FP231W

PC World

  • Review
  • Specs
  • Images
  • User Reviews
  • Buy Online

Benq's 23" wide-screen LCD monitor--the FP231W--makes an impressive desk trophy. I can't tell you how many co-workers stopped by to cast covetous glances at its business-class beauty. But unfortunately, its performance doesn't live up to the great first impression.

Pros

  • Funky design, portrait orientation features

Cons

  • Poor image quality

Bottom Line

Good looks and nice features don't adequately compensate for the FP231W 's less-than-stellar display.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 2,799.00 (AUD)

Special Offers

Although the monitor's sedate charcoal-and-matte-silver cabinet looks very professional, the $1999 FP231W is clearly meant for greater things than just spreadsheets. In addition to analog and digital inputs, it includes S-Video and composite inputs. The unit's vast screen, with a 1920 x 1200 native resolution, can display several applications at once--and that isn't counting the picture-in-picture window for watching TV or videos.

However, in my informal tests of a shipping model, regular video seemed to be a little grainy and ghosty. High-definition video was sharper, but still showed some ghosting. In any application, light areas appeared shimmery and washed out, causing black text on a white background to display as less than perfect.

The FP231W offers some nice features. For example, unlike most 23" models it can swivel from side to side as well as tilt. Even when I raised the monitor several centimetres on its base, it felt stable and well balanced. Sadly, such fancy features don't overcome the unit's iffy image quality.

Keep up with the latest tech news, reviews and previews by subscribing to the PC World newsletter.

Be the first to comment.

Post new comment

Users posting comments agree to the PC World comments policy.

Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.

Most Popular

What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
Samsung’s 2013 Smart TVs: everything you need to know
How do I connect my TV to the Internet?
Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?
Windows 7 Home Premium vs. Windows 7 Professional

Best Deals on PCWorld

MonitorsView all »
Desktop PCsView all »
NotebooksView all »
Home EntertainmentView all »
Digital VideoView all »