Iiyama ProLite XUB2790HS

SCORE £168 (£202 inc VAT) from scan.co.uk

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he Iiyama ProLite XUB2790HS isn’t the prettiest monitor to ever shuffle off a production line. Finished in a combination of gloss, matte and brushed metal-effect plastics, this 27in monitor looks very ordinary. What it loses in aesthetics, however, it makes up for in features.

The highlight is the sturdy-feeling stand that tilts, pivots, swings around into portrait mode, and gives 130mm of height adjustment. There’s also an integrated power supply, HDMI, DVI and VGA inputs, and a basic set of internal speakers. It’s just a shame the on-screen display is so fiddly.

Thankfully, the Iiyama is a capable monitor. The Full HD, 1,920 x 1080 resolution means that text doesn’t look as sharp as on smaller monitors, but the IPS panel serves up good image quality from the moment you switch it on. Brightness reaches a maximum of 245cd/m2, contrast peaks at 1,068:1, and colour accuracy is respectable too – only the cold, bluish whites and dampened reds serve to mar an otherwise fault-free performance.

There aren’t many 27in monitors that serve up decent image quality and an adjustable stand for £200, but the ProLite XUB2790HS does exactly that. It’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for a well-sized, high-quality display.

KEY SPECS 27in IPS monitor 1,920 x 1,080 resolution Matte anti-glare finish HDMI (MHL), VGA 623 x 148 x 453mm (WDH) 4.3kg

If practicality is top of your list of priorities, then you’ll love the NEC MultiSync E245WMi. With an adjustable stand and a business-friendly design, this monitor is built for the office. There’s also plenty to make admins happy, with remote management and an Eco mode to cut power consumption in half, while “Low Blue Light Plus” technology promises to filter out harmful blue-light emissions.

Our review unit came finished in a creamy off-white, but black is an option too. Whichever you choose, the NEC feels built to last. The stand is easy to adjust one-handed, and provides 110mm of height adjustment. Sadly, there’s no USB hub but the headphone socket on the monitor’s side is welcome.

Unusually, the NEC’s PLS panel has a more spacious 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, and you can really feel the difference in everyday use. The LED backlight powers up to 290cd/m2, and the 1,002:1 contrast ratio is excellent. Colour accuracy is a little off-beam, however, with a bluish tinge to greyscales. The backlighting on our unit was uneven across the left-hand side, too.

That said, the NEC remains a capable business monitor – as one of the few 1,920 x 1,200 monitors still available, it’s a solid choice for where productivity trumps colour accuracy.

KEY SPECS 24in PLS monitor 1,920 x 1,200 resolution Matte anti-glare finish DisplayPort, DVI, VGA 623 x 148 x 453mm (WDH) 4.3kg

Finished in glossy white plastic, the Philips 246E7QDSW isn’t designed to shrink into the background. The stand provides nothing more than a small amount of front and rear tilt, but does keep the monitor firmly planted to the desk. Connectivity stretches to HDMI, DVI and VGA inputs, and the HDMI port supports MHL for direct connection to a compatible smartphone or tablet. However, there’s no room for an internal power supply – a laptop-style power brick trails from the rear. The power button at the back doubles as a four-way joystick for navigating the on-screen menus. We found this takes a little getting used to, but once you understand the logic, it works well. As with the NEC, the Philips’ PLS panel showed itself a strong rival to IPS. Colours are bold and vibrant, and since it’s cranked to its maximum 270cd/m2 brightness by default, it packs a powerful punch. But further inspection reveals flaws. While colour accuracy and contrast are acceptable, uneven backlighting and a tendency to crush shadow detail means that photos and movies don’t look as good as they should. Given a better backlight, or a slightly lower price, the Philips 246E7QDSW could be something of a bargain – at this price, however, buy the Asus VC239H instead.

“The NEC’s panel has a spacious 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, and you can feel the difference in everyday use ”

KEY SPECS 23.6in PLS monitor 1,920 x 1,080 resolution Matte anti-glare finish HDMI (MHL), DVI, VGA 539 x 179 x 324mm (WDH) 3.2kg