ViewSonic VA1912w review

If you've never tried using two TFT monitors side by side on your desk instead of just the one, here's some advice - don't do it.

If you do, you'll forever be converted to this wonderfully spacious way of working and as cheap as they are these days, two TFT monitors still cost twice as much as one. If you do get the bug and fancy expanding though, try a widescreen monitor instead - you'll get most of the benefits of a dual-monitor set-up, but for far less money.

We reviewed two widescreen TFTs last issue, but while they both offered an impressive screen size and high native resolution - 20.1in and 1680 x 1050, respectively - they came with a price tag to match. The ViewSonic VA1912w, on the other hand, has a marginally lower specification, but costs significantly less.

Despite its low price, the VA1912w has a sleek, understated design with the minimum of fussy frills. The bottom of the screen bezel houses a pair of small stereo speakers, though these are only worth connecting if you lack anything else. The back of the monitor carries both DVI and D-Sub inputs (cables are supplied for both), along with a socket for a normal PC power lead. The monitor's base has a limited range of motion - about 20 degrees back and five degrees forward, with no vertical adjustment. The base of the display sits about 90mm above the desktop though, which should suit most people.

The VA1912w has a screen diagonal of 19in and a native resolution of 1440 x 900. Anyone switching from a 1280 x 1024 monitor will notice the reduction in vertical screen resolution, but the extra vertical resolution makes up for it.

Colours weren't the purest we've seen on a TFT monitor and the backlight was uneven towards the corners of the screen, but you'll never notice this in day-to-day use and overall, image quality was very good indeed for a monitor at this price. DVD movies look great as well, but if you're a keen 3D gamer, you should check that your favourite titles support widescreen play - not all do, which means black bars at either side.

Author: Julian Prokaza