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| IBM T54H |
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Hardware Reviews January 2001 • Vol.9 Issue 1 Page(s) 40 in print issue |
IBM T54H | ||
 LCDs (liquid-crystal displays) continue to gain popularity among consumers, in part because they look so good on a desktop and are a great way to save space. Thin and lightweight, LCDs also boast flicker-free pictures at high resolutions and they consume very little power compared to their bulky CRT (cathode-ray tube) counterparts. But LCDs are not without their drawbacks. These displays typically cost more than twice as much as a CRT monitor of the same size and feature a much more narrow field of vision. In addition, LCDs often have trouble displaying accurate colors and smooth images at resolutions lower than the unit's recommended settings. That's not to say that IBM's T54H 15.1 TFT LCD Monitor isn't a decent display. The 14.3-pound, 14.6-inch high x 15.8-inch wide x 7.9-inch deep monitor consumes only about 30 watts of energy and produces a very nice, nonflickering, color-rich picture at 1,024 x 768 resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 75 hertz. The OSD (on-screen display) controls take some getting used to but are easy to operate once you get the hang of it. The T54H lets you adjust all the basic picture settings, including brightness, contrast, screen position, and color. You can even switch between analog and digital compatibility so that your monitor will operate effectively with your video card. However, we didn't like the fact that the control display disappears after only 10 seconds of inactivity, which means you have to reaccess a specific control display menu if you take too long to adjust your monitor settings. During our tests of the T54H, we spent a lot of time adjusting the monitor's contrast and brightness settings so that we could achieve the display's optimum grayscale output. We were only partially successful; darker gray shades were distinct, but the monitor never did display the lighter grays of our test images very well, and it produced ivory and yellowish whites. The T54H's vertical color registration was also noticeably off, and small text (10 points and smaller) appeared distorted and fuzzy. Even so, the monitor displayed our color photographs extremely well. Images appeared rich, vibrant, and detailed on the screen, with smooth, even transitions among shadows. This isn't the best flat-panel monitor we've reviewed, but it still produces top-notch color and sharp imaging overall. However, we wouldn't want to spend hours reading the fuzzy small text on the display's screen. If saving space and power consumption are not your top priorities, save your money and buy a CRT monitor that will perform just as well or better for less than half the price of the IBM T54H. by Lori Robison
$1,129 IBM (800) 426-4968 (404) 238-1234 http://www.ibm.com
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