Not environmentally friendly LCD Monitor:Benq Q20WS

See this LCD monitor on the left? It is a Benq FP202W V3, Model Q2WS. Don't buy it. Why? I think it is not environmentally friendly and also may not make economic sense. I published another post Benq LCD Monitor FP202W V3, Model Q2WS: Don't waste your money and a visitor left a comment: "My 15" Benq has a similar issue, its blinking on and off. My take its faulty switch. After so many on and offs its blown. After reading your comment I am not going to bother trying to get it fixed. Just buy another one." Here is another dissatisfied Benq LCD Monitor purchaser. Looks like this problem is not limited to the model I bought as implied by the support person who contacted me as his is a 15" model while mine is 20" wide screen model. I am going to contact both the person who made tha comment as well as Benq support again and see what they have to say.

Here is more details about the not environmentally friendly and not budget friendly and inconvenient Benq LCD monitor I bought recently:

Benq
20" Wide TFT LCD Monitor (Version 3)
Maximum resolution WSXGA+ 1680*1050
Rating: 100 - 240V, 50 - 60Hz, 1amp

Product Name: FP202W V3
Model: Q20WS
Brightness: 300 nits
Contrast: 1000:1
Response time: 5ms
Senseye Technology
D-Sub/DVI Dual Input

I previously bad experience with a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor a long time ago. The built-in switch of the computer monitor malfunction. I had to send it to the service center. They replaced the switch and charged me a bomb for it. After that, I resolved never to connect a monitor direct to the computer, but to plug the power into a A power strip (also known as a plug board, power board, power bar, distribution board, gangplug, plugbar, multibox, or relocatable power tap) which is a strip of electrical power sockets that attaches to the end of a flexible cable and allows multiple devices to be plugged in. In my country, it is also called an extension cable.

LCD monitors from Amazon

Why I consider Benq LCD Monitor FP202W V3, Model Q2WS not environmentally friendly

I am retired, an avid blogger, am environmentally conscious, I hates waste. I am glued to the computer and connected to the Internet almost all my waking hours, but I try to keep healthy by finding every excuses to walk. Thus, while my computer is on all my waking hours, and sometimes also overnight, I like to switch off the monitor to conserve electricity whenever I am away from the computer.

With Benq LCD Monitor FP202W V3, Model Q2WS, once you switch the monitor off, when you switch the power on again, the monitor will remain off until you switch it on again from the built-in switch on the monitor itself even though you never touch it when the monitor is powered off. So it is impossible to avoid touching its built-in switch. I am afraid that because of the constant switching on and off of the monitor built-in switch, one "fine", it will decide not to work anymore. Then I have to make a decision as to whether to spend money to repair it or to give up on the monitor and get a new one. Both is going to cost me money.

I contacted Benq support and was told that the reason for them designing the monitor that way is to protect power surge damaging the monitor. To the best of my knowledge, power surge is dependent on the electricity supplier and not when you switch on or off a computer monitor. Power surge can occur anytime. Power surge damage to electrical appliances can only be protected by a power surge protector and not by forcing the user to switch the electrical appliance using a built-in switch on the electrical appliance itself.

So my advice is, before you buy a computer monitor, check to see if the built-in switch has this feature. Do it especially if you are considering a Benq monitor.

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