This is a sign as good as any that high quality panels are an increasingly important factor when people are shopping for computer monitors these days. Compared to just a couple of years ago–when practically all monitors with a non-TN panel had a hefty price tag attached to it–this has led to a highly competitive situation, leading to higher production volumes and a lower cost that is actually passed on to the consumer.
The first really inexpensive IPS monitor is a 23-inch model from AOC called Aire Pro i2353Ph and comes in at a price below $200, which is pretty amazing. The design is fairly discreet and elegant, with brushed aluminum seemingly being the material of choice in the AOC Aire Pro. It is also very slim, measuring just 9.2mm thick, so it should fit just about any office.
Thanks to the IPS panel, it offers superior image quality and features compared to TN panels at the same price level. AOC has equipped it with WLED back-lighing technology that reaches a brightness of 250cd/m2. It is also viewable from just about any angle you could reasonably work from–it’s the standard 178 degrees both vertically and horizontally, which is typical for IPS panels.
Other specifications for the Aire Pro include Dual HDMI inputs, so you can connect it to your PS3, Blu-Ray Player or any other device without the need for swapping cables. With a response time of just 5ms it should serve well as a gaming monitor. A regular 15-pin D-sub (VGA) port is also included. The monitor also comes with integrated stereo speakers that deliver 2 Watts each, but judging from past experiences we don’t have any high hopes for the sound quality. At least it should be enough for system sounds and basic office functionality.
Its aspect ratio is the standard 16:9 aspect ratio, and resolution 1920 x 1080 (Full HD). It also has a power-saving feature that allegedly saves up to 50% of its usual power consumption when active. All in all, though, the most prominent detail is the affordable price tag, which is usually only matched by monitors with inferior panels.
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