There are still fewer large gaming monitors on sale than among models with more modest diagonals, however, monitor construction trends suggest that the situation will change in the near future. Matrix manufacturers found a successful combination of characteristics that allowed their partners to produce decent prices, capabilities and quality of the model. First of all, of course, we are talking about displays on * VA-panels, which, in order to improve picture stability over the entire screen area, have been made curved for two years now.
The first such display was introduced by Samsung, which has its own SVA panels. Later, having skimmed the cream to the maximum, she began to supply matrices of this kind to other companies, which significantly increased the number of offers and seriously expanded the price range in which novelties of this type were presented.
More than a year has passed since then. People who follow the industry are no longer surprised by such displays. The only thing that has changed during this time is the price of devices, which has a clear downward trend. Since the rest of the gaming 31,5-inch WQHD *VA solutions are very similar, the price is the decisive factor when choosing. And this is what makes the Viewsonic VX3258-2KC-mhd we took for testing a very interesting contender for the purchase. Let's check this assumption.
Technical specifications
The VX3258-2KС-mhd monitor was announced along with the VX2758-C-MH Full HD model in January 2018 and officially went on sale in Europe at the end of February of the same year. This model can be found on the CIS market for almost a year, and thanks to the price starting from 29 rubles (at the time of writing), the solution has become very popular and competitive .
| Viewsonic VX3258-2KC-mhd | |
| Screen | |
| Diagonal, inches | 31,5 |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Matrix coating | Semi-matte/matte, anti-reflective |
| Standard resolution, pix. | 2560 × 1440 |
| PPI | 93 |
| Image Options | |
| Matrix type | Curved 1800R *VA |
| Backlight type | QD LED (?) |
| Max. brightness, cd/m2 | 250 |
| Contrast static | 3000:1 |
| Number of displayed colors | 16,7 млн |
| Vertical refresh rate, Hz | 48-144 Hz |
| Response time BtW, ms | ND |
| GtG response time, ms | 5 |
| Maximum viewing angles horizontally/vertically, ° |
178/178 |
| Connectors | |
| Video inputs | 2 x DisplayPort 1.2; 2 x HDMI 2.0 |
| Video outputs | No |
| Additional ports | 1 × Audio Out (3,5mm) |
| Built-in speakers: number × power, W | 2×2,5W |
| Physical parameters | |
| Screen Position Adjustment | Tilt angle (from -5 to +10 degrees) |
| VESA mount: dimensions (mm) | No |
| Mount for Kensington lock | Yes |
| Power supply unit | External |
| Max. power consumption in operation / in standby mode, W |
52 / 0,5 |
| dimensions (with stand), L × H × D, mm |
713 × × 492 215 |
| dimensions (without stand), L × H × D, mm |
713 × × 420 80 |
| Net weight (with stand), kg | 5,8 |
| Net weight (without stand), kg | 5,13 |
| Estimated price | 29 000-34 000 rubles |
Accurate information on used in Viewsonic VX3258-2KС-mhd matrix we don’t, but based on the results obtained during testing and information about LCD panels currently being produced, we can conclude that the basis for the hero of the review was the panel already familiar to us LSM315DP01 manufactured by Samsung.
It is a curved 1800R Curvature SVA 31,5-inch 2560 × 1440 pixel WQHD 16:9 aspect ratio. Most likely, a standard W-LED with an additional light-diffusing layer with a special coating (“quantum dots” or KSF-Phosphor) is used as a backlight system. Thanks to this, the 8-bit panel has an extended color gamut of 85% of the NTSC or DCI-P3 standard.
The level of maximum brightness is not high - only 250 candelas per square meter, and the contrast ratio and viewing angles are declared at the standard level for such panels at 3000: 1 and 178 degrees, respectively. The backlight is flicker-free throughout the entire range of brightness changes (that is, Flicker-Free), which helps to reduce the load on the visual apparatus. The Blue Light Filter setting, which reduces the blue component of the backlight spectrum, will help to further reduce the negative impact.
But much more important for a display of this kind are gaming characteristics. The model can offer a matrix with a response time of 5 ms on Gray-to-Gray transitions, support for AMD FreeSync (now it can be activated on NVIDIA video cards) and an input lag reduction function. True, there is no technology for inserting a black frame here, and therefore there is nothing surprising in the absence of statements about “1 ms MPRT” in TX (we don’t see anything wrong with this).
Thanks to two pairs of modern interfaces (two HDMI 2.0 and DP 1.2 each), the Viewsonic monitor will not only be able to please those who like to use several connected devices (however, PbP / PiP functions are not provided for some reason), but will also provide an opportunity to squeeze out all the juice (144 Hz at native resolution) when using any of them.
Also, the VX3258-2KS-mhd has a simple stereo system with two 2,5 W speakers each. To work with peripherals, there is a 3,5 mm audio output, but USB ports can only be dreamed of.
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The monitor comes pre-installed with 8 picture modes, including black and white Mono. Control is implemented by a five-way joystick, and the ergonomics of a large "frameless" screen on a thin leg is limited by a fairly narrow range of tilt adjustment.
Packaging and appearance
The monitor comes in a large cardboard box with a minimum of printing. The appearance of the packaging has become even simpler than it was a few years ago, but is identical to what we see in the brand's latest solutions.
The box shows only the main technical features, dimensions of the model and the scope of delivery. It is immediately clear that we have a 31,5-inch QHD display (aka WQHD) with LED backlighting and a curved (Curved) screen.
By the sticker on the package, you can find out the serial number, model ID, date (28 July 2018) and place of production (China).
The monitor package includes the following:
- power cable;
- external power supply;
- HDMI cable;
- quick setup and installation guide.
The set is modest, but allows you to reveal the full potential of the model. Those who wish to eliminate unnecessary actions when setting up a monitor should get a DisplayPort cable.
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When creating the monitor, the designers seem to have professed the principle of minimalism in everything: narrower bezels (as a result of which the monitor became “frameless” on three sides), a simpler and thinner stand, less eye-catching external elements.
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The model turned out to be really simple, without any accents. The center stand is screwed to the rear of the case in the lower third with two screws, and there is no VESA mount, as is the cable management system.
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The Y-shaped stand is optimally sized to the body, does not greatly increase the overall depth (although it could have been made smaller) and provides the monitor with good support - it does not wobble and stands securely in one place.
There are two rubber feet initially glued to the base of the stand, and the third (largest) one will need to be glued by the user with double-sided 3M tape after connecting the stand to the center column.
The ergonomics of the model is weak - it is limited by the tilt of the body in the range from -5 to +10 degrees.
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The quality of the assembly and processing of the plastic elements of the Viewsonic VX3258-2KС-mhd monitor does not raise any questions. The paintwork is even, the gaps are minimal, and the case is practically not amenable to twisting.
If we talk about the practicality of the materials used, then there are questions. The entire back of the case, as you have already noticed, is made of black glossy plastic, which instantly attracts dust and is covered with tiny scratches at the same speed after wiping with a special microfiber. And later scuffs appear, and the appearance loses its original gloss, which can no longer be restored. There is only one solution to the problem - put the monitor against the wall so that no one can see its back, and very carefully and rarely wipe the dust with lint-free wipes (or something even more suitable ... but we didn’t think of anything).
The monitor is equipped with *VA-type-matrix with a semi-matte working surface, which boasts a subtle crystal effect and decent anti-glare properties.
By one of the two stickers, you can again find out the date of manufacture of a particular instance of the monitor. Otherwise, the significant information here is the same as on the box - we did not learn anything new.
All connectors are concentrated in the back of the case and are directed backwards for ease of connection. Since the ergonomics of the monitor is weak, and there is no possibility to use a VESA-compatible bracket, this approach of the manufacturer can be considered optimal.
Two speakers of the built-in speaker system with a power of 2,5 W each are located in the rear of the case, at different angles. The sound quality is poor, the maximum volume is low. Even a separate speaker from Chinese online stores, bought for 200-300 rubles, plays better and definitely louder. Probably, the thin case affects - you can’t put more powerful and better speakers in it.
Menu and control
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The control system of the VX3258-2KC-mhd is built on the basis of a 5-way joystick located in the rear of the case, closer to the lower right corner. On the front bezel is a switchable blue power LED.
The transition from the classic control keys has simplified the task for the user, however, the logic of the joystick on the Viewsonic monitor often makes you ask yourself the same question: how is it? After all, if other monitors with a similar control system have everything intuitively clear and there are no problems from the very first minutes, then the hero of the review must constantly look at the prompts on the screen. Otherwise, you can quickly lose your temper.
Apart from this feature, we had no other complaints about the control system. All user actions are processed instantly, you can work with the joystick either during the day or at night (in the absence of external lighting), and the appearance and menu structure are well known from other recent models of the brand: there are still a lot of items scattered sometimes not in the most understandable way, but you just have to get used to it.
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The manufacturer offers quick access to the following sections: selecting a signal source, selecting preset modes, adjusting brightness and contrast, and adjusting the volume level.
The first section presents only the selection of the signal source, without the possibility of enabling automatic search for a working source (this can be done in the last section).
You can change the volume level of the built-in speaker system or connected headphones in the Audio Adjust section.
All preset image presets and their advanced settings are hidden in the third section, View Mode. Some of them have additional sub-modes, which, in turn, may not have or have very different settings available. Among the latter, we met an increase in the visibility of extreme dark shades (Black Stabilizer), fine-tuning the operation of the dynamic contrast system (Advanced DCR), adjusting the degree of acceleration of the matrix (Response Time) and reducing the input lag (Low Input Lag).
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The next section offers to go through the settings for brightness, contrast and color temperature (depending on the setting, the previously selected mode may turn off when you specify the VU), set the color format and range, and also the gamma (select the exact value from the five available options). Setting the color temperature mode to sRGB disables most of the available color-related options. That is why, during the testing of the monitor, we singled out this mode as a full-fledged preset.
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Some of the items in the fourth section, Manual Image Adjust, are available only when using an analog connection. And among the active ones, we can always highlight sharpness, a blue part of the backlight spectrum filter, image scaler control, Overscan, as well as four parameters familiar from the View Mode section.
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The last section, the Setup Menu, is filled with items that are directly related to the operation of the monitor, and not to its color reproduction. Here you can select the menu localization language (there is also Russian), reassign one quick access function, view the main operating information on the monitor, change the OSD screen settings, turn off the power indicator, reduce power consumption using the Sleep, Auto Power Off and Eco Mode functions (reduces maximum brightness), turn on DP version 1.1 (it's not clear, though, for what) and reset all parameters to factory settings.
Access to the service menu was not found.
Source: 3dnews.ru