ViewSonic VX1945wm review

A distinctly average monitor with a built-in iPod dock.

One day, we'll all be bio-engineered from birth to have our own built-in iPod docks, but until then, we'll have to make do with manufacturers sticking them into any bits of computer equipment they can lay their hands on. The latest to make an appearance is the ViewSonic VX1945wm and if you're wondering what iPods have got to do with TFT monitors, you're not alone.

Actually, sticking an iPod dock on the base of a monitor makes a little more sense than you might think. For a start, since it's sat right in front of you, the dock is always to hand and you don't have to ferret around for your missing iPod lead every time you want to sync your iPod with iTunes. Oh alright, perhaps not that much more sense.

The dock is neatly integrated into the VX1945wm's large base and a selection of clip-on adaptors allows it to cope with iPods of various sizes. Sadly, these don't extend to the new iPod Nano, although that plugs into the bare dock easily enough. The monitor also needs plugging into a PC's USB port for the dock to work and this also enables its built-in four-port USB2 hub and multi-format memory reader. Unfortunately, while the VX1945wm has an integral power supply that just connects to the mains with an ordinary kettle lead, this doesn't power the iPod dock and you need an external mains adapter for that, the USB hub and the built-in speakers that we forgot to mention earlier. And why did we forget? Because they're useless. Still, it means you don't have to buy another iPod dock-equipped set of speakers for listening to music when your PC is switched off and the tiny sub-woofer hole makes a handy paperclip tray.

As a monitor, we found the VX1945wm to be average and not up to the standard we'd expect for a monitor at this price. Image quality is acceptable rather than outstanding, and we struggled to get it to display pure white. The best we could manage was white with a shade of blue that had the effect of making blues look artificial, too. So, all in all, unless you're iPod-obsessed, we suggest buying the same-size ViewSonic VA1912W instead and saving yourself '100.