Philips 231T1

Back in March, we tested the Philips 221T1, a hybrid TV-monitor that didn't leave a very strong impression. 

Now it's the turn of the 23'' version of the same range to pay a visit to our lab.  Although there are only a few differences between the two models, we hope that the three month interval will have allowed Philips to iron out the problems we found on the 221T1.

Hardware: when will hybrids get VA or IPS technology?


The only real difference between the tech specs of the two models—apart from the size, of course—concerns audio.  The 22'' had a pair of 2 x 3 W speakers, but the 23'' gets 2 x 5 W.  That might not seem much, but that's the most powerful speakers you'll find on a monitor.  Nothing else has changed, so the video inputs are all the same, with VGA, HDMI, SCART, composite and component video, and, of course, a TV tuner.

Philips has also stuck with a TN panel.  Although that isn't too much of a problem for a computer monitor that one person sits in front of, but on a TV that several people watch at once, the viewing angles can be problematic.  That said, it would unfair to single Panasonic out, as they're not the only ones—all the other manufacturers do the same thing.

Responsiveness: too slow for gaming

Coloured   Transparent
Average ghosting over 10 frames

Another bad habit that Panasonic and others could do with losing is using panels with response times so high they frustrate gamers.  The 231T1 manages to handle less demanding platform-style games, but it hasn't got a chance with FPS.  It isn't responsive enough to display fast-moving objects, and so won't be able to keep up with your gaming. 

If you are still tempted, though, you should know that the input lag is too small to become a drawback during multiplayer sessions.

Colours

If you plan on connecting a computer via the HDMI port, you need to adjust the HDMI mode from 'Auto' to 'Graphics', otherwise your desktop won't fit on the screen properly and the colours are reproduced pretty badly.

Measured Colours

Ideal Colours Compare the Philips 231T1 to other LCD monitors in our Product Face-Off

Once that's done, the 231T1 has a deltaE of 2.5, which means that we can say it reproduces colours accurately and will be enough for a large variety of users.  If, however, you're particularly demanding, you'll need to get a calibration profile to get the best out of it.

The contrast is pretty decent, easily beating the average figure of 850:1 that's average on monitors to stop just short of 1000:1.  Better still, it doesn't fall away when the brightness is at maximum or minimum.