Review: Viewsonic 2021m monitor

Viewsonic's VG2021m is a 20in LCD monitor that sports just a VGA port for connecting to a computer.

In this day and age, that's a fairly sparse arrangement - normally, we'd expect to see at least a DVI port as well, for connecting digitally and for flexibility's sake. It's not widescreen either.

That said, the basic VG2021m does what it does well. The display is clear and sharp, with excellent colour reproduction and a good screen refresh rate - the rate at which an LCD monitor 're-paints' the screen.

On older monitors that used to be a problem, leading to 'ghosting' effects; windows and objects leaving a trail when moved around the screen. That's largely been solved now, and this monitor is no exception. The other common problem that plagued older LCD monitors was their inability to display black properly, with it appearing as a kind of washed-out grey.

Some newer screens have a bright coating that increases glare but makes for better contrast. The VG2021m doesn't, but dark and black shades look fairly good. It's not going to be a problem when working with text or browsing the internet, but DVD movies and games look a bit washed out.

The VG2021m's native resolution of 1400 x 1050 pixels is fairly high, making for sharp edges in Windows and text. It's also good to look at, with a streamlined, curved design, in black with silver edging. There's a speaker mounted below the screen and a power button beneath that. There are also buttons to control speaker volume.

Being a well-known and well-respected brand, Viewsonic's monitors tend to come in slightly more expensive than the equivalents from lesser makers. The VG2021m is no different, and while you will be paying a little extra for the name, the design and build quality mean that it won't be money wasted.

Also consider:
Hyundai N91W
Overall: Only an inch smaller, but significantly cheaper
Rating: 4/5
Price: £165

Belinea 10 20 30W
Overall: Also lacks a DVI port, but a good monitor nonetheless
Rating: 4/5
Price: £320

All monitor reviews