Planar PL150M 15" LCD

In the 15-inch category, our choice is the Planar PL150M, an affordable monitor that combines solid test performance, good image quality, and a reasonable pair of speakers in a well-designed package. Price is paramount in the 15-inch category, and at just $300 (street), the Planar is an attractive buy. The Sharp LL-T15G3 also earns an Editors' Choice; its brightness and contrast ratio scores weren't as high, but images look excellent on-screen.

It performed unusually well on our challenging test screens. Pixels kept still during our pixel phase test, and text remained sharp when we switched from the unit's native 1,024-by-768 resolution. And all but one of five subtle shades of red showed during our low-saturation color test.

While running DisplayMate tests, we noticed a slight blue tint in areas that should have been gray or white. And the colors were slightly skewed in digital photos. Though the on-screen controls aren't as powerful as we would like?you're limited to two color temperature settings, for instance?they're fairly easy to use.

If you want better speakers, go with the KDS model. For impressive image quality, though, this 15-inch Planar LCD is well worth the $300 price tag.

 

Envision EN-5200e 15" LCD

The Envision EN-5200e won the bronze medal on our contrast ratio tests, and the silver on brightness. It also has little trouble displaying everyday office apps. But these alone do not provide reason enough to choose it over the other $300 LCDs. It struggled a bit more than the others on our DisplayMate tests, its on-screen controls are poorly designed, and it ships with scant documentation.

The unit has a tendency to let colors seep into images that should be pure white. On a DisplayMate screen we used to test white saturation, a blue tint crept in. A red tint showed up on another test. And we noticed a yellow color shift when we viewed the screen from an angle. Predictably, it also had trouble displaying the appropriate shades in digital photos. One saving grace: The EN-5200e scored excellent on our pixel phase test.

Our other quibble with this model is that you can't remove its connector cable. So if the cable wears out, you'll have to send the monitor in for repairs. We're impressed by the brightness and contrast, but that's about all.
 

KDS Radius Rad-5c 15" LCD

There's something to be said for a $300 LCD that includes good stereo speakers. The KDS Radius Rad-5c doesn't perform quite as well as the $300 Planar or Sharp models we reviewed, but its speakers provide far better sound than any available even on the pricier 17-inch displays we reviewed.

The unit was good enough on our tests to handle everyday office applications. But with its below-average peak brightness and last-place contrast ratio, it struggled a bit on our more demanding tests. Though it correctly displayed most shades at the dark end of the gray scale, there was quite a bit of bleeding at the edges of the screen, with shades from one area spilling into another. On one DisplayMate test screen, the monitor was oversaturated at certain points at the light end of the scale.

This last problem was the most worrying, because we couldn't correct it with the extremely difficult-to-use on-screen controls. But the Rad-5c's volume controls are quite convenient. If you're on a tight budget and need a monitor with speakers, turn to KDS.
 

NEC MultiSync LCD1560NX

If you're looking for a 15-inch display with a digital connector, the NEC MultiSync LCD1560NX fills the bill. And at $350, the price is reasonable. Unfortunately, performance leaves a bit to be desired, and thanks to insufficient documentation and obtuse on-screen controls, it is not as easy to use as many other LCDs we tested.

The LCD1560NX exhibited average brightness and contrast levels, and it works well with everyday Windows apps, but several flaws were evident on DisplayMate tests. We noticed a blue tint where there should have been only whites and grays, and a red tint showed up during gray-scale accuracy testing. And some red should have appeared during our low-saturation color test, but we saw only white.

By the same token, colors in digital photos were imperfect. They seemed oversaturated with white, causing occasional loss of detail in the brightest areas.

This 15-inch NEC model does not have the same easily positionable bezel available with the 17-inch NEC MultiSync LCD1760NX; you can tilt its screen forward and backward, but nothing more. If your needs are demanding, look elsewhere. For everyday computing, though, you'll be satisfied with this unit.

Philips 150B3V 15" LCD

The Philips 150B3V is the only 15-inch LCD in our roundup that works in portrait mode, which is a fantastic way to read full pages and Web sites. The screen rotates 90 degrees, and the Pivot Pro software lets you rotate your Windows desktop as well. The downside: The 150B3V is pricey, at $399.99 list, yet on our tests it had below-average contrast and a poor low-saturation color score.

The 150B3V has no trouble handling ordinary Windows apps and was excellent on our pixel phase test, but it had minor problems on several other tests. Some gray shades bled into adjacent areas, and the white end of the gray scale looked oversaturated and bluish in DisplayMate testing. And where the unit was supposed to display subtle shades of red on our low-saturation color test, we saw only white.

We are impressed with this monitor's portrait mode. Besides rotating, it tilts horizontally and vertically. It comes with a wizard that adjusts brightness, contrast, and color. And the online user guide is helpful. If you want to work in portrait mode, the 150B3V is worth the price.

17 inch LCD Monitors Review and Compare
 

BenQ FP767

The 17-inch BenQ FP767 presents many trade-offs. It sells for a reasonable price but doesn't have a digital connector. It includes two built-in speakers, but they aren't suited to playing music. And though it performed well on some tests, it had trouble with others.

The FP767, an off-white monitor with a built-in AC adapter (no power brick!), fares well when displaying ordinary office apps. It correctly displayed subtle shades of color on our low-saturation color test, matched only by Sharp's 17-inch LCD.

Unfortunately, the BenQ unit's peak brightness and contrast ratio measurements were well below average. It had trouble displaying close to 10 percent of the shades at each end of the gray scale, and when we adjusted the brightness levels, we saw almost no performance change. It also suffered from contrast reversal, with light grays becoming darker than dark grays, and it showed significant pixel jitter.

The FP767 also had a few problems displaying high-quality photos. Details were often lost in shadows, and colors shifted. Of course, the everyday user may not notice these flaws. The FP767 is no less than average--and no more.
 

NEC MultiSync LCD1760NX

There's one thing we really like about the NEC MultiSync LCD1760NX: You can swivel its screen from side to side, while most only tilt forward and back. Otherwise, this 17-inch LCD fails to impress. Without intuitive controls and sufficient documentation, it's difficult to use. And though it performs well when displaying standard office apps, exhibiting excellent brightness and contrast ratios, it performed poorly on DisplayMate tests.

The button that launches the LCD1760NX's on-screen controls is labeled Exit. And that just begins to describe our difficulties. We needed several minutes to adjust the phase settings, and the installer CD fails to walk you through installing the driver, which you'll have dig up from the Web.

The real issues involved performance. We noted a color shift in DisplayMate?the same problem we saw with the 17-inch ViewSonic VG171. The NEC unit also had trouble displaying subtle shades and couldn't keep its pixels still during tests; we ended up fixing this problem by manually adjusting the monitor. At $550, the LCD1760NX isn't all that expensive, but you're better off with one of the other 17-inch models in this price range.

Planar PX171M

The 17-inch Planar PX171M gives you everything but great performance. It has an unusually flexible bezel, includes stereo speakers, and is equipped with both analog and digital connectors. If only Planar had spent as much time on the screen itself! The unit displays everyday office apps with no trouble, but it struggled on our DisplayMate tests.

Thanks to the PX171M's cleverly designed bezel, you can position the screen precisely. You can tilt it forward and back, slide it up and down, and, as with the NEC MultiSync LCD1760NX, swivel it from side to side. You can even rotate it 90 degrees. It's one of two 17-inch models we reviewed that can pivot, letting you turn your Windows desktop on its side.

On our DisplayMate tests, the unit had trouble displaying close to 10 percent of the shades at either end of the gray scale. The unit suffered from marked jitter during our pixel phase test, and it failed to display subtle shades on our low-saturation color test.

Predictably, the unit also had a few problems with digital photos. Backgrounds seemed oversaturated with color, and we couldn't always see details in shadows. The Planar LCD's bezel is a dream, but its screen is a different matter.

Samsung SyncMaster 171N

You'll pay extra for the high-end Samsung SyncMaster 171N, but you won't be disappointed. This $620 LCD monitor lives up to its name, offering a sharper image than any other unit here. Its contrast ratios were about 40 percent higher than those of the average 17-inch monitor here. For the third year running, a Samsung monitor receives an Editors' Choice.

The SyncMaster 171N comes tantalizingly close to rivaling a high-end CRT monitor. During testing, it correctly displayed every dark shade on our black-level test and almost every light shade on our white saturation. It stood out from the crowd on our viewing angle tests, holding its image perfectly when viewed from above or from the side. When we tested for motion artifacts, it flickered only slightly as images moved quickly across the screen. With all of the other LCDs reviewed here, flickering was excessive.

This is not to say that the SyncMaster 171N is perfect. It had trouble displaying subtle shades on our low-saturation color test, and its on-screen controls could be easier to use. But these are minor quibbles. Unless you're trying to save money, this should be your next LCD.

Sharp LL-T17A3

What more could you ask for in a $450 17-inch LCD? The Sharp LL-T17A3 offers two built-in speakers. It ships with a print copy of Sharp's unusually helpful user guide. And though its contrast ratios were the lowest among the 17-inch models, it performed near the top on most of our DisplayMate tests. This level of performance and features at such a reasonable price earns the unit an Editors' Choice.

The Samsung SyncMaster 171N is undoubtedly the most impressive 17-inch model we tested, but the Sharp LL-T17A3 is a close second. It supplied the appropriate brightness where needed and did not jitter during our pixel phase test. The unit also showed a knack for displaying subtle shades on our low-saturation color test. There were bumps in its gray scale, blemishes in the gradual progression of shades from white to black, and a lack of brightness in digital photos, but these were minor flaws.

The only glitch was that the tested unit showed up at PC Magazine Labs with a stuck pixel, a little blue dot in the middle of the screen. But this defective unit is not characteristic of the LL-T17A3. If you can't afford the $620 Samsung SyncMaster 171N, the inexpensive Sharp LL-T17A3 is your best bet.

ViewSonic VG171

The ViewSonic VG171, an off-white 17-inch LCD with both analog and digital connectors, may not provide the sharpest images, and it may be expensive, but it's far easier to install and use than the typical flat-panel display.

After struggling to use the front-panel controls on so many LCDs, we are extremely pleased with the VG171. It offers an auto-sync button for quickly correcting pixel jitter, and the other controls it has are simple and intuitive. Moreover, ViewSonic provides an extensive electronic user guide on CD, as well as a copy of Colorific Wizard, which helps in adjusting brightness, contrast, and color.

The VG171 had the highest peak brightness, as well as a respectable contrast ratio; it would perform well when displaying everyday apps, but the unit struggled on many of our DisplayMate tests. We saw far too many color artifacts, oversaturation at the white end of the gray scale, and a few hiccups at the dark end. We had some trouble viewing the screen from an angle. And when we examined digital photos, details were lost both in light and dark areas.

At $580 (street), the ViewSonic VG171 is too expensive for us to excuse these performance flaws. But if ease of use is your priority, it's worth a closer look.