HP w1907v

Hewlett Packard HP w1907v TFT LCD Monitor

**Introduction**

In the past I have been quite vocal in my disdain for Hewlett Packard computers having had a couple of very bad experiences with them and have to come to conclusion never to buy another again. Whilst my own opinion is somewhat jaded I have to concede that all is not lost as far as HP is concerned, my keyboard and mouse are HP branded products as is my all-in-one printer and for the last 2 years I have been using the subject of this review, the HP w1907v TFT LCD monitor.

Technology moves at an incredible speed these days with newer models superseding previous editions at a dazzling rate, before writing this review I checked online to make sure my monitor could still be bought, after all a consumer review on an obsolete item would be pretty useless if someone actually took my advice and wanted to buy this. Thankfully the w1907v is still available to buy and has pretty much held its price even after 2 years and that, I think, is down to the fact that even with a couple of minor niggles this is a reliable monitor packed with features and has plenty going for it.

**Appearance and Weight**

I have written a number of technological reviews in the past and always mention that although not that technically minded myself I endeavour to include the relevant information anyone would need to make a purchasing decision. Jargon and overly technical terms mean nothing to me so this review will be simply presented and will focus on my thoughts on what the monitor will offer you should you chose to buy it so I'll start with how it looks and how big it is.

Visually the monitor has a modern appearance; a flat screen display trimmed with a piano-black glossy frame and comes complete with a silver metal stand. It has a 19" visible screen, four small rectangular buttons which run across the bottom left hand side of unit and a push on/off button located on the top right hand corner. Its dimensions are just over 46cm in width, only 18.4cm in depth and a little over 38cm in height although when fixed to its stand sits around 50cm from the top of the screen to the base of the stand. At just over 5kgs including the stand in weight it is reassuringly heavy but not so cumbersome that it cannot be moved around and once in position on my desk sits firmly in place. The stand itself has a tilt and swivel mechanism so the screen can be positioned and locked into a viewing angle to suit my requirements and all in all this has the look of an up to date desk monitor which belies its relatively cheap price tag.

**Features and My Thoughts**

The monitor has a widescreen aspect and has a maximum resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels so whilst not technically High Definition it still offers a remarkably clear picture quality which is helped by the anti-static and anti-glare coating to the screen itself. I watch a lot of television programmes online via BBC's I-player and ITV's equivalent and have always been impressed at just how clear these are presented, there are various menus which you can go through to adjust the contrast, brightness and colour saturation but I find that a simple press of the "auto" button makes any needed adjustments for me and displays the best results on screen.

The menu buttons are responsive to the touch and scrolling through the various options is easy and are presented clearly on screen. I particularly like the "Quick View" option which automatically changes the brightness of the display depending on what you are viewing at that time with the option of selecting the best resolution for movies, photos, gaming or text. "Text" for example produces a muted dullness whereas "gaming" is vivid and bright; similarly "movies" has an intense richness to the displayed colours thanks to HP's own "Brightview" feature and is ideal if you want to watch a DVD or film online.

I've had my monitor for around 2 years now and it is switched on daily for up to 15 hours at a time so that goes to show how reliable it actually is. It is as good today as it was when I purchased it and in the time I have owned it I have not had any issues or complaints with it at all, the only slight niggle I have is with the inbuilt 2 watt speakers which even at the highest volume setting are still too quiet to adequately throw out enough volume to comfortably listen to a film or television programme online. I have external speakers rigged up to my computer now so don't have to use the speakers and would recommend anyone else to do the same should they be interested in buying this monitor for themselves.

As far as set up and installation is concerned the monitor is a "plug and play" device so no addition drivers should be required for your computer to recognise the hardware. When I had to replace my HP for the one I currently use I simply plugged the monitors cable into the back of my new computer and it sprang to life and worked immediately, it won't be too much of a surprise to read that my new PC is not a Hewlett Packard but there were absolutely no problems in hooking up this monitor at all.

**Price and Rating**

If budget restraints mean that you don't want to stretch to paying many of hundreds of pounds for a newly released monitor then the HP w1907v should be one to consider. Brand new this cost around £200.00 but nowadays will set you back around £100 - £150.00 and for that price I consider this to be an absolute steal and would certainly recommend its purchase. The positives far outweigh the minor negatives I have with this monitor and even though there are concerns with the speakers and the fact it isn't true High Definition these shouldn't be reasons not to buy this especially if you are looking for a cost-effective alternative or replacement to your existing desktop monitor.

All things considered I would have no hesitation in awarding an excellent 4/5 ciao star rating only losing one for the inadequate speaker output. 2 years on mine is still going strong even with the extensive usage it has had and for a Hewlett Packard branded product I have to say that I am very impressed.

Available to buy online, mainly from Independent Electrical retaillers but also on Amazon.co.uk. Second hand bargains can also be found on Ebay.co.uk. Definitely recommended, thanks for reading my review.

Please note that this review also appears on dooyoo under my username.

Features at a Glance

Display Type: LCD display / TFT active matrix
Built-in Devices: 2 Watt Stereo speakers
Width 46.2 cm
Depth 18.4 cm
Height 38 cm
Weight 5 kg

Display

Diagonal Size 19" - widescreen
Viewable Size 19"
Dot Pitch / Pixel Pitch 0.285 mm
Max Resolution 1440 x 900 / 60 Hz
Colour support Up to 16.2 million colors
Max Sync Rate (V x H) 75 Hz x 83 kHz
Video Bandwidth 136.7 MHz
Response Time 5 ms
Controls / Adjustments Brightness, contrast
Display Positions Adjustments Swivel, tilt
Signal Input VGA
Features BrightView