Acer P235H 23 Inch LCD Monitor Review

Today we are taking a look at a rather modest 23 inch LCD monitor from Acer. While we can and will go with displays that are much more "Xtreme," you are likely to see plenty of reviews where we "Keep it real" as well. This is one of those reviews. Many mainstream PC users would consider a 23 inch LCD to be a major upgrade, so we don't want to play this off as a snub on 23 inch LCD monitors. Many of us know someone that is still using one of those old 15 inch CRT monitors. Those folks wouldn't really know what to do with a monitor like this, in fact it is probably bigger than their TV.

Relatively speaking however, this particular Acer model fits in to more of the budget market, when compared to other LCD monitors that offer HD resolution (1920x1080). Many monitors in the 22" to 24" range don't even offer that high definition resolution; This Acer P235H does. So let's dive in and take a look at what comes along with the display.

Acer P235H LCD Monitor Bundle

• + Monitor base (with tilt)
• + Video cables: VGA, DVI, HDMI
• + Audio cable and Power Cord
• + Quick Start Guide
• + CD with User's Manual and more

The monitor base attaches and unattaches fairly easily. The base has about 20 degrees of tilt available. We give Acer a thumbs up for that since some monitors have no tilt options, leaving you stuck at whatever angle they give you.  The quick start guide and CD are about as basic as they come, but you really don't need to know much except which cable to plug in and where. And, as far as the plethora of cables go, we will discuss those in just a bit. First let's take a peek at the specs.

Acer P235H LCD Monitor Specs

The Acer P235H is an extraordinarily average black monitor.  There really isn't too much to make it stand out in a positive or negative manner. And it performs as well out-of-the-box as any comparable LCD monitor. The good news here is that we don't see anything that tells us it underperforms in any way. This monitor runs as good as any video card we have that pumps juice in to it.

The P235H's most dazzling part is the blue LED light behind the otherwise clear power button. The image above shows a picture from underneath the right side, where you will find 5 more buttons that allow for both video and audio adjustments to be made.

Acer's P235H completely covers your computer and hi-definition needs with VGA, DVI & HDMI ports. And for you movie fanatics, the DVI input is HDCP compliant.  On the other side of the underbelly you see the standard power input and an audio jack for the built-in speakers.

Most visual details were visible on the complete scale that Acer uses for brightness on the P235H. But, like most monitors, the best range is somewhere between 20 and 80, depending on the ambient light. The power usage for the P235H is right on par for a 23 inch LCD monitor. For reference to non-LCD monitors, our test CRT monitor (Sony 19") ranged from 86 to 102 watts, while our 46" Samsung HDTV watt readings fell mostly within the 125 to 140 range.

CONCLUSION

The Acer P235H is often found at under $200. And if you're a patient, bargain shopper, you will likely find it in the $150 range from time-to-time. Compared to most LCD monitors, similar in size and stats, that is a stellar price. The glossy, black look is obviously the style and color of the day; So much so that it's often difficult to tell monitors apart, short of their name being attached. But at least you get some bling (or do you?) on the Acer P235H with a little blue LED that we like to call "The power button" ! The built-in speakers are about as weak as you can get at 1.5 watts. But for those that are currently sporting generics speakers (or none at all) they will serve as a reasonable subsitute until you purchase your Bose Companion system (or maybe something a little more modest). Plus, many monitors don't even come with a speaker option anymore.

All-in-all, the Acer P235H is an excellent LCD monitor in the 23 inch range. It sport an full-HD,1080p resolution (1920x1080) at 60Hz. It comes with all necessary cables, and even some startup speakers. On top of all that it is very reasonably priced. It will serve you well as your computer monitor, HDTV, or both.