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Hardware Reviews September 2001 • Vol.12 Issue 9 Page(s) 14-16 in print issue |
Think Thin Lower Prices Complement Slender LCDs | ||
 In the competitive world of LCDs (liquid-crystal displays), "inexpensive" is a relative term. Just two years ago, a $1,000 price tag would qualify an LCD as inexpensive. Today there are many LCDs priced at less than $500. Of these, some made their debut at $500 or less. Others were originally released with a higher price tag, but market forces have convinced manufacturers to slash prices. NEC/Mitsubishi, for example, reduced the price of its MultiSync LCD1530V 15-inch LCD from $749 to $549, and Sony recently reduced the price of its SDM-M51 15-inch LCD from $699 to $599 and its SDM-N50PS 15-inch LCD from $999 to $799. To some degree, you get your money's worth when you buy a cheaper LCD. And there are a number of high-quality LCDs to choose from without having to shell out more than $600. For this head-to-head, we reviewed four such LCDs. The most expensive sells for $599, and the least expensive sells for $449, but we found that a higher price is not necessarily an indication of better quality. In deciding which LCDs to include in this head-to-head review, we looked primarily at MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price). Coincidentally, each of these LCDs has 15 or 15.1 inches of viewable screen, a 1,024- x 768 maximum resolution, and a maximum refresh rate of 75Hz. Each LCD also comes with a three-year warranty. Better-known companies manufactured all of these LCDs, a good indication that they will be around long enough to honor warranty and technical support agreements.  How We Tested We evaluated the LCDs on an IBM system running Windows 98 on a 450MHz Pentium III with 128MB of RAM. We used an ASUS v7700 GeForce2 GTS video card, which has 32MB RAM, a standard 350MHz RAMDAC (RAM digital-to-analog converter) speed, and the ability to handle resolutions up to 1,600 x 900. This video card provides high performance and lets us test without limiting the LCDs' potential. All of the LCDs we tested use Plug-and-Play technology, and the standard 15-pin SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array) D-sub connector was included in every package, making these displays extremely easy to install. We used the desktop base that accompanied each LCD, but you can take advantage of the optional wall or arm mount and have no footprint at all.  Envision EN-5100e $449 (888) 838-6388 (510) 770-0468 http://www.epius.com Because we've experienced mixed results with other monitors from Envision Peripherals, we didn't know what to expect from its EN-5100e 15-inch LCD. To our delight, we found the EN-5100e to be one of Envision's best monitors and the best 15-inch LCD in this review. At $449, it shares the spot with Samsung's SyncMaster 570v TFT for the least expensive LCD in the bunch. The EN-5100e and NEC's MultiSync LCD1530V responded to our color and grayscale tests better than the other LCDs. In both LCDs, we found slight blooming, and color registration was slightly off vertically. These effects are hardly worth mentioning, but we could find little else to criticize about these LCDs. Using Adobe Photoshop, we looked at some complex images to determine how well this LCD could display details hiding in the shadows, streams of sunlight, and a variety of surfaces, such as flowers, grass, and gold. Both the EN-5100e and the LCD1530V rendered clean, sharp colors, and we could see clearly into the darkest corners. With a .30mm dot pitch (dot pitch is the distance between same-colored pixels), the EN-5100e is on par with the other LCDs in this review. Quality CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitors have a dot pitch of .28mm or lower, but due to the difference in technology between LCDs and CRTs, LCDs typically have a higher dot pitch and still deliver a sharp image. The EN-5100e provides great overall performance. Digital photos look realistic, and all the colors across the spectrum are well defined and vibrant. Although the OSD (on-screen display) is basic in terms of amenities, we found the screen to be very responsive to changes in settings. The EN-5100e and the LCD1530V are comparable in all respects except price. With $100 separating the two LCDs, the EN-5100e is undoubtedly the better deal. Compare the specifications for inexpensive LCDs vs. expensive, high-performance models, and you'll find that screen size and special capabilities are what separate the two categories. If you can do without a larger screen, a sensor that determines when you leave your computer, and multisource input, the EN-5100e is an ideal pick for any imaging task.  NEC MultiSync LCD1530V $549 (800) 632-4636 (630) 467-5000 http://www.nectech.com The MultiSync LCD1530V is a great 15-inch LCD, but its original price tag of $749 was high, even for an LCD of this caliber. In April, NEC/Mitsubishi announced it was cutting the price to $549, making it a definite contender for the best inexpensive LCD. Unfortunately for NEC, Envision released its EN-5100e, an LCD of comparable quality, at a low $449. As with all of the other LCDs in this head-to-head, the LCD1530V is capable of delivering up to 16.7 million colors, depending on the system's video card. Contrast ratio, which indicates how well a monitor fares under bright light, is measured at 200:1 for both the LCD1530V and the EN-5100e. This is pretty good, but better models achieve contrast ratios up to 400:1 (the higher the better). The LCD1530V's OSD is easy to use and includes the basic controls for contrast, brightness, horizontal and vertical position and size, color temperature, recall, and OSD position. The OSD also includes a lockout feature, so other users can't change your screen settings. The LCD1530V is smaller than the rival EN-5100e; the LCD1530V weighs 10.4 pounds and stands 14.6 inches high x 14.6 inches wide x 6.3 inches deep, while the EN-5100e weighs 10 pounds and stands 15.6 inches x 15.7 inches x 7.5 inches. Cost aside, we think you would be equally happy using either the LCD1530V or the EN-5100e. So if you can find the LCD1530V at a competitive street price, it's worth a look.  Samsung SyncMaster 570v TFT $449 (800) 726-7864 (201) 229-4000 http://www.samsungmonitor.com At $449, Samsung's SyncMaster 570v TFT ties with Envision's EN-5100e for the least expensive 15-inch LCD. Although the 570v is an above average LCD at a bargain price, the EN-5100e provides slightly better imaging capabilities. Like our other LCDs, the 570v was easy to install using the standard 15-pin D-sub connector, but the 570v stands apart because it includes an option to purchase a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub. And although the other LCDs come in white, you can choose either a black or white case for the 570v. We sometimes discover minor contradictions in results between our diagnostic tests and common applications; the 570v presented us with such a contradiction. During our grayscale tests, we noticed that the 570v's whites were a little washed out, and we couldn't discern much difference between bright white and the lightest shades of gray. But when we looked at images using Adobe Photoshop, the 570v displayed the brightest areas with above average clarity and brilliance. Our grayscale and color scale tests also revealed limitations with darker shades, and these were borne out in our real-world applications, as well. Darker areas were darker than they should have been, even when we used the OSD to adjust brightness and contrast. For this reason, we decided the 570v is a little behind Envision's EN-5100e and NEC's MultiSync LCD1530V in terms of graphic presentation. The 570v has a 250:1 contrast ratio, which is better than either the EN-5100e or the LCD1530V. The 570v is advertised as having a slightly better dot pitch than our other LCDs (.297mm for the 570v compared to .30mm for the rest), but this is a technical difference we didn't notice with the naked eye. To decide how the 570v rates compared to our other LCDs, you should decide what is more important based on your specific needs: graphics capabilities or price. If graphics capabilities are more important to you, we recommend that you look at the EN-5100e or the LCD1530V instead of the 570v. If price is most important, keep in mind that the 570v is tied with the EN-5100e at $449. We think the EN-5100e is the better choice, but if you find the LCD1530V at a lower street price, give it a good look.  Sony SDM-M51 $599 (888) 476-6972 (201) 930-1000 http://www.sonystyle.com When Sony released its SDM-M51 15.1-inch LCD at $699, it was a good example of an OK display that suffered from a comparatively high price. But in June Sony cut the price to $599, making it a better contender for our category of inexpensive LCDs. The SDM-M51 is the most expensive LCD in this head-to-head, and although it delivers decent quality overall, its graphics capabilities are a bit lacking. But before you rule the SDM-M51 down for the count, consider all of its features. Unlike our other LCDs, the SDM-M51 includes built-in stereo speakers (for the other LCDs, you have the option to purchase external speakers). The SDM-M51 also has the highest contrast ratio; at 300:1 it provides the clearest imaging under bright lights. The OSD is located on the right side of the panel (instead of the usual place, centered below the display); we found this a more natural position, letting us see the display and the text by each button as we adjusted the settings. Left-handed folks might consider this annoying, though. The Sony SDM-M51 yielded absolutely perfect results during most of our diagnostics. It held up well under tests for screen uniformity, video bandwidth and brightness, and screen regulation, and we detected no blooming or halo effects. The LCD responded poorly, however, to our grayscale and color scale tests. Both the light and dark ends of the extreme grayscale were muted; the darker shades were barely distinguishable from one another, and the lighter shades were equally washed out. Likewise, colors on the dark end of the color scales were too dark, and colors on the light end were too bright. These results were also evident when we examined digital photographs. Brighter areas were washed out, and shaded areas were a little darker than they should have been. Even when we cranked up the brightness percentage from 60 (the factory standard) to 80, it further washed out the lighter colors. We also adjusted the color temperature, but this didn't provide a helpful effect. Sony has a solid reputation for durability, so you owe it to yourself to look at the SDM-M51 and decide for yourself. But if your wallet really can't expand to consider a $599 purchase, don't go out of your way to look at this LCD. Strike While The Iron's Hot If you're reading this review, you are probably looking to get rid of your clunky CRT monitor and get a piece of the LCD action. If so, now is the time to buy while prices are low. At $449, Envision's EN-5100e is our Smart Choice for an LCD priced at less than $600. Its closest rival in quality, NEC's MultiSync LCD1530V, costs $100 more; and the monitor with the same $449 price tag, Samsung's SyncMaster 570v TFT, doesn't quite beat the Envision EN-5100e for overall quality. We think you'll be happy with the EN-5100e, but keep in mind that prices for high performance LCDs with larger screens and more capabilities are also at an all-time low. For $1,299 you can buy Sony's SDM-M81, a fantastic 18.1-inch LCD with tons of amenities; a similar LCD would have cost about $2,000 a year ago. Because you'll be looking at your new LCD for a long time, you owe it to yourself to carefully weigh your options and find the model that suits you best.  by Cal Clinchard
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