HP VH240a Review: Budget 1080p IPS Monitor With An Ergonomic Stand

The HP VH240a is a decent budget monitor if you need a 24″ 1080p IPS display with a fully ergonomic stand. It’s great for work, everyday use, and casual gaming, though it lacks certain features which are available on similar budget models.

Image Quality

Based on an IPS panel, the HP VH240a monitor provides wide 178-degree viewing angles meaning that the picture won’t shift in color and contrast when you look at it from skewed angles.

The monitor supports 8-bit color depth via dithering (6-bit + 2-bit FRC) for 16.7 million colors and has a basic ~99% sRGB color gamut.

However, it’s not factory-calibrated, so you will need to make some alterations to get the best image quality possible out of this monitor. We recommend this website for calibration.

If you need a display for color-critical work, you can check out the best monitors for photo and video editing here.

Other panel-related specs include a 250-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio, and a 5ms (GtG) response time speed, which is common for a display at this price range.

You get a lower contrast ratio in comparison to VA panels, but you also get a faster response time speed, better viewing angles, and more accurate colors.

In comparison to TN panels, you get significantly better color quality and viewing angles, an equal contrast ratio, and a slightly slower response time speed.

All in all, you get a well-balanced image quality and performance for the price.

Full HD resolution (1920×1080) on a 23.8″ screen ensures plenty of screen space and sharp details thanks to the decent pixel density of 92 pixels per inch. It’s also not very demanding on your CPU/GPU.

Performance

With a response time speed of 5ms and a refresh rate of 60Hz, you won’t get a mind-blowing gaming experience. Still, everything will run smoothly without any prominent trailing, motion blur, or other visual artifacts.

The HP VH240a input lag performance amounts to ~11ms, so there won’t be any noticeable delays either. When you combine all this with the monitor’s crisp and vibrant image quality, you get a pretty decent gaming experience.

Unfortunately, the monitor doesn’t support AMD FreeSync, which would provide a variable refresh rate for compatible graphics cards that eliminates screen tearing and stuttering.

While the monitor does have a low-blue light filter, it uses PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) to regulate brightness. So, below 100% brightness, screen flickering is introduced, which isn’t visible to the human eye, but those sensitive to it may experience headaches after prolonged use.

Features

The OSD (On-Screen Display) menu of the HP VH240a IPS display is relatively user-friendly and straightforward, with only essential adjustments available.

The hotkeys are placed on the right side of the back of the display and include the power button and four additional hotkeys for navigation through the menu. They can also be used as shortcuts for certain OSD functions.

To start with, the first OSD button will allow you to quickly change the input source between VGA and HDMI while the one next to it opens up the Viewing Modes feature.

These modes consist of three picture presets with reduced low-blue light emission suited for comfortable reading at night.

Lastly, the third OSD button adjusts the audio level of the 2x2W built-in speakers. Other useful features include Auto-Sleep Mode, which will send the monitor to Standby to preserve power when it’s been inactive for some time.

Design & Connectivity

The HP VH240a 24″ monitor offers humble connectivity options with one HDMI 1.4 port and one VGA port available. There’s an audio jack for the built-in speakers, but no 3.5mm audio line-out port for headphones.

There are no extra USB ports which is expected at this price range. What’s not expected, however, are such attractive thin bezels that deliver a cinematic viewing experience and make the display perfect for a multi-monitor setup.

Furthermore, the monitor has an exceptionally versatile stand. You can elevate the screen up to 130mm, tilt it by -5°, 30°, swivel by 360°, pivot by 90°, and VESA mount it. The screen is also covered with an anti-glare coating, which eliminates reflections.

Price & Similar Monitors

The HP VH240a price usually amounts to around $170, which is too expensive.

You can nowadays find a 24″ 1080p IPS monitor with a higher 100Hz refresh rate and a fully ergonomic stand for $100, such as the Acer SH242Y Ebmihx.

To learn more about monitors and ensure you’re getting the model most suited for your personal preference, visit our comprehensive and always up-to-date best gaming monitor buyer’s guide.

Conclusion

While the HP VH240a is a decent monitor overall, there are better options in this price range.

Specifications

Screen Size	23.8-inch
Resolution	1920×1080 (Full HD)
Panel Type	IPS
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	60Hz
Response Time	5ms (GtG)
Speakers	2x2W
Ports	HDMI 1.4, VGA
Brightness	250 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (6-bit + FRC)
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)