| The Big Picture: 21-inch Monitors Compared | |||||||||
| Company | Product | Mouse Rating | List Price | Contact | Viewable Area A | Maximum Resolution B | Warranty (in years) C | USB Hub | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| GENERAL-USE MONITORS | |||||||||
| ADI | MicroScan 6G |  | $850 | 800/228-0530, | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 4 | no | Acceptable quality overall, marred by stubborn moire effects and poor controls. Very good warranty. |
| Apple Computer | 
Apple Studio Display with ColorSync D |  | $1,499 | 800/795-1000 | 19.8 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 1 | yes | Excellent overall quality and a reasonable price; a great companion for new Power Mac G3s. Older Macs can’t access on-screen controls. Worst warranty. For pro use: accurate hue, but too much contrast. |
| CTX International | EX1300 |  | $1,285 | 800/888-9052 | 20.0 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 3 E | no | Acceptable overall quality, but with somewhat washed-out colors. Dimmest monitor. |
| Eizo Nanao Technologies | FlexScan FX-E7S | | $1,399 | 800/800-5202 | 19.7 | 1,280 x 1,024 F | 3 | $109 | Acceptable sharpness and color. Dimmer than recommended. |
| FlexScan T960 | | $1,399 | 800/800-5202 | 9.6 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | yes | Acceptable color quality and sharpness, although reversed type blurry. | |
| Hitachi NSA | RasterOps 8115 | | $999 | 800/906-4482 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Acceptable overall quality, although with a slight color cast. Very bright monitor. VGA connection only. |
| RasterOps 8135 | | $1,229 | 800/906-4482 | 20.0 | 1,856 x 1,392 | 3 | no | Acceptable overall quality. Control buttons are not intuitive. Brightest monitor. VGA connection only. | |
| iiyama North America | VisionMaster 502 | | $1,239 | 800/394-4335 | 19.5 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | General image quality acceptable, but at high resolution, the text became unreadable and image appeared to vibrate. |
| VisionMaster Pro 502 | | $1,239 | 800/394-4335 | 19.5 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 3 | Acceptable overall quality. Good price for monitor with this maximum resolution. | ||
| Mag InnoVision | DJ920 |  | $747 | 800/827-3998 | 19.9 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Good bargain monitor with acceptable overall quality. Some moire problems. Good warranty. Outstanding controls. |
| miro Displays | Radius Precision View XL-1 | | $1,249 | 650/988-7270 | 19.7 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Acceptable sharpness and color quality. Bright monitor. |
| Mitsubishi Display Products | Diamond Plus 100e | | $1,099 | 800/843-2515 | 19.7 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | $/TD> | Acceptable overall quality. Good warranty. |
| Diamond Pro 1000e | | $1,349 | 800/843-2515 | 19.7 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 3 | $79 | Acceptable color quality and sharpness, but reversed type somewhat blurry. Good warranty. | |
| Diamond Pro 1010e | | $1,499 | 800/843-2515 | 19.7 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 3 | $79 | Acceptable color quality and good text sharpness, but reversed text somewhat blurry. Good warranty. | |
|
Diamond Pro 2020u | | $1,499 | 800/843-2515 | 20.0 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 3 | yes | Excellent sharpness, acceptable color quality, a flat screen. USB hub allows two computers to share monitor and devices. | |
| NEC Technologies | MultiSync FP1350 | | $1,499 G | 800/632-4636 | 20.0 | 1,920 x 1,440 | 3 | $79 | Acceptable sharpness and color quality with slightly washed-out colors. Good warranty. Flat screen. |
| MultiSync P1250+ | | $1,099 G | 800/632-4636 | 19.6 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 3 | $79 | Acceptable color quality and good text sharpness. Good warranty. | |
| Optiquest | Optiquest V115 | | $1,049 | 800/843-6784 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Acceptable sharpness and color quality, although colors slightly washed out. Good warranty. |
| Panasonic Computer Peripheral Company | PanaSync E110 | | $999 | 800/742-8086 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Acceptable color quality, but poor sharpness with blurry text. Good warranty. |
| PanaSync S110 | | $1,259 | 800/742-8086 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Excellent sharpness and acceptable color quality. Good warranty. | |
| PanaSync/Pro P110 | | $1,399 | 800/742-8086 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Acceptable overall quality. Good warranty. | |
| Philips Consumer Electronics | Philips Brilliance 201B | | $999 | 800/531-0039 | 20.0 | 1,800 x 1,350 | 3 H | $59 | Acceptable sharpness and color quality. Flat screen. Good price for high resolution. Mediocre warranty. |
| Princeton Graphic Systems | Princeton EO2010 | | $999 | 800/747-6249 | 20.1 | 1,920 x 1,440 | 3 | no | Acceptable overall quality. Good price for high resolution, although reversed text was blurry. Good warranty. |
| Samsung Electronics | SyncMaster 1000s | | $1,179 | 800/933-4110 | 19.7 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Acceptable overall quality, but flesh tones slightly washed out. Good warranty. |
| Sony Electronics | CPD-520GS | | $1,049 G | 800/352-7669 | 19.8 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Acceptable overall quality. At high resolutions, reversed text blurry. Bright monitor. |
| GDM-F500 | | $1,900 G | 800/352-7669 | 19.8 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 3 | no | Excellent sharpness and color quality, but at a high price. Flat screen. | |
| ViewSonic | MB110 | | $1,149 | 800/888-8583 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | yes | Acceptable color quality, but poor sharpness, with blurry text. Good warranty. Includes special speaker system. |
| P817 | | $1,849 | 800/888-8583 | 20.0 | 2,048 x 1,536 | 3 | yes | Acceptable overall quality. Highest possible resolution, but with high price. | |
| PT813 | | $1,295 | 800/888-8583 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | no | Excellent color quality, and acceptable sharpness. Good warranty. | |
| | |||||||||
| PROFESSIONAL MONITORS | |||||||||
| Barco Display Systems | Personal Calibrator Plus | | $4,295 | 770/218-3200 | 20.0 | 1,600 x 1,280 | 2 | no | Accurate, easy-to-use monitor, but expensive. |
| Reference Calibrator Plus |  | $6,990 | 770/218-3200 | 20.0 | 1,800 x 1,440 | 2 | no | The ultimate in color accuracy, but at a very high price. Colorimeter attached to unit. | |
| LaCie |
electron21/108 | | $1,849 | 503/844-4500 | 19.7 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | yes | Accurate color quality at a bargain price. Good warranty. Built-in USB hub allows two computers to share monitor with blue eye calibrator and devices. |
| Mitsubishi Display Products | SpectraView 1000 | | $3,499 | 800/843-2515 | 19.7 | 1,600 x 1,200 | 3 | $79 | Color not very accurate. Good warranty. Optional USB hub allows two computers to share monitor and devices. |
| A Measured diagonally, in inches. B In pixels. C For parts, CRT, and labor. D Evaluated as both a general-use and professional monitor. E Two-year CRT warranty. F Documentation recommends a maximum resolution of 1,280 by 1,024, although we found higher-resolution quality acceptable. G Estimated street price. H One-year CRT warranty. | |||||||||
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