ViewSonic VX1940w 19" widescreen

ViewSonic VX1940w 19" widescreen monitor

Manufacturer: ViewSonic
UK Price (as reviewed): £146.88 (inc. VAT)
US Price (as reviewed): $217.99 (ex. Tax)

With pixel response, contrast ratio, screen diagonal and viewing angles being some of the most important considerations when you're buying a new LCD monitor, it's fair to say that the list of popularly scrutinised monitor specifications is long. But pixel pitch conspicuously isn't one of them.

That partly explains the rising popularity of 22-inch widescreen LCDs over 20-inch models and the similar shift from 23-inch to 24-inch that took place a few years ago. In both cases, the larger form factor doesn't bring an increase in native resolution, which in turn results in coarser pixel pitches. And if sales figures are anything to go by, not many are particularly bothered by it.


That's not to say such screens are necessarily inferior. After all, they do offer a larger diagonal and overall viewable area. But if you have a fetish for really tight, sharp image quality, well, they're certainly a little suboptimal.

With that in mind, ViewSonic's new VX1940w 19-inch widescreen model is rather intriguing. It may be smaller than the 20 and 22-inch norm. But with a native resolution of 1,680 x 1,050, it gives nothing away in terms detail and actual usable screen real estate. By desktop monitor standards, the VX1940w sports a seriously superfine pixel pitch of just 0.243mm.


Of course, the VX1940w's compact dimensions also make it ideal for when desk / work space is at a premium and you don't want to compromise on screen resolution. All of which makes it an interesting new option, but one that might struggle to justify its circa-£150 sticker. At that price point, there are plenty of larger 20- and 22-inch monitors to choose from.

Specification Summary

• Price: £150 approx.
  
• Diagonal: 19 inches
  
• Native resolution: 1,680 x 1,050
  
• Contrast: 1,000:1 (3,000:1 dynamic)
  
• Brightness: 300 cd/m²
  
• Pixel response: 2ms (grey-to-grey), 5ms (on-off)
  
• Viewing angles: 170/160 degrees H/V (at 5:1)
  
• Inputs: DVI (with HDCP), VGA
  
• Chassis adjust: Tilt