Digital Trends

HP L2045w March 14th, 2007 | by Jason Tomczak

DVD Playback Results

I tested several DVDs with the L2045w to see how well it would fare in the non-business scope of use. The results were nearly identical whether I was using OS X or Windows XP - DVD playback at 1:1 resolution was nearly perfect. There were no noticeable artifacts, no slow transitions from black to white or from color to color. Video from a dedicated 256MB video card and a shared video card looked equally pleasing.

The only times I noticed flaws in video playback were when I pushed the video to 2x native resolution or to full screen. Of course, the dimensions of a widescreen DVD video are approximately 850x360. When pushing this super-clean picture up to 1680 pixels wide, pixilation and loss of clarity occurs. This is not a problem with the monitor or the video card - it's a DVD encoding issue that will be evident on any screen.

In an abbreviated opinion, the L2045w is a very good screen to watch DVDs on.


Conclusion

The L2045w is a worthy 20.1" LCD monitor for general use, office use and even for mid-level video use. It offers 5ms refresh rates (as fast as most LCD screens come these days), a wonderful 1680x1050 resolution and bright, crisp colors. The screen pivots 90 degrees and tilts forward and back. The screen also converts from Landscape to Portrait mode, something that is very much appreciated by many Photoshop users. The overall performance of the L2045w is very positive. While HP made a few lame-o gaffes with the L2045w (Sasquatch-like footprint, 600:1 contrast ratio and lack of included DVI cable), the fact is that the L2045w is a very good monitor that will please most users. Price is another valid selling point. If you're looking for a budget-friendly LCD screen and wouldn't mind being very pleasantly surprised with features, give the L2045w some serious consideration.


Pros:

• Absolutely affordable
• Widescreen
• USB 2.0 hub built in
• Rotates to Landscape & Portrait modes
• VGA & DVI inputs
• Height and viewing angle adjustable
• 5ms response time

Cons:

• Yesteryear 600:1 contrast ratio
• Unnecessarily wide footprint
• DVI cable not included