ViewSonic VX2433wm Review
At 24 inches, the ViewSonic VX2433wm is the largest cheap monitor that we researched; however, ViewSonic had to cut some corners in order to keep the monitor's price low. Although this model offers some nice features on paper, including a 1920x1080 resolution, 5ms response time, HDMI port, and 1000:1 contrast ratio, expert reviews note that it doesn't fare well in color tests and text appears fuzzy.
The ViewSonic VX2433wm is the largest monitor that we reviewed, at a sizeable 24 inches. Unfortunately, its large size doesn't compensate for a variety of shortcomings. The monitor failed to impress one expert, who wrote a ViewSonic VX2433wm review on Macworld that criticizes the monitor for its fuzzy text, bad speakers, and difficult menu buttons. A ViewSonic VX2433wm review in Maximum PC is even more disapproving, and points out the distortion of colors during testing; the reviewer also notes that photos look "washed out" on the display. ViewSonic VX2433wm reviews by users posting on Newegg are a bit more forgiving, with most saying they're satisfied with the ViewSonic VX2433wm's image quality but aren't pleased with the built-in speakers.
The ViewSonic VX2433wm includes an HDMI port to go along with its high-def 1920x1080 resolution, as well as a 5ms black-to-white-to-gray response time and a contrast ratio of 1000:1. It also features built-in speakers and a minijack that you can use to connect a set of headphones. In addition to the HDMI port, the ViewSonic VX2433wm has the usual DVI and VGA ports.
We like the hefty 24 inches of diagonal real estate on this monitor, but it's unfortunate that the display doesn't perform better in experts' tests. If ViewSonic had maintained this budget monitor's video quality, we'd recommend it wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, its performance is sub-par.
Other Recommended Monitors
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HP 2009m
HP's 20-inch 2009m serves up excellent video at an affordable price, with a 5ms response time, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a 1600x900 resolution. We found several expert reviews and hundreds of user comments about this popular model, and the overwhelming consensus is that the HP 2009m is a solid value. Read more »
Lenovo L215p
Lenovo's L215p barely qualifies for the Cheapism price range, but we're glad it does. The L215p earns rave reviews from experts and users alike for its solid performance and image quality. The L215p is the only monitor among our top picks that includes built-in USB 2.0 ports (it has three, plus one that directs data from the other ports to the PC). This 21.5-inch display has a 1920x1080 resolution for high-definition video, an HDMI port, and a speedy 5ms response time. Read more »
Samsung SyncMaster 2233SW
Samsung is well-known for its high-quality monitors and TVs, but most of its monitors fall outside the Cheapism niche. This model, however, makes the cut while still supporting some key features. Reviewers like this monitor for games and photo editing, and praise its overall image quality. The 21.5-inch display has a 1920x1080 resolution, 5ms response time, and 1000:1 contrast ratio but does not include an HDMI port. Read more »
