Acer X233H bd 23-Inch Widescreen LCD Display – Black Review
After significant research into 23″ and 24″ LCD monitors in the 0 and under category, I was pretty sure I was going to go with a 24″ ViewSonic for 9. Then I found a deal on this Acer model a couple of weeks ago for a lot less (0 after tax and shipping) and got it instead. I was upgrading from my 19″ ViewSonic widescreen LCD from 2006 that had served me very well, first at home then in my office for the past year. Since the screen is used for typical office tasks (internet browsing, powerpoint, excel, email, reading PDFs, etc) I was interested in a screen with 1920×1200 resolution (16:10 aspect ratio) in order to get as much space for reading-oriented tasks as I could. Unfortunately there are not many models offering 1920×1200 and those that do are much more expensive (generally 0+ from what I found). So I figured 1920×1080 would be fine given my budget. I also wanted to make sure it had a MATTE screen finish (not the newer glossy “anti-glare” finishes like on macbook screens) as there are bright overhead lights all around me and I didn’t want reflections and glare. It doesn’t state the type of finish anywhere on the product description, but I did find the answer after some searching. I’m using this with the following setup on my lenovo T400 laptop:
Intel Core2 Duo @ 2.8GHz
3GB of RAM
ATI Radeon HD 3400 graphics card
Windows XP
connected to laptop via VGA cable
Though I’ve only had this monitor for 2 weeks I felt I could still do an initial review. Obviously the price point is excellent, but how well does it perform? As indicated by my 4 stars and title I give it a “very good” rating.
+No dead pixels out of the box
+No extra speakers or oversized bezel that add bulk
+Good color, contrast and image quality
Things that keep it from being 5-star quality:
-The picture (including text, which is what I’m looking at most of the time) does not appear to be quite as crisp as my previous lcd or the screen on my laptop [this may be an issue associated with the fact that I am using VGA as opposed to DVI, but since my laptop has no DVI out I cannot comment on whether performance would improve]
-Image quality near the very bottom of the screen (taskbar area and a bit above) appears slightly worse than the rest (not as crisp, slightly lower contrast)
-On-screen adjustment menus and physical buttons are a little clunky and annoying to use, though I will probably not touch them much more after the next couple weeks of use and tweaking
Overall I would certainly recommend purchasing this if the price is right.
Two Other thoughts:
1)I think I’ve read of some complaints regarding the stand. To be clear: you can angle the screen backward about 15 degrees and forward about 5 degrees. It is not a swivel stand, but it is not difficult to turn the whole thing left and right. And the stand is perfectly sturdy provided you’ve placed the monitor on it properly. In fact, the legs are not super stiff, so if you push down on one of the top corners of the screen, the legs will actually flex a little, making it very difficult to knock it over without serious force or intent.
2)Setup was not as easy as I’d hoped. This may be specific to me, but I will mention it, howeverI don’t feel that it is fair to knock any points off of my rating as a result. In order to get the monitor’s native 1920×1080 resolution to display properly I tried a whole bunch of things over a period of about an hour. At first it was displaying what appeared to be a scrunched up version of 1920×1080 with black bars on the left and right sides of the screen. I finally got it to work properly after upgrading my video card drivers (always important to keep these up to date), installing drivers for the monitor and assigning them to the ‘default monitor’ in the device manager, and finally, futzing with the Monitor Properties Adjustments in the ATI Catalyst Control center. On the last item, I found it was necessary to click on the expansion/stretching arrows in order to get the picture to fill the screen. That is what I think ultimately got rid of the black bars. I still am only able to run at 60Hz (not higher refresh rates that the screen DOES allow), but I have a feeling this has something to do with my video card and potentially the VGA output.
Acer X233H bd 23-Inch Widescreen LCD Display – Black Feature
- 160°/160° viewing angle for off-kilter viewing
- Features a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a 16:9 aspect ratio for native display of 1080p video
- 40,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 300cd/m2 brightness allow for viewing in brightly-lit environments
- Analog VGA input and digital DVI input with HDCP
- Standard VESA 100mm mounting pattern
Acer X233H bd 23-Inch Widescreen LCD Display – Black Overview
The X233H bd LCD is designed for High-Definition with an incredible 1920 x 1080 resolution.
Related Products
Customer Reviews
Wow, these are really WIDE! – T. Neitzel – USA
I finally decided to upgrade from my old Cornerstone (new in 2000) 19″ Professional CRT that still works fine but weighs 50 pounds and is 18″ deep.
I was looking at prices and found a great one on this Acer X233H [...]. I’ve had it about two weeks and very much like the resolution and crisp display. I’ve had no issues, other than what I believe is video card issue when using the DVI-I output (I have an old ATI 9600 Radeon). I’m using the VGA input until I upgrade to a new computer.
Some odds and ends. The DVD-D cable that comes with the monitor works just fine with a DVI-I connector. I like that they include cables for all the inputs.
I’m running at the full resolution at either 60 or 75hz refresh, my choice. I had to download and install the Acer driver to get the higher refresh.
I’m running XP Pro with all the updates installed. I noticed the monitor installed as a generic Plug and Play. It got the full resolution but not the higher refresh. The driver was an old Microsoft XP version. I was surprised that the monitor didn’t include a driver.
Here’s the Acer support link:
[...]
As noted in other reviews, their support (and site) is a bit tough to navigate. It took me forever to figure out what to click on to download the driver. You click on the little icon to the left of the word monitor. Install the monitor and the OS shows the X233H name.
I’m happy so far. It’s still feels like I’m sitting in the front row of a movie theater but I’m getting used to that. I did have to get an extra monitor stand to lift it a bit higher on the desk for me, but that’s personal preference. I also like the buttons on the front to easily change display characteristics for text or graphics.
No dead pixels or performance issues. I sure hope I don’t have any need for the Acer support in the future. I don’t know if I will get the 10 year performance from this like I did on my Cornerstone, but it sure costs a lot less for a beautiful display.
I like the monitor and price.
Arrive in perfect shape – Tim Tobin –
Great picture, all inputs worked fine, not a single dead pixel. Came shipped in plenty of protection and arrived in 5 days so not too shabby. A lack of hdmi in is the only thing missing on this model but frankly, if you want to watch sweet HD tv, spend the money on a nice 42+ inch tv. If your just using this for a computer, the DVI-D port gives you just as much quality as an HDMI port (both are digitally encoded video ports). Capable of 1920 by 1080, this is a true HD monitor. The stand tilts forward and backward. Excellent product.
Excellent value – L. Kabel – East Hartford, CT USA
I just bought this monitor for 150.00 dollars and it is ENORMOUS compared to the 19″ I had previously. I wanted a larger screen to better enjoy my video games.
I assembled and installed it (simple), and didn’t have to load a driver or anything like that. It worked perfectly straight out of the box, but I did have to adjust my resolution settings.
I don’t know if I just got lucky, but mine is perfect. No bad pixels, colors are bright and clear – with bright whites and nice deep blacks. Text is very clear and readable.
Two warnings:
1) I went to the ACER web site to register my product, and the registration procedure couldn’t be completed due to a screwy web site. Good luck with ACER tech support if you ever have a problem. In my case I bought mine at Staples and I paid extra for their in-house warranty service.
2) The stand only tilts. No pivot or height adjustment is possible. That’s one reason why it is so cheap. However in my opinion the stand is sturdy, not flimsy as someone else stated. Be sure you insert it all the way (until it clicks), my friend.
What I love:
1) Oo la la, great price! Lotta screen acreage for little cash.
2) I love the way it looks. Flat black bezel and nice matte finish screen reduces glare to virtually zero. I personally hate the glossy monitors that are so common right now. If I wanted a mirror I’d buy one. This is a stealthy monitor that modestly blends into the background and doesn’t keep drawing attention to itself. There is one blue light over the on switch in front when it is on, and it is subtle, not bright and obnoxious.
3) The image quality is surprisingly good. I have no complaints about that whatsoever. It’s everything I hoped for. When I play (for example) Star Trek Online, the picture is gorgeous.
4) Comes complete with everything you need: DVI _and_ VGA cable, power cord, manual (on disk)… but I’d be surprised if you actually need the manual, setup was a breeze for me. Just gently but firmly fit the stand into the monitor and make sure it clicks into place. Attach the power cord and the cable of your choice, attach it to the computer and give it power. When you tilt it, it will resist a bit, but do not use excessive force. Just be gentle with it… but you would be, right?
In the quick set up guide they emphasize that you should power on the monitor first, then turn on the computer. I don’t know why that is important, but take their advice.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: May 08, 2010 12:29:45
Laptop Computers 17 Inches
