Viewsonic VP201B "Mini-Review" by S@nDmAn
SPECIFICATIONS SUMMARY:
Specifications:
Panel Type: TFT active matrix UXGA LCD
Native Resolution: UXGA (1600 x 1200)
Pixel Pitch: 0.255 mm
Brightness: 250 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio: 400 : 1
Response Time: 16ms (typ)
View Angle: 176° / 176° (Horizontal / Vertical)
Input Connectors: 15-pin mini D-sub , DVI-I
Features: Ultra-slim 0.67" bezel; HDTV 720p ready; Pivot, height and wall-mount versatility
Dimensions & Weight: 17.6" x 18.9" x 10.5" (WxHxD) / 18.7 lbs
Manufacturer's Warranty / Phone No.: 3 years parts, labor and backlight / 800-688-6688
VP201B LINKS:
GamePC.Com Review<--Really good review of the VP201B
http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=vp201b&page=1
Viewsonic VP201B Product Page
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcddisplays/proseries/vp201b/
Various VP201B Multi-Panel setups shown at Viewsonic's website:
http://www.viewsonic.com/multipanelsetup/
NewEgg
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-116-285&depa=0
ZipZoomFly.Com
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=231772
(Free 2 Day Shipping)
Mwave.com
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA19579
***There are actually two different models of the VP201. They are the exact same monitor, except the VP201B has a black bezel and the VP201S has a silver bezel.***
QUICK POINTS:
STAND- (Adjusts in all directions, so you can get it exactly like you want it)
STAND - (Cord Management loops on back of stand help hide cables)
BUTTONS - (very soft to touch, almost hard to realize when youve pressed them)
MONITOR DRIVER - (simple install takes seconds and installs advanced controls in Display Properties)
EASY SETTINGS - (NEVER had to make a change to settings, worked right out of box)
RESOLUTIONS - (1600x1200 is amazing, but has great quality even at non-native resolutions)
***MY PREVIOUS MONITORS: 19 Viewsonic E790B, Phillips 170/B2 17 LCD, 19 Optiquest V95, 17" NEC CRT, and a few others. Just wanted to give you an idea as to what I have owned in the past.
Sorry I am just now getting this mini-review up, but one of the main reasons I waited was because I wanted a descent video card running the LCD. I just got my BFG 6800GT OC installed, and it along with the VP201B is simply AMAZING. One thing I want to get out of the way is that I DO NOT notice the screen door effect. Thats not to say its not there, I just dont see it. I also want to tell you that I am the most picky person in the world. One hold up on the system I just built was that I went thru THREE different atx cases until I had the one I wanted. I actually went so far as to build the system in 2 of them. I first started with an Antec case (that I was going to use to get by until the new Silverstone came out, but ended up returning it), a Cooler Master Black Praetorian (still have it), a Silverstone Nimiz SST-TJ03-B (WAY to big, too deep actually, returned it for refund), and finally ended up using a black Cooler Master Wavemaster. So I hope that gives you an idea as to how picky I am. If the VP201B was not up to par, I would tell you in a second, and I would also already have 2 new monitors here trying them out to see which one I was going to go with.
When you open the box, you find that Viewsonic packaged the monitor very well and they have a screen protector covering the LCD. After you get all the packaging off, the first thing you notice is how good looking the monitor is. Even better than in the pictures. I have looked at MANY other LCDs and I personally think that some of the manufacturers who try to have a ultra thin bezel end up with monitors that are semi-cheap looking. The monitor comes out of the box with the monitor sitting about as high on the stand as possible. I was very happy to see that it would go down, because the screen was extended too high for me. You can adjust the monitor easily, and in all sorts of directions. The LCD comes with a DVI cable, Analog VGA cable, and a USB 2.0 Cable for the built in USB 2.0 hub.
The VP201B has a native resolution of 1600x1200, but it handles lower resolutions amazingly well. When I first powered on the PC and got the correct input, the monitor auto detected the resolution of the BIOS Screen, and optimized itself for that resolution. When it does this, you see a little wave go thru the screen and then blink its done. Pretty nifty . It also has a message that will pop up in the middle of the screen anytime you are not using a 1600x1200 resolution that tells you For best quality use a 1600x1200 Resolution. It gives you the opportunity to disable that message, which I did. As far as settings go, I didnt have to change one thing. Any setting you normally would change, it changes for you automatically!
The monitors quality is amazing. The desktop is so clear and the colors are very rich. The colors on the screen almost look wet. One of the first things I did was pull up the [H] Forums, and the black and maroon color blew me away. Its just something you have to see for yourself. I know some people are weary of using 1600x1200 because the last time they saw that res. it looked too small, etc.. Well with the VP201B, you can see text, icons, half way across the room at 1600x1200. If you cant, you dont need to have your drivers license. LOL
It takes about 5 seconds to install the driver off the CD, and I was impressed with all the features that were added in Display Properties. All the options to rotate the monitor are right there and easy to use. I dont see myself ever using that feature, but at least its there if I ever want to.
The first FPS thing I ran on the monitor was 3DMARK 2001SE. I ran it first because I have seen it so many times on CRT monitors and I thought it would be something good to judge the quality, etc.. As soon as 3DMARK started, I was stunned. I couldnt believe I was looking at an LCD. You almost want to take your hand and stick it behind the LCD to confirm that it is an LCD. I never saw any ghosting or any shadowing. I installed Call of Duty and Far Cry next, and was anxious to have control of the movement, so I could TRY to make the thing ghost. No luck. I couldnt get it to ghost at all. I ran all games at 1600x1200 with all settings at max. My new 6800GT was excellent. I would HIGHLY recommend this video card. It compliments the VP201B extremely well. I also ran Far Cry, Call of Duty, & Battle Field Vietnam at 1024 X 768 so I could see how "non-native" resolutions looked. The VP201B did an excellent job scaling to these resolutions. The quality, while not as good as 1600x1200, was excellent for non-native resolutions. This surprised me. I didnt think the non-native resolutions would look half as good as they did.
Here are a few PICS that I took with a 3 mega pixel camera. So the quality isnt that great. There are links to 1600x1200 HIGH resolution versions under each picture. Beware of the links 56K users.
The first two pictures have "Call of Duty" on the screen, and the last 4 pictures are of "Far Cry".
--==EDIT==-- I added 9 photos after the Far Cry images, that were taken while playing UT2004 at Non-Native Resolutions.--==END EDIT==--
CALL OF DUTY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> CALL OF DUTY-PIC1 @ 1600x1200
CALL OF DUTY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> CALL OF DUTY-PIC2 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC1 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC2 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC3 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC4 @ 1600x1200
--==EDIT==-- THIS SECTION ADDED TO ORIGINAL REVIEW on 7/20/04
Since I was getting requests and PMs to take some PICS at lower NON-NATIVE resolutions, I installed UT2004 and took some. I took 3 pictures at every resolution. I did 3 resolutions total, consisting of: *800x600, *1024x768, & *1280x1024.
NON-NATIVE Resolution PICS:
UT2004 @ 800x600
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC1 @ 800x600
UT2004 @ 800x600
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC2 @ 800x600
UT2004 @ 800x600
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC3 @ 800x600
UT2004 @ 1024x768
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC1 @ 1024x768
UT2004 @ 1024x768
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC2 @ 1024x768
UT2004 @ 1024x768 ( Stupid BOT!! I'm trying to take some photos! )
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC3 @ 1024x768
UT2004 @ 1280x1024
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC1 @ 1280x1024
UT2004 @ 1280x1024
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC2 @ 1280x1024
UT2004 @ 1280x1024
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC3 @ 1280x1024
All the pictures were taken with Unreal Tournament 2004 on the screen. You will see PAUSE in the middle of the screen, because if I didnt pause it, the pictures came out blurred. Just like the first section of photos, these were taken with a little 3 Megapixel camera. So it goes without saying that these photos dont do the monitor justice. I resized the original pictures down to 1600x1200 for the High Res links, and the small photos that you see here in the actual thread are only 400x300.
--== END OF EDIT ==--
In conclusion, I couldnt be happier with my purchase. I planned on going with a dual monitor setup, so I wanted to try this monitor out and see how I liked it before ordering the 2nd one. With that said, I will be placing my order for the 2nd one this week. Especially since I see the VP201B has dropped $100.00 in the past week, bringing the final price to $899.00 If you are looking for jaw dropping quality and an overall AWESOME monitor, look no further than the VP201B. You cant go wrong with it.
I hope you found this "mini-review" helpful. Please understand that I am NOT saying this monitor is better than another monitor, etc... I just wanted to post this to help people who are interested in the VP201B and haven't seen much information for it. If I didnt cover something that you are interested in, please post what is and I will do what I can to help you out. Please note that the PICS were taken with a 3 megapixel camera, so they dont even come close to showing the actual picture quality.
S@nDmAn
SPECIFICATIONS SUMMARY:
Specifications:
Panel Type: TFT active matrix UXGA LCD
Native Resolution: UXGA (1600 x 1200)
Pixel Pitch: 0.255 mm
Brightness: 250 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio: 400 : 1
Response Time: 16ms (typ)
View Angle: 176° / 176° (Horizontal / Vertical)
Input Connectors: 15-pin mini D-sub , DVI-I
Features: Ultra-slim 0.67" bezel; HDTV 720p ready; Pivot, height and wall-mount versatility
Dimensions & Weight: 17.6" x 18.9" x 10.5" (WxHxD) / 18.7 lbs
Manufacturer's Warranty / Phone No.: 3 years parts, labor and backlight / 800-688-6688
VP201B LINKS:
GamePC.Com Review<--Really good review of the VP201B
http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=vp201b&page=1
Viewsonic VP201B Product Page
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcddisplays/proseries/vp201b/
Various VP201B Multi-Panel setups shown at Viewsonic's website:
http://www.viewsonic.com/multipanelsetup/
NewEgg
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-116-285&depa=0
ZipZoomFly.Com
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=231772
(Free 2 Day Shipping)
Mwave.com
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA19579
***There are actually two different models of the VP201. They are the exact same monitor, except the VP201B has a black bezel and the VP201S has a silver bezel.***
QUICK POINTS:
STAND- (Adjusts in all directions, so you can get it exactly like you want it)
STAND - (Cord Management loops on back of stand help hide cables)
BUTTONS - (very soft to touch, almost hard to realize when youve pressed them)
MONITOR DRIVER - (simple install takes seconds and installs advanced controls in Display Properties)
EASY SETTINGS - (NEVER had to make a change to settings, worked right out of box)
RESOLUTIONS - (1600x1200 is amazing, but has great quality even at non-native resolutions)
***MY PREVIOUS MONITORS: 19 Viewsonic E790B, Phillips 170/B2 17 LCD, 19 Optiquest V95, 17" NEC CRT, and a few others. Just wanted to give you an idea as to what I have owned in the past.
Sorry I am just now getting this mini-review up, but one of the main reasons I waited was because I wanted a descent video card running the LCD. I just got my BFG 6800GT OC installed, and it along with the VP201B is simply AMAZING. One thing I want to get out of the way is that I DO NOT notice the screen door effect. Thats not to say its not there, I just dont see it. I also want to tell you that I am the most picky person in the world. One hold up on the system I just built was that I went thru THREE different atx cases until I had the one I wanted. I actually went so far as to build the system in 2 of them. I first started with an Antec case (that I was going to use to get by until the new Silverstone came out, but ended up returning it), a Cooler Master Black Praetorian (still have it), a Silverstone Nimiz SST-TJ03-B (WAY to big, too deep actually, returned it for refund), and finally ended up using a black Cooler Master Wavemaster. So I hope that gives you an idea as to how picky I am. If the VP201B was not up to par, I would tell you in a second, and I would also already have 2 new monitors here trying them out to see which one I was going to go with.
When you open the box, you find that Viewsonic packaged the monitor very well and they have a screen protector covering the LCD. After you get all the packaging off, the first thing you notice is how good looking the monitor is. Even better than in the pictures. I have looked at MANY other LCDs and I personally think that some of the manufacturers who try to have a ultra thin bezel end up with monitors that are semi-cheap looking. The monitor comes out of the box with the monitor sitting about as high on the stand as possible. I was very happy to see that it would go down, because the screen was extended too high for me. You can adjust the monitor easily, and in all sorts of directions. The LCD comes with a DVI cable, Analog VGA cable, and a USB 2.0 Cable for the built in USB 2.0 hub.
The VP201B has a native resolution of 1600x1200, but it handles lower resolutions amazingly well. When I first powered on the PC and got the correct input, the monitor auto detected the resolution of the BIOS Screen, and optimized itself for that resolution. When it does this, you see a little wave go thru the screen and then blink its done. Pretty nifty . It also has a message that will pop up in the middle of the screen anytime you are not using a 1600x1200 resolution that tells you For best quality use a 1600x1200 Resolution. It gives you the opportunity to disable that message, which I did. As far as settings go, I didnt have to change one thing. Any setting you normally would change, it changes for you automatically!
The monitors quality is amazing. The desktop is so clear and the colors are very rich. The colors on the screen almost look wet. One of the first things I did was pull up the [H] Forums, and the black and maroon color blew me away. Its just something you have to see for yourself. I know some people are weary of using 1600x1200 because the last time they saw that res. it looked too small, etc.. Well with the VP201B, you can see text, icons, half way across the room at 1600x1200. If you cant, you dont need to have your drivers license. LOL
It takes about 5 seconds to install the driver off the CD, and I was impressed with all the features that were added in Display Properties. All the options to rotate the monitor are right there and easy to use. I dont see myself ever using that feature, but at least its there if I ever want to.
The first FPS thing I ran on the monitor was 3DMARK 2001SE. I ran it first because I have seen it so many times on CRT monitors and I thought it would be something good to judge the quality, etc.. As soon as 3DMARK started, I was stunned. I couldnt believe I was looking at an LCD. You almost want to take your hand and stick it behind the LCD to confirm that it is an LCD. I never saw any ghosting or any shadowing. I installed Call of Duty and Far Cry next, and was anxious to have control of the movement, so I could TRY to make the thing ghost. No luck. I couldnt get it to ghost at all. I ran all games at 1600x1200 with all settings at max. My new 6800GT was excellent. I would HIGHLY recommend this video card. It compliments the VP201B extremely well. I also ran Far Cry, Call of Duty, & Battle Field Vietnam at 1024 X 768 so I could see how "non-native" resolutions looked. The VP201B did an excellent job scaling to these resolutions. The quality, while not as good as 1600x1200, was excellent for non-native resolutions. This surprised me. I didnt think the non-native resolutions would look half as good as they did.
Here are a few PICS that I took with a 3 mega pixel camera. So the quality isnt that great. There are links to 1600x1200 HIGH resolution versions under each picture. Beware of the links 56K users.
The first two pictures have "Call of Duty" on the screen, and the last 4 pictures are of "Far Cry".
--==EDIT==-- I added 9 photos after the Far Cry images, that were taken while playing UT2004 at Non-Native Resolutions.--==END EDIT==--
CALL OF DUTY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> CALL OF DUTY-PIC1 @ 1600x1200
CALL OF DUTY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> CALL OF DUTY-PIC2 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC1 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC2 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC3 @ 1600x1200
FAR CRY @ 1600x1200
HIGH RES--> FAR CRY-PIC4 @ 1600x1200
--==EDIT==-- THIS SECTION ADDED TO ORIGINAL REVIEW on 7/20/04
Since I was getting requests and PMs to take some PICS at lower NON-NATIVE resolutions, I installed UT2004 and took some. I took 3 pictures at every resolution. I did 3 resolutions total, consisting of: *800x600, *1024x768, & *1280x1024.
NON-NATIVE Resolution PICS:
UT2004 @ 800x600
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC1 @ 800x600
UT2004 @ 800x600
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC2 @ 800x600
UT2004 @ 800x600
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC3 @ 800x600
UT2004 @ 1024x768
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC1 @ 1024x768
UT2004 @ 1024x768
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC2 @ 1024x768
UT2004 @ 1024x768 ( Stupid BOT!! I'm trying to take some photos! )
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC3 @ 1024x768
UT2004 @ 1280x1024
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC1 @ 1280x1024
UT2004 @ 1280x1024
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC2 @ 1280x1024
UT2004 @ 1280x1024
HIGH RES--> UT2004-PIC3 @ 1280x1024
All the pictures were taken with Unreal Tournament 2004 on the screen. You will see PAUSE in the middle of the screen, because if I didnt pause it, the pictures came out blurred. Just like the first section of photos, these were taken with a little 3 Megapixel camera. So it goes without saying that these photos dont do the monitor justice. I resized the original pictures down to 1600x1200 for the High Res links, and the small photos that you see here in the actual thread are only 400x300.
--== END OF EDIT ==--
In conclusion, I couldnt be happier with my purchase. I planned on going with a dual monitor setup, so I wanted to try this monitor out and see how I liked it before ordering the 2nd one. With that said, I will be placing my order for the 2nd one this week. Especially since I see the VP201B has dropped $100.00 in the past week, bringing the final price to $899.00 If you are looking for jaw dropping quality and an overall AWESOME monitor, look no further than the VP201B. You cant go wrong with it.
I hope you found this "mini-review" helpful. Please understand that I am NOT saying this monitor is better than another monitor, etc... I just wanted to post this to help people who are interested in the VP201B and haven't seen much information for it. If I didnt cover something that you are interested in, please post what is and I will do what I can to help you out. Please note that the PICS were taken with a 3 megapixel camera, so they dont even come close to showing the actual picture quality.
S@nDmAn