Eizo FlexScan EV2316W review

While consumer monitor purchases put image quality above all else, buying monitors for business calls for a different set of priorities. Eizo’s FlexScan EcoView range focuses on sensible design, desk-friendly ergonomics and reducing long-term running costs; we’ve taken a closer look at the entry-level model, the Eizo FlexScan EV2316W.

The EV2316W squeezes a 23in, 1,920 x 1,080 panel into a slim, squared-off chassis, and the build quality is excellent. There’s 180mm of height adjustment, up to 30 degrees of backwards tilt, it rotates into a portrait orientation, and swings left and right without you having to lift the base from the desk. A slight stiffness to the height adjustment means the panel stays put once set, and a plastic clip at the rear ensures cables run neatly away from the rear of the stand.

Connectivity is ample. There are D-SUB, DVI and DisplayPort inputs, a two-port USB 2 hub, a 3.5mm headphone output and a 3.5mm audio input for the monitor’s pair of 1W internal speakers. At the front, a strip of buttons provides controls for the monitor’s onscreen display, quick access to volume and brightness controls, and lets you toggle between the video inputs.

You can access the monitor’s EcoView menu from here, too, which provides a series of power-saving tools. Auto EcoView automatically dims the backlight depending on the ambient light, and a movement sensor can be set to switch off the monitor after anything from five seconds to an hour of inactivity. System administrators will appreciate the EcoView Net software, which runs on the host PC and makes it possible to set power saving and display settings remotely over the network, and even lock out the onscreen display completely.

Image quality is less exciting. The TN panel means there’s noticeable colour shift as you move away from head-on. In normal use, however, there are no issues to report at all. Brightness hits a more than ample 240cd/m2, and contrast reaches 800:1. Colours are vibrant and pure, and accuracy is excellent by the standard of most business monitors, with an average Delta E of 3.5.

Power-efficiency is a strong point, too. At full brightness, the Eizo draws 22W from the mains, but dropping the backlight to a more eye-friendly 120cd/m2 sees the power requirements fall to 14W.

With a price that exceeds even IPS monitors such as the superb Dell UltraSharp U2312HM, this Eizo doesn’t appear to be good value for money. In the long term, however, it makes sense. With an efficient TN panel, several handy power-saving features, and the reassurance of a five-year warranty, the FlexScan EV2316W offers businesses plenty of value.