Originally published in the February 1995 issue.
If you're using a 14- or 15-inch monitor, you're probably also still working in the world of 800x600 mode.
You can display 1,024x768 pixels on most any 14- or 15-inch monitor. But try working in that resolution for long, and you'll wonder what the big deal about seeing more characters on your screen is when you can barely make them out because the characters are so small.
The fact is, while 1,024x768 graphics resolution is a standard system feature and a buyer's checklist item, it's not practical for everyday use on monitors smaller than 17 inches diagonally. With roughly 30 percent more viewing area than that of their smaller siblings, 17-inch displays give true meaning to the term "high-resolution."
Of course, when one-third more viewing area means two times the price of a 15-inch monitor, living with lower resolution is little sacrifice. But now that prices for 17-inch monitors are edging down into the range of smaller displays, more people are beginning to think big.
Typical mail-order costs for 14- and 15-inch monitors start at about $200, but can reach as high as $800 for certain brands and models. By comparison, you can find some 17-inch monitors selling for as little as $500 by mail. You'll make a few trade-offs in terms of features and clarity for the least expensive of these big screens. For instance, many have a loose dot pitch of 0.30mm or higher, and offer limited digital or all-manual controls. For just a few hundred dollars more, however, you'll find as we did in this review a wide assortment of 17-inch monitors with sophisticated features and visual crispness.
All the monitors in our roundup have a tight dot pitch of 0.26mm, and include in their standard costs a wealth of extras. Each of the monitors has some digital controls, and all have microprocessors that can synchronize with a wide range of signals, including both factory presets and special user-stored settings. All are built with flat-square picture tubes, commonly referred to as "flat screens," which are curved far less than traditional tube designs. All have anti-glare treatment, and each of the monitors offers manual degaussing to help clear color distortions. Many of the units have BNC coaxial connectors, in addition to the standard D-connectors, useful for achieving higher fidelity and lower signal loss.
With an average mail-order price of about $780, the group of 10 big monitors we tested manages to include a few new features such as advanced screen geometry controls--trapezoidal and tilt adjustments, for example. Some of the monitors go so far as to communicate with you, flashing onscreen messages in acknowledgement of controls.
It's not to say that large monitors don't have their drawbacks, even when they're well-priced. Remember, a larger monitor is bigger in all dimensions. A typical 17-inch model is as deep as it is diagonal, which means that most units extend back nearly one-and-a-half feet from the foremost point of their glass fronts. Not every workspace has sufficient room to accommodate such proportions.
But when work requirements prevail, and product prices keep falling, finding room for a 17-inch monitor somehow gets easier to manage. The ability to display more information at higher resolutions is especially compelling to users with graphical applications. And with the proliferation of Windows, that group of users is no longer an elite one. CAD engineers and graphical artists have long demanded large-screen monitors to get their jobs done. But business users with Windows applications are quickly discovering the advantages of a big screen. They can display more rows and columns of a spreadsheet, for instance, or more pages of a word processing document onscreen at once. With a large monitor, displaying multiple windows is more practical and makes it easier to take advantage of drag-and-drop interaction between applications. Of course, having a big screen doesn't mean you necessarily have to cram more onto it. Those of us in the "over-40" crowd can elect to keep our applications running in 800x600 mode and simply provide our aging eyes with larger images on a bigger canvas.
No matter how you look at it, a 17-inch monitor clearly has its advantages over smaller displays. And since prices for many big screens are so low, the market is crowded with bargains. To keep our test group well-focused on the best value for your money, we raised our feature requirements in the solicitation of product. That's why you see all the monitors here having a shadow-mask dot pitch of 0.26mm.
In doing your own research, you'll discover that some monitors on the market with Trinitron or stripe-mask picture tubes advertise their units as having 0.26mm screens. But in fact, the measurements between shadow-mask and stripe-mask designs are not directly comparable. (See the sidebar, "Connecting the Right Dots.") We also required that the monitors handle a minimum of 1,024x768 noninterlaced resolution with a vertical refresh rate of 72Hz or better. And while there is still no conclusive evidence about the hazards of low-frequency electromagnetic emissions from monitors, we required MPR II specification ratings since most monitors now include this feature as standard. With the same environmental concerns, the screens are all "green" to some degree, and have power-saving modes that comply with Energy Star requirements and VESA Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS) specifications.
Among the 10 different monitor vendors able to deliver products meeting our feature criteria, several of the vendors had other models that also qualified. And certainly, as previously noted, there are many even better-priced 17-inch monitors on the market than those reviewed here. You'll just forego a few features at the low end. So if you're looking for something bigger and better, chances are you'll have a tough time in only one regard: There are plenty of price/performance options from which to choose.
ADI MicroScan 5AP SM-5517APADI Systems Inc.'s Micro-Scan 5AP SM-5517AP finishes near the front of the pack when you consider its extensive features and fair mail-order price of about $735.
The monitor has all digital controls, most of which are hidden by a hatch at the bottom of the screen. The controls change their function depending on the monitor's mode. Although this feature is a bit confusing at first, it becomes easy to use with a little practice. While the monitor does have a tilt/ rotation control, it lacks a trapezoidal geometry adjustment. With simple, clean lines and an FCC Class C rating, this screen is suitable for office or home use.
Even though the ADI had the second-lowest bandwidth rating of the group, it scored near the top of the pack on the Average MTF test and scored fairly well in the subjective jury tests. The monitor had one of the lowest Maximum Misconvergence scores, although its Maximum Pincushioning score was off by about two pixels at 1,024x768, a deviation that may be noticeable for many users. The ADI also received the worst overall score on the Color Analysis tests. However, this unit does have color-adjustment controls.
The lack of bandwidth limits the monitor's refresh rate at higher resolutions. It was one of only two monitors in the group that could not handle 1,280x1,024-resolution images at a vertical refresh rate higher than 60Hz. At 1,024x768, the resolution at which these monitors are best-suited, this ADI manages the same 76Hz maximum refresh rate supported by the majority of the monitors in this group.
ADI provides a two-year parts-and-labor warranty, and technical support is available through the company's toll-free line, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Pacific time.
The ADI MicroScan 5AP represents a good value, and should give above-average performance compared to the other monitors in this review.
Amdek AM/817EAlthough you can buy the Amdek AM/817E through various sources by mail, it sells for $769 directly from the manufacturer.
The monitor uses all-digital controls except for the traditional brightness and contrast analog rollers. Only a trapezoidal-image-adjustment control is missing. All the controls are open at the front of the housing, which creates a more cluttered appearance than that of other monitors that hide their controls.
Even with its low cost, the Amdek includes BNC connectors, and you can choose between the D-sub and BNC connectors using a switch on the front panel. The bandwidth rating is middle-of-the-field, but does support a 76Hz refresh rate at 1,280x1,024 resolution, which should be adequate for most applications. While monitor documentation is rarely needed, the Amdek's manual was noticeably better than you typically find.
The AM/817E scored in the top half of the pack on the jury tests. Although it earned better-than-average overall Color Analysis and Maximum Pincushioning scores, the Amdek showed poorly on the Maximum Misconvergence test. This result was off by more than one pixel, which can have a significant impact on image quality.
Amdek is a brand name of Wyse Technology. The company provides a 30-day money-back guarantee but only a one-year parts-and-labor warranty, which is less than you get with many competing models. You can reach technical support through a toll-free number Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific time.
With its generally above-average performance, complete feature set, and moderate price, the Amdek is an attractive option, but other monitors may be a better value.
CTX 1785GMCTX International's 1785GM is a good monitor with a few flaws that cause it to fall short of greatness. An average mail-order price of $801 is slightly higher than the average cost in this group.
This monitor has a clean design with a control panel that rotates into the base of the housing. The only visible controls are a large, circular power button and a roller for brightness. The rest of the controls are digital, including contrast, tilt, trapezoidal, and color adjustments.
You can choose between a D-sub connector and BNC connectors by a switch on the panel. The CTX, along with the Iiyama, NSA/Hitachi, and Samsung, has the highest-rated bandwidth, 135MHz, though the company claims only 75Hz refresh support for resolutions up to 1,280x1,024.
Testing produced good results for this screen. The CTX scored at the top of the jury tests, earned the best Average MTF score by far, had a better-than-average Maximum Pincushioning result, and also held the highest Color Analysis composite score. Unfortunately, the CTX was off by more than one pixel on the Maximum Misconvergence measurement, which should affect image quality.
CTX International includes a two-year parts-and-labor warranty, which is about average for this market. Technical support is available via a toll-free number, Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pacific time. The company has its own BBS for technical support as well.
The CTX monitor is particularly strong in its color performance, and along with the BNC connectors, makes a fine choice for graphic artists who need good color definition. Most users should consider it, but other monitor candidates may be more attractive.
ETC ViewMagic CA-1765CPGLAt a $669 average mail-order price, the ETC Computer Inc. ViewMagic CA-1765CPGL monitor is one of the lowest-priced models in this review. Despite an attractive price and some clever features, however, its performance limits its appeal.
The monitor was only one of three units with a backlit LCD message window. When you're using the monitor, this window displays information about the resolution, and, optionally, shows scan-rate information. When you're configuring the monitor with its digital controls, the window indicates the mode and the function of the different buttons. This feature makes it fairly easy to adjust the screen settings. When you don't need to use the controls, a hatch covers the buttons, leaving only an opening for the LCD window.
Unfortunately, this advanced design falls short when displaying images. The monitor came in next to last on the jury tests with especially low jury responses on the sharpness of displayed text. This problem also affected the Average MTF measurement, which was one of the lowest. One possible reason for these results may be the unit's limited bandwidth, 75MHz, the lowest by a wide margin.
In other trials, the ETC monitor had excellent Color Analysis composite and Maximum Pincushioning results, but was more than one-and-one-third pixel off in the Maximum Misconvergence measurement.
The monitor is also limited in its maximum refresh rates, managing only 60Hz for 1,280x1,024-resolution images. While the 72Hz rate for 1,024x768 is certainly adequate, it is less than that offered by the rest of the pack.
ETC Computer Inc. offers a three-year warranty for parts and labor. Technical support is available by phone from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday Pacific time.
In spite of its pleasing price, the shortcomings of the ViewMagic make it a less-inviting value than some of its competitors.
Iiyama VisionMaster 17The VisionMaster 17 comes from Iiyama North America Inc., which used to market its products under the IDEK name. The VisionMaster 17 has a clean and clever design, good image quality, and a competitive average mail-order price of $766.
Perhaps the most noticeable feature is the control panel with only four buttons. One is the power switch, and the other three are marked "Menu," "+," and "-." When you press the Menu button, the backlight on the LCD message window activates, and you use the three buttons to select different configuration modes and to adjust settings. This system is easy to use and gives access to a full range of controls including tilt/rotation and trapezoidal adjustments.
When you're finished, the backlight automatically turns off, and the LCD window shows the horizontal and vertical scan frequencies. A display of the current resolution would be nice.
In the jury tests, the VisionMaster 17 scored above average on all elements except the bandwidth test, even though the monitor shares the honors for highest bandwidth rating. On the measured tests, it had better-than-average Maximum Misconvergence measurements, though subjective observation revealed some noticeable problems along the upper right edge of the screen.
The unit earned an average score on the Average MTF test, but its Maximum Pincushioning measurement was slightly worse than average. The Iiyama also features BNC connectors in addition to a D-sub connector.
The monitor comes with a three-year parts-and-labor warranty, one of the best in the business. You also get access to technical support through a toll-free number, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Overall, the image quality is good, and if you can find the VisionMaster 17 at a steep discount, you could get an attractive bargain.
MAG InnoVision MXP17FOne of the most heavily discounted monitors, with an average mail-order price of $876, is the MAG InnoVision Inc. MXP17F. The fact that you are getting a $1,299-list-price monitor and a great set of features makes this screen one of the best choices of the group.
The digital controls and LCD message window are hidden behind an unobtrusive hatch; only the power switch and analog brightness and contrast controls remain exposed. These LCD messages, the most informative of the test pool, indicate interlaced or noninterlaced image, resolution, and vertical refresh rate. You get a full complement of controls, including color setting, trapezoidal, and tilt/rotation. The monitor has two D-sub connectors, large and small, plus five BNC coaxial connectors that are clearly labeled. The optional Advanced Display Calibration Software Kit (free until March 31, 1995; $19.99 thereafter) lets you control the monitor's setting through a serial port and your computer's keyboard. This feature was not available in time for our evaluation here.
Three of the five jurors gave the monitor higher-than-average scores, and two placed it among their top choices for overall image quality. The MAG scores were better than average on the Maximum Pincushioning and Maximum Misconvergence tests. These results, however, should be indistinguishable from the best scores in the group. The only weak point was a slightly below-average showing on the Color Analysis composite result, though the monitor was second in Color Tracking Correctness and tied for third for the best Color Range.
MAG stands behind its product with a three-year parts warranty. The CRT is covered for only two years, and labor is covered for only one. Technical support is available through the company's toll-free number, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time.
The company also has a less-expensive version, the DX17F, with an average mail-order price of $649. This model is nearly identical to the more expensive version, except for lacking color-correction controls and 1,280x1,024 resolution.
Overall, the MAG has a full feature set, comes in an attractive case, has a pleasing image, and is competitively priced.
NSA/Hitachi SuperScan Elite 17 CM1797MUZThe SuperScan Elite 17CM1797MUZ bears the Hitachi brand name, and carries an average mail-order price of $988, making it the most expensive monitor in the group. The screen has a strong feature set and good performance results.
The all-digital controls are discretely arranged along the bottom edge of the monitor's front, but no hatch or other device hides them when they are not in use. The NSA/Hitachi has all the controls offered by any other monitor in the group except for tilt/rotation adjustment. The monitor boasts both D-sub and BNC connectors, and a front-panel switch that lets you choose between the two of them.
The SuperScan Elite 17, along with the CTX, Iiyama, and Samsung, has the highest bandwidth rating of the group and is the only one to claim 1,600x1,200 resolution support at a 66Hz refresh rate. This capability may have been part of the reason that the monitor tied for first in the jury test for text sharpness and finished first in the overall jury score. The unit had a slightly below-average score on the Maximum Misconvergence test, but its performance on the Maximum Pincushioning test was second only to the ETC's. The only other weak result was a low composite Color Analysis score.
NSA/Hitachi provides a three-year parts-and-labor warranty with this unit, and technical support is available through a toll-free number from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Eastern time. The company also offers a lower-priced Super 17S monitor with an average mail-order price of $779 that only displays up to 1,280x1,024 resolution.
The NSA/Hitachi monitor is priced high and lacks the clean design and fancy LCD window of some other monitors, but if you're looking for a good image on a 17-inch screen, this unit should be on your list.
Orchestra MultiSystems Tuba-17Like the symphonic instrument after which it is named, the Orchestra MultiSystems Inc. Tuba-17 is large. At an average mail-order price of $664, the monitor has the lowest list price of any monitor in the group. Unfortunately, it also delivers less than the other monitors.
The contrast and brightness controls are analog, but all the other controls are digital. The Tuba-17 lacks some of the adjustments offered by others in the group such as trapezoidal, tilt/rotation, pincushioning, and color adjustments. However, BNC connections are standard.
The monitor did not compare well in our tests. Our jury voted the Tuba-17 last overall by a sizable margin, and the unit had noticeable problems with convergence and image-size regulation. Providing better-than-average Maximum Pincushioning measurements, the monitor ranked near the bottom on Maximum Misconvergence, off by about 1.25 pixels.
Orchestra MultiSystems includes a two-year parts and one-year labor warranty with the monitor. Technical support is available through a toll-free call from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday Pacific time.
While it may look like a bargain, the low price for the Tuba is not enough to offset its flaws in image quality. Other monitors in this group have attractive mail-order prices with more features and better performance.
Samsung SyncMaster 17GLsThe $823 average mail-order price of the Samsung Electronics America Inc. SyncMaster 17GLs is above the average for this group. However, the monitor comes with some unique features that set it apart from the rest of the pack.
The digital controls are a set of buttons arranged across the bottom edge of the monitor's housing. Press one, and its function appears on the screen; press twice for the alternate function. You then use a roller control to adjust the setting. The onscreen display makes it easy to see what you are adjusting, and you get a full range of controls including trapezoidal, orthogonal, and color settings. The controls are easy to use, though the buttons do make for a cluttered front-panel design.
In terms of performance, the results were mixed. The jury tests and Overall Color Analysis scores placed the monitor above average for the field, and the Samsung had the best score on the Maximum Misconvergence test. The monitor also had a better-than-average image quality. On the other hand, its Maximum Pincushioning score was one of the poorest, off by more than two pixels.
Samsung provides a two-year parts-and-labor warranty, and offers technical support through a toll-free number, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.
The SyncMaster 17GLs is a good value, even though it is priced higher than some of the others. If you want onscreen control menus, it is the only choice, and even if this factor is not important for you, this monitor still deserves a spot on your final list of choices.
Tatung CM-17MKRWith mixed test results but an average mail-order price of $725, the Tatung Co. CM-17MKR is an attractive value for those on a budget.
The digital controls are hidden behind a hatch, and a hole lets the two-digit segmented-LED display be seen. This display is not as useful as the LCD message windows on the other monitors because you have to look up the displayed two-digit codes in the manual to learn what they mean. The unit has most of the controls you find on others, although it does lack color correction, tilt/rotation, and trapezoidal adjustments. However, like most of the monitors in the group, the Tatung does have BNC connectors in addition to the traditional D-sub connector.
The jury overall scoring ranked the Tatung just below the average for the group. Jurors gave it a particularly low score for screen geometry: There were noticeable convergence and image-shape problems. The Tatung scored only slightly above average on the Maximum Misconvergence measurement, about one pixel off. This difference between jury and test measurements may be due to changes in convergence at the screen locations where spotmeter measurements were made. The Tatung had the poorest rating of the group on the Maximum Pincushioning measurement, nearly three pixels off. On the Color Analysis composite score, the monitor was also below average.
Tatung provides a two-year parts-and-labor warranty for the monitor, and technical support is available through a toll-free number, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pacific time.
While there is nothing particularly wrong with this monitor, it has enough flaws in performance to offset the attraction of a below-average price. As a result, other monitors offer a better value for the money.
Choosing Your New ScreenWith a few exceptions, these monitors are remarkably similar in terms of performance and image quality. But as you've read, prices do vary and so do the number of standard features. So consider your own needs carefully in selecting the model that's right for you.
Some monitors have features that make them better-suited than others for certain tasks. For example, if you'll be doing color prepress work, you'll want to pick a monitor with a strong color range and good color controls, such as the CTX or ETC. If you'll do lots of CAD work where you will be looking at thin lines on a dark background, then the good convergence and pincushioning measurements of a unit like the MAG InnoVision should have a high priority. No matter what kind of work you're engaged in, if you're at it most of the day, you'll want a monitor with the highest refresh rate at your chosen display resolution. This can be especially important to everyday business users of Windows applications, as many of those programs, like word processors and spreadsheets, are displayed on white backgrounds. A high refresh rate minimizes the flicker that is particularly problematic when working on light backgrounds. For example, the Iiyama and NSA/Hitachi both have 80Hz refresh rates at 1,024x768 resolution.
The MAG MXP17F is my personal overall choice for price, performance, and presentation. This model looks great whether it's turned on or not, has excellent controls, has a meaningful LCD message window, and has BNC connections. To save you money, MAG also has a less-expensive DX17F model that loses only some of the higher-resolution modes of the MXP17F, which are not likely to be used by most people anyway. The MAG unit reviewed here is priced, even by mail, a little higher than the group average. But its features and performance are well worth the trade-off.
What works for one person, however, doesn't work for all. Choose the monitor that matches your application needs and your budget. With the recent crop of 17-inch monitors on the market, you won't have to look far or long for big value.
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Copyright 1995 Ziff Davis Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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