The Philips 242E2GSJ is easily one of the most affordable 144Hz monitors you can buy for smooth visuals with deep colors and contrast. It’s a barebones monitor judging from the price and its appearance, but the focus is its overall performance. Let’s check the Philips 242E2GSJ out and see if it offers fantastic value or if you are better off spending the extra.
Philips 242E2GSJ Specifications
- Screen Size: 24 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: Vertical Alignment (VA)
- Refresh Rate: 144Hz
- Response Time: 1ms MPRT
- Contrast Ratio: 3500:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 350 cd/m2
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 3 Watts)
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 1, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions with Stand(WxHxD): 21.26” x 16.30” x 8.15”
- Weight: 6.77 lbs
Design and Features
The Philips 242E1GSJ sports a simple and minimalist look that would make you think that it’s an office display. Its matte black and brushed aluminum texture at the back looks great and is easy to maintain so the monitor will always look new if you take care of it. The display is bezel-free on three sides, but you will still see inner borders when it’s in use.
It’s a compact display so you won’t have much trouble with placement or setting it up even if you have a tiny desk. It only needs 8.15 inches of depth, plus its base is rectangular in shape so it won’t get in conflict with most peripherals. it is very light for a 24-inch monitor at 6.77 pounds so it’s very portable and easy to move around for when you want to rearrange your setup.
Build quality isn’t so great since the monitor is mostly made out of plastic, including its stand. It’s a bit wobbly because of that and the low center of gravity of the attachment point, but that shouldn’t be an issue during normal use. but on a good note, its tilt mechanism is firm so the screen won’t suddenly sag or lose the angle you’ve set.
The Philips 242E1GSJ uses OSD buttons which are more time-consuming to use compared to joysticks. The keys are labeled and accessible since all of them are at the bottom of the chassis, but it takes multiple key presses to get to a specific setting. However, it’s understandable for a budget monitor to have fewer creature comforts than its more expensive alternatives.
Its stand also took a hit from the price cut since its adjustability is limited to tilt unlike most of the gaming monitors we’ve seen. The screen may appear too short for some so something to prop it up like thick books could be handy. It’s VESA compatible, but the added cost plus the price of the 242E1GSJ when combined can get something like the AOC 24G2 which is better equipped.
Its connectivity layout is limited to a slot each for DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1,4, and 3.5mm analog audio. That’s all you will need for daily use, so it’s perfectly acceptable especially since the monitor is so cheap. Extra ports like USB receptacles are handy for cable management, but you can live without them.
What’s surprising about this affordable monitor is it still manages to include a pair of 3-watt speakers for the price. They don’t sound particularly great or loud and there is no semblance of bass, so they are not usable for games or entertainment. However, it is always nice to have secondary features which you can use later on for basic purposes such as conference calls.
Display and Performance
The Philips 242E1GSJ offers a 24-inch VA panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms MPRT response time. The backlight has a 350 cd/m2 maximum while the static contrast is listed at 3500:1. This monitor doesn’t have special features like HDR, but its official specification sheet listed wide gamut coverage.
1080p monitors are still in circulation since they are practical, easy to use, and are considered the universal standard. You can see them in schools, offices, and even E-Sports arenas so many computer users are used to them. Visibility and legibility are great, plus it doesn’t take a lot of GPU grunt to reach the maximum refresh rate.
The Philips 242E1GSJ renders 100% sRGB and 91% DCI-P3 so it is quite vibrant compared to other budget monitors. Its also quite accurate with a deltaE average of only 1.49 so it looks balanced and natural. Most budget monitors require tweaking to make them serviceable but this model is ready to use right away.
Calibrating the display lowered its dE average to 1.05 which makes it usable for editing work and content creation. However, you need a colorimeter to get the same level of improvement, and those don’t come cheap. You are better off spending the money on a specialized display if you need better color accuracy for work.
The monitor’s backlight pumped out a healthy 349 cd/m2 and its contrast ratio reached 3655:1 at 60% brightness. That means the screen is usable in well-lit rooms or during the daytime and it doesn’t look grayish when viewed at night, unlike IPS panels. Watching movies and playing games with a lot of night scenes will be satisfying since the blacks are deep and true.
Panel uniformity is great for the Philips 242E1GSJ since not as susceptible to backlight leaks like IPS alternatives. There is some variance in the backlight’s spread, but it is barely noticeable unless you measure it with a colorimeter. Note that not all panels are made equal, so there are some units out there that may have issues in this regard.
It has strong contrast, but the 242E1GSJ has a disadvantage in pixel response time when compared to Fast IPS panels. Some smudges and persistence can appear in fast or contrasting transitions like when a shooting star passes through the night sky. Setting the overdrive to its Faster setting helped in reducing this flaw, but it cannot completely wipe it out.
The Philips 242E1GSJ is compatible with both FreeSync and G-Sync so you don’t have to worry about losing VRR functionality. This duality is handy now since it is not easy to get a specific GPU from AMD or Nvidia without overspending. Input lag sits at 4ms at 144Hz, so there is no need to worry about delays while enjoying your favorite titles.
Thoughts on the Philips 242E1GSJ
The Philips 242E1GSJ is a great buy if you don’t want to spend too much to enjoy the benefits of a high contrast ratio and the 144Hz refresh rate. It offers great color performance thanks to its extended gamut coverage and low deltaE average out of the box. it’s not the fastest when it comes to pixel response time, but it is still enjoyable to use for any kind of game.
However, you are sacrificing some features that many are not willing to live with such as a fully adjustable stand. That’s okay if your goal is to save money, but better-equipped models aren’t that far off in cost.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Great Color Performance
- Excellent Contrast
- FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible
Cons:
- Tilt-Limited Stand
- Prone to Blurring
About the Author: Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
Pommedeterre says
are there any other displays better compared to this monitor in the same price category.
– 24inch
– a very high color accuracy.
– 3500:1 contrast ratio is outstanding considering most IPS monitors are only 1000:1
imo it ticks all the right box.
Would love to know if there are better models around this price range.
Paolo Reva says
Hi, Pommedeterre! There are other monitors to consider out there, but none are as affordable as this model at this time. Cheers!