Alongside its 27" hybrid monitor (M2752D), LG also makes a 23" all-in-one computer display and TV, the Flatron M2382D. Like the 27" model, it has an IPS screen, a built-in TV tuner, an integrated multimedia player and a couple of HDMI entries. Time to take a closer look.
Design and Build
Although this is a relatively affordable hybrid monitor, LG has still made an effort with its design, mainly thanks to a sleek stand that won't look like an eyesore on your desk.
Thanks to its vocation as an all-in-one monitor and TV, the M2382D has a good range of connections, including two HDMI entries, a VGA entry, an aerial port (linked to the digital TV tuner), plus SCART and component connections.
Sound is covered by 2 X 7-watt speakers and a mini-jack audio line-in, which you'll need to input audio from a PC connected via VGA or DVI. If you're using the component connection, there are two RCA ports for audio. On top of that, the M2382D has a headphones socket and an optical out for use with headphones or an amp.
Another nice feature of the M2382D is a USB port that links directly to the monitor's built-in media player. The media player is lifted straight from LG TVs, and can play pretty much any type of file. Movie chapters are its only real stumbling block. Note, however, that navigation within the media player is a somewhat chaotic experience—even when using the remote control.
Colours and Contrast
Important note: when connecting a computer to this monitor via HDMI, you need to identify the source as a PC using the "Input Label" option in the menu. Otherwise, the screen tends to clip whites. This option enables 256 colour levels (0-255 as used in IT applications) rather than 220 colour levels (16-235 often used in video applications).
The good news is that the M2382D-PZ has excellent colour fidelity with its out-of-the-box settings. We measured the Delta E—the difference between perfect colours and those displayed onscreen— at just 2.5 (colours can be considered accurate with a Delta E under 3).
The contrast is a little less impressive, however. With an average reading of 670:1, the M2382D is a little below average compared with the other monitors we've reviewed.
But while the IPS screen doesn't work any miracles on contrast, it does ensure that vertical viewing angles are much wider than with a TN-type LCD display. This means that colours are displayed more consistently over the M2382D's screen, and it also means you have more freedom to watch the M2382D from various angles, without the onscreen image looking all dark and weird. That's always handy in a TV, especially when several people are watching at once.
Responsiveness
This IPS panel isn't responsive enough for gamers. In fact, it takes an average of 16 ms to completely remove an image from the screen. That's much slower than the most responsive monitors out there, and makes fast-moving scenes/objects look blurred (e.g. moving around in FPS games, action in sports matches, sweeping shots, etc.).
The 34 ms input lag, on the other hand, is too low to be any hindrance to gamers. Online or multiplayer gamers therefore won't be penalised by any noticeable latency between players' commands and the onscreen responses.
Design and Build
Although this is a relatively affordable hybrid monitor, LG has still made an effort with its design, mainly thanks to a sleek stand that won't look like an eyesore on your desk.
Thanks to its vocation as an all-in-one monitor and TV, the M2382D has a good range of connections, including two HDMI entries, a VGA entry, an aerial port (linked to the digital TV tuner), plus SCART and component connections.
Sound is covered by 2 X 7-watt speakers and a mini-jack audio line-in, which you'll need to input audio from a PC connected via VGA or DVI. If you're using the component connection, there are two RCA ports for audio. On top of that, the M2382D has a headphones socket and an optical out for use with headphones or an amp.
Like any self-respecting TV, the M2382D comes with a remote control. Although there are no glow-in-the-dark or backlit keys to help you get your bearings with the lights down low, the remote's size makes it feel more like a proper TV remote than the one that ships with the 27" M2752D. In fact, this is the same remote that's been bundled with mid-range LG TVs for a few years now.
After spending a little while playing around with the onscreen menu, it soon became clear that the remote is pretty mush indispensable for navigation through the menus. Without it, you'll soon end up tearing your hair out.
Another nice feature of the M2382D is a USB port that links directly to the monitor's built-in media player. The media player is lifted straight from LG TVs, and can play pretty much any type of file. Movie chapters are its only real stumbling block. Note, however, that navigation within the media player is a somewhat chaotic experience—even when using the remote control.
Colours and Contrast
Important note: when connecting a computer to this monitor via HDMI, you need to identify the source as a PC using the "Input Label" option in the menu. Otherwise, the screen tends to clip whites. This option enables 256 colour levels (0-255 as used in IT applications) rather than 220 colour levels (16-235 often used in video applications).
The good news is that the M2382D-PZ has excellent colour fidelity with its out-of-the-box settings. We measured the Delta E—the difference between perfect colours and those displayed onscreen— at just 2.5 (colours can be considered accurate with a Delta E under 3).
Delta E: LG M2382D
The contrast is a little less impressive, however. With an average reading of 670:1, the M2382D is a little below average compared with the other monitors we've reviewed.
But while the IPS screen doesn't work any miracles on contrast, it does ensure that vertical viewing angles are much wider than with a TN-type LCD display. This means that colours are displayed more consistently over the M2382D's screen, and it also means you have more freedom to watch the M2382D from various angles, without the onscreen image looking all dark and weird. That's always handy in a TV, especially when several people are watching at once.
Responsiveness
This IPS panel isn't responsive enough for gamers. In fact, it takes an average of 16 ms to completely remove an image from the screen. That's much slower than the most responsive monitors out there, and makes fast-moving scenes/objects look blurred (e.g. moving around in FPS games, action in sports matches, sweeping shots, etc.).
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Light Background |
Back Background |
Average |
This graph shows the ghosting time, measured in ms, which measures the time it takes this TV takes to entirely remove the previous frame. The shorter the time, the more fluid moving images will appear.
The 34 ms input lag, on the other hand, is too low to be any hindrance to gamers. Online or multiplayer gamers therefore won't be penalised by any noticeable latency between players' commands and the onscreen responses.
Pros
- Accurate colours with default settings
- Good range of connections
- Wide viewing angles
- Built-in media player, wide-ranging file support
Cons
- Internal menus could be easier to navigate
- Below-average contrast (670:1)
- No motion compensation function
- Not responsive enough for gamers
Conclusion
While we salute LG for loading its new TV/monitor with an IPS screen panel, it would have been nice to see higher contrast, more advanced TV functionality and improved responsiveness. Even though it has a good built-in media player, the M2382D gets stuck with three stars overall (like the 27" M2752D, in fact).
OUR SCORE
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