Gamers desire as much excellence from their hardware as they do from the games. So, when it comes to choosing monitors for PC gaming (including our ASUS VP228HE Review gaming monitor), just another Full-HD 21-inch screen doesn’t really cut it. After all, who wants to play all the latest AAA titles on a monitor that’s barely able to project accurate colors, let alone offer optimum refresh rates?
Nobody, that’s who! That’s why a monitor like the ASUS VP228HE exists, and it might be what you need to take your gaming frenzy to the next level. This is one of the most affordable gaming monitors we’ve ever used, and you get to choose between 60 Hz, 75 Hz, and 144 Hz, depending on your budget and requirements.
But will this monitor be the right pick for you? Find out by reading this complete review of ASUS VP228HE.
Product Features of the ASUS VP228HE Gaming Monitor
- Choose from 21.5-inch up to 34-inch HDR variants, with optional 4k and IPS panels.
- Get stellar gaming experience thanks to GamePlus, an ASUS exclusive feature that offers better Timer and Crosshair function.
- Excellent connectivity with HDMI and D-sub ports.
- 1ms response time will give you the upper hand in competitive games like CS: GO, Apex Legends, Overwatch and so on.
- Thanks to ASUS’ Flicker-free technology, you’ll now experience an uninterrupted and comfortable viewing experience.
- You get 4 choices to brighten up or dim down the brightness and match it to your ambience.
- Offers Plus 1.5-Watt stereo speakers.
Please note: Product images are from Amazon Product Advertising API with affiliated links.
ASUS VP228HE – The Pros
A broad range of choices in screen size and refresh rate
Does bigger always mean better? Well, the answer would depend on who you ask. The truth is, some gamers prefer smaller screens with higher refresh rates while some prefer a larger screen with 4k resolution. Thankfully, ASUS gives you a line up of many variants to choose from.
See yourself as a pro gamer?
If you’re into competitive gaming, you can select the 21.5-24-inch monitors with a 144 Hz refresh rate. And if you like experiencing story-driven single-player games in full glory, then a 34-inch HDR screen with 60 Hz refresh would be perfect.
But don’t let us box you in with these options; carefully think about your reason for upgrade and then choose. Regardless of what you decide to buy, we’re sure these monitors will perform as advertised.
Oh! There’s a curved model too if you’re interested.
If you’re the type who loves experimenting, then the 32-inch curved monitor will surely give you a whole new experience. However, for multiplayer gaming, we advise you to go for a higher refresh rate, preferably 144 Hz.
Smooth video playback in vivid colors
There are not many monitors out there in the price range of ASUS VP228HE that offer such brilliant colors and smooth playback. For these features, all credits go to the company, which has meticulously engineered the display to eliminate all kinds of tracers and ghosting.
We tried playing videos of fast-paced action sequences and detailed scenes from lush green forests, and the monitor did justice to both.
The colors are accurate (a lot better than we expected), the contrast is visibly apparent, and the pixels are vivid. The 100,000,000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio also dynamically boosts the screen contrast by adjusting the backlight’s luminance to give you the brightest white and darkest black possible. The result? – crystal clear details that’ll win you over!
BUT…you will need to take some time to calibrate the options to suit your needs. And they’re not that easy from the get-go, if we were, to be honest. The screen is fantastic indeed, but with the right settings, the experience is going to be much better.
Can be used for a variety of purposes
Let’s be honest here—nobody uses a specific type of monitor for a particular task. Even if you’re not buying this for gaming, it’s okay! Because the ASUS VP228HE is designed to give you optimal user experience in every scenario. Thanks to the 4 level brightness control, you can choose the ideal settings in the following ways:
Level 1: This is good for regular web browsing as the monitor gives you incredible color reproduction with minimal color shift. Whether you’re viewing images or watching videos on YouTube, everything looks lifelike and leaves no room for complaints.
Level 2: This is ideal for photos and videos (even though level 1 is good enough too).
Level 3: Do you do a lot of reading and writing? Then level 3 should be your go-to option as it dims the monitor’s brightness to sustain long hours of work.
Level 4: Switch the brightness setting to level 4 if you’re in an environment with very little light and want to reduce strain in your eyes as much as possible.
Easy setup and control
Contrary to many opinions that state this monitor is difficult to install, we didn’t find that to be true. Right out of the box, this model can be plugged to a graphics card or console, thanks to its DVI, HDMI, and VGA ports. We had a spare HDMI cable lying around, and we connected the screen to our NVIDIA GTX 1080ti effortlessly.
Once the PC booted up, we went inside the NVIDIA Control Panel to adjust the brightness setting to our liking. The buttons for monitor controls are decently responsive, and it took us less than 1 minute to figure out how to navigate the menus fast. But to be honest, some people might need a little “getting used to” to know their way around the buttons.
High quality In-built speakers
Okay, this is more of a bonus for us because let’s admit it, who cares about a monitor’s sound, right? Well, we were pleasantly surprised by the audio quality of this model. It isn’t as loud as we prefer, but it’s still something for those days when the speaker doesn’t connect, and you feel too lazy to plug in the headphones.
Smart and sleek design
Everyone wants a monitor that not only performs well but also looks good. After all, you can’t just pair a high-tech rig with a huge block of a screen. What a disaster that would be! Well, worry not because this monitor is quite the looker. And you can make it stand on top of the computer table or mount it up a wall. The choice is entirely yours.
What could be better on the ASUS VP228HE — The Cons
As much as we’d like to say that the ASUS VP228HE is flawless, that’s not the case. The first gripe we have with this model is related to the placement of control buttons. Since they’re under the lower bezel, finding them could be a hassle if you’re using the stand. And even if you do find the buttons, changing settings could take on a whole different level of difficulty.
Not sure whose bright idea it was to place the buttons there, but it is what it is. However, one user has mentioned a workaround. The user says that the monitor controls can be transferred to your keyboard using software from a website called Nirsoft. So, go ahead and check it out.
Summoning Up: ASUS VP228HE
At the risk of sounding salesy, we’d just like to say that this monitor can work for everyone. Although we’re sure gamers would make the most of the available features, even a person who uses their PC to browse the internet or just do general work would appreciate it.
Given how much emphasis ASUS has put into reducing the strain on the eyes, it’s certain that everyone would get their money’s worth. Go ahead and buy it with your eyes closed (or open). Till next time!
Last update on 2023-12-04 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
