Great things come in small packages, and that’s especially true for the ViewSonic TD2230. Some touch screen monitors tend to look a bit chunky due to the specialist technology used to make them work, but this little number comes in at just 22-inches wide and weighs only 7.9 pounds – great for portability! However, to accommodate the smaller screen size some sacrifices have been made, namely in the comfort department.
Screen size: 21.5-inch
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 full HD
Brightness: 250 cd/m²
Ports: HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, USB 3.0 x 2, 3.5mm audio jack
Weight: 7.8 lbs
Small but mighty, the ViewSonic TD2230 boasts a durable, scratch-resistant screen that’ll withstand prolonged use which makes it ideal for the home, office, and even at school. It also offers flicker-free technology and a blue light filter to help ease eye strain. It looks good too, with its slim, sleek bezels, but those who are particularly fussy about cable management may not gel with this monitor.
The ViewSonic TD2230 earns a place on our list of the best touch screen monitors as it’s a great accompaniment to the best home computer or laptop setups and it won’t make your desk feel overcrowded. Plus, it’s one of the cheaper touch screen monitor options around that still packs a punch.
ViewSonic TD2230: Design
- Thin bezel
- Connection ports on side
The ViewSonic TD2230’s design is reminiscent of the Planar Helium PCT2235 that we tested a while back. Both monitors share the same thin-bezel design, both have a glassy reflective surface and they’re both styled in a similar, reserved manner. In fact, if it wasn’t for the logos on the front we probably wouldn’t be able to tell you which was which.
The thin bezel means that, like the Planar Helium PCT2235, the ViewSonic TD2230 sits very low on the desk when using the stand to prop it up. This makes the touch screen less comfortable to use that some other models, as you find you hand scrunching up against the desk when trying to touch the bottom end of the screen.
One strange aesthetic choice is that the connection ports are all located on the side of the monitor. This is great for accessibility but it does mean that you’re left with a load of cables sticking out of the side of your monitor, which isn’t a great look.
ViewSonic TD2230: Screen quality
- Full HD ten-point touch screen
- Low input lag
Like all of the monitors we tested, the ViewSonic TD2230 has a full HD (1920 x 1080) pixel resolution and a ten-point touch screen. At 22-inches (21.5-inches for the screen itself), it’s also the smallest monitor we tested, so it might be worth considering if you’re likely to be moving your monitor around a lot between work spaces. Where the ViewSonic TD2230 pulls away from the pack is with its short pixel pitch (the space between individual pixels). This results in a much sharper image quality on screen when compared to the other monitors we looked at.
The ViewSonic TD2230 also has a low input lag, which means that it would be suitable for gaming purposes in a pinch, though really we wouldn’t recommend any touch screen monitor for serious gaming use. The screen also has a 7 millisecond response time (the amount of time it takes a pixel to change color), which means it’s great for watching videos on too.
ViewSonic TD2230: Usability
- Eco-friendly mode to keep power usage low
- 50 degree tilt range
Compared with the other screens that we tested, the ViewSonic TD2230 has a low average power consumption of just 19 watts when used in eco-friendly mode, which is nearly half the power usage of the power hungry Planar Helium PCT2485.
With a 50 degree tilt range, the ViewSonic TD2230 isn’t as flexible as many of the other touch screen monitors that we tested, but the stand can be retracted to allow the screen to lie flat on your work surface. There are connection ports for HDMI and DisplayPort, along with USB 3.0 ports though as noted earlier, these are all on the side of the monitor. Good for accessibility, bad for cable management.
Aesthetically, the ViewSonic TD2230 gets a big thumbs up. The extra thin bezels and edge-to-edge glass give the touch screen monitor a really modern look which people appreciated. Users were wowed with the brightness and color contrast of the ViewSonic TD2230 and found using the screen enjoyable.
However, as is expected with the glass smooth surfaces of touch screen monitors, there is a lot of glare, particularly with this model. It should also be mentioned that the built-in speakers just aren’t that great and sound a bit hollow.
Although many people found that they could just ‘plugin and play’ with the ViewSonic TD2230 touch screen monitor, people were unhappy with the minimalistic instruction manual that came with the screen and wished it explained the set up more clearly.
Should you buy the ViewSonic TD2230?
The ViewSonic TD2230 is a decent option, with a few minor flaws. Some people were put off by the design choices and found that it made their user experience uncomfortable (namely how low it sits on the desk when in use) – as this comes down to personal preference, you’ll have to decide if this will bother you. Overall, we would recommend this as one of the best touch screen monitors as the screen itself is excellent and it’s a great choice for those with smaller desk space and budget.
If this product isn't for you
Artists who want to use their touch screen monitor for drawing will probably benefit more from the Philips 242B9T monitor. It’s a bit heavier, which means it’s stable and will stay put when you’re doodling on it. It has a tilt angle of between 5-90 degrees, so it can be moved into any position that suits you.
If you’re after a larger screen size, then you might prefer the Planar Helium PCT2485. It’s massive 24-inch display makes it a bit easier to navigate programs and is comfortable to use. Plus, it even has an integrated webcam and microphone.
However, for those who are a bit more budget-conscious, the Planar Helium PCT2235 is a better option. You’ll get a great touchscreen monitor with excellent color accuracy without having to break open your piggy bank.
