ViewSonic VX2739wm review

As world-first claims go, raising the response time bar from 2ms to 1ms isn’t exactly a life-altering achievement, but that’s the headline feature of ViewSonic’s latest TFT. Thankfully, the 27in, Full HD VX2739WM is exactly the right kind of monitor to appeal to those for whom a 1ms response time is something to shout about.

For a start, it’s well equipped, with a choice of HDMI, DVI and D-SUB inputs alongside a four-port USB hub to plug in controllers and other peripherals. If you’re not using HDMI there’s a 3.5mm audio input to supply the pair of 2W SRS speakers, and we were impressed with the volume they produced, albeit with little bass and a rather tinny sound.

The size is the real draw, though, with a 27in diagonal and a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution making it as happy when hooked up to a PC as it is when connected to a games console or Blu-ray player. We haven’t had any issues with 2ms monitors in the past, so it wasn’t a huge surprise that this 1ms panel sailed through our response time tests. It may be the headline-grabber, but it’s far from the most important feature on a TFT these days.

What is important is image quality, and here the ViewSonic does reasonably well. Our tests clips were played with plenty of detail and accurate colours, and the 300cd/m2 brightness makes for a strong white level and an even backlight. Gradients were smooth and, once we’d lowered the contrast quite a bit from default, evenly distributed from black to white.

But there were weaknesses. The backlight gives a blue tinge to black screens, and bleeds quite noticeably at the top and bottom edges, which can be distracting during films. And colours just don’t have much punch to them; the TN panel gives a picture that’s nice in an uninspiring way, and watchable without ever comparing to a half-decent IPS or PVA alternative. It’s also not adjustable beyond tilting, so you’ll have to prop it up with a book or monitor stand if it isn’t the right height for your sitting position.

You’re only paying £255 exc VAT for the VX2379WM, though, which goes some way to make up for that, and it has the feature list to appeal to gamers and entertainment fans. If a big screen for those purposes is what you’re after, it’s certainly worth spending the extra over the Hanns.G HZ281HPB. But as a PC monitor first and foremost, it’s hard not to conclude you’d be better off spending that £255 on a top-quality 24in TFT.