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| Cornerstone p1450 |
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Hardware Reviews April 2001 • Vol.4 Issue 4 |
Cornerstone p1450 | ||
 The 19-inch p1450 is Cornerstone's premier contribution to the new generation of flat CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitors. Not to be confused with LCD (liquid-crystal display) flat-panel monitors, flat CRTs are full-sized displays that feature a flat screen surface as opposed to the slight curvature found in standard CRT displays. Indeed, the p1450 weighs a solid 52.8 lbs (heavier than average) and measures 17.4 inches high x 17.6 inches wide x 17.7 inches deep (slightly smaller than average). The p1450 uses shadow mask technology, which displays pixels with more precision than aperture grille displays. Cornerstone advertises that the flat face helps reduce glare, which is apparent. The monitor has an 18-inch viewable area and holds up well at the maximum resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels. Its exceptional 0.22 dot pitch provides sharp, precise images and text. The monitor has a comprehensive OSD (on-screen display) that's intuitive and easy to use, although the default settings required almost no manual adjustment. The OSD also includes a lock-out feature to prevent unintended setting changes. We evaluated the p1450 on an IBM running Microsoft's Windows 98 operating system and employing a 450MHz Pentium III with 128MB RAM and a powerful Asus v7700 GeForce2 GTS video card. The p1450 displays text beautifully. We looked at a Microsoft Word document and an Excel spreadsheet and the monitor responded with clear lines and no fuzziness. Even when we varied the colors and fonts, we noticed consistently impressive results. During our diagnostic tests we noticed a small amount of haloing and an even smaller blooming, but these effects were not apparent when looking at text. The monitor also displays graphics with remarkable clarity, but color presentation is unexceptional. We looked at detailed images using Adobe Photoshop and found excellent definition, which was especially noticeable in darker, shaded areas. Color delineation was also quite good, which matched the top-notch results from our color scale and extreme grayscale tests, but the colors themselves were rather dull. If you routinely use word processing and spreadsheet applications, you'll surely be pleased with the p1450. Graphic designers might wish for better color, but desktop publishers and gamers might easily overlook these imperfections. Although $399 isn't a rock-bottom price for a 19-inch monitor, it's close. Even if you're looking for a monitor to use with design software, don't overlook this one; the wallet-friendly price tag might make it worth your while. by Cal Clinchard
$399 Cornerstone Peripherals (800) 562-2552 (510) 580-8900 http://www.monitorsdirect.com
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