ViewSonic VX924 19 inch LCD Monitor: A reason to give up the CRTs
Written: Aug 19 '05 (Updated Mar 13 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent clarity, 4ms response time, small footprint
Cons: What cons?
The Bottom Line: The bottom line says, "Yes it works with Linux and UNIX also".
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| Gr8ful's Full Review: ViewSonic VX924 19 inch LCD Monitor |
I have been using the same Philips 109s 19 inch CRT monitor since 1999 when I built my first AMD based computer (a K62 400MHz). I had looked at some LCD monitors in the past but none of them had the clarity, brightness or good enough response time to make me switch to the flat panels. I was also turned off by the price of 19 inch LCD models. About a month ago I started looking into them again and found to my surprise that not only had the price of 19 inch LCD monitors come to a reasonable plateau but they have decreased the response time on many models as well. When I found the ViewSonic VX924 I knew it was time to give in and switch.
The ViewSonic VX924
Features
* 19 inch viewable display area
* Contrast ratio: 550:1
* Max Resolution 1280x1024 (default resolution)
* Supported resolutions 800x600, 960x720, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x768, 1280x960, 1280x1024
* Refresh rate 50-75Hz vertical/30-82Hz horizontal
* Viewing angle 160 degrees horizontal and vertical
* Weight approx. 13 lbs.
* Height 17 in.; Width 18.4 in.;Depth 7.9 in. (very small footprint)
* SVGA and digital DVI-D connectivity
* Typical power cable (no special AC adapters)
* Compatible with PCs and Power Mac
* Auto adjusting (can also be adjusted manually)
* Easy to read OSD (on screed display)
* Manual adjusting supports: Brightness, Contrast, Language, Input Select, Color, Size & Position, Clock phase and Sharpness.
What's in the box
* 19" ViewSonic VX924 LCD monitor
* Power cable
* SVGA monitor cable
* DVI-D video cable
* Quick start guide w/CD
Why did I buy this one?
After looking at many before finding this ViewSonic monitor I had been considering a few. I was mainly looking at response time, maximum resolution, and aesthetics in that order. When I saw the ViewSonic VX924, the first thing I thought was, “Wow, that’s a nice looking monitor” but when I saw the response time I was sold. Most LCD monitors have a response time of 16-25ms but this ViewSonic has an incredible 4ms response time. I looked at probably 50 different monitors and none of them had less than a 16ms response time… except this one.
Why is response time so important?
The response time of a LCD monitor is important because slower response times can cause a “ghosting” effect behind moving objects on the screen. This is mainly during 3D games and video playback (like DVDs). I use my computer for video editing and gaming so this is a major factor in what monitor I choose. When you are editing video and adding effects, a slow response time can really hinder you especially if you are adding a trail effect. 3D games with the ghosting effect can make it hard to focus on distant objects or if you are playing a “first person shooter” you may have a hard time trying to aim, or even see the crosshairs when moving.
This ViewSonic monitor handles these situations as good if not better than my old 19 inch CRT monitor. I have noticed no ghosting what-so-ever and the clarity is absolutely brilliant.
Personal experience
When I first plugged the monitor in and turned it on, I was absolutely astonished at the clarity of the display. It is just as bright as my old CRT but much crisper especially at high resolution. I also noticed that the viewable display area is greater than my old 19” CRT. A CRT’s display area is measured from corner to cattycorner of the monitor itself. This means that a 19” CRT monitor generally has a 17.1” to 18” viewable area. LCD monitors are measured differently. A 19” LCD monitor has a 19” viewable area and the difference is very noticeable.
Even at 1280x1024 (which is the max and recommended resolution) I have no problem reading size 6 fonts. I have the monitor connected to my Radeon X800XL through the DVI-D interface for maximum clarity and I am really impressed.
The viewing angle side to side is very impressive. The image is clear and text is readable almost to across the edge of the screen; however, the color is not as good at side angles or from a top down view.
3D games play wonderfully with no ghosting at all and movies are crisp and clear. I have been pondering the idea of running my DirecTV through PC to the monitor since the display is much better than my television. But I will hold off on that, I plan to buy a high definition television soon and most likely it will be larger than 19 inches.
This monitor works well for video editing too. I have had a great time with no problems adding effects or titles due to ghosting. So far I have edited three video scenes using this monitor and not once had any display problems.
I have also noticed that I do not get headaches after long video editing sessions like I have in the past with my old CRT monitor. The display on this LCD is much easier on the eyes, you don’t have that same kind of constant pounding on your retinas from the scanning flash of a CRT.
The best part of all is that I claimed back over 12 inches of desk space that my old 19" CRT was taking up. It's nice to actually have a place to write on my desk again. It is just a more comfortable place to work now with that hulk off the desk.
Dual Use
You can connect two computers to the monitor simultaneously. One can connect to the monitor throught the DVI-D port and the other computer can connect through the SVGA port. You can easily switch from one to the other by choosing the input from the OSD menu. It is as easy as pressing three buttons. I tried this with my main PC and my web server and it works great.
Less Heat
This monitor produces very little heat. My old CRT monitor used to get very hot after being on for hours on end. You could put your hand over the back and feel that it was very hot. This monitor is barely warm to the touch when you place your hand on the back and you can't feel any heat passing over the top of it. This is good for me because I have a very small office with four PC and monitors running constantly and the less heat the better for me and the computers.
Longevity and Where to buy
There is no reason to suspect this monitor won't last anywhere from 5-10 years if properly cared for. I have recently aquired an old Compaq TFT500 (which I will review later) that is almost 5 years old and works like new albeit nowhere near the quality of current LCD monitors.
Always remember the LCD screen must be cleaned with nothing other than a damp cotton cloth. Using any kind of solvent or cleaning solution like Windex or other glass cleaners will damage the LCD screen. It aslo helps a lot if you can refrain from physically touching the screen. Oils in your skin can cause problems with the LCD screen over time. Also putting pressure against the LCD screen is bad, this can cause dead pixels and can break the tiny connections in the active matrix that can result in light spots on the screen.
I found this monitor on Newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com) for $379.99 with free shipping. Free shipping changes from time to time so it may not apply if you purchase one.
You can also find this monitor at Best Buy, Circuit City, Sams Club, CompUSA and many other retailers that sell computer equipment.
Conclusion
I love this monitor. It is the best monitor I have ever owned, CRTs included. If you are a gamer you have to try this one out, you will not be disappointed. If you need more desk space and want to get rid if that old 17” or 19” hog taking up all your space, this is an excellent replacement. This is definitely a LCD worth the money.
Update: Late in November 2006, the monitor started flcikering on and off after the computer was shut down for more than five minutes. Each time the problem lasted longer for eventually stabalizing and giving a solid image. Viewsonic honored the warranty even without a receipt according to the manufactured date of the product. At this time the monitor has been shipped to Viewsonic for repair and I will update this again when I get it back in early January 2007.
Unitl that time I am currently using a Viewsonic VX922 which I purchased to keep me working until the VX924 comes back. The Viewsonic VX922 is actually a slightly better monitor in my opinion and you can see some comparisons in my review of the VX922 here.
Update:
I received the monitor back from repair in mid January 2007. They actually replaced the monitor with a refurbished model VX924. The replacement monitor had three dead pixels on the screen but they were off to the side and do not bother me. The monitor has been back up and running for almost three months now and looks as crisp as the original.
Viewsonics repair service was indeed acceptable and while not the fastest in the world, definitely timely. So I am happily reunited with my monitor now.
Thanks for reading,
Gr8ful :-)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 379.99
Operating System: Windows and Macintosh
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