Viewsonic VP181B

The first thing that strikes you about the VP181B is the very thin bezel. It is only 17mm wide, making it ideal for placing several displays side by side for a multi-panel setup.

If that's not your thing, then you'll find the VP181B sits quite happily on its own, thanks to the two splaying feet on the base. These provide stability, especially when the screen is effortlessly raised through 11.5cm by virtue of its spring-dampened neck. Furthermore you can swivel the display from side to side and pivot the screen through 90 degrees to portrait orientation, which can aid text-editing work.

The VP181B has an integrated power unit so no chunky power adaptor is needed here. It also has a 4-port USB2 hub and both a D-Sub and DVI socket, the latter of which can accept either an analogue or digital signal. A DVI cable is also supplied.

Below the display is a row of five discrete buttons, including the power button, up and down scroll buttons and a main menu button. The remaining button accesses the OSM's variable controls and doubles up as a signal select switch. The intuitive OSM has all the usual settings including auto image adjustment, contrast, brightness, picture position and colour temperature, plus you can rotate the OSM for use in portrait mode.

Overall image quality was good, but under tests using the DVI interface we did notice a very slight pinkish tone to some greys, particularly towards the dark end of our greyscales. Primary and secondary colours, however, are punchy even when viewed at wide viewing angles. Contrast remained high at these angles too, and the VP181B coped well with distinguishing colours in our 64-intensity scale.

Contact: Viewsonic 01293 643 900
www.viewsoniceurope.com/uk

Specifications:

• 18.1in diagonal
• 1,280 x 1,024 resolution
• DVI-A/D, D-Sub, 4-port USB2 hub
• 8kg
• 410 x 250 x 344mm (w x d x h)
• 250cd/sq m
• 350:1 contrast ratio
• 160 degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles