A Guide to Choosing the Right 19" LCD Monitor - 7 Models Reviewed
by Kristopher Kubicki on November 30, 2004 12:04 AM EST- Posted in
- Displays
ViewSonic Q190MB
Rounding up our 19" battleground, we have the entry level ViewSonic Q190MB. It's been a while since we had the opportunity to check out any ViewSonic LCDs, but we saw one of ViewSonic's Optiquest "budget" LCDs on sale and figured that we had to give it a shot.ViewSonic's Q190MB sports another very plain design, but there's more to a monitor than just what the bezel looks like.
ViewSonic Q190MB | |
LCD | 19" SXGA LCD (Active Matrix) pixel pitch: 0.294mm Anti-glare coating |
Scanning Frequency | Horizontal: 31-80kHz Vertical: 56-76Hz |
Response Time | 25ms (Typical) |
Contrast Ratio | 700:1 (Typical) |
Compatibility | 1280 x 1024 (Native) |
Brightness | 250 cd/m2 |
Viewing Angle | 170 / 170 (Horizontal / Vertical) |
Power | Working: 55W |
Warranty | 3 years parts and labor |
Interface | DVI 15-pin D-sub |
ViewSonic's claim of a 700:1 contrast ratio seems a bit high, but as we mentioned in the previous pages, contrast ratios are not very good specifications to measure a monitor's performance, since they are measured inconsistently. Looking a little closer, the Q190MB seems almost identical to our NuTech L921G, albeit with a higher price tag. It is our expectation that the two monitors will perform nearly identical, but we have been fooled before.
ViewSonic doesn't have a very fancy user interface or ergonomic control, but menus were easy to navigate and manage. The Q190MB doesn't have all the features of the VX or VG series monitors, but the panel used in the monitor construction is slightly better. It's a surprise that this monitor is geared as an entry level unit.
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Cat - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
Kristopher, could you comment on the perceived lag that I've felt on three different 2001FPs? There's no ghosting, but the delay between moving the mouse and having an update on the screen is horrible. DVI-I and D-SUB, different video cards, systems, the works, they all have it.I don't see this on the other LCDs here at work. I know there was a Slashdot post about this a while back, and some have said it's caused by bad batches, but three of them having the same problem? I don't know if I should send my personal 2001FP back ...
InuYasha - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
>Umm, yeah what up with that? Why can't someone >explain the reason to get a 19" versus a 17" if >the resolution is the same (ignoring that the >dot pitch is bigger thus easier to see).It's the same friggin reason why people buy a 50" TV instead of a small 20"
InuYasha - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
>"Recall that 19" LCDs have roughly the same >viewing area as 21" CRT monitors, and that 17" >LCDs have about the same viewing ANGLE as 19" >CRTs.">angle = area in this case?
>Some stories get edited well on anandtech, and >some not so well...
a 19" LCD is measured EXACTLY 19"image display size, but a 19" CRT is usually like 18" or 17.x", the 19" is usally the glass size, not the actual image size for CRTs
sonicDivx - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
Umm, yeah what up with that? Why can't someone explain the reason to get a 19" versus a 17" if the resolution is the same (ignoring that the dot pitch is bigger thus easier to see).Also why not list the settings you used for each monitor to attain the results you got (during subjective tests). This way we could set the LCD to your spec and go from there. Where is the Samsung 912N in review, its a common LCD out there?
>HelToupee
>viewing ANGLE as 19" CRTs."
>
>angle = area in this case?
HelToupee - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
In the second paragraph on the first page:"Recall that 19" LCDs have roughly the same viewing area as 21" CRT monitors, and that 17" LCDs have about the same viewing ANGLE as 19" CRTs."
angle = area in this case?
Some stories get edited well on anandtech, and some not so well...
IHYLN - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
I'm no english major but "more are better" "less are better" in some of the graphs made me wonder.nastyemu25 - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
I agree, let's see a Sony HS-94P/B with x-black technology review!ocyl - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
Should have dropped Benq's colour scores to 2 (or 1, even) for its decision to use a 6-bit panel instead of a True Colour (8-bit) one :PFilibuster - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
>I think there have to be gamers here, and I do not think LCDs are there yet when it comes to refresh rates; it would have been nice to see the refresh rates on the monitors at 1024, 1280, and 1600.LCD displays don't have a refresh rate at any resolution. There is no flicker to be worried about.
Ensign - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - link
In the Intro, it says, "A reasonably cheap, new 21" CRT runs for about $350; a reasonably cheap, new 21" LCD runs for about $330." I'm guessing that was supposed to say 17" or 19" LCD?