The Philips 243B9H is an ideal candidate for remote work thanks to its plethora of features that are included at a very amicable price point. what’s special about it over the regular 243B9 is its webcam which works with Windows Hello and is able to record videos at 30 fps. Let’s see if the Philips 243B9H is worth the money as a tool for work-from-home use.
Philips 243B9H Specifications
- Screen Size: 24 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 75Hz
- Response Time: 4ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 250 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 2 Watts)
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: USB-C x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 1, VGA x 1, USB. 3.2 x 4, USB-C 3.2 PD65W x 1, 3.5mm Jack x 2
- Dimensions with Stand (WxHxD): 21.30” x 20.55” x 8.51”
- Weight: 11.99 lbs
Design and Features
The Philips 243B9H is all about business with its simplified yet functional aesthetic that won’t go out of style. The monitor has a matte black finish which will resist scratches and smudges while looking timeless and always new. The display is bezel-free on three sides but you will still see inner borders when it’s in use.
The Philips 243B9H’s size won’t surprise you since it’s no bigger or heavier than some of the office or school displays you’ve used in the past. The stand and the reinforcements add weight, but it’s not a two-man job to unbox and set this product up. The base’s shape is quite cumbersome, but it’s molded to hold small items like thumb drives or even stream decks.
Build quality for the Philips 243B9H is great since there are no signs of cosmetic and manufacturing defects. The plastic panels are free from blemishes and they feel durable and thick enough to withstand cracks and flexing. The stand doesn’t wobble so you won’t be disturbed by a shaky screen while crunching the numbers.
The has buttons instead of a more convenient joystick for its OSD controls at the front of its bottom bezel. The good news is that they are labeled and easy to see, so you don’t have to feel around for them. it still takes more presses to get to a specific setting, although it’s forgivable for affordable business monitors like this model.
The stand included with the Philips 243B9H offers tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments out of the box. This is preferable for productivity monitors so you can always adjust it to an angle where you are most comfortable. It is also compatible with VESA mounting, but it’s only necessary if space is limited or if you have multiple screens.
The Philips 243B9H also has plenty of connectivity features for an office monitor which allows it to cater to a multitude of devices. The layout includes DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, and VGA for video inputs, along with a 65-watt USB-C port for docking your laptop. It also has four USB 3.2 ports for fast transfers and a 3.5mm jack for audio inputs.
Another special add-on is its 2MP webcam which records up to 30FPS of 1080p video. The quality isn’t the best when it comes to clarity, but it works fine for conference calls and Windows Hello which lets you log in to your PC using facial recognition. This kind of package is great for today’s trend of remote work where collaboration or meetings are held online via video calls.
The Philips 243B9H is rounded up by a pair of 2-watt speakers which aren’t powerful, but useful for the purposes mentioned above. They sound tinny for games and movies, but calls sound clear enough to be understandable. We know many prefer headsets, but this feature is useful for hot days where cupping your ears with foam-covered cans is uncomfortable.
Display and Performance
The Philips 243B9H offers a 24-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 75Hz refresh rate, and a 4ms response time. The backlight has a 250 cd/m2 maximum while the contrast ratio is listed at 1000:1 like most IPS panels. This model doesn’t advertise special features like HDR, but that’s okay since this is a business model.
24-inch 1080p monitors are very easy to use since they are common and most of us are used to them from school or at the office. It doesn’t offer a lot of space or extra sharpness, but visibility and legibility are excellent. It’s not straining on the eyes to use this monitor for extended periods, although we still recommend that you give yourself some rest intervals.
The Philips 243B9H rendered 99% sRGB which is great for daily use, including games and movies. Default accuracy is superb with a deltaE average of only 1.55, giving us the impression that it’s factory-calibrated. The screen looks great overall, so users will be happy with it after a few minor tweaks.
Calibrating the Philips 243B9H lowered that dE average to 1.02 which isn’t the most impressive we’ve seen, but fantastic for an office model. However, it is not worth buying a colorimeter just to get this kind of result since the monitor already looks good by default. It’s only necessary for those who edit photos and create content and there are monitors better suited for that requirement.
The backlight on the Philips 243B9H reached 267 cd/m2 at 100% brightness which is plenty for daily use. The contrast ratio averaged at 1024:1 at 60% brightness, but it’s not enough to produce deep blacks like VA panels. The screen will look washed out when displaying dark scenes at night, but that’s a known limitation of IPS technology.
Panel uniformity for the Philips 243B9H sample was decent since there were no massive light leaks or clouding issues. there are some noticeable differences in the backlight’s spread, but it is most noticeable in dark scenes. Take note that this could vary between units due to the nature of IPS panels and some manufacturing tolerances.
The Philips 243B9H’s responsiveness isn’t the best, but that’s understandable since it has a limited refresh rate and isn’t designed for gaming. However, it does comparably better than some monitors especially if you set its overdrive to the Fast level. Doing so will reduce the persistence and slight blurring that happens in fast-paced and contrasting transitions.
The Philips 243B9H supports FreeSync but forcing G-Sync compatible mode doesn’t work smoothly. It is again understandable since it wasn’t designed for gaming. Input lag sits at 10ms at 60Hz so there will be no feeling of delays while using this monitor.
Thoughts on the Philips 243B9H
The Philips 243B9H is an attractive pick in today’s social climate where work from home setups are on the rise. We like the flexibility this monitor offers which eliminates the need to buy separate gadgets to get things done. It is also decently priced, although it’s not available in all regions so you might have to contend with the 243B9 which doesn’t have a webcam.
The Philips 243B9H is pricey for a 24-inch 1080p business monitor, but you have to remember the add-ons here. A comparable webcam will cost an additional $30 to $50, plus you have to deal with wires and getting the right position for it. It’s a great buy for those who work from home and it’s also ideal for users that have USB-C laptops like the MacBook Pro.
Pros:
- Great Price
- 65-Watt USB-C and Built-in Webcam
- Superb Default Image Quality
- Simple and Functional Design
Cons:
- Pricey for a 24-inch 1080p monitor
- Regional Availability
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.
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