Acer S242HL bid
Acer's S242HL bid represents the common, inexpensive TN-based LCDs you'll most likely find at the electronics story. In fact, at $190, it's one of the cheapest LED-backlit monitors available. However, don't take low cost to suggest poor quality. The S242HL bid is, as its name implies, part of Acer's S series, which presents an ultra-thin profile in a piano black finish.
The company isn't doing anything special compared to the competition, though. Like other "ultra-thin" LCD monitors, Acer moves most of its power circuitry into a discrete external adapter, facilitating a thinner display.
This monitor's low price tag is simply a function of its no-frills design approach, as port connectivity covers the basics: HDMI, DVI, and VGA. One issue we have is that connectors protrude straight out the back, instead of being hidden on a tapered bottom edge. Up against a wall, cables will tend to extend past the thin chassis and base.
While port connectivity gives us access to the most common interfaces, Acer's OSD (on-screen display) layout is less than ideal. Even though the power button is located dead center on screen's front bottom edge, the company chose not to situate any of the OSD buttons where you can see them, achieving a cleaner design. Alright, we get it. Nobody likes to look at their monitor head-on and see an array of buttons lining one side of it. When you're trying to navigate the OSD menu, though, poking your head under the display to see what you're pressing isn't an awesome compromise.
