NEC MultiSync EA232WMi review

While you can get a monitor with an IPS panel for less, the Full HD 23in NEC MultiSync EA232WMi has a few tricks up its sleeve to justify its price. Its matt-black case and chunky stand aren’t as flashy as some monitor designs, but it’s eminently practical: the base sits on a turntable that can spin through almost 360 degrees, and the screen can be raised by 11cm and swivelled into portrait mode.

It’s also one of the few monitors that we’ve seen with a DisplayPort input, which is most commonly used by Apple. DisplayPort can also carry audio and supports HDCP, so it’s possible to convert an HDMI output using an active adaptor. However, at around £65 for the necessary hardware, it’s expensive to do so and we wish NEC had just installed an HDMI input. For normal PC use there are DVI and VGA inputs.

A pair of loud but muddy-sounding speakers point downwards from the back of the case, plus there’s a headphone port on the left side in case. There’s a USB hub with four ports – two on the rear and two on the side of the case for easier access.

NEC’s menu system is clear and logical, and its joystick menu control is far easier to use than most monitors which rely on a combination of buttons. You get comprehensive image quality controls to configure the display you want, including Eco modes that limit brightness, an auto-brightness setting that takes ambient light and the image’s white content into account.

Image quality is superb across the board. The anti-glare finish means you can use the display under pretty much any lighting condition. Our one complaint is that the finish also slightly reduces the vibrancy of colours, when compared to display with a gloss finish. Despite this, colours are accurate and look natural, while the backlight is even. Contrast is fantastic, bringing out every single bit of detail in the darkest scenes of our test films and games.

With its adjustable stand, matt finish and USB hub, the EA232WMi is well suited for office and work use, and is reasonably priced for the features. If the stand and screen finish aren’t important to you, the LG IPS235V has comparable image quality but costs considerably less, and has an HDMI input.