MultiSync LCD 2490WUXi

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It seems like every time we get a monitor into the office they just keep getting bigger and bigger. With the NEC MultiSync LCD2490WUXi this is the case in more than one way. Not only does it offer a massive 24in display, but it is also quite a bit thicker than your average monitor, meaning it really takes up a big chunk of space on your desk. While its specifications aren't incredible (800:1 contrast ratio 400 cd/m2 brightness rating) they are more than adequate and this unit performed admirably in all of our tests, making it a good choice for a variety of day to day tasks.

Pros

  • Good colour reproduction, Sharp pictures, Extensive calibration options

Cons

  • Some contrast issues, Minor noise in movie playback

Bottom Line

A strong all purpose display panel, NEC's MultiSync LCD2490WUXi is a good choice for those after a big display for a variety of tasks.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 2,179.00 (AUD)

Special Offers

First we ran our series of tests using the DisplayMate Video Edition software which uses a variety of charts to expose the fundamental flaws in a panel. Most modern monitors perform well here and the LCD2490WUXi was no exception. All the sharpness and line based charts were crisp and there were no signs of noise on any of the moire or block colour patterns. We spotted a minor uniformity issue along the bottom edge of the display, but this is quite standard and was only noticeable when viewing a single block colour. Colour reproduction was excellent, with rich, vivid hues that were extremely accurate. Professionals looking for a monitor that adequately produces true colours will be thoroughly satisfied with this unit. It did exhibit some minor contrast issues on some of the intensity ramps, particularly towards the dark end of the scale. While some definition was lost between different shades, it wasn't a huge issue.

With its 6ms response time the LCD2490WUXi also looked to be suitable for those slightly more interested in the fun side of computing. We ran it through a quick game of F.E.A.R as well as playing a short clip of our Matrix DVD. In the gaming test there was no visible ghosting and the excellent colour reproduction transitioned across to here as well. Black levels were quite good, although the minor contrast problems from before also reared their head. Meanwhile during The Matrix, there was a little noise noticeable in some parts of the screen, but again it wasn't a serious problem. Overall, there are better entertainment oriented monitors on the market at the moment, but this unit does the job adequately if you're a more general PC user.

Viewing angles were quite good. Both horizontally and vertically, this display is rated at 178 degrees and in our tests it performed well. There was no colour shift, even when the monitor was viewing from extreme angles, making it a great choice if you'll regularly have several people watching content on it at once.

It offers a lot of options to tweak colour settings as well. There are a variety of colour presets (as well as an SRGB mode), which also have manual calibration options to alter the colour temperature, as well as the presence of each individual colour (red, yellow green, cyan, blue, magenta). Meanwhile, there are also sharpness, brightness, contrast and black level controls, allowing further customisation..

Aesthetically, the LCD2490WUXi is a little odd. It is over 10cm front-to-rear, making it much thicker than any other 24in unit we've seen. This isn't a problem necessarily, unless you're using your PC in a particularly space constrained environment, but it is quite confusing as we can't see any reason for it to be this chunky.

Aside from that the unit looks fairly standard, with a matte black bezel and a series of controls in the bottom right hand corner. It has an adjustable stand which allows you to simply slide the display up and down and it locks into place instantly for easy height adjustment. Meanwhile, you an also tilt it from left to right or angle it upwards or downwards.

Overall the LCD2490WUXi is a solid display panel. It isn't the best unit on the market but it performed well in all of our tests and makes a good choice if you're after a large display for a variety of uses.

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