What you see is what you get with this new monitor
The VG2438SM is part of ViewSonic's latest refresh of its product line-up. This particular model, as the ’G’ part of its title might indicate, is aimed more at the graphics enthusiast rather than other models in the Professional, Edutainment and Value ranges.
The VG2438SM is a 24“ TFT active matrix LCD screen with a slightly unusual 16:10 aspect ratio. The screen's optimum resolution is 1920 x 1200 pixels with a viewing angle of 178° by 178°. When setting up this monitor you will need to attach a solid ovalshaped stand to an adjustable arm fixed to the rear of the display. The adjustable arm gives plenty of flexibility when positioning the monitor on your work space. You can adjust the height of the screen by 100mm, tilt it between -5° and +37°, swivel it through 360° and pivot it by 90°.
As well as flexibility in positioning, this monitor offers a range of connectivity options arranged along the rear of the unit. Along with the standard power and D-Sub options, there are sockets for HDMI display, DVI, audio in, USB 3.0 Up and USB 3.0 down. Tucked away on the stand unit you will also discover an audio out socket. ViewSonic includes a collection of leads, covering power, HDMI, D-Sub, audio and USB 3.0.
The screen is surrounded by an 18mm bezel that has a wood-like finish I found a little off-putting, especially when trying to locate the display controls. I knew where the buttons were positioned but, more often than not, I needed to use a torch to identify their precise location in the lower-right corner. There are touch sensitive buttons for power, up, down and 2 and 1.
The button labelled 1 brings up an on-screen menu while the up and down buttons provide navigation with the button 2 is used for selection. While the on-screen menu provides the means to adjust features such as contrast, brightness, input method, audio and colour, there are also a number of preset profiles that can be used for specific types of viewing. These profiles have been designated Text, Game, Movies, Web and Mono.
To help avoid problems such as headaches and eye strain that some users can suffer from, brought on by prolonged viewing sessions, ViewSonic has built a couple of features into this monitor. According to the company, the use of its Flicker-Free technology will eliminate screen flicker at all brightness levels, and you also get its proprietary Blue Light Filter, which allows you to adjust the amount of blue light emitted from the screen while still retaining a good colour balance to reduce eye strain even further.
I will have to take ViewSonic's word as to how successful these features are as I do not tend to suffer from headaches and the symptoms of eye strain. I was, however, impressed by the overall quality of the display presented by this monitor. Michael Fereday
A bright, clear display with good adjustability and eye-saving features.