Dell S2409W 24-inch LCD

Subjective Evaluation:

While there are no quantitative tests for a computer monitor in the Phoronix Test Suite like there is for other hardware, we do have our subjective thoughts on this monitor to share. Though to start with, for our testing we were using a NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX graphics card with Ubuntu 8.10 during testing. The monitor had no problems working with the NVIDIA Linux graphics driver and it properly read the EDID and immediately mode-set to the proper 1920 x 1080 resolution. We had tested this monitor with both the DVI and HDMI connections.

During several weeks of testing this monitor was used when running standard Linux desktop applications within GNOME, the playback of movies using MPlayer, running a few different games, and running some GPU benchmarks using the Phoronix Test Suite. Throughout this process we were pleased with the reproduced colors (even the blacks), the viewing angles were nice though just shy of some of the other monitors we have tested, there were no signs of ghosting, and no dead pixels were to be found. We were pleased with the performance of the Dell S2409W 24-inch LCD.

Conclusion:

The Dell S2409W is not as advanced as some of the other 24-inch LCDs in its class with its stand lacking rotate/height adjustment support, no integrated speakers, no USB hub or memory card reader, and really not offering anything more than just being a basic monitor. However, its core functionality as being just a monitor is there and it worked out great. We were pleased with the performance of this monitor through running standard Linux desktop applications, watching movies, and playing games. There are no visual complaints about this display. The advantage of this monitor is its price compared to some of the more advanced models, which is $250 USD or less (we have seen this model at times nearing the $200 price point). At such a price this monitor is quite the deal even though it lacks some features. If you have limited funds but are looking for a 1920 x 1080 display, the Dell S2409W should be a monitor worth considering.

For pricing information and details on the Dell S2409W and other LCD monitors, visit TestFreaks.com.