HP LP2475w - 24in widescreen TFT review

Features and build quality

Something that's often overlooked when purchasing a display is the level of adjustment it provides. While a lack of rotation and the ability to swivel aren't usually an issue, a display with no height or tilt adjustment can prove to be pretty frustrating to use. In fact, it's a bit like buying an expensive pair of sunglasses that cope with sun glare admirably, but grip your head so tightly it feels like you're scalp's going to fall off. If something is uncomfortable to use, and there's no way to adjust it, you're going to suffer.

Luckily, the LP2475w can be adjusted in all four axes (height, swivel, rotate and tilt), pretty much guaranteeing you'll be able to set it up just the way you need it. In fact, the screen can be rotated so that it rests in portrait mode, which can prove useful in many situations. Adjustments can be made quickly and easily too, and there's practically no wobble at all once you've got it in the position you want so knocking the monitor accidentally is unlikely to result in it moving from your optimal position.


Tilt can be adjusted up to 30 degrees away from head on while it can be swivelled up to 45 degrees in either direction. The height can be increased significantly with the extreme stretching the LP2475w to nearly 53cm from base to the top of the screen; not quite suitable for giraffes, but we doubt most homo sapiens would have any problems.

There should be ample inputs for most people too, with two DVI-I ports, D-Sub, HDMI, DisplayPort and S-Video available. There are also six USB 2 ports - four on the base of the panel with all the other inputs, and two on the left hand side of the screen as you look at it. There are no speakers, but we've yet to see a decent integrated set, so there's no great loss there.


Looks-wise, the LP2475w isn't stunning, but the carbonite-coloured frame and silver base go a long way to adding a subtle yet understated look which certainly doesn't say cheap. Build quality is top notch throughout, with the control panel buttons returning a solid yet responsive feel while the base is just right so that its not too imposing while offering a lot of support for that big screen. The actual connection between the screen and stand is a pretty beefy affair too, but HP has managed to keep assembling and disassembling the screen relatively easy, with latches and buttons locking things in place or releasing them as required.


The OSD is relatively easy to navigate, and while there's no gamma adjustment there are also few of the typically pointless pre-set modes of other screens. Much more improtantly, adjusting settings such as contrast, brightness and colour is straightforward, with most settings no further than two menu levels deep. There's also an easy to reach picture-in-picture button which, if you have more than one display input, allows you to view a small but usable image of a second input.


Included is the usual array of cables including DVI, HDMI and USB 2 to connect the LP2475w to your PC and thus enable the six ports on the display itself.