Buy it NOW!
so yeah...
heh.
ok. here's my real review for ya...
I have used and loved CRT monitors for many years. However, as I kept seeing prices dropping and specifications improving on LCD monitors I decided it was my time to make the dive into the 21st century. This is the first LCD monitor I have used extensively and thus this review will focus on the switch from CRT to LCD as well as cover the LCD panel in question.
The Benq (Acer) FP767B 17” Flat Panel LCD caught my eye by way of several fellow forum members suggesting it as a very good quality entry LCD panel. I took a look at the specifications and decided they were virtually top of the line for a 17” LCD. The only thing missing from this monitor is DVI, which I haven’t missed at all. (more on this later) The price was very good as well at approximately $380.00 online. (list $479.00)
Key Features:
• 1280x1024 Native Resolution @ 75hz
• 500:1 Contrast Ratio
• 16ms Pixel Response Time
• .264mm Dot Pitch
• Stereo speakers (2x2Watts)
• 3 year warranty (1 year cross ship)
Setup:
The packaging for this product surprised me to no end. It was very light and very well thought out. There is even a real plastic handle (not just a hole in the box) to make carrying the unit trouble-free. The packing was very good with foam blocks form fitted to the unit and sturdy plastic wrap around the monitor and other components. It would have been nice to see a thin layer of foam cut to fit the screen size and secured to it for a little extra scratch protection, but my monitor had no problems. Assembly was over before I even realized it. The base simply snaps on and is secured using a push button mechanism on the underside of the base which makes assembling and disassembling the unit a breeze.
Installation:
Using the supplied cables I plugged in the power and VGA connectors on the back. The monitor comes with a cable for audio, however, I opted not to use the integrated speakers since they were too low power for a realistic test or normal use. Everything connected easily and without event when the monitor and computer where powered on. The monitor takes a few seconds to adjust itself each time you use a different resolution. This eventually will go away as you put the monitor through your normal resolutions you use as it will remember its settings for those particular resolutions. CRTs typically do not need to take a few seconds to change resolutions at any time. Once the LCD is accustomed to your resolutions, size changes from the CRT and LCD displays are the same speed and very low visual impact.
Performance:
A common question when discussing LCD panels is “does it ghost?” Ghosting is a term referring to a phenomenon related to the pixels changing colors from one frame to the next. On slower LCD panels (response time 20ms+) ghosting can occur. Ghosting is specifically the previous image not refreshing to the new image fast enough and thus you see a portion of the last image with the new image resulting in a fuzzy display. This typically happens when going from light to dark in rapid succession. Common instances of this occurring are in games and movies. Day to day tasks are more or less unaffected. With the 16ms response time of this monitor I have yet to see any ghosting. The monitor is very quick and sharp even when playing very dark games with bright weapon explosions. Movie performance is unlike anything I’ve ever seen on a computer. The image is very clear and fluid.
This monitor lacks DVI which is the preferred connection for LCD panels since with DVI the image is produced digitally and sent to the monitor which uses a digital signal to process and display the image. With a CRT the image is produced digitally in the video card, converted to analog VGA then displayed analog on the CRT. With a LCD monitor without DVI the image is produced digitally, converted to analog, sent to the panel, converted back to digital and then displayed digitally. This may sound like the worst way to do it and in all reality it is. The more conversions the lesser the image quality tends to be. Think of it as making a copy of a copy of a copy. The last copy is always much lesser in detail. However this monitor pulls this feat off without a hitch. Image quality in any medium is always very clear and smooth.
The biggest rift in the CRT vs. LCD debate seems to be choice for gaming and for 2D applications. The majority prefer LCD for 2D (clarity of text and ease on the eyes) and CRT for gaming (high resolutions and accurate colors). I fully expected to become another minion subscribing to that opinion when I first powered the monitor on. I was shocked when it turned out I felt the exact opposite after a few hours of meddling with it. I far prefer the LCD for gaming because of the crispness and smooth frames and preferred the CRT for 2D because I find the LCD a little too pixelated on text and static images.
Viewing angle with this monitor is very good. I was able to see good results with a 90 degree angle (45 degrees on both sides from center) with only a slight gray-browning of the screen at the extreme of my acceptable range. This is more than enough room to have two people reading the monitor at the same time and also the ability to freely relax in your chair without having to adjust your monitor every time you make any slight moves.
Miscellaneous:
I am an active LAN attendee and I happened to get this monitor just days prior to a LAN so I decided to pack it up and bring it instead of my bulky CRT and I was delighted to only have 2 trips from the car instead of the normal 3 (tower, monitor, bag of assorted parts). The “Wow, that looks sweet” comments didn’t hurt either.
Dead pixels are a constant, nagging problem with LCD panels and I was pleased to have 0 (zero) dead pixels. Quality control with this panel seems to be very good as there are few reports of major problems.
SPACE! I finally have desk space once again. I made quick use of it by storing my UPS and internet related hardware behind my monitor. I have decided to try dual monitors so I currently have my CRT on my workstation next to my LCD.
Conclusions:
I was worried initially with my first long term experience with an LCD monitor but was very pleasantly surprised when it exceeded most of my expectations. This monitor should become very popular due to its good pricing, exceptional features, and performance. The only monitors capable of surpassing the quality of this monitor would require DVI input which increases the cost significantly. This would be a perfect starter LCD or even a permanent LCD as I see no real reason to upgrade for any other features, save DVI input.
In short. I highly recommend this item.
oh and btw...
WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!
