Direct interaction with on-screen content seems to have become an everyday feature for an increasing number of mobile phone users, but with a touch-sensitive monitor and a modern operating system, this is an option for desktop PC users as well. According to the de facto standards of today, HP 2310ti fulfils all requirements for a good monitor and has a touch-sensitive screen. That’s a good start.

Its considerable mass is the first physical characteristic that separates it from ordinary monitors. Most of it is due to the robust stand, which provides stability during use. The vertical angle of the display can be adjusted to a nearly zero-degree angle if needed, making it parallel to the desk surface; touch monitors are often used this way. It could have been “more parallel”, to be honest, but that’s just our perfectionism seeping through. OSD buttons are placed below the monitor frame, but this time around, such a decision is fully justified, as the user could accidentally press them otherwise. The tiny canal between the frame and the display reveals that the optical surface contact detection technology is used for this particular model. Two sensors are placed in the upper corners and detect contact with the display surface. This technology is inexpensive, while providing the ability to recognise contact at two points simultaneously. Mathematically, this is multitouch, but linguistically, it’s a bit unfair to call it that. Another advantage is that contact can be established by finger, pen or pretty much anything else.

 

The colour display is brilliant, a feat rarely seen in touch-sensitive monitors. Nuanced transitions are displayed without a hint of error, while colours are equally distributed across the entire spectrum, once the dynamic contrast option is turned off in the OSD menu. Backlight bleeding isn’t too present, but the viewing angle impacts the visibility of black significantly. As the viewing angles are satisfactory for everyday use, it seems that this particular flaw is caused by the additional protective layer over the display. This is why one can see two reflections on the monitor, instead of a single, present on glossy monitors. We have nothing to reproach in the response time department, since all dynamic content, from games to films, was shown flawlessly.

One doesn’t need to be clairvoyant to deduce that fingers and slippery surfaces don’t go well together. This is why there’s a patch of cloth in the accompanying bundle, but it seems that even a fully equipped French maid with all the latest chemistry wouldn’t be of much help. Visually, this isn’t so much of a hindrance, unless you’re obsessed with cleanliness, but it does affect the tactile feeling during use. The smooth surface isn’t optimised for long finger movements, as you have to battle friction all the time, until hitting a smudged “piece” from earlier on. Depending on its freshness, it will cause more or less problems. The simple solution is to keep in mind that even the slightest touch is sufficient to use the monitor with this sort of technology, and after that, everything will be as - smooth as silk!