X-bit labs

20" LCD Monitors Roundup. Part IV (page 12)

Category: Other

by Oleg Artamonov

[ 09/07/2007 | 10:38 AM ]

HP L2045w

This one is yet another monitor with a TN matrix. It’s not surprising as this technology is conquering the market thanks to its low manufacturing cost even despite the inherent drawback of small vertical viewing angles.

As you can see, the L2045w is a model without response time compensation. Its specified speed is 5 milliseconds (measured according to the ISO 13406-2 standard, i.e. on the transition between black and white). The declared viewing angles reflect the real situation quite accurately: TN technology indeed provides a poor vertical view.

The monitor is designed in a rather simple manner. With its gray-black square appearance it only differs from other office-oriented models with the unusually shaped stand. There is a depression in the center of the stand you can put post-it notes into. This reminds me of the Sony SDM-E96D model whose stand was optimized for storing pencils and sticking such paper notes to. I think it’s a good idea. If the monitor’s stand occupies so much space on your office desk, it should do so with maximum benefit to you.

As for the functionality of the stand, it is as broad as you can wish offering portrait mode, the rotation around the vertical axis (only the top part of the stand rotates at that as is shown in the picture above), and screen tilt and height (from 100 to 200mm) adjustments. The stand can be replaced with a VESA-compatible mount.

The height adjustment is locked automatically when you push the screen down to a click. To unblock it, you push the monitor down a little and press the inconspicuous button at the bottom of the stand. Holding the button pressed, you then pull the screen up. This lock is meant for transportation in the first place.

The monitor’s got analog and digital inputs as well as a 2-port USB hub. The power adapter is integrated into the case.

The USB ports can be found on the right side of the monitor at a big enough distance from each other so that you could easily plug in two devices simultaneously. It’s not quite convenient to plug something in casually – the connectors are almost on the rear panel and you have to look behind the monitor to find them.

The control buttons are centered below the screen. The Power button is placed on the left. That’s good as you are unlikely to hit it by mistake instead of another button. Quick access is provided to the auto-adjustment feature, to switching the inputs and, not quite comprehensibly, to resetting the settings to the factory defaults. The buttons go down smoothly under your finger. Their icons and labels are easily readable.