The basic, no-frills Envision EN2028 offers modest ergonomic adjustments and average performance, but only the extremely budget conscious should take a closer look. Much better monitors are available for a few beans more.
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The basic, black Envision EN2028 is well suited for the business set, but there are better 20-inch wide-screen LCDs for a pittance more. The $549 EN2028 delivers average performance, but its modest ergonomic adjustability and lack of extras detract from its overall appeal. For only $50 more, we prefer the Gateway FDP2185W or the Samsung SyncMaster 204T for their added features, greater degree of adjustability, and, most importantly, superior image quality.
The EN2028's design is sober enough to fit any buttoned-up office setting. Its black bezel is narrow, and its silver, rectangular adjustment buttons are unobtrusive yet clearly labeled. The EN2028's cramped back panel houses an analog and a digital port (both cables are included), and because of the tight squeeze and the fact that you can't pivot the display panel, attaching the cable is a difficult task. A rectangle cut into the monitor's neck serves as a rudimentary cable-feed system; we prefer simple clips, as seen on the back of the ViewSonic VP930b, to keep the cables in line.
The Envision EN2028's panel is attached to the neck and the neck to the base via two very stiff hinges, which makes it difficult to raise the display through its full three-inch range or tilt the panel back and forth. You'll need two hands to do the job: one hand to move the panel and one hand to steady the base. The EN2028 monitor also lacks a swivel function, but the display turns fairly easily on a smooth desktop surface.
It's relatively easy to make image adjustments using the EN2028's menu buttons and onscreen menu, though there is no indication of how to exit submenus. Through trial and error, we discovered that the button labeled Auto doubles as an autoadjust key and an exit button.
The Envision EN2028's image quality was average overall, but it performed very well on the text and grayscale portions of CNET Labs DisplayMate-based tests. The text was sharp and easy to read, and the display produced a wide, evenly stepped range of very light and very dark grays. Colors looked vivid and accurate, and it did a nice job reproducing smooth, white highlights in Web photos of painted artwork (many LCDs make these light areas look like chunks of data are missing). With the color scales, however, we noticed pink tints in the greens and brown tints in the grays.
With a relatively slow 12-millisecond response time, we weren't surprised at the EN2028's mediocre gaming and DVD-playback performance. Gaming tests showed streaking and aliasing, while DVD playback showed digital noise and ghosting.
Envision backs the EN2028 with an industry-standard three-year warranty, but the panel is covered for only one year. Three years of full coverage costs $40 extra, five years costs $60. Envision offers toll-free phone tech support Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. Envision's support Web site offers an e-mail support form, driver downloads, a display terminology glossary, manuals, troubleshooting tips, and FAQs.