APC_Australia_Issue_442_June_2017

thelab » bargain-basement screens
$199 | WWW.DELL.COM.AU
23.6 inches; TN panel; 1,920 x 1,080 resolution;
dual HDMI; VGA
$289 | WWW.HP.COM/AU
23.8 inches; IPS panel; 1,920 x 1,080 resolution;
HDMI; DisplayPort; VGA
$250 | WWW.LG.COM/AU
27 inches; IPS panel; 1,920 x 1,080 resolution;
HDMI; VGA
Dell
SE2417HG
Get your game on.
HP EliteDisplay
E240
A high quality panel.
LG 27MP48HQ
27 inches of IPS
screen.
The Dell SE2417HG is aimed at gamers
on a budget. The 23.6-inch panel has a
full HD 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, as well
as a 2ms response time. It’s a TN panel,
of course, with the usual 160° vertical,
170° horizontal viewing angles and
an anti-glare coating.
As a more affordable screen, it does
not have the full Dell stand — just basic
tilt adjustment. Round the back, it has
dual HDMI, which is handy for plugging
in a console and PC, plus a legacy VGA
connection.
The SE2417HG is fairly understated
compared to some gaming monitors,
with the classic Dell style. The image
quality is quite good, all things
considered, with bright but not
over-the-top colours and an even
backlight with no real bleed.
In our testing, we did not experience
any ghosting, and gaming was
excellent, but the Dell doesn’t have any
of the adaptive sync features of its
pricier competition.
Aimed at professionals or those who
want top-notch visuals, the HP
EliteDisplay E240 provides quality
at a decent price. The E240 sports a
23.8-inch IPS panel with a 1,920 x
1,080 resolution and wide 178° viewing
angles. Just as importantly, it has an
ergonomic stand with a large 150mm
height adjustment, as well as tilt and
swivel options.
The monitor includes HDMI,
DisplayPort and VGA inputs (though
only comes with a DisplayPort and VGA
cable), plus a two-port USB hub. It’s also
designed for power efficiency (using
31W) and can have an HP mini PC
mounted on the rear for a slim AIO
build.
The image quality on the E240 is top
notch, with great colours, contrast and
even backlighting, though the higher
7ms response time is not suited to
gaming. For those who like to tweak
their screen experience, the monitor
comes with HPs Display Assistant
Software.
The LG 27MP48HQ is a remarkably
affordable way to upgrade from a
smaller monitor. The LG offers a 1,920
x 1,080 resolution, with a high-quality
IPS panel and a 16:9 aspect ratio. At
250cd/m2, it’s quite bright, but can be
overpowered by high-glare situations.
The 27MP48HQ has wide 178°
viewing angles, a pretty normal 1,000:1
contrast ratio and includes a
splitscreen utility for up to four views
at once. The response time is a gamerunfriendly
14ms (GTG) but it doesn’t
create any ghosting issues in normal
use, or even fast paced video. The panel
colours are great, though there is some
very mild unevenness to the
backlighting.
The LG monitor has a single HDMI
input, as well as a legacy VGA
connection — though annoyingly only
includes a cable for the latter. The
screen itself has basic tilt adjustment,
and a sleek if somewhat thick
bezeled look.
Verdict
This monitor ditches adaptive sync to focus
on the budget gaming market. Bust just a
little more dosh provides better options.
Verdict
Shop around to find this professional-geared
monitor for under $300. Gamers, this one
isn’t for you.
Verdict
Suitable for gaming and other uses, this
bright monitor offers wide viewing angles at
a great price.
60 www.apcmag.com