Today’s review will be about a monitor. And this monitor is not just normal, good, or excellent – it’s perfect. At least for me. Many years ago, I already owned a perfect monitor, and it was the Samsung SyncMaster 75C. While most people were looking at dull 60Hz screens, I enjoyed the vibrant display at 75Hz, and it was wonderful. Plus, the adjustable stand in 4 dimensions… Nostalgia! And now, on my desk, I have the ASUS VU249CFE-B, and it evokes the same feelings in me as many years ago. It’s not the fastest, not the biggest, and not the brightest. It’s just perfectly balanced. The VU249CFE has everything I need. And this is far from the minimum set of specifications. It combines convenience and thoughtful design. Price and technology. Design and signature features.
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Price and market positioning
The cost of the monitor is $190, which is not much for such a great device. However, competitors are sold at slightly lower prices. But they don’t have the same advantages that ASUS VU249CFE has. Cool appearance and no less cool stand. The display itself has thin bezels, as it is common nowadays. In general, the monitor looks very fresh and modern. As for the matrix itself – it’s a confident middle class. 24 inches, IPS technology, 16.7 million colors and a response time of 1 ms! So the answer to the question, what to overpay for, is simple – for comfort and a certain pleasure of possessing a tactile and visually stunning monitor. Well, and the refresh rate of 100 Hz, I hope, will be enough for everyone. For me personally it is the golden mean. I don’t play shooters professionally, but it’s more than enough for comfort and smoothness. And for those who find 24 inches not enough, ASUS offers the same monitor, but in a larger size – 27 inches!
ASUS VU249CFE-B specifications
- Diagonal: 23.8″
- Matrix: IPS
- Screen coating: matte
- Screen resolution: 1920×1080
- Response time: 1 ms
- Refresh rate: 100 Hz
- Viewing angles: 178°
- Brightness: 250 cd/m2
- Contrast: 1300:1
- Power supply: 10 W
- Weight: 4 kg
- Wall mount: VESA 75×75 mm
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Scope of use
It’s interesting, what are the applications of the ASUS VU249CFE-B? Here the answer is multifaceted. I want to start with the not-so-obvious – office use of the monitor. Speaking from experience, in ordinary companies for ordinary employees, monitors up to $150 are usually purchased. But if you spend a little more, your office will come alive with new colors! The design of the VU249CFE is pleasing to the eye and boosts work morale. And a happy employee is a productive employee. So, managers, think about it. The color scheme of the monitor is not at all boring, but noble. And, of course, let’s not forget that with a quality IPS matrix, your eyes won’t strain as much after a day’s work. And the monitor also has many adjustments for comfortable positioning – which is also important for comfortable work. In summary, the ASUS VU249CFE-B is an excellent solution for the modern office.
Returning to what I started with. So, the ASUS VU249CFE is the perfect monitor for home use. It’s for someone who works in graphic editors, plays games, watches movies, does layout design, and a bunch of other things, like most of us. What kind of monitor does this person need? Convenient, beautiful, bright, fast, and functional. And here it is – the VU249CFE, which is also affordable.
And, of course, you can consider the VU249CFE-B as a gaming monitor. Seriously – 1ms response time and on an IPS panel. And 100Hz is more than enough for comfortable gaming. Unless you’re a professional esports player – then I agree, this refresh rate won’t be enough. But for such demands, you need different specs and prices. In most cases, achieving over 100 FPS in games without sacrificing quality settings on a non-high-end PC is quite challenging.
Package contents
It’s very interesting what ASUS has included with their monitor. Let me draw your attention to the box first. Following the trends of recent years, it’s as eco-friendly as possible. Made from recycled cardboard and all that. But what’s most interesting is that the packaging can be transformed into several smaller boxes with the help of scissors. They can be used to store various items, like an organizer. And such a solution is truly a step towards environmental conservation. Another thing you can do is assemble a tablet stand from the internal padding – which might be useful for some. The only downside is that there’s no option to make a cat house, like some other manufacturers offer.
Unfortunately, the rest of the package is a bit scarce. The power and HDMI cables are just ordinary ones, without fabric braiding or increased flexibility. There’s also a warranty card and a simple user manual for the monitor. They also included a disposable screwdriver, which will come in handy for installing the stand. All of this doesn’t play a big role in the monitor’s operation, and if such a short supply kit is provided to keep the device’s cost down, then hats off to ASUS. Not everyone is willing to pay extra for colorful brochures and unnecessary stickers. It’s the spirit of minimalism, but the main thing is that the monitor itself is excellent. So, while it might be a bit disappointing, you understand that you’re paying your hard-earned money for the product itself, not for the merch.
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Design and interfaces
Now, it’s time to talk directly about the monitor itself. I want to start with the stand and its degrees of freedom. It’s not your typical stand, and it’s mounted in an unusual way. The shape, resembling two rays, looks attractive but isn’t very functional. Those accustomed to placing USB drives and small items on the rectangular base of the monitor will be disappointed. Interestingly, despite its elegant form, this stand takes up more space on the desk than a classical one. But it does look cool, you can’t deny that. On the glossy surface of the VU249CFE, it sits perfectly. This is all thanks to the rubber pads and the considerable weight of the stand.
The stand attaches to the monitor with four screws, without the usual latches. However, there are more holes on the display than needed! And this isn’t a design flaw. This interesting feature allows you to mount the monitor at different heights. Yes, without the ability to quickly adjust it, but also without increasing the cost of the monitor. However, how often do you really need to change the height of the monitor? The main thing is that there is the option to adjust it to your liking. As for other adjustments, only tilt is available; they didn’t include a swivel hinge. And of course, there’s VESA support for wall mounting.
The exterior of the ASUS VU249CFE-B is deserving of praise. The matte finish doesn’t collect fingerprints. The bezels are slim — it’s a beauty! Despite the diagonal size, the monitor looks remarkably compact. There’s nothing more to add — no unnecessary details! The minimalist atmosphere is presented skillfully and tastefully.
The ports on the VU249CFE-B are also presented in a concise manner. There are three of them, and it’s the perfect set. There’s the usual HDMI, DisplayPort via USB Type-C, and a headphone output. Let me tell you more about the USB output because it has a twist. You can transmit video signal through it, that’s understandable. The twist is that if you connect the monitor to your laptop via USB, the VU249CFE will also charge your laptop! It’s a very cool feature that eliminates the need for extra wires. If only they included a USB Type-C cable in the package, it would have been perfect! My smartphone cable stubbornly refused to transmit images, so now I have to go out, search, and buy one. They’re penny-pinchers, in short.
ASUS VU249CFE-B Technologies
Let me tell you about the proprietary technologies used in the monitor. They exist in the ASUS VU249CFE-B, and they are extremely useful. I’ll start with a seemingly inconspicuous window on the back of the device. When I discovered it, I was overjoyed. Behind it hides an ambient light sensor. That’s right, the monitor automatically adjusts the backlight brightness depending on the ambient light in the room. Just like your smartphone does. But having such a feature in monitors is rare, and it’s simply a “must-have”!
The monitor also offers solutions to protect your eyes. Here we have the Eye Care Plus feature, which incorporates a range of enhancements for comfortable image viewing. For example, it enhances the red color for clearer images. It also filters the blue spectrum for better text readability in dim lighting. The Flicker-Free technology is also integrated, which eliminates flickering, making it incredibly beneficial for your eyes.
But that’s not all! ASUS has also prepared some cool features for gamers. Trace Free, for example, adjusts the monitor’s refresh rate to match FPS, ensuring smooth visuals without artifacts. There’s also GamePlus, a tool that displays a hardware crosshair right in the center of the screen. Those in the know will appreciate how cool this feature is!
In general, this monitor has more than enough cool features. Moreover, many of them are usually found only in top-tier models. The fact that the VU249CFE-B can boast advanced technologies for its price is simply top-notch!
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Software
I can’t overlook the proprietary utility for managing the monitor called ASUS DisplayWidget Center. The mere presence of this utility for a budget monitor is already a win. However, the program is not just there for the sake of it. It’s genuinely convenient and functional. You won’t have to struggle with the joystick to adjust settings anymore. Take a look for yourself – there’s a panel for adjusting color, brightness, contrast, and preset profiles. GamePlus gaming settings are also available in the app. Eye Care Plus settings, key combinations management, and even a Tweaker for different applications – it’s all at your fingertips. The MultiScreen menu is also interesting, allowing you to divide the screen into separate workspaces. DisplayWidget Center has proven to be a truly useful, comprehensive, and essential utility. Give it a try – you’ll like it!
Conclusions
So, at the beginning of my review, I made quite a bold statement about the perfect monitor. At the very end, my opinion remains unchanged. The ASUS VU249CFE-B is the optimal device for me, and I believe for many of you as well. Of course, it’s not without its flaws, but that doesn’t make it any less desirable. The display is perfectly balanced in terms of cost and specifications. Moreover, it’s incredibly beautiful and ergonomic. I only have positive emotions after getting to know it, and I’m confident that it will find its place in almost any field of use. It’s a solid 10 out of 10, bravo, ASUS!
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