Viewsonic VG2728wm Rated 4.5 out 5 by Wireless and Mobile News
Wireless and Mobile News' readers know that we like to review all reviews and then write a "Review of Reviews" in the case of the new Viewsonic VG2728wm 27 inch monitor that was impossible because it's almost too new to find a review. Many of our readers are getting super-smartphones with HDMI out connectors for video and with large monitors you can see a world of difference in quality.
Viewsonic VG2728wmSpecs
The Viewsonic is reasonably priced for all its features; full HD 1920x1080 resolution and 100,000:1 dynamic contrast
ratio, HDMI, DVI-D, VGA connectors, adjustable base and 4 port-USB hub. The Viewsonic VG2728wm has a response time of 5ms and a pixel pitch of .32mm, an anti-glare glass and supports 16.7 M colors. It is Mac and PC compatible with 2x2 watt speakers. For it's huge size, it doesn't take up a lot space because of a slim
bezel, in fact it takes up less desk space than other 27 inch monitors.
A few years ago, I wrote an "How to Buy a Monitor" piece for work.com when the price for LCD monitors where coming way down, and I suggested that buyers check out monitors in their computer store or retailer. Recently, I went to Best Buy and Fry's wanting to see their large monitors and because they were connected to a video player, I could not see how webpages, graphic programs and word processing documents looked on the screen. Although he Viewsonic VG2728wm is hard to find in stores, it's easy to find online. After several days of trouble shooting, the good news is that the monitor has very clear fonts, glorious colors, black blacks and eye-strain reduction clarity.
Because the Viewsonic VG2728wm is so wide, two software program windows or two web browsers fit nicely on the screen for easy multi-tasking and copying. Some very wide webpages, had text hang off the edge, a little, but most were fine doubled with two browsers open. When high resolution photos were viewed in photo editing software, little teeny tiny problems were noticed. Netflix and Hulu video, looked fine.
The 2 watt speakers are not powerful enough for audio fans. A Karen Carpenter song, played in iTunes turned her deep velvety voice into a weak soprano. If you are big iTunes or Pandora user, you are better off connecting your computer to external speakers with a sub woofer. The 4 port USB hub is great for connecting a mouse or other USB devices. The ECO-mode reduces power use an extends backlight life. The height and angle are adjustable an important feature that has removed from many monitors.
The Viewsonic VG2728wm monitor is for the most picky and precise viewers who can see a spec on an ant's antenna. Images zoomed in close and far took on a new life. When high resolution photos were viewed in photo editing software, little teeny tiny problems were noticed. Photographers and artists who like to get down to the nitty-gritty will be able to pixelate to their hearts content. Text in web and software programs was clear, highly visible and easy to read. The size and quality of the Viewsonic VG2728wm makes it ideal for editors and developers who need to run several programs at once. What artists and people see is subjective, therefore you will need to see for yourself if the monitor meets your needs, for most with discerning tastes, the Viewsonic VG2728wm will be a "keeper."
Drive Your Video Driver Update First
There is a lot learned from testing the Viewsonic VG2728wm. The
first problem arose because Windows 7 doesn't automatically update all
drivers. Since July 2, there was a video driver update, labeled
optional sitting in the Windows Update Control Panel that was not
installed. When we plugged the VG2728wm with an HMDI cable to a
Gateway computer with a built-in Intel Video Graphic Controller the
black type in webpages, icons, and wordprocessing turned a light shade
of gray and was nearly impossible to read. When a VGA cable was the VG2728wm, everything looked fine. After installing the Windows 7
video driver update, the fonts, lines and images all came back to a strong
black when connected to the HDMI cable and "PC" was selected from the
On Screen Display. Therefore, we suggest that if you decide to buy any
monitor, newer than your computer, that you first update your video driver
and also be sure to select the correct type of input.
Because
these large monitors are also meant to be used for video, it's important
to realize that font quality looks different for HDMI AV and HDMI PC.
When the HDMI was set at AV, the video was stunning while type was
harder to read. Whereas the HDMI connection produced the finest
best results, an HDMI cable is recommended even though it does not come
in the box with the monitor. The Viewsonic VG2728wm comes with a 3-Year Warranty which is unusual in the highly competitive electronics business. It is also Macintosh compatible.
The list price for Viewsonic VG2728wm is $579. Amazon's is currently selling the ViewSonic VG2728WM