AOC I2481FXH Review: A bezel monitor takes central stage

AOC I2481FXH Review – The AOC Style-line I2481FXH is a one-piece display unit, with the 23.8″ LCD monitor panel mounted to a matte silver metal stand. This combination has dimensions of 541 x 403 x 150mm (W x H x D). AOC has described its panel as having a “nearly borderless frame”, and I would find it hard to disagree with this observation when it comes to the top and side of the monitor. Having grown accustomed to my old monitor with its 20mm bezel, it was quite a shock to be faced by the barely 7.5mm of black bezel around three side of this unit; I have seen and used smartphones with a wider bezel that that. The bottom of the monitor has a slightly wider strip, giving room to the OSD controls that adjust the screen’s performance and visual output.

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The panel itself has an aspect ratio of 16:9 with a display area of 527.04 x 296.46mm delivering a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60Hz with 16.7 million colors. Due to the fixed nature of the metal stand, adjustment regarding height and swivel is out of the question. You are limited to tilting the screen between -3° and 20° and view content from an angle of 178° both vertically and horizontally. You have access to a fairly limited array of connection options, located to the rear. These connections consist of a D-Sub (VGA) and two HDMI ports for adding a device such as a game’s console or DVD player. There are also sockets for attaching the supplied power lead and plugging in a set of headphones for when a private listening session is called for. Leads for power, D-Sub and HDMI connection are provided in the box. As is standard with AOC display units, the company provide a software CD. Included on this CD are monitor drivers for various operating systems, utilities and a PDF version of the User Guide viewed in a browser or using Adobe Reader. The bundled utilities consist of the standard collection of tools that AOC tends to include with its product line up.

While many users are happy adjusting the screen display using the OSD features, some prefer to use the supplied iMenu utility. With this software you can quickly switch between parameters of interest that include Luminance, Image Setup, Color Temperature, Color Boost, Picture Boost and Help. Each topic features appropriate options that can be adjusted to suit individual needs. Offering a series of dropdown pick lists, the e-Saver utility allows for the setting up of time activators designed for specific tasks such as waking up or shutting down a computer. The third member of this trio of utilities is Screen+, which adds dual monitor and different screen layout functionality. The I2481FXH features builtin AOC Flicker FREE technology and delivers a bright clear display that would suit those looking for a general purpose monitor with a bit of style. Michael Fereday

AOC I2481FXH Review: Verdict

A skinny bezel, general purpose monitor.

AOC I2481FXH Review: Specifications

Contrast ratio typical 1000:1 (CR)

Display area 527.04mm x 296mm (H x V)

Viewing angle 178° (H) / 178° (V)

Maximum resolution 1920 x 1080 @60Hz.