Go ahead, cut the (phone) cords
Depending on how you look at things, the SupraPlus Wireless headset is one of the coolest products the lab has looked at this year. Or it could be one of the silliest and possibly most annoying gadgets around. In showing the device around the office, we received both reactions in equal numbers.
Sony SDM-S205F
It was surprising that Sony's entry in our LCD roundup looked like a fairly normal 20.1-inch display. Most Sony products have some design quirk or style that tends to set them apart from others. But this plain-looking vanilla LCD performed quite well, especially in video-related tests.
Eizo FlexScan S2110W
The 21-inch widescreen S2110W is one of the largest LCDs in the review. And while it could be a good choice if you absolutely need a wide-format LCD, we've found that, the larger the display, the harder it is for products to ace our image quality tests. The S2110W is no exception.
Eizo FlexScan S1931SH
The 19-inch Eizo S1931SH is a great performer that scored extremely well in almost every test we threw at it. It wasn't the top monitor in overall quality, but it was very close.
Soyo Dymond DYLMO19B
The tiny 19-inch DYLMO19B from Soyo has the smallest footprint of any monitor in the review. While it takes up only a fraction of the space of some others, the stand does not tilt, pivot or turn, so you might run into problems getting the LCD into the correct viewing angle for your workspace.
Hewlett-Packard L1906
The L1906 was the only LCD in our roundup not to have a DVI port. As such, we expected image quality to be drastically inferior. However, the L1906 did surprisingly well in our tests. And with a respectable 12-millisecond response time, it was no slouch displaying video as well as images.
Hewlett-Packard LP2065
The HP LP2065 is highly affordable for a 20.1-inch LCD. And it's optimized for everyday work at government agencies'it offers the best text display we tested by far.
EPI AOC 193P+
The AOC 193P+ is a 19-inch monitor designed to fit comfortably into a tight space. It's one of two monitors in this review with a thin, wire-frame-type stand (the TBD is the other). However, the 193P+ goes beyond the normal design by putting a pivot point where the monitor pole intersects with the base.
NEC MultiSync LCD2070WNX
The 20.1-inch MultiSync LCD2070WNX is a widescreen panel with a native resolution of 1,680 by 1,050. For such a large-format display, the government price of $435 seems like a steal. However, in real-world conditions it doesn't particularly stand out from other LCDs we reviewed.
NEC MultiSync LCD2190UXi
Sometimes, you get what you pay for, which is a good thing if you're talking about an LCD that costs the government $1,441. The 21.3-inch MultiSync LCD2190UXi is one of the largest 4:3 ratio LCDs in this review, which makes its image quality even more impressive.
ViewSonic VG2021m
When we unpacked the 20-inch VG2021m, it became our early favorite. Unlike the purely functional designs of other monitors, this LCD has a bit of an artistic flair with a black frame melted into a silvery base.
ViewSonic VP2030b
For just $625, the VP2030b packs a lot of high-end features and quality into a 20.1-inch display. <font color="CC0000">|GCN Lab</font> Reviewer's Choice|</font></b>
LCDs and the digital revolution
I can see clearly now, the rain has gone'along with the moir' effects, and registration and color accuracy errors. At least for the most part. That might not make for a great song, but it describes the difference a year can make with digital displays.
Ask the lab
The GCN Lab tests hundreds of products each year. The staff has scoured more help files, user manuals and FAQs than many users will read in a lifetime. And they're happy to answer almost any technical question that's thrown their way.
Is smaller more energy efficient?
The Hewlett-Packard Compaq dc7600 Ultraslim desktop consumed the least amount of power when idle of any desktop we've tested, using only 83 watts. If your primary concern is power efficiency or space savings, the $947 dc7600 Ultraslim is a good choice.
A semi-rugged portable that's tough enough
The GCN Lab recently took a look at the new Itronix VR-1, which is something different: a semi-rugged notebook with the specs to back up that ambiguous label.
Gateway E-6500D
The E-6500D we tested is a middle-of-the-road system, not really shining in any of our tests but not failing any of them either.
Lenovo ThinkCentre A52
Not willing to part with $1,400-plus for the Dell OptiPlex we like so much? Then take a look at the ThinkCentre A52, which has a government price tag of only $1,072.
Alienware MJ-12 7550a
If biggest were best, the MJ-12 7550a would win hands down. Sitting on the test bench with the other systems, it towered over them.
Sony Vaio VGC-RC210G
The Vaio VGC-RC10G has the two hallmarks we've come to expect from the Vaio line: loads of multimedia features and a higher-than-average price tag.
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