Philips 231C5 SmoothTouch 23″ IPS Monitor Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing

On both sides of the Atlantic, the 231C5 carries very different price tags in relation to its competing models. On the US side of the pond, the SmoothTouch panel is a shade over $500, making it slightly cheaper than the two AOC monitors that I’ve seen and also a price point that is manageable. On the UK side, the pricing is a little more steep making a large number of 24″ panels far more affordable.

The justification of cost all comes down to the user experience in the end and if it’s a Windows 8 or POS (Point Of Sale) environment where you are likely to use this, then adding the touch screen features on the top makes this monitor worth every penny / cent and it will make for a far more fluid user experience.

Overview

When you look at the broad range of monitors that are on the market today, especially when compared to a few years ago, there is almost an option out there to suit every users needs. Philips’ 231C5 is yet another example of a product that is suited towards a certain market, although its deployment can be made easily elsewhere with ease. Touchscreens are by no means a ‘new’ technology in themselves, especially when we look at the wider world and see that they are all around us; in our smart phones, tablets, iPods, till systems and now our laptops. It has only been a matter of time before they start to appear on the consumer market at a more affordable price, especially now that Windows 8 and its touch screen optimised metro interface has made its mark and is here to stay.

As with all things the I get in to review, there are a few pro’s and con’s to consider when looking at any product. In the case of the 231C5 SmoothTouch monitor, things generally are on the good side, with a crisp bright picture to hand through a good variety if display inputs and this is defined by the IPS LCD panel that Philips have opted for in this model. Other good features obviously have to include the touch screen capability and the ability to have the display lead right back and into a more natural position of ‘creative’ types of work. The slight downside that I do find with this design is that the monitor does sit a little low in the desk, well it sits right on the desk in fact and when you’re used to having the monitor lifted off the desk by a couple of inches, this does take a bit of getting used to.

In general though Philips have got the design of the 231C5 spot on, simple things such as the rippled effect to the back of the monitor and the sweeping curves that run along the lower edge of the display made for a product that is pleasant to the eye and one that would not look out-of-place in any home or office. The choice of getting this or not does come a little bit down to the pricing and whilst I can say that for the US this is very good, UK buyers may want to either look at what else is out there or wait a little while longer for the price to drop down a little more and become that bit more affordable.

All in all, I’m quite surprised with this screen. When I first had it out of the box and had a look around it, I was a little dubious about its style and the positioning of the screen on the desk, but as time as gone on and I’ve had it in place as my main monitor for a few days, its come to grow on me and the touch screen functionality surprisingly does come in handy. If you’re a Windows 8 user who would like to have a more ‘in-touch’ experience to the way that you use your computer, then certainly this is an ideal solution for you and even if you don’t use W8, consider it, but remember that there is a whole world of other options out there that may suit your needs a little more than having a touch screen capable panel .

Pros:

• IPS LCD 1920 x 1080 panel
• Well recognised brand
• Touch screen functionality
• Strong price point in the US

Cons:

• Screen does sit directly on the desktop
• Display inputs on the rear can be a bit awkward to get to if you’re connecting in a second source after first setting the monitor up.

“Windows 8 and its metro interface came under strong criticism when it first came to light, however the evolution of the Ultrabook with its touch screen capabilities has brought it all back to life with a new way if interacting with our computers. The 231C5 SmoothTouch monitor from Philips is simply an extension of this immersive experience that we all long for with our desktop computers, with the addition of style and quality dressed over the top.”

Thanks to AOC for providing us with this review sample.