To go with my new laptop, I decided it was time to upgrade my monitor (the laptop has a 13-inch screen; great for portability, not so good for working on all day, every day). I wanted something that wasn’t too expensive (i.e. less than $200), had HDMI inputs to get a very sharp picture, and at least 20 inches wide.

After some Internet shopping, I decided that the Acer H233H had the best combination of price and features. So earlier this week I headed to my local Best Buy and picked one up for the exceptional price of $179.

I’ve been using it most of this week, and have been very happy with it so far. Some of the features include full HD 1080p resolution, 40,000:1 contrast ratio and a maximum resolution of 1920×1080. All that means that the picture is extremely sharp and vivid. It also has DVI and HDMI interfaces, making it compatible with most modern desktops and laptops.

I had no problems setting the monitor on the base, even without looking at the directions. It worked immediately, and hasn’t caused a moment’s worth of trouble. The colors look true, and the glossy black frame helps the screen pop. My sole complaint is that the base doesn’t raise the monitor up higher. It sits fairly low on the base, and I had to put it on a small platform to get it to a comfortable eye level for me.

That’s a small nit to pick, though. On the whole, I’m quite happy with the Acer. It’s been easy on my eyes, and that’s what I need in a monitor.