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HP L2335: Low Response Time and High Resolution LCD

 by Kristopher Kubicki on July 8, 2005 7:00 AM EST
49 Comments | Add A Comment
49 Comments

Application Analysis

The core of our LCD benchmarking comes from real application analysis. We play with a lot of monitors and it gets easier for us each time to pick out problems with an LCD just by using the right application. Here are a few quick looks at some demanding full screen applications. We already ran ColorVision's OptiCal software, so all of our monitors are calibrated and adjusted to the same curves.

High Definition Video - We played the WMV9 1080p and 720p versions of "Under Sea Adventure" to give our monitor a little taste of high definition video. Our other HD video playback has been done unscaled, but cropped in order to view the HD image quality in all its glory. With the last batch of LG.Philips LCDs, we were able to view WMV9 at 720p unscaled (because the monitors supported 1680x1050 resolutions), but this is really the first time that we will see 1080p unscaled. Like all other displays that we have seen to date, the L2335 does not support DVI-HDCP, so don't plan on watching video from your receiver on DVI just yet. Component connectors do work fine for this, however. Image quality was outstanding. Even though we have black bars across the bottom and sides, the image is still unscaled and takes up enough of the screen to really give an awesome experience.


Click to enlarge.

The Matrix Reload, The Matrix - This dated, but useful, benchmark still gives us the ability to test FMV on the display. With such a large resolution, watching 480p unscaled is not particularly viewable, since it takes up such a small portion of the screen. Using the signal zoom in the display actually yields pretty decent results, although the screen was almost identical to playing the movie in full screen mode from the software DVD player. We could not detect a washed out look in any of the scenes that we checked during our analysis; all seems well in Matrix-land.

World of Warcraft - WOW, infamous WOW. Since I had approximately five hours to kill before my queue for Battle Grounds, I took the opportunity to take the display at 1920x1200 through Stratholme (all of it). Gaming at a resolution like this really doesn't get any better; for the first time, I feel like I finally have enough space to lay out all of the icons, and the X800 Pro is more than enough to keep up the FPS just fine. Even in some of the more LCD-unfriendly areas, like deserts, we could not detect the "washed-out" look. It seems as though HP hit the nail on the head for the contrast ratio and brightness.


Click to enlarge.

Max Payne 2 - The extreme light and dark transitions in Max Payne still provide us with the sufficient criteria to benchmark transient response time; specifically, we can focus on the light and dark extremes. Like the last few displays, we again had no problems with the color curves and no problems with the black and white transitions. There were periods in the game where we noticed the response time playing catch up, but as far as LCDs go, this was one of the better experiences that we've had.

Photoshop CS - Again, nothing but praise for this monitor. Once we had the image profile loaded, the HP L2335 was actually very pleasant to work on because we could work within an entire 1200x1200 or 1600x1200 image that was wholely contained in the display - without scaling. Even if you are not totally convinced that LCDs have the ability to replace CRTs for high quality image manipulation, at least the resolution is high enough to rival CRTs.


Click to enlarge.


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  • cbreaker - Tuesday, August 16, 2005 - link

    I wanted a big wide-screen monitor and I really only had two options- the L2335 and the new Dell 24". While I would have liked the extra inch on the dell, the L2335 is so big it barely matters. And they do the same resolution.

    The response time on this monitor is simply amazing. I went from a 21" Sony CRT which I really liked, to this. I was apprehensive about gaming on the thing, but the first time I ran Counterstrike I was at ease. There's such a small amount of ghosting that you can't even tell it's an LCD - except for the fact that the picture, colors, and sharpness are unbelievable. I've played every FPS and racing game I could find on this thing, and all of them run beautifully. Honestly, guys. Once you use the L2335 you won't even remember the words response time. It's that good.

    The warranty on this monitor is almost as good as the monitor itself! HP lists this item as a business item - so the support is better. Three year no questions asked replacement. I had a few dead pixels on the screen, so I called HP and asked what I could do. They shipped me out a new one with no credit card number, I got it in two days (and while I had both for a couple days I just *had* to hook them both up at once, holy crap! I need to buy another one of these soon!) and put my old one in the box, slapped the label it came with over the old one, and dropped it off at the UPS store. It couldn't be easier.

    The inputs on the monitor are great too. Composite, S-Video, Component, DVI, and VGA. Unlike the review by Anandtech, I had exceptional results using a standard VGA cable. Perfect picture - although not quite as bright as when on DVI. But no bleeding, no artifacts, nothing. Sharp, clear picture. This would vary a lot depending on your video card and cable. On DVI, it works perfectly. I connected my XBox to the screen with the HD cable, and it looks great! Set the Xbox to use "Widescreen" and even games that run at 480p (most games) will still adjust for the aspect ratio. XBox Media Player at 1080i looks sharp and perfect.

    The monitors scaling abilities are great. When using lower then 1920x1200 resolutions, it scales the picture very well - the picture is very clean and crisp. It looks better then my friends' 19" Samsung LCD.

    You can also tilt the screen on axis into landscape mode. While the picture isn't as clear when it's sideways (as is true with any LCD) it still looks sharp and bright. It's pretty cool for viewing web pages or documents!

    The only one thing that I would like improvement on is the black levels - it doesn't get as black as I would like. However, even while watching a DVD on the monitor or playing Doom 3, it's not a big issue.

    I just can't say enough good things about this screen. It really is a gem for gamers.

    (PS. The new "consumer" version of this screen uses the same LCD, but the warranty isn't as good and it has speakers built in. Who wants speakers built into their screen? I don't. But I guess it would be good if you wanted to use the screen as a TV.)

  • Galvin - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    Since noone is commenting on dead pixels im assuming that these highend displays are made with none.

    Also how low can you set the display. In the picture it seems like its rather high. So I assume the display can be adjusted to be lower to the base?

  • eastvillager - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    This thead has posts by somebody with both of the hp panels.

    http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=757963

  • DarkFudge2000 - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    Hi, Im curious about the differences in the Business HP L2335 ( reviewed here on ANandtech ) and the HP f2304 listed in their Home shopping website....the specs look the same and the f2304 is $799 after an instant and mail in rebate!!


    can someone please discuss this me

  • eastvillager - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    I have an L2335, they've been out for a long time, much longer than the dell offering, fyi.

    Dell owners need to stop taking this review as a slam on their purchase. They're both great displays. The money on was well spent on your Dell panel, fear not.

    I use the component inputs on my L2335 too, but I use them for game consoles. Whenever I don't feel like turning on the projector, I game on the L2335 instead.

    CRTs aren't hands down better than LCD, and they never have been. One great example is geometry. The geometry on an LCD is perfect, out of the box, and forever. CRTs almost never have perfect geometry out of the box, and require calibration to approach it---calibration that has to be redone if you move a larger CRT. They're(LCD) also much easier on the eyes, especially for those of us who have to look at multiple screens on multiple machines day after day after day. As a UNIX consultant, I'm happy LCD has taken over because CRTs were giving me bad eye strain and I was tired of calibrating every CRT I sat down in front of, often multiple times.

    CRTs have traditionally had better color reproduction and of course no significant latency in gaming. The color issue is becoming less of one with each generationg, and the same can be said for panel latency.

    I'd stick with a CRT if I was making money involving color pro/repro work, especially if I had to make my own prints, but that would be it.

  • Kamakzie - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    I also have the L2335 and it works great for HD viewing through component video inputs as well as a computer monitor!

  • CtK - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    in the Cable Management, Pivot, Stand Page why is there only a drawing and no real pictures of the Cable Management, Pivot, Stand?!?!?!

  • JNo - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    Yeah have just bought a Dell 2405 1920x1200 recently and it's a shame I didn't know about this monitor beforehand just so I could have more choice. I am v happy with the Dell but echo others' sentiments that I did not get a very clear impression of how this HP compares to the Dell (I know there were a couple of references but they were opaque at best ie anandtech did the comparison from memory, rather than side-by-side analysis). If the HP is too slow for gaming purists than my Dell should definitely be according to this article but I am v happy with it (play CS Source etc).

  • Galvin - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    What about dead pixels. Or the top end good with no dead pixels. To drop 1 grand on an LCD it better not have no dead pixels. Nothing more anoying than getting dead pixels.

  • Murthunder - Monday, July 11, 2005 - link

    Does anyone know if the HP monitor in the review (the business-oriented L2335) is functionally the same as the HP Pavilion f2304 23" retail channel monitor? The specs look similar, but the stands are different and the f2304 includes speakers.
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