ASUS MS238H Review - Slim and Affordable

So I have a confession to make. The past few months I've been incredibly preoccupied with smartphones, so much so that the ASUS MS238H has been sitting on my desk for a very long time. The data's been largely taken, the display calibrated, but for whatever reason the review has endlessly been on my back burner - I'm sorry ASUS. The upside of this situation, however, is that I've spent a long time using the ASUS MS238 and feel like I know it inside and out, and it's a slim value performer.

Let's start with the specifications. The MS238H is a 23-inch LED-backlit, TN-panel packing display with an extremely slim profile, and even slimmer budget price tag. We're used to primarily covering the high-end side of the market with IPS displays, which the MS238H definitely isn't, but that isn't to say this segment isn't worth taking a look at. The MS238H is also of the 1080P, (and thus 16:9 aspect ratio) variety, a rather disturbing trend that's all but eliminated the 1920x1200, 16:10 market. The specs are what they are, and you can find them in the table below:

ASUS MS238H - Specifications
Property	Quoted Specification
Video Inputs	HDMI, D-Sub (DVI-D through HDMI connector)
Audio Output	3.5mm Mini-jack for HDMI Audio
Panel Type	TN with LED Backlight
Pixel Pitch	0.265 mm
Colors	16.7 Million (24 BPP)
Brightness	250 nits
Contrast Ratio	1,000:1, or 100,000:1 (dynamic)
Response Time	2ms (g2g)
Viewable Size	23" (54.8 cm) diagonal
Resolution	1920x1080 (1080P)
Viewing Angle	170 degrees horizontal, 160 degrees vertical
Power Consumption (operation)	<33 watts typical
Power Consumption (standby)	<1 watt typical
Screen Treatment	Matte
Height-Adjustable	No
Tilt	Yes: 10 degrees - 20 degrees
Pivot	No
Swivel	No
VESA Wall Mounting	No
Dimensions w/ Base (WxHxD)	21.9" (556 mm) x 15.9" (403.8 mm) x 5.9" (150.9 mm)
Weight w/o Stand	8.4 lbs (3.8 kg)
Additional Features	16.5mm thickness, kensington lock
Limited Warranty	3 years - repair or replacement
Accessories	DVI-D to HDMI cable, VGA D-Sub cable, External Power Supply
Price	MS238H MSRP: $229.99, Amazon: $169.99

It should be pretty obvious that this display is really oriented at budget-conscious shoppers, or gamers looking for a display small and light enough to augment a notebook or portable LAN party rig. In fact, after carrying the thing to and from rooms to photograph many a time (as inevitably happens with all other displays up for review), that's really what I'm left thinking the MS238H is most suited for. It's light, it's thin, and has a headphone jack for HDMI audio, which makes it suited for periodically connecting up to a console or two.

Inputs are the only real concern on the MS238H - the two options are HDMI or D-SUB for VGA. It'd be nice to see two HDMI ports, or even HDMI and DVI-D, instead of D-SUB. What the MS238H does have going for it is that WLED backlighting, being a power-sipper, and again thin profile.