“Overall we are very impressed with the LP2465 and would recommend it to anyone wanting a commercial-class monitor.”
- Great looking display; fast response rate; good black levels; very versatile
- Missing a VGA input; boring stand design; no media card reader
Summary
We have always been impressed with HP’s LCD monitor lines, so we were excited to get our hands on the LP2465, a 24-inch business class monitor. At first glance, the styling is very similar to the L2335 23-inch monitor we reviewed a couple years ago, but there are several key differences. First of all, the LP2465 only comes with two DVI inputs ditching analog VGA altogether. The LP2465 is also missing the S-Video and Component Video inputs found on the L2335, including Picture-in-Picture. But that’s ok because this monitor is meant solely for the office environment, although there is sure to be those that yearn for a little more features.
So what exactly does the LP2465 do? The LP2465 uses a Super PVA panel manufactured by Samsung this time around instead of LG.Philips. This new panel has a 6ms response rate which is great for a 24-inch monitor and is capable of a 1920×1200 resolution at 60Hz. The spec sheet says this monitor has a contrast ratio of up to 1000:1 which is very high, but keep in mind that this number is not as important as what you might think. We have seen some LCD monitors that looked bright with deep black levels despite having a lower rated contrast ratio; it all depends on the panel and LCD circuitry being used.
The LP2465 comes with two DVI inputs and an integrated 4-port USB hub. If your PC is still using an older analog VGA video connection, then don’t worry because HP includes a DVI-to-VGA adapter which will work with your PC. In fact, HP includes every cable you need including multiple DVI cables and USB cables. The Gateway FPD2185 we reviewed in January didn’t even come with all of the necessary cables you need to get it up and running; instead you have to spend another $35 dollars for the cables. We are a little disappointed to see that HP left the integrated media card reader and S-Video features out. We were told that because this is a business-class monitor that media card readers pose a security risk so it does not make much sense. While that may be true, a USB connection on a monitor poses the same type of risk (think Thumb drives), and the LP2465 has those integrated into it; so it probably really comes down to trying to keeping manufacturing costs down.
If you are looking for a monitor that doubles as a TV monitor, then the LP2465 is definitely not for you. Instead we would recommend the HP f2105 21-inch monitor which we reviewed last December. Otherwise, check out the Dell UltraSharp 240WFP 24-inch monitor which comes with Component and S-Video inputs, a 9-in-1 media card reader and HDCP support for high-definition playback – it can be found for about the same price as the LP2465 and is meant more for the home environment.
One of the coolest features on the LP2465 is their built-in cable management system. A soft piece of rubber trails the outline of the bezel on the backside of the monitor and down the stand. This cable management system allows you to hide the cables behind the rubber keeping it out of site both when using their stand or when the monitor is wall mounted; it’s an ingenious design. There are also a number of small holes in an embedded track system on the back of the monitor including the top, sides and bottom. This track allows you to screw in accessories such as the HP speaker system, on all sides regardless of the screen orientation, and when being wall mounted.
Cable management and accessory track systems
Image Courtesy of HP
Getting the LP2465 up and running is very simple. If you have an older video card, use the DVI-to-VGA adapter when connecting your PC to this monitor, otherwise use the DVI connection marked [1] if you will only have one PC connected to it. HP’s included CD comes with Pivot Pro software and the correct display profile and driver for your PC. The Pivot Pro software lets you switch the desktop orientation from landscape to portrait mode via a hot key (which you decide) on your keyboard. The software works pretty well and we did not experience any issues with it. Another included software feature is HP’s Display Assistant. This neat utility helps to calibrate the color and other fine adjustments as well as program the monitor to go into sleep mode at preset times. It’s a neat idea, but your current PC profile settings through Windows XP or OSX basically do the same thing, so it is pretty redundant.
The image quality of the LP2465 is stunning, and to be frank, it would be hard switching back to any other monitor. The built in menu looks good and is easy to use, allowing you to calibrate the LP2465 with ease. The 1920×1200 resolution is the same max resolution we found on the HP L2335 monitor, so icons and text look bigger on the LP2465 in comparison due to its slightly larger panel. Nonetheless we were able to put two websites (https://www.digitaltrends.com/ a fixed width site) side-by-side for viewing without any clipping. Graphic designers that cannot afford a 30-inch display should not have to feel they are compromising by using the LP2465 instead.
Video games and DVD movies look great. Because the LP2465 is a widescreen monitor, make sure your game supports a widescreen resolution like 1920×1200 for example. Most of the newer games do, so you should be fine. Games running in 1600×1200 look a little stretched, but are definitely playable. Because of the fast 6ms response rate, we did not experience any ghosting or trailing. Black levels for both games and DVD viewing are within expectable range and look great. The LP2465 displays movies in a 16:10 aspect ratio (like every other widescreen monitor) not true 16:9, but most people will not be able to tell the difference. Because the LP2465 is missing HDCP compatibility or Component video inputs, if movie viewing is very important to you, go with the Dell UltraSharp 240WFP monitor instead.
Business users will find the LP2465 to be a very no-frills, but reliable monitor. You can mount it in various orientations, and because it has two DVI inputs, it works great when connecting multiple PCs to it or using it in a dual monitor setup. Text is very sharp with no ghosting and white levels look “true white”; great for those doing graphic design or a lot of writing.
There are two USB ports on the side, and two more under the lower bezel
If you are looking for a 24-inch monitor for the home, multimedia applications or even to double as a TV, then we recommend that you go with the Dell UltraSharp 240WFP since it fits multiple roles. The Dell has multiple TV inputs including HDCP compatible component video and DVI, an integrated media card reader and other features home users will be excited about.
The LP2465 is strictly seen as an office monitor. The display looks fantastic, we love that it is very adjustable and that HP stands behind it with an industry leading three year parts, labor and on-site service, including 24-hour toll-free tech support. HP will even ship you a new monitor via next-day service if they need to. There are a couple things we would add to the LP2465 to polish it off. Adding some style to the stand and neck would help, and even including a media card reader which is becoming more common in a lot of monitors.
Overall we are very impressed with the LP2465 and would recommend it to anyone wanting a commercial-class monitor. It may not have all of the bells-and-whistles you are starting to see on some LCD’s, but the LP2465 has it where it counts – the display looks great and is reliable.
- Great looking display
- Fast response rate
- Very bright
- Extremely versatile
- No integrated media card reader
- Lacking a true VGA input
- No S-Video or other inputs
- Boring stand design
