ViewSonic VX2235 22 inch LCD Monitor
Out of stock |
Similar in Monitors
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (16:9)
- Response Time: Fast (5 - 8.9 ms)
- Contrast Ratio: 700:1
- Screen Size: 22 inch
- Monitor Type: Flat Panel LCD TFT (Active Matrix)
- Native (Recommended) Resolution: 1680 x 1050
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
415
Raised From the Dead
Pros
Wonderful clarity with DVI; slim, sexy LCD profile; simple to connect; nice resolution
Cons
Slight greenish cast; awkward control buttons; tinny speakers
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
At $300, the VX2235wm is almost a steal. However, it takes some adjustment to get it right and it works best as a one-person monitor.
A couple years ago, I reviewed an Apple widescreen 20-inch LCD monitor that made spectacular images, the best I had ever seen from my computer. My wife fell in love with it but it had been loaned to me for a few weeks and I had to give it back. Its $1,200 price tag was too big to swallow at the time.
However, the cost of large, widescreen LCD computer monitors has been falling steadily, even as the technology improves, and the price finally got to the point where it was a buy. I bought the ViewSonic VX2235wm at Costco for a mere $300 after a $50 off coupon. (Other stores sell the VX2235wm in the $350-400 range.)
A bit bigger than the 20-inch Apple monitor, I expected a lot from this 22-inch diagonal ViewSonic. The first thing I got was death.
Stillborn
Few things are more disappointing than unpacking a long-awaited techno-product and finding it DOA. Such was my experience with the ViewSonic VX2235wm, as the first unit I brought home made no image at all and had a pilot light that glowed faintly all the time. I checked all the cables, then re-checked them, then checked again. Nothing, nothing, nothing... I couldn't get it to work.
With my wife looking sharply at me (any non-functioning electronic or mechanical device is always my fault), I re-packed the ViewSonic VX2235wm and carried it out to the car in preparation for returning it to Costco. The good news is that I was able to simply swap the DOA unit at Costco and the new one works perfectly. WHEW! On to the review...
What It Is
The ViewSonic VX2235wm is a widescreen computer LCD monitor that measures 22 inches diagonally. The matte-finish LCD screen is surrounded by a black plastic bezel and the unit is supported by an oval stand. The screen assembly's overall dimensions are about 21 inches wide by 15.5 inches high. The screen assembly is a svelte 2.25 inches deep. On its stand, the VX2235wm measures 19 inches tall. On the back of the monitor are four screw holes for a standard VESA wall mount. The unit, with the mount, weighs bit more than 13 pounds.
The screen itself has a 16:10 aspect ratio, meaning that if you measured 16 identical units across, the screen is 10 of those units high. A conventional television and computer monitor have an aspect ratio of 4:3, which is much more square. The display area of the screen is 18.7 inches wide by 11.7 inches high. That may not sound like much but it's BIG.
Directly underneath the screen are two small built-in speakers. In the center under the screen are five buttons to control the display. The center button has an electric blue pilot light that glows brightly on a properly functioning monitor. The five buttons are annoyingly hard to press and I have to carefully aim at them with a well-placed fingernail to successfully use them. ViewSonic needs to re-think this awkward control button arrangement. Fortunately, I seldom need to touch the buttons once the monitor was properly set up.
The connectors on the back panel are very simple: one VGA port, one DVI port, a mini stereo audio connector and a standard three-pin power connector. You can switch between the VGA and DVI connectors from the front panel, and the monitor will automatically determine which connector is active and display the correct signal accordingly. This is how I use the monitor.
The native resolution of the VX2235wm is 1650 x 1050 pixels, which is the same resolution as the Apple monitor that I used a couple years ago. Although I know there are higher resolutions, this is the highest I've ever used and it looks great.
ViewSonic states that this monitor has a brightness level of 280 nits, a 700:1 contrast ratio and LCD pixels that refresh at a speed of 5 ms, which is very fast. The Apple monitor could be viewed over an amazingly wide field of view but the ViewSonic VX2235wm is much less forgiving, despite specs that imply it has a wide viewing range. I'll discuss all of these points a little later.
The monitor came with decent quality cables for VGA, DVI, power and audio. It also came with a skimpy manual in virtually every language (even Hungarian!) and a CD. To be honest, I've not tried to load the CD.
Finally, the mount reflects the overall simplicity of the monitor. It does not permit the monitor to move up, down or rotate. It only allows a modest amount of tilting up and down, and not much at that.
Using It
Once I had a working monitor, I got it working with a VGA signal, set my computer to 1680 x 1050 resolution and the screen size was perfect. I did not need to do any adjusting for the image to fill the screen. The image is bright enough to use by a big window without any strain, although it would be washed out in direct sunlight. With a VGA input, sharpness was good but not excellent. Color saturation looked perfect and the monitor looked pleasing from the sweet spot dead in front of it. (Hmmm... maybe I shouldn't say, "dead.") However, the color rendition was a little off -- the image looked slightly green to me, a sensation that I continued to get over the next few days.
The ViewSonic VX2235wm has a full set of adjustments that can be performed using an on-screen display. This includes color temperature, sizing, brightness and contrast, sharpness and even individual adjustments for red, green and blue. One intriguing color setting is sRGB, a popular setting for publishing layout and picture processing. However, I have a color calibration system from Pantone that I use to setup my monitors. After following the automatic calibration sequence and using the system's screen sensor, the slight greenish cast is gone.
I could possibly have adjusted this out manually or tried the sRGB setting, and I still might try some other adjustments. But it's good to know that the monitor can be made right automatically using the calibration system I already have.
I mentioned that the sharpness with a VGA signal was good but not fabulous. The DVI input is another story -- it's image quality is gorgeous. Using the DVI input, images are tack-sharp and they practically leap from the screen. The Apple monitor I tried out had only a DVI input, and I was immediately impressed with the sharpness and image quality using DVI. If you have the chance to run your monitor through it's DVI connector, do it. I can't say enough about this image quality.
Unfortunately, the primary computer that I use with the ViewSonic VX2235wm has only a VGA output, so some of the image quality of the monitor is lost. However, I do have a second computer connected that has a DVI output and I use it to prepare slide shows after the images have been processed. (I do a lot of digital photography and image processing work.)
The VX2235wm has a fairly well-defined sweet spot in the middle of the screen. It falls off slowly at first as I move from side to side, and begins to fall off sharply at about 45 degrees off the centerline. ViewSonic rates it out to 160 degrees and it's true that you can see an image there but I consider it unwatchable. Perhaps three people can crowd around the VX2235wm and get a good picture but more than that will get a compromised image.
Vertically, the story is even less satisfying. The VX2235wm is very sensitive to where your eyes are vertically with respect to the screen. As you move your eyes up, the screen washes out with brightness. As you move your eyes down, the screen gets darker. It's not a total bust but it is quite noticeable. Compounding this is the minimal amount that the monitor will tip up and down on its mount. It was a little tough for me to get the monitor set where my eyes were happiest but I eventually found the right spot.
Watching motion images with the VX2235wm is a pleasantly involving experience. My favorite DVD for testing out monitors is Terminator II and I quickly was hypnotized watching the film on this monitor. It looked great, including fast motion and action sequences. I did not see any ghosting artifacts that used to be typical of LCD monitors.
As for the audio from the VX2235wm, it works but it's tinny. I need to add a small subwoofer to fill out the sound from this unit's tiny speakers. Controlling the audio volume takes several keypresses with the monitor's hard-to-access buttons, so it is not at all convenient.
The bottom line is that this monitor is good with VGA but great with DVI. And you should think of it as a one-person monitor -- it is not a great presentation monitor for a crowd of people. It also is not an audio powerhouse, not by a long shot.
Summary
For $300, the ViewSonic VX2235wm makes a picture that is just a little less pleasing than the Apple 20-inch monitor that I tested a couple of years ago. Considering that the Apple is still more than twice the price of the ViewSonic, the ViewSonic is a worthy compromise. I was initially disappointed with the slightly green screen but relieved that it calibrated up to what looks to me to be natural colors and neutral grays. I understand that not everyone has the means to use an automatic calibration system, but the monitor also has complete controls to tweak the image however you like it. (In comparison, the Apple monitor had almost no controls: only on/off and brightness up/down.)
Another cautionary note was the fact that the first VX2235wm I brought home was dead. However, I'm an electronics guy and these things happen. I've had the VX2235wm running for two weeks now and it has worked with no problems. In fact, I have a hard time peeling my wife away from it so that I can use it.
I recommend the ViewSonic VX2235wm but not without some reservations. I wish that the off-axis viewing was better. And I wish that it did not have the slight greenish cast when first turned on. And I wish the mount was a little better about tipping. However, it's a nice buy for $300 and I would definitely buy it again.
However, the cost of large, widescreen LCD computer monitors has been falling steadily, even as the technology improves, and the price finally got to the point where it was a buy. I bought the ViewSonic VX2235wm at Costco for a mere $300 after a $50 off coupon. (Other stores sell the VX2235wm in the $350-400 range.)
A bit bigger than the 20-inch Apple monitor, I expected a lot from this 22-inch diagonal ViewSonic. The first thing I got was death.
Stillborn
Few things are more disappointing than unpacking a long-awaited techno-product and finding it DOA. Such was my experience with the ViewSonic VX2235wm, as the first unit I brought home made no image at all and had a pilot light that glowed faintly all the time. I checked all the cables, then re-checked them, then checked again. Nothing, nothing, nothing... I couldn't get it to work.
With my wife looking sharply at me (any non-functioning electronic or mechanical device is always my fault), I re-packed the ViewSonic VX2235wm and carried it out to the car in preparation for returning it to Costco. The good news is that I was able to simply swap the DOA unit at Costco and the new one works perfectly. WHEW! On to the review...
What It Is
The ViewSonic VX2235wm is a widescreen computer LCD monitor that measures 22 inches diagonally. The matte-finish LCD screen is surrounded by a black plastic bezel and the unit is supported by an oval stand. The screen assembly's overall dimensions are about 21 inches wide by 15.5 inches high. The screen assembly is a svelte 2.25 inches deep. On its stand, the VX2235wm measures 19 inches tall. On the back of the monitor are four screw holes for a standard VESA wall mount. The unit, with the mount, weighs bit more than 13 pounds.
The screen itself has a 16:10 aspect ratio, meaning that if you measured 16 identical units across, the screen is 10 of those units high. A conventional television and computer monitor have an aspect ratio of 4:3, which is much more square. The display area of the screen is 18.7 inches wide by 11.7 inches high. That may not sound like much but it's BIG.
Directly underneath the screen are two small built-in speakers. In the center under the screen are five buttons to control the display. The center button has an electric blue pilot light that glows brightly on a properly functioning monitor. The five buttons are annoyingly hard to press and I have to carefully aim at them with a well-placed fingernail to successfully use them. ViewSonic needs to re-think this awkward control button arrangement. Fortunately, I seldom need to touch the buttons once the monitor was properly set up.
The connectors on the back panel are very simple: one VGA port, one DVI port, a mini stereo audio connector and a standard three-pin power connector. You can switch between the VGA and DVI connectors from the front panel, and the monitor will automatically determine which connector is active and display the correct signal accordingly. This is how I use the monitor.
The native resolution of the VX2235wm is 1650 x 1050 pixels, which is the same resolution as the Apple monitor that I used a couple years ago. Although I know there are higher resolutions, this is the highest I've ever used and it looks great.
ViewSonic states that this monitor has a brightness level of 280 nits, a 700:1 contrast ratio and LCD pixels that refresh at a speed of 5 ms, which is very fast. The Apple monitor could be viewed over an amazingly wide field of view but the ViewSonic VX2235wm is much less forgiving, despite specs that imply it has a wide viewing range. I'll discuss all of these points a little later.
The monitor came with decent quality cables for VGA, DVI, power and audio. It also came with a skimpy manual in virtually every language (even Hungarian!) and a CD. To be honest, I've not tried to load the CD.
Finally, the mount reflects the overall simplicity of the monitor. It does not permit the monitor to move up, down or rotate. It only allows a modest amount of tilting up and down, and not much at that.
Using It
Once I had a working monitor, I got it working with a VGA signal, set my computer to 1680 x 1050 resolution and the screen size was perfect. I did not need to do any adjusting for the image to fill the screen. The image is bright enough to use by a big window without any strain, although it would be washed out in direct sunlight. With a VGA input, sharpness was good but not excellent. Color saturation looked perfect and the monitor looked pleasing from the sweet spot dead in front of it. (Hmmm... maybe I shouldn't say, "dead.") However, the color rendition was a little off -- the image looked slightly green to me, a sensation that I continued to get over the next few days.
The ViewSonic VX2235wm has a full set of adjustments that can be performed using an on-screen display. This includes color temperature, sizing, brightness and contrast, sharpness and even individual adjustments for red, green and blue. One intriguing color setting is sRGB, a popular setting for publishing layout and picture processing. However, I have a color calibration system from Pantone that I use to setup my monitors. After following the automatic calibration sequence and using the system's screen sensor, the slight greenish cast is gone.
I could possibly have adjusted this out manually or tried the sRGB setting, and I still might try some other adjustments. But it's good to know that the monitor can be made right automatically using the calibration system I already have.
I mentioned that the sharpness with a VGA signal was good but not fabulous. The DVI input is another story -- it's image quality is gorgeous. Using the DVI input, images are tack-sharp and they practically leap from the screen. The Apple monitor I tried out had only a DVI input, and I was immediately impressed with the sharpness and image quality using DVI. If you have the chance to run your monitor through it's DVI connector, do it. I can't say enough about this image quality.
Unfortunately, the primary computer that I use with the ViewSonic VX2235wm has only a VGA output, so some of the image quality of the monitor is lost. However, I do have a second computer connected that has a DVI output and I use it to prepare slide shows after the images have been processed. (I do a lot of digital photography and image processing work.)
The VX2235wm has a fairly well-defined sweet spot in the middle of the screen. It falls off slowly at first as I move from side to side, and begins to fall off sharply at about 45 degrees off the centerline. ViewSonic rates it out to 160 degrees and it's true that you can see an image there but I consider it unwatchable. Perhaps three people can crowd around the VX2235wm and get a good picture but more than that will get a compromised image.
Vertically, the story is even less satisfying. The VX2235wm is very sensitive to where your eyes are vertically with respect to the screen. As you move your eyes up, the screen washes out with brightness. As you move your eyes down, the screen gets darker. It's not a total bust but it is quite noticeable. Compounding this is the minimal amount that the monitor will tip up and down on its mount. It was a little tough for me to get the monitor set where my eyes were happiest but I eventually found the right spot.
Watching motion images with the VX2235wm is a pleasantly involving experience. My favorite DVD for testing out monitors is Terminator II and I quickly was hypnotized watching the film on this monitor. It looked great, including fast motion and action sequences. I did not see any ghosting artifacts that used to be typical of LCD monitors.
As for the audio from the VX2235wm, it works but it's tinny. I need to add a small subwoofer to fill out the sound from this unit's tiny speakers. Controlling the audio volume takes several keypresses with the monitor's hard-to-access buttons, so it is not at all convenient.
The bottom line is that this monitor is good with VGA but great with DVI. And you should think of it as a one-person monitor -- it is not a great presentation monitor for a crowd of people. It also is not an audio powerhouse, not by a long shot.
Summary
For $300, the ViewSonic VX2235wm makes a picture that is just a little less pleasing than the Apple 20-inch monitor that I tested a couple of years ago. Considering that the Apple is still more than twice the price of the ViewSonic, the ViewSonic is a worthy compromise. I was initially disappointed with the slightly green screen but relieved that it calibrated up to what looks to me to be natural colors and neutral grays. I understand that not everyone has the means to use an automatic calibration system, but the monitor also has complete controls to tweak the image however you like it. (In comparison, the Apple monitor had almost no controls: only on/off and brightness up/down.)
Another cautionary note was the fact that the first VX2235wm I brought home was dead. However, I'm an electronics guy and these things happen. I've had the VX2235wm running for two weeks now and it has worked with no problems. In fact, I have a hard time peeling my wife away from it so that I can use it.
I recommend the ViewSonic VX2235wm but not without some reservations. I wish that the off-axis viewing was better. And I wish that it did not have the slight greenish cast when first turned on. And I wish the mount was a little better about tipping. However, it's a nice buy for $300 and I would definitely buy it again.
