Eizo FlexScan EV2316W review

While consumers 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 close 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. The sturdy stand gives 180mm of height adjustment, up to 30 degrees of backwards tilt, rotates into a portrait orientation, and swings smoothly left and right without you having to lift the base from the desk. A slight stiffness to the height adjustment means that 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 also 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. Further power savings can be made with EcoView Optimizer, which adjusts the backlight to suit onscreen content. 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 the onscreen display completely.

Appropriately, the EV2316W is power-efficient. At full brightness, the Eizo draws 22W from the mains, but dropping the backlight to a more eye-friendly 120cd/m2 sees the power draw fall to 14W.

Image quality is less notable. The TN panel means there’s a noticeable colour shift as you move away from head-on, and colour reproduction isn’t as exuberant and lifelike as models equipped with IPS panels. This isn’t a monitor intended for professional photo editing, though, and for general office use it’s perfectly acceptable.

The matte, anti-glare finish keeps distracting reflections to a minimum, ensuring onscreen content is clear and legible even in direct sunlight. Brightness hits a more-than-ample 240cd/m2, and contrast reaches 800:1, avoiding the greyish blacks that afflict many TN monitors. Colour accuracy is excellent, too.

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