ViewSonic 32-inch 4K Entertainment Monitor Review: A Solid, but Not Spectacular, Performer
ViewSonic is a well-established name in the PC monitor market, known for its affordable, reliable products and widespread sales and service network in India. The company offers a wide range of monitors, from basic home and office models to gaming monitors, touchscreens, and high-resolution entertainment-focused options. This review delves into the latter category, examining the ViewSonic 32-inch 4K Entertainment Monitor (VX3211-4K-mhd), a device aimed at balancing productivity and leisure use. Priced at Rs. 28,990, the monitor boasts a large 32-inch Ultra-HD (3840×2160-pixel) TFT-LCD screen, integrated speakers, and decent connectivity options. But is it truly the most versatile sub-Rs. 30,000 monitor available? Let’s find out.
Design: A Television-like Look and Feel
The ViewSonic 32-inch monitor embraces the 16:9 aspect ratio prevalent in modern televisions, ensuring compatibility with various content formats without excessive blank space or distortion. This, coupled with the large screen size, allows for a proper Ultra-HD resolution experience. Visually, the monitor resembles a similarly sized TV, with slim bezels framing the display. It sits on a pre-attached, one-piece center-mounted table stand, making for a stable setup. While VESA mounting is possible, a wall-mount kit is not included.
The package includes two 1.5m power cables, both with different plug styles. Surprisingly, one cable features a large 16A plug instead of the more common 6A plugs found in most Indian outlets. The second cable offers a US-style three-pin plug, requiring an adapter for Indian use.
The pre-attached stand, spanning almost the entire monitor width, necessitates a wide table for placement. However, it’s built from solid metal, contributing to the overall stability. The screen can be tilted 13 degrees backward and 5 degrees forward. The stand is easily removable for wall mounting or using a VESA-compatible arm.
The rear of the monitor houses two 2.5W speakers for stereo sound and six buttons for navigating the on-screen menus. While the button markings are located on the front, their functions change dynamically based on the on-screen selections. This dynamic nature makes operation difficult, as it’s hard to see what’s being pressed, often resulting in unintended selections.
Port placement on the rear of the monitor is another point of contention, as they face downwards. This makes access inconvenient. The connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 input, and a 3.5mm audio jack. While a USB Type-C port with power delivery would be a welcome addition, its absence isn’t a significant flaw at this price point.
Specifications and Features: A Decent Mix of Productivity and Entertainment Features
The ViewSonic 4K Entertainment Monitor features a 32-inch Vertical Alignment (VA) TFT-LCD screen with support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) content up to the HDR10 format. The monitor boasts a peak brightness of 300 nits and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. ViewSonic claims the monitor covers 95 percent of the NTSC color gamut. These specifications make it suitable for both productivity tasks and entertainment, provided compatible source devices are connected.
However, the lack of a remote control is a significant drawback. All menu interactions must be done with the fiddly and inconvenient buttons on the back.
Other key features include:
- AMD FreeSync compatibility: Ensures smoother gameplay by synchronizing the monitor’s refresh rate with the graphics card.
- Blue light filter: Reduces eye strain during prolonged viewing sessions.
- Energy-saving ‘Eco’ mode: Conserves power consumption.
- Presets for various picture modes: Includes Game, Web, Movie, Text, Monochrome, and MacOS options.
- Automatic HDR mode: Activates when the monitor detects HDR content.
Performance: A Solid Monitor with Limited Smarts
The ViewSonic 32-inch 4K Entertainment Monitor (VX3211-4K-mhd) caters to entertainment through its 16:9 aspect ratio, Ultra-HD resolution, HDR10 support, and built-in speakers, much like the Samsung M7 monitor reviewed earlier. However, the screen and picture quality are primarily tailored for monitor use.
The key difference between the two lies in ViewSonic’s lack of "smаrts." Unlike the Samsung M7, the ViewSonic model does not have a native UI, apps, or connectivity. All content relies on connected source devices. This limitation can be overcome by connecting a decent streaming device to the monitor or watching videos through a connected computer.
During this review, the ViewSonic monitor was connected to the Realme Book Slim using a DisplayPort-to-USB Type-C cable, allowing Windows to scale to the monitor’s Ultra-HD resolution at 60Hz. A MacBook Air was also connected via HDMI to test the picture-in-picture mode, and a Xiaomi Mi Box 4K was used for streaming Ultra-HD HDR content.
While the lack of smarts may seem detrimental, it’s not a dealbreaker. As long as you have the appropriate devices for connectivity and treat the monitor like a traditional non-smart TV, it provides a workable and convenient solution, especially given the absence of a remote. However, navigating monitor settings, including volume adjustment, picture-in-picture activation, and picture mode changes, is cumbersome due to the button interface.
The picture-in-picture mode is useful for running two sources simultaneously. It proved effective for watching videos in a secondary (smaller) window while using the main screen for primary computer tasks. While the PiP display isn’t resizable, it’s too small for text reading or active work on a secondary computer. For such tasks, I switched to the MacBook Air as the primary source and used it full-screen when needed.
The monitor’s size and resolution make it suitable for reading, picture editing, and occasional collaborative tasks like drafting letters, creating notes, and video calls. The colors were slightly warm, but the screen was sharp and maintained its clarity even at angles and under direct sunlight.
The ViewSonic 4K Monitor served well as a reference screen for productive tasks, including writing and editing text. The high resolution ensured easy readability of textual content, and the experience was satisfactory for watching videos and viewing pictures. The ideal viewing distance was around three feet.
With the Mi Box 4K connected, movies and TV shows were readily streamed. Picture quality was good at close distances, and HDR mode activated automatically when detected. HDR videos appeared brighter and offered more impactful colors in Netflix shows like Somebody Feed Phil, but the differences were not dramatic.
The ViewSonic monitor functioned as an additional television in my home, and some might even find it suitable as a primary TV for after-work entertainment. However, controlling volume due to the lack of a remote was a hassle, and the 5W speaker system proved underwhelming. The speakers are sufficient for casual YouTube videos but for a more immersive entertainment experience, I found headphones or external speakers preferable.
Verdict
The ViewSonic 32-inch 4K Entertainment Monitor (VX3211-4K-mhd) doesn’t offer any exceptional features, but it’s a decent choice for everyday work and entertainment needs. It boasts essential specifications, including a large size, high screen resolution, and solid connectivity options. For its price, it performs well as a monitor. Features like HDR support and picture-in-picture mode contribute to its entertainment capabilities.
Despite its merits, some drawbacks exist, namely the absence of a remote control, underwhelming sound quality from the built-in speakers, and compatibility issues with the bundled power cord. If you can find workarounds for these limitations, or are willing to live with them, the ViewSonic 4K Entertainment Monitor is a worthwhile option, particularly for working professionals with limited space at home who seek a monitor capable of doubling as a television.
