Iiyama ProLite XU2590HS-B1 Review

On this page we take a look at the Iiyama XU2590HS-B1 monitor.  This screen is made by Japanese company Iiyama, perhaps not a well known brand in the UK but they do specialise in monitors so they are not to be ruled out.  The ProLite XU2590HS-B1 is a 25″ IPS based monitor that runs at 1080p.  It is at the cheaper end of the 25 inch size so whilst it is not specifically a gaming monitor you might want to consider it if you are looking for a step up in size but without breaking the bank. It could be a good option if you are looking to buy two matching screens to pair side by side, at this price it would be a realistic option for anyone on a budget.

This monitor has a 1920 x 1080 resolution, the minimum you want to consider in this day and age.  Some might argue that a 1440p resolution would be more suited to a 25″ screen but 1080 is still good enough.  What’s more, if you have an older graphics card it should still be capable of giving you smooth frame rates.  Remember that a step up in resolution means a whole new requirement on your GPU.  An entry level Nvidia GTX950 for example would give a decent performance at the resolution.

Build Quality

This is a straight forward monitor with a basic design. The bezel isn’t too intrusive, you can expect a 1cm edge around the screen. It’s barely visible when it’s switched off but noticeable when you are getting stuck into some action. In an attempt to keep the simple theme Iiyama have positioned the control buttons under the bottom edge and, thanks to a lack of labelling, setting up the monitor can be a fiddle, but at least it’s something you will only do once.

The stand isn’t the sturdiest, but it’s about what you might expect from this price level. There’s also no height adjustment or swivel so if you want to reposition the monitor your options are limited, you could always place it on a pile of books. On the plus side, you do get a number of connectivity options, it comes with VGA, HDMI and DVI ports. Handy if you have an older graphics card or if you want to power two monitors from a PC that has two different sockets.

Performance

The ProLite has deep blacks with very little light coming through from the screen’s back light. Contrast levels were equally good, the combination of high contrast, low black levels and reasonable colour accuracy means photographs look bright and vivid.

This isn’t the greatest gaming monitor in the world, there are no gaming specific features to give you an edge, but if you want a good quality image on a larger screen and don’t want to break the bank…  this could be for you.