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The HP LA2405wg is one of seven entries in HP's Advantage line of business displays designed for viewing comfort and manufactured using environment-friendly materials. Priced at $379 (direct), this 24-inch monitor is a bit more expensive than other similarly-sized models, but it features a highly adjustable stand, and other than its light grayscale performance, is a solid performer. You get a decent selection of connectivity ports too, though an HDMI port is not one of them.
Design
The LA2405wg offers a sleek design that will spruce up even the drabbest desktop. The 1920 by 1200 TN+ screen is housed in a matte black cabinet with moderately thin bezels. The top and bottom bezels sport a brushed aluminum finish, a look that is industrial yet elegant. The panel sits atop a sturdy square black base that doubles as a keyboard tray or a place to stash small peripherals, pens, and other items that normally add to desktop clutter. The stand has a sliding mechanism that allows you to raise the panel approximately 4.5 inches from its base. It also offers tilt and swivel functions and has a hinge that allows you to pivot the screen 90 degrees.
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Features
Four thin silver function buttons and a matching power switch are positioned along the right side of the bottom bezel, and there are two USB ports located on the left side of the cabinet behind the bezel. The bottom rear of the cabinet contains DVI, VGA, and DisplayPort video connections as well as an upstream USB port. As with the NEC MultiSync PA241W ($1,049.00 List,
), the LA2405wg lacks an HDMI port, an indication that DisplayPort technology may finally be gaining some ground on HDMI, which remains the most widely used digital A/V connectivity option.
The LA2405wg provides all the usual image adjustments, including brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color temperature settings. While using a VGA (analog) signal you can adjust clock and phase settings as well (these setting are not available when using a digital signal). A Dynamic Contrast Ratio (DCR) setting allows you bump up the contrast ratio up to 3000:1 from the default setting of 1000:1, but I found the image looked best with the DCR disabled. You can also resize the image to fill the screen or maintain the signal's original aspect ratio.
Specifications
Screen Size24 inchesNative Resolution1920 x 1200Supported Video Formats1080pWidescreenYesAspect Ratio16:10Video InputsDVIPC InterfacesDigital (DVI-D) More
The LA2405wg has a sleep timer that allows you to power on and off the monitor at the same time every day. The monitor draws an average of 41 watts of power, which is pretty much on a par with other 24-inch models such as the ViewSonic VG2427wm ($299 street,
). However, HP has designed the LA2405wg to be as green as possible by manufacturing the cabinet with materials that are free of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) plastics and BFR (Brominated Flame Retardant) chemicals, both of which are believed to have certain toxic properties and are considered to be environmental pollutants. Additionally, the LA2405wg uses recycled, low-impact, environment-friendly packaging materials; it has received an EPEAT Gold rating, and is TCO 5.0 and ENERGY STAR certified, all of which earn it our GreenTech seal of approval. HP covers the LA2405wg with a generous 3-year parts, labor, and backlight warranty that includes on-site service and 24/7 toll-free telephone support.
Performance
With a 5-millisecond pixel response rate (black-to-white), this panel had no trouble handling fast-moving images. My 1080p Magic of Flight test video played smoothly with no apparent stutter or blurring, and colors were vibrant and well defined. The DisplayMate Color Scales test confirmed the monitor's ability to display uniform colors, but the 64-Step Grayscale test revealed a weakness when it came to displaying light shades of gray. If you work with photos, you may want to consider a monitor that will do a better job of displaying highlight detail, such as the Viewsonic VG2427wm. On the plus side, dark grayscale performance was much better, and text set to 5.3 points (the smallest size on the Scaled Fonts test) was sharp and crisp. Viewing angle performance was good on the horizontal plane, but there was some color loss at around 135-degrees on the vertical plane, which really comes into play when the screen is rotated for portrait mode viewing.
If you're looking for an environment friendly 24-inch display for your home or office that delivers good color, text performance, and looks good doing it, the HP LA2405wg will fit the bill. The lack of an HDMI port is a bit disappointing, but the ergonomic stand, built-in USB ports, and 3-year warranty help make up for the deficit. If you demand superior grayscale and viewing angle performance, the NEC PA241W is a better choice, but be prepared to drop an additional $670 for the enhancements.
Design
The LA2405wg offers a sleek design that will spruce up even the drabbest desktop. The 1920 by 1200 TN+ screen is housed in a matte black cabinet with moderately thin bezels. The top and bottom bezels sport a brushed aluminum finish, a look that is industrial yet elegant. The panel sits atop a sturdy square black base that doubles as a keyboard tray or a place to stash small peripherals, pens, and other items that normally add to desktop clutter. The stand has a sliding mechanism that allows you to raise the panel approximately 4.5 inches from its base. It also offers tilt and swivel functions and has a hinge that allows you to pivot the screen 90 degrees.
View Slideshow See all (7) slides
More
Features
Four thin silver function buttons and a matching power switch are positioned along the right side of the bottom bezel, and there are two USB ports located on the left side of the cabinet behind the bezel. The bottom rear of the cabinet contains DVI, VGA, and DisplayPort video connections as well as an upstream USB port. As with the NEC MultiSync PA241W ($1,049.00 List,
The LA2405wg provides all the usual image adjustments, including brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color temperature settings. While using a VGA (analog) signal you can adjust clock and phase settings as well (these setting are not available when using a digital signal). A Dynamic Contrast Ratio (DCR) setting allows you bump up the contrast ratio up to 3000:1 from the default setting of 1000:1, but I found the image looked best with the DCR disabled. You can also resize the image to fill the screen or maintain the signal's original aspect ratio.
Specifications
Screen Size24 inchesNative Resolution1920 x 1200Supported Video Formats1080pWidescreenYesAspect Ratio16:10Video InputsDVIPC InterfacesDigital (DVI-D) More
The LA2405wg has a sleep timer that allows you to power on and off the monitor at the same time every day. The monitor draws an average of 41 watts of power, which is pretty much on a par with other 24-inch models such as the ViewSonic VG2427wm ($299 street,
Performance
With a 5-millisecond pixel response rate (black-to-white), this panel had no trouble handling fast-moving images. My 1080p Magic of Flight test video played smoothly with no apparent stutter or blurring, and colors were vibrant and well defined. The DisplayMate Color Scales test confirmed the monitor's ability to display uniform colors, but the 64-Step Grayscale test revealed a weakness when it came to displaying light shades of gray. If you work with photos, you may want to consider a monitor that will do a better job of displaying highlight detail, such as the Viewsonic VG2427wm. On the plus side, dark grayscale performance was much better, and text set to 5.3 points (the smallest size on the Scaled Fonts test) was sharp and crisp. Viewing angle performance was good on the horizontal plane, but there was some color loss at around 135-degrees on the vertical plane, which really comes into play when the screen is rotated for portrait mode viewing.
If you're looking for an environment friendly 24-inch display for your home or office that delivers good color, text performance, and looks good doing it, the HP LA2405wg will fit the bill. The lack of an HDMI port is a bit disappointing, but the ergonomic stand, built-in USB ports, and 3-year warranty help make up for the deficit. If you demand superior grayscale and viewing angle performance, the NEC PA241W is a better choice, but be prepared to drop an additional $670 for the enhancements.
