Why You Can Trust CNET HP vs17 review: HP vs17
The HP vs17 is one of many average-performing general-use LCD monitors; however, its low price and built-in speakers make it worth considering.
With an attractive design and a low $279 price, it's hard not to like the HP vs17. Even though its performance is average, the 17-inch LCD wins points by adding decent-sounding built-in speakers and a headphone jack. It even has volume buttons on the control panel, a feature left off of many budget monitors, such as the Westinghouse LCM-19v5 and the Soyo Dymond DYLMO19A. The analog-only HP vs17 is a good deal for the price, but if better performance is what you crave, the Sony SDM-S75AB may be a better choice, and for more adjustability, look to the NEC MultiSync LCD1770VX, though you'll sacrifice the audio extras.
The HP vs17 is attractive but somewhat old-fashioned-looking. The bezel is fairly narrow at only 0.5 inch on each side, and the rounded sides make it look more substantial than it really is--it's not the best choice for a dual-monitor setup. A relatively small circular base keeps the monitor stable, but quick adjustments do cause some wobbling. The neck holds the panel a mere 2 inches above the desktop, and you can't adjust the height, which is unfortunate as we like to see monitors a bit higher off the desk for better ergonomics. The only adjustment option the HP vs17 offers is 5 degrees of forward tilt and 30 degrees of backward tilt; it neither swivels nor pivots.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The front bezel is clean, with only two 2-watt speakers built into the bottom. The onscreen-menu (OSM) navigation buttons are out of sight on the HP vs17's right side. Two of the buttons allow you to move up and down in the OSM, but the display lacks a dedicated button for exiting menus, a feature we appreciate on other models. You can adjust the volume through the OSM, but HP thankfully includes volume buttons on the display's control panel. On the back of the panel, there's one analog input and an audio port that supplies sound to the headphone jack and the pair of 2-watt speakers. The built-in speakers sound good but won't fill more than a small room. Unfortunately, HP neglected to include any sort of cable-management system, leaving the cables free to cause chaos on your desk.
The HP vs17 turned in an average performance on CNET Labs' DisplayMate-based performance tests. Sharpness proved to be the HP vs17's strong suit: black text looked bold, crisp, and legible in serif and sans serif type. However, the HP vs17's colors were not as vibrant as we like to see, and red and green color-tracking errors were evident in colors and throughout the grayscale, and we could not eliminate them by decreasing the green color value in the custom color section of the vs17's OSM. Screen uniformity was also an issue with light leaks around the edges and noticeable differentiation between the top and the bottom of the panel.
DVD-playback performance was slightly worse than average: we saw more noise than usual in the backgrounds, especially in gray areas and in skin tones; yellows looked greenish; and fine detail was lost in dark areas. Games were free of motion errors, but the colors weren't vibrant.
The HP vs17 has a short, one-year limited warranty--the industry standard is three years--and extended warranties are not offered. Tech support, however, is better than most: the call is toll-free and the lines are staffed 24/7. You can also e-mail questions to HP; the company says that you can expect a response within an hour. HP's support Web site offers setup and troubleshooting guides, manuals, drivers, and answers to FAQs.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)