HP 2311xi IPS Monitor

HP 2311xi - Conclusions

Selling for $200 online as I write this review, the direct competitors with the HP 2311xi that I’ve used are the Dell U2412M and the AOC i2353, both value priced IPS displays. The Dell stands apart by being 1920x1200, which is a noticeable 11% increase in vertical resolution. The AOC and HP are both very accurate out of the box, though I used my older i1Display2 with the AOC so the results are not as accurate as later reviews where I used the i1Pro spectrometer. Between those two displays, the interface on the HP is much more user friendly and easy to adjust I found, with a better selection of inputs, though styling isn’t quite as fancy. Lag was slightly better on the HP but not by a large margin, but between the two I lean towards the HP.

Compared to the Dell U2412M the case is a little harder to decide. The greater resolution and the adjustable stand are both big differences here, along with a better contrast ratio. It also has an integrated USB hub, which I find to be useful. However the calibration out of the box wasn’t quite as good, and most people aren’t as likely to calibrate a 23” monitor as they are a larger, more expensive one. The Dell is also $100 more typically, and the U2312HM might be a more direct comparison, but I haven’t had the chance to review that display. The U2312HM is very similar with an IPS panel and LED lighting, but replaces the HDMI input with DisplayPort, adds rotation and a more adjustable stand, and a USB hub as well.

My main reservations about the HP 2311xi are the lack of an adjustable stand or VESA mounting holes, which means you are stuck with the small, barely adjustable stand that it comes with. I’d also like to see a DisplayPort input instead of HDMI, as with no internal speakers I don’t have much need for it in addition to DVI.

For the price, the HP 2311xi comes out as a very good performer, with out of the box numbers that are great. That's good for those that want decent color on their display but don’t want to invest another $200 or more on hardware and software to calibrate it after they buy it. The lag numbers were great for gamers, and the power use was incredibly low as well.

If you are OK with the lack of adjustments in the stand and don’t need a DisplayPort input, the HP 2311xi is a very nice display for $200 and well ahead of what you got for the same price just a year ago. I wish I could be more enthusiastic as I found the image really nice, but the ergonomic issues are a concern for me; those that need more adjustments should look at something like the Dell U2312HM as an alternative.