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Product Review: Page (1) of 1 - 05/18/07

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BenQ FP241vw LCD monitor

24-inch LCD monitor targeted at gaming enthusiasts

By John Virata

When it comes to LCD displays, there is a nascent convergence of devices that enables users to have a computer display as well as a video display all in the same unit. What this enables households to do is have a dual purpose display that functions as a traditional LCD computer display and a video display for gaming or watching DVDs. 

This would be ideal in room situations such as kitchen counters, dorm rooms, entertainment/media center environments and gaming environments, among others. BenQ offers one such unit in the FP241vw LCD monitor. The display, which measures 24 inches, is housed in a frame that can be angled for the best viewing angle possible. The display is huge and offers some interesting options for those who want an all purpose unit that can perform a variety of tasks.

Specs
The BenQ FP241vw LCD monitor is targeted at the gaming enthusiast and is unlike any I've seen due in large part to the frame the monitor is housed in, and the number of inputs it accepts. In addition to the standard DVI and VGA/d-sub connections, the FP241vw accepts HDMI, RGB, S-Video, component video, and composite video.

It features a 24-inch diagonal viewing area, picture in picture, Senseye technology, which is a BenQ technology comprised of three image processing engines that are supposed to enhance the visual experience of the display, and sRGB color space. It supports 1080p HD, sports a response time of 6ms, a maximum resolution of 1920x1200, and a 0.27mm dot pitch. It supports 24-bit color and has an image brightness of 500 lumens. It also features two USB 2.0 ports on the side of the frame, as well as a headphone port.

The BenQ FP241vw supports 1080p HD.

The rear of the unit provides for tricky access to all the supported connections, of which there are many.

The display image contrast ratio is 1000:1 and features a sync rate of 76 Hz vertical x 81kHz horizontal. The left side of the display frame houses all the control of the display, including the power button, PIP, a menu button up and down button to control the menu choices, Game mode (racing, standard, action), input swap for switching between inputs, and AMA Z. The top frame is removable and is there for no rhyme or reason. You can remove it if you want or keep it in place to place doodads on it. There is really no other functionality except for that of a gadget shelf.

In use
The display output surprisingly contrasty images. Colors are good to excellent, as is text. Video played well with no traces of lag. The display can't be adjusted for height, but rather it tilts up and down, so depending on your seating arrangement, up and down on the LCD is the only adjustment available. There is also a plastic hook built into the removable part of the frame for hanging things, such as a headphone or other wired devices. The frame itself gives the display a bigger look, and it does take up more space than a more traditional LCD with a center situated base. The controls are all located on the side of the frame, and the connection options are easy enough to access, though it would be nice to see the display pivot outward a bit more for even easier access to the HDMI and other connections.

First Impressions
What BenQ has tried to do with the FP241vw is to build a solid game playing display as well as a display that would work in PC/Media Center type environments. And it has. The display outputs very nice imagery with no visible jaggies on all the games tested on it. If you want a computer display that can double as your xBox360 or PlayStation 3 display, then you need to seriously consider the BenQ FP241vw. Not only can it accept those gaming systems, but it can also accept HDMI devices, such as your high definition DVD player. And for a 24-inch LCD, not one dead pixel was seen on this evaluation unit. Gamers will be quite impressed with the capabilities built into the FP241vw, especially those of the college dorm room persuasion who have room for just one LCD monitor. It supports all of the video formats, so you are covered there, and is compliant with the sRGB color space for professional applications as well as OpenGL and Direct3D applications and games. It is priced at around $800 and ships with a three year warranty. For more information, visit www.benq.com