BenQ VW2420H Monitor Review
by Chris Heinonen on December 10, 2011 2:45 AM ESTViewing Angles and Color Quality
The BenQ uses a *VA panel (specifically A-MVA) and because of that the viewing angles on it are overall very good. You can get a bit of contrast shifting when you move to the extremes, but for all practical purposes there should be no real contrast shifts while working on it. Since this is designed just for desktop work and not for multiple people to use while gaming or watching TV, the viewing angles are very good.
When initially hooked up and set to 200 nits of light output, the average dE of the BenQ is in the high single digits, which unfortunately is very good for a consumer class LCD monitor—only higher quality professional (or at least prosumer) displays tend to be factory calibrated for accurate colors. The worst color is pure white, with the rest of the grayscale getting better as it gets darker, but overall this isn’t a monitor you would want to use for serious color work straight out of the box.
Of course, the uncalibrated results won’t be that important to people that care about color quality, since they would be calibrating the monitor regardless of the performance out of the box. In this case the BenQ performs well, though it's strictly average for a consumer display. Our average dE comes down to just about 2, and the majority of the grayscale is at 1 or below. The main errors are in the blue swatches that cause most displays issues, or fall outside of the sRGB colorspace. Calibrated the BenQ falls strictly in the “good, not exceptional” category for dE performance.
If you are doing print work and using a light output of closer to 100 nits than 200 nits, the performance of the BenQ is slightly better, but still in the range of most displays. The grayscale is more accurate which I like to see, and the color errors are in the same positions as before. If the 200 nits calibration data was close enough to accurate for you, then the 100 nits calibration data will be good enough as well, but the numbers are very similar.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
48 Comments
View All Comments
jigglywiggly - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - link
stop doing these cruddy display reviewsdo more 120hz reviews
snuuggles - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - link
+1This is a high-end site. I'm not clear on why anyone here would buy anything but either:
1. an excellent s-ips screen
2. 120hz input screen
Also, Chris, please do not encourage people here to purchase a "3d" TV as a monitor. As you *must* know, there is no TV on the market today that can accept a 120hz signal and display it, and most TVs have *horrible* input lag. To even suggest that a 3d tv is an acceptible monitor is to further confuse an already confused public.
DanNeely - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
For the most part sites review what vendors send them for review.gmkmay - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - link
Just out of curiosity why would you review this when you already reviewed the EW2420? They use the same panel with just slight differences in inputs and presentation. The time spent reviewing this seems like it would have been much better spent reviewing the 750d Samsung TN 120hz monitor that you've said was forthcoming.cheinonen - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - link
BenQ provided both and I reviewed both of them. The Samsung is coming very, very soon.jmunjr - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - link
Same old story. LCD makers, if you keep making 16:9 LCDs many of us will run the other way... We don't care if it is cheaper, we want better.seapeople - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - link
I want 16:16 aspect ratio, I really like my vertical space. Actually, I'd prefer something like a 9:16 aspect ratio, but I just don't think we'll ever get there.Penti - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - link
Haha, you mean you like to pivot your screen? Just do it.JediJeb - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - link
With the lack of VESA mounts these days most monitors won't pivot unless you tear them apart and use some sheet metal screws to mount them to a post.TegiriNenashi - Monday, December 12, 2011 - link
Yes pivot that 16:9 screen to see how ridiculously narrow it is.