monitor Tests (P. 13/20)

"Asus MK241 24in LCD Monitor"

Published on: 2/2008

On test: Asus MK241

Asus has been on a bit of a roll lately, producing some truly impressive and innovative products. The Asus Eee PC for instance was a prime example of the company carving a new niche in the market and opening up a whole new price point for mobile computing. Meanwhile, the Asus branded notebooks have also seen well deserved success over the past year or so, and that situation looks set to continue with some new models just around the corner set to throw up some serious competition for the likes of Sony and Samsung. Unfortunately the product I'm looking at today is going to do little to enhance Asus' strong reputation. → More

"Gateway FPD1975W 19in LCD monitor review"

Published on: 2/2008

On test: Gateway FPD1975W

The Gateway FPD1975W is cheap, but you'll need to settle for average image quality and shell out for extras (like a DVI cable) that should come standard. → More

"BenQ X2200W"

Published on: 2/2008

On test: BenQ X2200W

Reviewing and buying LCD monitors can be a minefield at the best of times. Look back a year or two and things appeared fairly straightforward. If you wanted to play games but had a limited budget then any TN Film based panel was your best bet, offering fast and responsive displays at often very attractive prices. However, these displays sacrificed colour fidelity by using 6-bit panels with "dithering" that produced only 16.2million colours compared to the 16.7million of genuine 8-bit panels, thus making them unsuitable for any colour intensive work, or for anyone with especially discerning tastes. This made the S-PVA based screens like the legendary Samsung SyncMaster 215TW much sought after, especially since viewing angles on TN Film displays were also distinctly underwhelming. However, whereas then the divide between the good and the bad, the virtuous and the evil, was very clear, now things aren't so clear cut. With TN Film based screens becoming more common and of better quality, some manufacturers are even marketing recent models as premium consumer products, combining both decent colour production and the high responsiveness that's often attractive to gamers. We've already seen this to mixed success with the likes of the LG Flatron L227WT-PF and BenQ has joined in this trend with its new X Series 1,680 x 1,050 22in LCD, the X2200W. Retailing for £299 inc. VAT when it launches BenQ is targeting gamers, with the screen initially coming bundled with a pair of Sennheiser PC 161s, the non-USB version of the excellent Sennheiser PC 166 USB Headset. So, though £300 may sound like an awful lot for a display of this type, the headphones are an added value benefit. Is it enough though? → More

"Samsung SyncMaster 932GW 19in monitor review"

Published on: 2/2008

On test: Samsung SyncMaster 932GW

Samsung, a prolific manufacturer of LCD monitors, enters the 19in widescreen market with the strong Samsung SyncMaster 932GW. → More

"NEC Multisync 2090UXi"

Issue: 2/2008

On test: NEC MultiSync LCD 2090UXi

NEC's top-of-the-range Reference 2180 colour monitor weighs in at just under £4,000, so it's interesting to see a model appear aimed at the lower end of the same market at just over a tenth of the price. → More

"Hazro HZ30WS"

Issue: 3/2008

On test: Hazro HZ30W

Hot on the heels of the stunning Eizo FlexScan SX3031W comes another 30in monster. Hazro is a new name to PC Pro, and the HZ30WS completes its HZ line, which already consists of 23in, 24in and 26in models. → More

"Lenovo L220x Wide 22in widescreen monitor"

Published on: 1/2008

On test: Lenovo ThinkVision L220x

Lenovo's ThinkVision L220x Wide display doesn't qualify as a budget 22in widescreen display, but it represents amazingly accurate visual technology and carries a host of ergonomic features to custom-tune it to your desktop environment. → More

"HP w2408h 'Vivid Color' 24in Monitor"

Published on: 1/2008

On test: Hewlett-Packard w2408h

The other day I sat down to give this monitor a thorough once over with some proper intensive technical testing - also known as Bioshock. Having played this fine game through on PC with a 22in monitor I was struck by how much more of an impact it made just by moving from a 22in to a 24in display. The two inch difference may not seem like much, but if you're wavering then you really should think again - it does make a difference. It's not just about playing games, either. In general use, it's even more pronounced - a 22in display will have a resolution of 1,680 x 1,050, which is not bad, but a 24in display will give you 1,920 x 1,200, which is that bit more usable. Many have realised that a 24in display is really the optimum in terms of native resolution, physical size, and cost, and with recent price erosion due to the use of cheaper TN based panels, as found in this HP, it is set to become increasingly popular. Certainly the price of this HP is going to get a lot of people's attention and it has to be said you're getting a lot for your money. → More

"Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP 20in flat-panel monitor"

Published on: 1/2008

On test: Dell 2007WFP

Dell's full-featured UltraSharp 2007WFP has a fully adjustable stand, multiple video ports, and USB ports to boot. But image quality - although not bad - is almost the worst among our batch of currently tested 20in widescreen LCDs. → More

"HP L1908w 19in monitor"

Published on: 1/2008

On test: Hewlett-Packard L1908w

Looking at some of the seemingly ridiculous sub-£200 price tags attached to 22in monitors, it’s obvious that larger screens are quickly becoming available for lower price tags. But unless you want to dip into the bargain bin, you’re unlikely to find too many screens from good manufacturers costing less than £150 and, as the larger sizes become mainstream, the smallest screens simply disappear from the market. While 19in may not yet qualify as small, with a lip-smacking price tag this 19inHP L1908w looks to be a genuine bargain. → More