20in LCD monitors are beginning to look outdated, especially when companies like HP are bringing out models like the 2509p.
The aesthetics are typical HP fare. The exterior is all sleek and modern design, with a glossy silver base. The settings, however, lack detail on what many of them do. Things like "Dynamic Contrast Ratio", "Video OverDrive", and "Mode Display" - with it's weird icon - will have you scrambling for the online guide.
That said, the menu system is comprehensive, albeit let down a little by a cumbersome touch panel design.
On the upside, the build quality is reassuringly solid in construction, with a heavy base that should last you a while. But while the stand seems well designed, prodding the touch panel results in the screen shaking as though King Kong is coming.
At 25 inches, the 2509p brings the Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 to you. It's a proper 16:9 screen, so you can rest assured that movies and games played on this will all look equally good, and the high-contrast glossy screen brings crystal clear clarity. Fast action games display well and images too look great on the unit.
The TN panel does a good job of producing crisp and clear images with our test DVD, games, and images.
There's a decent, if minimal, set of connections: DVI, HDMI, and VGA, plus the sound inputs, a USB transfer port and a 3 port USB hub.
One area where HP won't win any prizes is its viewing angle. Specifications quote a 160/160 field, and while horizontals are good, verticals could do with some improvement.
Luckily, the stand is adjustable via tilt, rotate and height, so you should have no problems setting it up to suit your needs.
And if that's not enough for you, there are also 2 low-power speakers and a microphone. The webcam comes with tilt control and preloaded software: be prepared to see your friends larger than life.
While it's $100 cheaper than the Dell U2410f, and an inch larger, the Dell offers more resolution, more inputs and a much higher quality panel.
If you're after a multimedia monitor that's big, without breaking the budget, though, this will look the part.