Now that widescreen desktop displays the transition to the 16:9 aspect ratio should be no surprise that the monitor vendors now full high definition capabilities to offer their smaller models. Enter the HP 2150m, a 21.5-inch screen with a maximum resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels, meaning that a true HD-capable monitor (1080p). The panel has a fairly good job with color and small text, and I hold with three video inputs to choose from, but it suffers from some performance problems.
Design
The HP 2159m is similar in design to its bigger brother, the HP w2558hc. Both have a glossy black frame with a strip of silver trim, and both offer a sturdy folding stand where you can stash away your keyboard. That’s where the similarities end, though. The 2159m The stand has a hinge to tilt the screen back and forth, but you can not raise and lower the panel as you can with the w2558hc. Nor does the 2159m its rotating capabilities. Around back are three video ports (HDMI, DVI and VGA) monitor so you can connect to multiple devices, such as a game console, a PC and a Blu-ray player to hold, without switching cables. There is also an audio input to the integrated 2-watt speakers, which is actually quite loud and produce a crisp but slightly tinny, wall of sound feeds. Missing is a headphone jack and USB ports, as found on Lenovo L215p, a similarly priced 21.5-inch monitor.
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Features
Four clearly labeled function keys and an aqua-blue illuminated on / off switch mounted under the lower ring and right. The buttons you use HP’s intuitive on-screen menu system, where you can change image settings such as brightness, contrast, sharpness and color temperature. There are three color presets to choose from, and you can create your own custom color temperature by adjusting the RGB levels to your liking. I found the 9500 pre-K on a saturated bluish pictures produced, while the sRGB setting was a little too dark and produced considerable staining in the gray tones. The 6500 K setting offered the best overall picture, but it led to some minor reddish tones but a mistake that clearly was L215p Lenovo’s too. Other features include speaker volume and input selection, and there is one meter, the first time you power the monitor, the total number of hours that the backlight is correct.
Performance
Performance was a mixed bag. The 2159m has a good job of displaying each of the 25 intensity levels on the DisplayMate color scales test, and color swatches of color purity test were uniform and well defined. However, grayscale performance was a different story, in addition to color errors, the panel had trouble displaying the darkest and lightest shades of gray on the 64-Step Gray Scale Test. If you need a higher degree of accuracy grayscale for things like photo editing, the HP LP2275w is a better, albeit more expensive choice. I also noticed a line of backlight bleed along the top of the screen. The seepage is barely noticeable for the most part, but a distraction when viewing dark scenes film and gaming. On the plus side, small text was clean and very easy to read.
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Watching the action thriller “Shooter” on a Blu-ray disc is a treat. The 2159m produced a sharp image at 1080p, which was relatively free of motion errors, except a few stray artefacts. Viewing angles were good, although some minor color shifts at about 160-degrees, which is normal for a TN panel. My Far Cry 2 gaming test showed that this panel will have no problem handling fast 3D action clean and smooth. The monitor comes with a meager one year warranty on parts, labor and backlight.
Despite the problems with performance, the HP 2159m is more than capable of handling the bulk of your work and after-hours jobs, but there are better performing models out there for about the same price. If you are looking for a hi-res screen that a few more features and better dark grayscale performance, the Lenovo L215p Wide gives you a USB hub, a webcam, and a wonderful three years warranty, but you’ll have to live without a DVI port.
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