AG Neovo’s unique selling feature is a thick and robust mineral glass that protects the usual monitor panel and also improves contrast and optical quality. Heavy glass makes for a heavy monitor, but this is balanced by the fact that the E-W19 is a 19in model, so most people will find it easy enough to heft into place. The feature set is minimal with a pair of built-in speakers, a VGA connector, and DVI connector. There’s no video input, and no USB port or other extras.

The E-W19’s other selling point is design. This isn’t a budget panel hidden inside a cheap plastic moulding. The finish is stylish and aimed at the consumer market, where looks can make a big difference. Unfortunately, we weren’t totally convinced by either the looks or the ergonomics. Aesthetics are subjective, and while the AG Neovo E-W19 looks different, it doesn’t look unusual or special. It’s true that the build quality is reassuringly robust, but the super-sized built-in stand means there’s no height adjustment, and no swivel. An external power pack supplies power via a slightly fragile-looking socket, compared with the usual solid IEC power connector on most monitors. This feels slightly insubstantial and may not survive being moved regularly. Overall, there’s a feeling that this is a monitor trying to be a desktop plasma TV, and not quite getting there.

In terms of ergonomics, the OSD wasn’t a favourite. The row of buttons with minimal embossed legends don’t spoil the looks, but they’re not easy to navigate – there was a small outbreak of semi-random clicking and scrolling before we found display settings that worked well. Video performance was mixed. Colour saturation and viewing angle were roughly average for the group. Text looked slightly soft, but DVD performance was very good, with no obvious smearing. The softer text makes this a difficult choice for web browsing, and considering the 19in format you’d have to love the looks to be persuaded by the price. With a £50 price cut this monitor might make the premium grade, but as it stands it’s on the pricey side, and doesn’t offer enough to justify the cost.