SW&am...">http://www2.tek.com/cmswpt/swdetails.lo...CDSA7160...
    but I think this is more engineering oriented. Maybe someone else has a suggestion?
    Thanks once again for your opinions :)
  • feelingshorter - Friday, May 2, 2008 - link

    I hope anandtech reviews some of the cheaper monitors in the future also. The cheapest monitors reviewed, being the gateway/samsung at 450 is a steep price for some of us.

    Just to name the cheaper ones on newegg, SCEPTRE X24WG is at 300 (AR) and seems to be the poor man's 24, or the KDS K-24MDWB at 350 is also at a reasonable price. Plus wouldn't comparing the low end be a good idea to see if you can justify paying for a $1000 lacie (or 500+) gets you more?

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