NEC’s EA241WM has a number of features that set it apart from the rest of the displays in this field: It’s the only model to support a full complement of ergonomic features (tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustment); it’s the only model with an integrated USB 2.0 hub; and compared to its competition’s flimsy construction, this monitor is built like a Mack truck.
It’s also the most expensive and least consumer-oriented model we tested, with an MSRP of $450 and native resolution of 1920x1200 (versus 1920x1080). And while the monitor does support HDCP, it’s not equipped with an HDMI port (NEC will provide a free DVI-to-HDMI adapter, but doesn’t put one in the box).
The EA241WM’s tiny thumb-stick controller is one of the best tools we’ve used for making minute adjustments to a display’s brightness and contrast levels. The NEC performed better than any of the other monitors in DisplayMate’s black-level test, with virtually no backlight contamination of a black screen. In spite of its precision controls, this monitor performed poorly when it came to differentiating between black and dark shades of both gray and colors. This was particularly bothersome in the opening scene of Watchmen, because important details were lost in the dark shadows.
USB 2.0 hub; sturdy and adjustable; great thumb-stick constroller; no backlight contamination.
Expensive; no HDMI port; poorly differentiates between black and dark shades of gray and colors.
| Viewable Area | 23 inches |
| Native Resolution | 1920x1200 |
| Color Gamut | 72 percent of NTSC |
| Color Depth | 6-bit with FRC |
| Gray-to-Gray Response Time | 5ms |
| Inputs | DVI, HDMI (via adapter), VGA |
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