BenQ FP931

BenQ FP931

Only recently available world wide, BenQ usually sends only high end LCD screens for testing. But most of their sales is made with other much cheaper products.
This time, BenQ sent us a basic model LCD, and this was a good move as this monitor is a turning point for 19” LCD screens.




Ergonomics

BenQ didn’t try to create a user friendly screen, but rather an inexpensive and efficient one.


The FP931 isn’t vertically adjustable and doesn’t have a pivot mode, but the screen body is thin. The only available input is analogical, but there’s not too much concern here as they are rarely problematic. Color quality is identical as well as pixel reactivity. The only potential problem is a lack of sharpness if the phase and clock aren’t properly adjusted. With this screen, however, the picture was perfectly sharp.


Color quality
In standard settings, brightness reached approximately 100 cd/m². The first test was disappointing with these parameters as blacks were washed away, and colors were not always accurate.

You will have to work quite a bit with the settings. For us, it was much easier thanks to our calibration probe. With the right adjustments (and after increasing the contrast via the screen’s OSD) results changed. The screen displayed superb colors, and the spectrum was wider than our CRT screen of reference!


How to interpret the graph? The X axis is 0 to 100, 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3 the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1, the result is perfect.

The BenQ goes even further than the Mitsubishi CRT screen in reds and greens. Since we started this test (it’s quite recent), this is the first time we obtained such a good result. (It isn’t the last time as you will see further in this test).
There was still one problem. The CRT’s brightness was 90cd/m² and the BenQ screen’s 200 cd/m². With an additional 100 cd/m² the BenQ result is clearly not as good. Professional photographers and graphic designers who work all day and night may find this screen a little fatiguing after a while.






Games



The time is over when manufacturers integrated old and short-winded components to their screens. The FP931 is equipped with a 16ms AU Optronics panel. The result is as good as 17” screens equipped with AU 8, 12 and 16 ms panels, and that means it’s excellent and perfect for gaming.

We still noticed a slight afterglow that was quickly negligible once we became involved in the game.

We don’t have to only play with 17” LCD screens! Yes!

Interpolation

Here it’s not excellent. We strongly recommend using this screen only with its standard 1280x1024resolution. From 1024x768 a lot of detail disappears and picture outlines are blurred.

Movies



Unfortunately, this is often the other side of the coin. You may have heard before, if game quality is good results with movies aren’t. This is also true here with small viewing angles and + 256K inborn colors extended to 16.2 millions by dithering, a software trick, which can result in a disturbing “twinkling” effect in large colored areas. It’s OK for watching short video sequences, but not for use as a TV.

Verdict

It’s finally happening. Some 19” screens are reactive enough for demanding gamers. There should be a turning point this fall / winter 2004. As technological breakthroughs for TN panels aren’t only limited to 17” screens this means that users will progressively change from 17” to 19”s.



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Belinea 10 19 06

Belinea 10 19 06

Belinea products are mainly available in Europe. We have however included this screen to this test as it is possible to buy it in European shops.

The body is familiar and gives this screen away. It’s built by Proview and we understand why Belinea chose to work with them once again. The screen is superb, the panel ultra slim, the metal base is very nice…

This is it for the design. Now the components, of which the panel is actually a MVA 25 ms.



Ergonomics

Analogical input, non-vertically adjustable, no headphone jack (despite the presence of speakers in the front), ergonomics are minimal, but enough for most users. As we already said, the screen is nice and slim, and this is already a good start.


Color quality

MVA panels always have nice colors and here there is no exception. White is bright (240 cd:m² on average), and the black deep (0.26 cd:m²). The contrast ratio is 928 : 1.

This isn’t enough today, however, as even TN panels provide nice colors, a step below (black is less deep) but good enough for picture editing.

How to interpret the graph ? The X axis is 0 to 100, where 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3, the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

Games



MVA panels have the reputation of providing nice colors but with low reactivity. Once again, this screen is no different as trails of light behind bright objects are noticeable.

We don’t recommend playing action game with this screen, and you may want to limit your gaming to static and strategic games.

Interpolation

Here the result is terrible, and it looks like a screen from an older generation. Image quality resized in 1024x768 is significantly reduced, and it’s imperative to use this screen with its standard resolution.

Movies



This screen supposedly displays 16.37 million colors. Actually, this figure is probably a little lower, and under standard settings it’s possible to see a “twinkling” effect in large colored areas, similar to that seen on 8 bit screens.

Fortunately, reducing brightness and contrast ratios diminish this effect. From a distance of one meter it disappears completely.

Verdict



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Hyundai L90D+

Hyundai L90D+

Hyundai announced the release of 17” LCD screen with 10 and then 8 ms response times before summer s2004. Six month later we are still waiting for this screen. In the end Hyundai seems to have cancelled their fast 17” to release a new L90D+ (notice the “+” close to the D) equipped with an 8 ms panel.

This panel manufactured by Samsung is also included in the excellent 913N tested further in this article.



Ergonomics


Even if this screen is equipped with a fast panel, and unlike its rivals, the L90D+ also has high ergonomics. The screen is vertically adjustable, it has an internal power supply, a pivot mode (very useful for image editing, typing long texts and surfing on Internet) AND it has two video inputs one analogical and one numerical. Amongst fast screens it is the only one and we appreciate the effort.





Color quality

The screen white level is 196 cd/m², and the black 0,29 cd/m², and its contrast ratio is 677 : 1. This screen is brighter than a CRT but remains correct compared to the other flat screens.

Quite logically the L90D+ was also very accurate for color displays as the two following graphic shows.


How to interpret the graph ? The X axis is 0 to 100, where 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3, the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

Like many other screen the L90D+ color spectrum has nothing to be ashamed of compared to the CRT Mitsubishi. TN LCD screens can’t be considered as the worse panels for color display. The result is perfect here!
However like the Samsung 913N this screens’ viewing angles are lower than the average TN screen.

Games



Test with the L90D+ confirm our earlier tests with the 913N, the Samsung 8 ms panel is the fastest panel on the market. Compared to fast AU Optronics and LG-Philips panels, afterglow is reduced. And you really need to be allergic to LCD screens quality no to use it to play.

However, afterglow is still present. Very few of you will see it but it still higher than with a CRT screen.

Interpolation

We say it again, this screen should only be used with its native resolution.

We already noticed it with the Belinea 10 17 35 (a 17” LCD screen equipped with the same panel technology), the Samsung 913N and with this screen. Quality is barely good enough in 1024 x 768, and result below is very disappointing. If you want to have a better image in the game lower progressively graphic details until the perfect fluidity, but don’t reduce the resolution.

Movie


This screen ergonomics is satisfying, and the price also is. It is very reactive (it is the best LCD screen so far). We could hope that it would be perfect for everything…but it isn’t. TN panel as usual only knows 260 K colors extended to 16.2 M thanks to the dithering. This trick might work with games but with movies and color scale sit doesn’t. We usually see a strong “twinckling” effect, pixels moving apparently randomly (fortunately in restricted areas). It is a rather unpleasant up to 2 meter distance. After 2m this effect disappears.

Stil from two meter you need to be exactly in front of the computer. As mentioned earlier, the L90D+ viewing angles are lower than average: from 45° on the side, colors change.

Verdict

Tested later than the 913N, the L90D+ will however be available sooner than the Samsung (which will be available for most countries in number in January). The L90D+ is also cheaper and has better ergonomics. This screen has two inputs, analogical and numerical. It doesn’t change the picture or color quality, or the afterglow but at least you are able to choose. So this screen finally has a slightly better grade than its competitor. However do not get too excited as we know that only a few units will be available in the next two months so everyone might not be able to get one.



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Nec LCD 1970GX

Nec LCD 1970GX

Can you guess what new screen I am? Here are a few hints: I am a product of the NEC R&D department, have an 8 ms panel and feature a technology developed by Sony that involves brightness and filters. If you said the LCD1970GX, a great screen bound too please gamers, you were right!


Ergonomics


Awesome! There is a nice design and the body is very thin. It also features:
- One USB hub 2 ports one the left side (very useful for USB keys),
- A double DVI, analogical interface
- A turning plate to turn the screen towards another user.
- A vertically adjustable stand
- A cable guide on the back to keep your desk clean.


It only lacks a pivot mode, a simple system to place it on the wall, and a “zero dead pixel” warranty.

NB : the OptiClear « technology » reinforces backlighting and adds a filter panel to direct light towards the user, strengthening brightness. The main downside is a quite bothersome mirroring effect under certain conditions.

Color quality

The 1960GX clearly isn’t a monitor for graphic designers, because it’s too bright. Therefore, we will only stay with a color temperature of 6500K, which is recommended for games, video or work.

With pre-settings

The monitor offers four preset modes accessible directly via a RESET/DV Mode control on the front of the screen. This control successively changes from DV Mode OFF to DV 1, 2 and 3. Theoretically, each one is suited for a particular use : 1 for games, 3 for movies, etc. In practice, use the off for texts, 1 for games and forget about the rest.

NEC says its brightness is theoretically 400 cd/m². This figure should surprise more than one user. What’s the interest of such a number, when CRTs have never been over 100 cd/m and have always been the reference for color quality ²? The answer is that colors are more vivid and actually quite flashy. The colorimeter shows white at 361 cd/m²! However, such a brightness has one drawback. Black is actually dark gray (0.51 cd/m²). This is a problem for graphic designers but not for other users.



How to interpret the graph ? The X axis is 0 to 100, where 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3, the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

You may need some time to get used to work and play with such brightness and vivid colors, especially if you were a CRT owner. As this luminosity might bother some, we decided to bypass the proposed settings and manually change contrast and brightness. After a couple of attempts, we obtained a contrast of 40 and a brightness of 60. Here, white was at 231 cd/m² and black at 0.35 cd/m², and the accuracy graph remains correct:



Viewing anglesIt’s a TN screen and not one of the best in this area despite product claims. For vertical angles, under 10° from below the image already starts to darken. From above, it’s better not to go over 35°. We feel that the vertical viewing angle is only 45°, far from the 155° claimed by NEC.

From each side the picture is satisfactory until 40° and acceptable until 60°. Over this limit, with the mirroring effect and reduction in brightness reduction it’s not really usable. The real usable vertical viewing angle is 120 ° instead of the claimed 170°.

This all comes from the method of measuring viewing angles and we will go in to depth on this subject in future articles. But as you may already know we think buyers can be misled in this area.

Games

It’s excellent! As we saw with the Sony HS-74P which features the same technology, the 1970GX has a striking depth effect in games. Mountains, ravines, and the landscape, everything seems to have more volume and you become more immersed in the game. This is already a good aspect, but in addition the screen is very reactive and afterglow is minimal. It’s one of the best and comparable to the Hyundaï and Samsung 913N that we reviewed in the 19” comparative test. This is normal considering it features the same panel, the Samsung TN 8 ms. The probability of finding this panel was quite high, because this is the only manufacturer currently able to produce such a fast panel.

This monitor is perfect for all type of games, FPS included.

Video

Oh no !!! This screen isn’t good at all for video. The black strips above and under the picture become a perfect mirror for anyone watching the movie, viewing angles are reduced and the twinkling effect disturbingly present.

Verdict

The LCD1960GX is a screen exclusively for gaming, a use for which it’s almost perfect and it will meet all your requirements. It may be difficult to imagine the picture quality that we described above until you actually see it for yourself. And it’s one of those rare screens that is great for games and also has good ergonomics. We don’t recommend it for work or movies, however.

The last thing is the price. Almost 700€ for a 17” monitor is too much these days. For that amount of money you can have an excellent 20” monitor (as we explained in our last LCD comparative test). And if you don’t especially like the mirroring effect there is the Hyundaï L90D+ and Samsung 913N, featuring the same panel and are less expensive. NEC isn’t planning to sell tons of these, but they are looking to attract the most demanding (and wealthier) gamers. The price is very high and we hope that it will go down in the near future.



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Nec LCD 92VM

Nec LCD 92VM

NEC was a great innovator for monitors in 2003. Since this time, they have produced average screens and so it’s nice to see them back with a quality product, able to satisfy even the most demanding gamers.

The 92VM is based on the same TN panel as the BenQ FP931, a 16 ms AU Optronics TN panel.



Ergonomics

In the introduction we mention panel reactivity but not ergonomics. There is a reason for that as it has been reduced to the strict minimum; a fixed base, non-vertically adjustable and analogical input only.


The only good points here are an external power supply, and a headphone input on the front of the screen. This last detail could prove very useful.



Color quality

If you had a CRT the brightness in white may be a little surprising. It’s 260 cd/m². Some people like this setting, but we feel that it’s too much. One consequence is that black is also too bright 0.40 cd/m² (some screen are able to reach below 0.20 cd/m²). The final contrast ratio is 650 : 1.

With standard settings this screen has nice colors:

How to interpret the graph ? The X axis is 0 to 100, 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3 the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

The color spectrum is a little wider than our reference CRT Mitsubishi. Brightness parameters for this test were, however, quite different at 260 cd/m² instead of 80 cd/m² for the Mitsubishi (standard settings for both screens).










Games



As soon as there isn’t a VA or IPS panel involved, results with games range from satisfactory to good. After the type of panel technology, there is also the manufacturer. For this screen NEC chose AU Optronics and this was a good choice as this panel is excellent for games. There are a few differences with one of our favorite 17” panels, the Samsung 13 ms (the most reactive 17” LCD panel), but we really had to go out of our way to find them. This conclusion is equivalent when comparing this screen to the Samsung 913N (8 ms, 19"). A little more afterglow is noticeable but it has wider viewing angles. It equals out in the end.

This AU 16 ms panel is excellent. The 19” version is great and comparable to the best 17”.

Gaming is pleasant, and in addition color quality is very good. Games are perfectly displayed and colors are vivid.

Interpolation

As this screen isn’t a high-end product, NEC apparently hasn’t worked on its electronic components to improve interpolation. This is alright though, considering the product. With basic settings, AU Optronics interpolation isn’t good at all and you will have to use 1280*4024 resolution for play.

Movies



As usual screens that are good with games are disappointing for movies. The 92VM isn’t better than the others. Horizontal viewing angles are satisfactory but vertical ones are disappointing.
This screen mainly has one other downside. It only displays 262K colors extended to 16,2 million by dithering. This software trick, however, isn’t enough for perfect pictures, and it’s still possible to see a “twinkling” effect in large color areas even from 2 meters.

Verdict



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Philips 190S5FS

Philips 190S5FS

The 190S5FS is one of the fastest screen on paper. Philips says 12 ms for response time. But as you already know, we don’t take this information seriously. We point out the following to start this test:

- it has a LG-Philips panel,
- it’s a TN 12 ms,
- we already tested a 17’’ TN 12 ms LG-Philips panel with the Nec LCD1770NX test here



Before testing this product, we thought that we would obtain the same results as with the NEC screen. We were wrong as the 190S5FS is noticeably more reactive and therefore better.

Ergonomics Small vertical viewing angles, only one analogical input, no headphone jack (no speaker), non-vertically adjustable, no USB hub, this screen doesn’t include any of the 910N’s strengths (test next page).


There are, however, some good sides. First of all, the screen looks good. The body, base, colors, and combination of materials make it a success. It’s even possible to put the screen in vertical position (the only screen in this test to offer this option).


There are two possible uses for this last feature. First of all, professionals could put it under a glass desk, checking information, and saving work space. It’s also possible to hang the screen on the wall but it’s just too bad Phillips didn’t go all the way with this option. The screen’s base isn’t properly equipped, so you will have to make a few holes in the metal plaque under the base.


Color quality

Brightness is quite strong. We have already mentioned in past articles that we prefer brightness below 200 cd/m² for viewing comfort. With these settings, whites are too strong, especially when working in a poorly lit room. If you are like us and bothered by so much light, you may manually reduce the brightness and contrast ratio.

Even if it was really bright, this screen was very accurate. Large color areas are homogenous. LCD screen accuracy has nothing on a CRT’s, at least when used with high levels of brightness. If brightness is reduced to 100 cd/m² results can be quite different. This is another issue and only concerns graphic designers that currently use CRT screens. This test’s LCDs shouldn’t be sought out by graphic designers, one reason being that their resolution is too low at 1280 x 1024.

Here are the190S5FS results:


How to interpret the graph? The X axis is 0 to 100, 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3 the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

From black to white, colors are displayed accurately. You won’t see a difference between the requested and displayed color. We measured 536:1 for the contrast ratio, which would have been more impressive if blacks were deeper (only 0.50 cd/m²).

The screen’s color spectrum is as good as most of its competitors, and it goes a little farther than the reference Mitsubishi CRT.







Games



We were afraid of afterglow observed on 17” LCD screens equipped with LG-Philips panels. With this new 19” series, LG-Philips succeeded in resolving several disadvantages of smaller size screens. Reactivity is noticeably better. The trails of light behind objects visible with 17” 12 and 16 ms panels of the same manufacturer are apparent here. Our impression is that the displayed frame rate - with and without vertical synchronization activated (it is better to deactivate it with LCD screens) - is still a little lower than CRT screens. We noticed distortion in pictures where characters moved quickly. Objects were superimposed across the screen instead of moving smoothly from one place to another.

This result isn’t better or worse than any of the other Samsung, BenQ and NECs. All four screens have comparable reactivity and fluidity and are sufficient for the fastest games like Unreal Tournament 2004. (There is a slight advantage to the 931N as this screen is slightly more reactive).

Interpolation

The screen display quality in 1024x768 is better than usual. Images are a little bit less nice but it is stil possible to play. With lower resolution like 800x600 the lack of details is too strong to use the screen. So it is generally better to reduce manually graphic options than the screen resolution to increase performances.

Movies



If LG-Philips was able to improve panel reactivity, movie quality didn’t improve.

The “twinkling” effect in wide colors due to the 262K colors in standard mode (extended to 16.2 millions with dithering) is quite noticeable. Areas on the color scale aren’t homogeneous. They include noise or pixels with lighter or darker colors, which slightly affect picture quality. It’s imperative to watch the screen from a distance to not see this effect.

Verdict



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Samsung SyncMaster 910N

Samsung SyncMaster 910N

The 710N (17”) uses the same panel as the exceptional Belinea 10 17 35. However, it claims a 12ms response time.
The 910N, a bigger version of the 710N, is also a 12ms. So is this screen perfect for games?



We’ll just come out and say it right now, this screen isn’t a 12ms as Samsung indicates. The panel is a well known PVA 25 ms, which isn’t comparable.

Ergonomics


Samsung is good at making attractive and easy to use screens. The 910N is another example of this with a pivot mode, vertical adjustment, internal power supply, thin body, and rotating base. The 910N is a high-end screen for the price of a basic model.


To be totally perfect, this screen would need a DVI input in addition to its analogical one. To have this additional input you will have to purchase the slightly more expensive “T” version, the 910T.

Color quality

This screen uses an old Samsung Panel already encountered in several screens like the Belinea 10 19 20. The conclusions of this test are almost identical as color quality is excellent!

How to interpret the graph? The X axis is 0 to 100, 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3 the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

White attained 183 cd/m², and black was an extraordinary 0.19 cd/m². The contrast ratio was 963: 1. This result is superior to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Who said flat screens weren’t accurate?

Games



The panel in this LCD screen is a PVA 25 ms. Logically, the result is far from the fastest screens that we tested in this article equipped with TN panels. Trails of light behind moving characters are noticeable and it’s better to play to static or strategic games. This screen wasn’t built for fast games.

Interpolation

It isn’t the worse but neither is it the best. With the afterglow and blur effect in lower resolutions, it’s impossible to play any game.

Movies



When a screen isn’t good with games there is a chance that it might be good with movies. The 910N is, however, thanks to its 16.7 million colors in standard mode and extra wide viewing angles. This screen has all the required elements to watch beautiful films and with DivX or DVD you will be able to spend hours in front of this screen without any problems.

Verdict



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Samsung SyncMaster 913N

Samsung SyncMaster 913N/915N

This is the first 19” 8ms LCD screen and it has a Samsung panel. Being that one of our favorite 17” LCD panels is also a Samsung (see this test we thought that this could be the potential winner of this comparative test.



With such a response time the panel could only be a TN. If you knew this from the fact that it has good reactivity, reduced viewing angles and it doesn’t display 163.7 million inborn colors, congratulations, you were right!

Ergonomics

Despite the last generation of fast panels, the 913N/915N is a basic model screen. It has a large body, unmovable stand, isn’t vertically adjustable, and doesn’t have pivoting capability. It’s only equipped with an analogical input.


The only “high end” touch is the MagicBright button on the front of the screen to automatically adjust contrast and brightness for the working environment. Four modes are also available; “Custom" (you choose your own parameters), "Text", "Internet" and "Entertain" (for games and movies).


The base is also quite handy as cables go through a little hole in the back to keep a clean desktop.


Color quality

With standard settings in Custom, the screen has a very bright white at 251cd/m² and a good black at 0.34 cd/m². The contrast ratio was 738: 1.

In “Text” mode, the brightness was 147 cd/m² (black is at 0.20 cd/m²), 181 cd/m² for “Internet” mode and 249 cd/m² in “Entertain” mode.

It is exceptional that all four modes were very accurate, even the text mode at 147 cd/m². The following graphs show (Delta Tracking and color spectrum) great results (other modes are very close or almost identical).

How to interpret the graph? The X axis is 0 to 100, 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3 the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

Viewing angles are, however, lower than average for screens equipped with TN panels. Vertical viewing angles (from the top or bottom) are usually smaller, but horizontal ones can be satisfactory. Samsung’s viewing angles are noticeably smaller than the NEC (the screen on the right), for example.


Games



Is this 19” the most reactive screen on the market?

YES!

But the performance difference between the 913N/915N and its competitor is small. The low level of afterglow is slightly less than in AU 16 ms panels. To see the afterglow you need to focus on a bright object and slowly move the mouse, something we rarely do. With games, the BenQ FP931, Nec LCD92VM, Philips 190S5FS and 913N/915N provide equivalent performances. Afterglow is sufficiently low to satisfy the most demanding gamers.

And compared to a CRT?
Even if the afterglow is the lowest of all screens tested, it’s still superior to CRTs. Our reference Mitsubishi DiamondPro 930SB is still more reactive. LCDs have attained a new level of quality, but there is still some progress to be made until reaching CRT reactivity. For the time being they compensate with reduced bulkiness, lower energy consumption, and equivalent color quality and brightness (or three times more if necessary). We remind you that we’ve covered all of these topics in this article

Interpolation

As soon as resolution is reduced, lack of sharpness considerably increased afterglow. If it not at all bothersome in 1280 x 1024, it’s barely tolerable in 1024 and below.

Movies



It’s quite annoying that a monitor is never perfect with both games and movies. As usual, with TN screens the fact that it only displays 256k inborn colors increases the “twinkling” effect for video sequences. Some video isn’t affected by this phenomenon. If a game scene with various colored elements is in motion, the displayed image is perfect and accurate. If there is a uniform object mostly the same color, such as a wall, in slow tracking shots you will see a twinkling effect in the form of darker or lighter moving pixels.

Verdict

If you are looking for the fastest screen on the market, here it is. However, the difference with the other screens of this comparative test is so small that we suggest you consider other aspects, such as ergonomics, before making your decision.

Fortunately for Samsung, this screen’s ergonomics are a little more advanced than the others tested here. At least with this screen, standard settings are efficient, and the cables are hidden away thanks to the well conceived stand.

The problem, however, is availability. A couple hundred units will now be available per country with greater numbers arriving in January.



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

ViewSonic VG910s

ViewSonic VG910s

The VG910s isn’t really ViewSonic’s best product. The reduction in price compared to a few weeks ago is the main advantage of this mid range screen. The MVA panel is manufactured by Fujitsu.




Ergonomics

The VG910s’ functions are minimal but sufficient for most users. There are internal speakers and a power supply, and there is a choice of DVI or analogical input, of which this is the only screen to offer this option.


The VG910s isn’t vertically adjustable and doesn’t have a pivot mode or UBSB hub.

The top and side of the body is very thin (21 mm).

It is possible to incline a little bit the screen .

Color quality

It’s perfect! White is 208 cd/m² (still a little too bright but much better than most of its competitors), and black is deep (0.34 cd/m²). The contrast ratio is 613:1.

How to interpret the graph ? The X axis is 0 to 100, 0 is black and 100 is white.
When Delta E > 3 the desired colors is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
When 1 < Delta E < 2 colors are accurate. When Delta E < 1 the result is perfect.

This VA panel has a color spectrum close to a CRT screen’s. It is as good in blues, a little less so with greens, and much better with reds. The reference screen, however, is a top-of-the-line CRT, and one of the most expensive 19” CRTs.










Games



This screen isn’t for gamers as the CMO panel isn’t reactive enough. It’s even very slow with an above average game afterglow. When we see the results of the Belinea 10 17 35 and Iiyama E435S, we can only be disappointed. Don’t play UT2004 with this screen.

Movies



If games aren’t excellent, films are. This screen displays 163.7 million inborn colors and the result is good, as colors are excellent and the twinkling effect is non-existent. Except for a slightly perceptible afterglow, this screen is perfect. Fortunately, even if you are able to see this last defect you will quickly forget about it.

Verdict

Not good for games, it’s excellent for image editing, office use and movies. This isn’t a gamer’s screen, but could be great for the whole family.



Take a look at this manufacture’s dead pixel policy by clicking here!

Conclusion

Conclusion

There is a new era in the battle for the fastest panel. At one time, Hydis was ahead of AU Optronics followed by Samsung and LG-Philips, whose panels had a strong afterglow. This is now over.
Reactivity of all the fast panels in this test is almost equivalent, though they are still less reactive than CRT screens. Liquid crystals need to be accelerated more to increase the fluidity of movement.

If your are looking for a 19” LCD screen to play fast games, you may ask whether it’s the BenQ, Philips, Nec or Samsung 8 ms. Honestly, if we based our judgment solely on game reactivity none of them would be a bad choice. The Samsung is all and all a little faster, but you have to look hard to see this difference.

The day this article was published, in early December 2004, these screens’ prices are comparable and almost equivalent.

For color quality the BenQ was average in standard settings. A few adjustments later, it was almost as good as the Philips and NEC 92VM. Once again, the Samsung had a slight advantage thanks to good standard settings accessible via the MagicBright button on the front of the screen.

Brightness was also quite close at around 250 cd/m². Here again each screen gained a point.

As all four screens are equally “bad” for movies, the only aspect to set them apart is ergonomics. But here again, they are somewhat equivalent. None have DVI input, they aren’t vertically adjustable, and there is no pivot mode…

There is still one area independent from screen quality and price. It’s availability. Depending on the country you live in or, at times, your region, some screens might not be available. For example, the 913N will only be released in large numbers in January. Don’t despair, though, as all four screens are excellent!

Here are several small details to set them apart. The Samsung 913 N is the most reactive and has a MagicBright button. The BenQ FP931 has a pen holder (don’t laugh as it could prove useful…). The Nec LCD92VM has a headphone input on the front of the screen, and finally, the Philips 190S5FS is perhaps the screen with the best design.

And the VA panel?

In the past, the advantage of VA panels over other types of technology was their color accuracy. As we have seen in this test, this is no longer entirely true as TN panels are now excellent in this domain. VAs still have an advantage in that they are able to display 16.7 million inborn colors (TNs only display 262 000 colors extended to 16.2 million thanks to a software trick) and have wider viewing angles (much wider than TNs). For video they remain the best but for games they are still slow and afterglow is significant.

It all depends on the use of your screen. We assumed games were important. As TN panels are clearly the most reactive, with equivalent color quality to other technologies, and have smaller but functional viewing angles, we gave them higher notes compared to VAs.

Of course if you never play games reread our test and ignore the gaming part. Under these circumstances, the Samsung 910N (pivot mode, vertically adjustable) and ViewSonic VG910s (the only one to have DVI and analogical inputs) could be the right choice for you.

Compared to the others…

Finally, we thought it would be interesting to finish this test with a comparison with the 19” comparative test published in September. Two screens stood out.

The LG 1920B is a very nice IPS screen, half way between a TN and VA for viewing angles and reactivity, an interesting compromise.

And the Samsung 193P is still our favorite VA thanks to a high-end ergonomics and design. With a pivot mode and DVI + analogical inputs, it’s vertically adjustable and available in several colors. It’s nicer but also more expensive.