 "LG Flatron D2342 3D LED-Backlit Monitor")
LG’s Cinema 3D line of TVs that we reviewed impressed us. It was only a matter of time before LG decided to bring the same technology down to LCD monitors. The LG Flatron D2342 is one such product. As 3D content in the form of games and videos increases, PC users should find it easier to take advantage of the content. So far, 3D monitors, like 3D TVs have been expensive and out of reach for many. Hopefully, LG can bring the technology to mainstream audiences at a more affordable price.
Features
The D2342 is a 3D-capable LED-backlit monitor that has a native display resolution of 1920x1080 and a viewing area of 23 inches. LG claims it has a response time of 5ms. The connectivity options are sufficient for most users - an HDMI, DVI and D-Sub port are present at the rear. There’s also a 3.5mm analog audio connector for users who want to connect their headphones or external speakers to the display. Integrated speakers could have been a nice addition to the mix.
The OSD interface is easy to use all thanks to the button lined up with the interface. There’s also a decent amount of control you have on the parameters of the monitor. For example, there are separate menus for controlling the basic characteristics of the monitor, another for the volume and then for 3D features. There are different modes of 3D supported by the D2342, as well as a 2D-to-3D feature that we saw on the recent 3D TVs from LG and other manufacturers. Some menus on the interface require you to scroll, which could have been minimized.
Connectors at the rear, including the audio connector
The monitor comes bundled with two pairs of 3D glasses. One of them is a clip-on for users with spectacles and the other one without. The glasses are light-weight and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Being passive, they require no batteries to operate. Switching to 3D mode is simple and different standards of rendering 3D are supported by the screen. There are no options to change the intensity of 2D-to-3D conversion on the monitor.
Design and Build Quality
The LG Flatron D2342 has a decent looking design. The matte screen is surrounded by a thin bevelled bezel. The panel at the bottom is wider than the rest. An equally thin bezel would’ve looked better, but this design makes the screen look a little larger than it actually is. The stand is light-weight and easy to setup, unlike many other displays in the market today. The display is held up by a narrow stand and frame. The base, too has a slightly curved design with a glossy finish on it. It’s strong but, isn’t stable enough and the screen wobbles a bit when you move it. The stand lets you move the monitor backwards.
Easy-to-use controls
The quality of all the buttons is great and playing around the user interface is effortless, too. The power button has a blue indicator built-in. Personally, something a little more subtle would suit the design of the screen.
Performance
The LG D2342 has a decent image in most aspects. Although this is a matte finish display, it has a tiny bit of gloss, which means it reflects a little bit. This can be distracting, especially if the screen is dark. Viewing angles are mostly decent, although some dimming takes place at extreme angles. With DisplayMate running, we noticed that the transition to dark to bright colours wasn’t very good. In a test designed to show blocks of different intensities of grey, roughly only a third of the blocks showed up. It’s clear with other colours though some shades of grey have a light red tint.
Colours are bright and vibrant and clearly separated when placed next to each other. Reds have a slightly different tone and they appear paler than they should. Greens, on the other hand are slightly overemphasised. In test patterns with finer bars of finer gradients, more bands towards the darker end of the spectrum don’t render. Complex patterns don’t show any signs of flickering.
Compact, light-weight and battery-less
There is some backlight bleeding at the top of the screen and in general, the screen’s blackness levels are nothing spectacular. There are some dark streaks that we noticed on our review sample, but nothing distinctly visible. These are minor issues. The D2342’s inbuilt 2D-to-3D conversion feature doesn’t work as impressively as the Cinema 3D TVs. There’s little to no eye strain after viewing content. There is some dimming while viewing the monitor through the glasses. Movies look great and there is no shadow or blurring effect.
The volume output from the 3.5mm audio jack is average in intensity and we’ve had headphones sound louder when connected to phones and PMPs. There is some static sound when the volume is set to maximum.
Verdict
All in all, the LG D2342 is a decent buy at Rs.16,650. It’s a 23-inch display that can be used for 3D games and movies. It’s a good 2D performer as well.
The D2342 - one of the first, affordable 3D displays
We wish larger sizes of the display were available. Somehow, 3D content doesn’t look as impressive on smaller displays. For example, we would’ve liked a 27-inch display in the Rs. 20,000 - Rs. 22,000 range. If you’re looking to enjoy 3D content at an affordable rate, this is one of the best options you can find.
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