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Dell S2309W 23" Widescreen Monitor
Testing
I hooked the Dell up via DVI to my iMac and it automagically set itself up. I didn't really like the default color setting as it was a bit too cool for my taste, so I dove into the menu system to change it. Although you can make a few deeper color adjustments, I ended up settling on the "Gaming" preset, which warmed things up a bit. I also cranked the brightness up from the default 75 to somewhere between 85 and 90. This put it about even with my iMac running at half brightness. So it's not the brightest display ever, but it's got enough candle power so as not to offend. Once I got everything set up to my liking, I was at odds with myself as to what I preferred more for my daily regime — my iMac's 20 inch or the Dell 23 incher. On one hand, the Apple display is superbly bright when I want it to be, and the colors are pretty good. The Dell, on the other hand, seemed to be easier on my eyes when browsing and typing copious amounts of prose. And the extra real estate was better than I expected. Maybe I should have sprung for the 24 inch iMac. Or I could pick one of these guys up and have more space to work with. I just have to deal with that unsightly growth that the monitor rests on.   Conclusion You have to assume you're going to sacrifice a bit of quality to get 23 inches at 1080p at this price point, but I still feel like this is a pretty sweet deal. Sure, it's not going to give you the same kind of picture that a real TV offers, but that's not the point. If you're already rocking an HTPC setup, this could be a great, price conscious way to get full HD into your life. In a room where 23 inches of display won't disappear when you're watching movies from the couch. The physical design made me happy, since it's a step up from the "quotidienne" look of most lower end displays. The glossy finish classed the whole package up enough to make me feel like I was somebody. My Dell displays at work stare back at me with the cold, dead eyes of industry; this Dell has personality and class. Send this display to Orange County for some cosmetic surgery on her club foot and I'd consider taking her out to a nicer dinner, one of those places that doesn't serve Club crackers in a red plastic basket before the main course arrives. I think Dell's got a good thing going this holiday season with this monitor. I would love to have one of these as my "television" since I don't currently own one, and almost all of my viewing involves streaming or downloading. 300 bucks for a 23 incher is definitely cheaper than what I could swing a similarly sized quality TV for, much less a 1080p set. And, with this being my first foray into a multi-monitor setup, I really loved having the extra real estate. I don't think I accomplished as much in three weeks as my buddy from Chicago does before he's done with his first cup of coffee in the morning, but you have to start somewhere.  Pros  full HD at 23 inches is pretty sweet given the right setup, can work great as an HDTV display Price is good for size / resolution compared to other options Design is out of coach; somewhere between business and first classCons  It probably feels self conscious about its huge pedestal You're probably going to swing your eyes back and forth between screen and controls to make any adjustments Sufficient, if a bit weak brightness Viewing angle should be limited to the width of three NFL lineman abreast, and not an inch more
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4 User Comments 1 - Posted by
de gustibus non est...
on January 26, 2009 - 3:15 pm nice review, but I don't understand your dislike for the size of the monitor's pedestal. Judging by the pictures, I think it looks rather small - definitely smaller than my monitor's (Belinea 2485). Besides, I believe it is a good thing if the pedestal is big enough to provide a safe stand, so that any chance of the monitor tipping over (when moving/tilting it) is completely ruled out. On another note, most modern monitors are far too bright. Higher brightness used to be important in the early days of TFTs, and manufacturers still try to trump each other on that point, but anything above a certain level is just uncomfortable for the eyes, especially when looking at black text on a white background. I have my monitor at just 8% brightness and that setting is just fine. So when you complain that your iMac is fairly bright, but not quite as easy on the eyes as you'd like it, maybe you just need to turn the brightness down a bit ;-) If you are interested in doing some more testing: some figures about the monitor's power consumption (when in standby or at min/half/max brightness) would be nice. 2 - Posted by
ddrake
on June 1, 2009 - 5:20 am Today Dell US is selling the S2309W at 169$ (= 119 EUR). Dell Italy is selling same S2309W at 206 EUR. While I understand companies have different marketing policies according to their area a price which is almost double is quite frustrating. 3 - Posted by
Rafay
on December 8, 2009 - 7:07 am How can i wall mount this monitor. Is everything needed for wall mount available in the box??
4 - Posted by
mike moore
on December 13, 2009 - 3:16 pm Rafay no you must buy a wall mount. Monitors never come with that kind of hardware. Here is a link to some Wall Mounts
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