10 LCD Monitors Tested

As opposed to the bulky and power hungry CRT monitors, LCD monitors save both energy and space making them a must-have for organizations. In the following pages we compare some of the latest brands to help you choose the best for your needs

Friday, May 01, 2009

Print

Comment

Email

Digg

Del.icio.us

Reddit

Twitter

We tested various LCD monitors based on the display quality, features and price. We used a PC with Intel's Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz processor with Asus EAH4850 graphics card. To check for graphics capability, we connected all LCD monitors to the DVI port of the graphics card to test all monitors. The RAM used was 1 GB with 7200 rpm 120 GB HDD. Besides quality of picture, other criteria for evaluation included stability of monitor, screen adjustment ability (height and tilt angle), and efficiency of adjustment keys present on the panel.

For checking quality of display we used Displaymate benchmark, where we used two relevant parts. First we used 'set up display' to calibrate monitors for best possible display and then used 'Video obstacle course' that runs different tests for known issues like banding, color regeneration, flicker, noise, brightness level, focus, dot moire interference, dead pixels, etc. Two important points to note here are that perfect uniform color regeneration is impossible for any LCD and the best performance of an LCD can only be obtained at maximum resolution supported.

As LCD monitors are popular for their lower power consumption, we tested these monitors for minimum and maximum power consumption. To calculate maximum power consumption we maximized brightness and contrast, plus kept the background white. On the other hand, for the minimum power consumed, we checked the power consumed by these monitors in sleep mode.

Below 7k

AOC 717Fwy
Max power consumed: 17 watts
Among all LCD monitors we tested in this shootout, this is the only one with speakers in front and gives excellent sound audio quality similar to AOC 177Sa. Design of this LCD is quite sturdy with glossy piano finish frame and round base. Similar to AOC F19, this LCD monitor also comes with similar color OSD menu and buttons which make navigation very simple even for a first time user. The monitor comes with different modes of operation. If your work involves working on different types of content like text, video, Internet, etc than these modes can be used for better visual experiences. In our Displaymate Benchmark, 717Fwy's performance was average with visible flickers. With maximum supported resolution at 1440 x 900 and response time of 5 ms this monitor can be good for regular office work. To boost quality of display, 717Fwy comes with dynamic color boost and dynamic contrast ratio of 5000:1. Maximum power consumed by the monitor was almost same as consumed by LG W1742S which is excellent. Viewing angle of this monitor is 160-150 degrees which again is good, but lower than LG W1742S.

Bottomline: With sturdy and compact design and all the necessary display features this one is good for regular office usage.

AOC 177Sa
Max power consumed: 26 watts
This was one of the few non wide screen monitors we received, and that is in fact what catches your attention. The unit that we received has sturdy silver frame with 'V' shaped base to give stability while working. One that stands out in this LCD monitor is quality of sound from two appropriately hidden speakers just below screen. On screen display (OSD) was simple to use with buttons provided at bottom for easy access. Placement of head phone jack in front adds to usability of this monitor. The maximum resolution supported by this monitor is 1280x1024 ,with an excellent response time of 5 ms that reduces ghosting effects. In Displaymate benchmarks, performance of AOC 177Sa was excellent making it a good buy. This monitor gives a viewing angle of 160 degrees which is excellent for any LCD. Other factors worth mentioning are include provision to adjust height of monitors for better viewing, VESA mount ready and RoHS compliance. Typical brightness provided by this unit was 300 candelas per square meters which is again very good.

Bottomline: If wide screen is not a big issue for you then go for this high performing LCD monitor with excellent in built speakers.

LG W1742S
Max power consumed:17 watts
This 17 inch anti-glare monitor comes with a black frame and a round base to give ample stability. It stands out from amongst the rest due to the different modes of operations it provides. By pressing the 'f-ENGINE' button below the screen, one can choose between four different modes. The OSD menu is very simple and elaborate. One can switch between widescreen and the 4:3 aspect ratio mode. However, this monitor misses out on inbuilt speakers that could have added to its multimedia capability. The performance of W1742S in Displaymate Benchmark was amazing, making it a good buy if you dont want to compromise on display quality. The maximum resolution supported by this monitor is 1440x900 with a response time of 5 ms. The typical brightness supported by W1742S is 300 nits with an 8000:1 contrast ratio, which means images are clearly displayed with proper color display. The viewing angle of this monitor is excellent at 176/170 degrees, so you don't have to repeatedly adjust the screen position. But in case one wants to tilt this monitor, it can only be done within a range of -5 to 20 degrees.

Bottomline: Excellent picture quality with different modes of operations, make this versatile monitor perfect for office use.

Intex IT-1907W
Max power consumed: 33 watts
This monitor has a good looking glossy frame with trendy buttons and non glossy screen. IT-1907W comes with round base stand that supports its bulky body as lots of plastic is being used while designing rear side of this monitor. OSD menu has all the important features but is a bit complicated to use. For example, if you want to change from widescreen mode to normal 4:3 aspect ratio, you have to press many buttons, as compared to LG monitor reviewed in this shootout. Buttons, especially the power button is difficult to use though it looks brilliant. This monitor comes with inbuilt speakers with average sound quality. Power consumed by this monitor in our test was higher than AOC 177Sa with similar feature and setup. Quality of display of this monitor, when tested on Displaymate Benchmark was average with clear Moire Interference patterns. This monitor supports maximum resolution of 1440 x 900 with response time of 5 ms which is excellent. Brightness supported by IT-1907W is 300 candelas per square meter. The contrast ratio is 1000:1 which is quite low. Viewing angle supported by this monitor is 160 degrees which is decent enough.

Bottomline: Being trendy in looks with all necessary features makes this monitor a good buy for regular office work.

AOC 831S
Max power consumed: 18 watts
This along with AOC F19 were the only two 18.5 inch LCD monitors we reviewed in this shootout. Similar to AOC F19, this one also comes with great design. AOC 831S has a wine glass type design with navigation keys for OSD menu hidden from view just below screen. This monitor, similar to AOC F19 comes with different modes of operation like text, Internet etc. Aspect ratio of this monitor can be changed from 16:9 to conventional 4:3. OSD menu is same as that of AOC F19 and AOC 717Fwy, but navigational buttons are different as explained above. One important missing feature in this monitor is inbuilt speakers.

Power consumed by this monitor was very low when compared with AOC F19 with similar screen size. In Displaymate Benchmarks This monitor performed similar to AOC F19 which is good for regular usage in offices. Response time of this LCD monitor is 5 ms with maximum resolution supported at 1366 x 768. Again similar to AOC F19 and AOC 717Fwy, this monitor also comes with Dynamic Color Boost that enhances display quality. Dynamic contrast ratio in this monitor is 10000:1 which is excellent, but its brightness which is 250 candelas per square meter is lower than AOC F19.

Bottomline: Good display quality along with loads of display features and 18.5” screen make this a good buy for people who want a reasonable display area.

Page(s)   1  2