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LCD displays HD on the desktop.
BenQ is one of the highest-volume manufacturers of desktop LCD monitors in the world, but not much of a pioneer. Not concerned with premiering the latest, largest LCD panels, BenQ's business is more about finding the price/performance sweet spot that attracts the most consumers. That means prospective buyers can expect solid, proven display products at reasonable prices. It also means that as the LCD market expands, BenQ will be right there with capable products to match. That's pretty much the case with BenQ's new 23-inch professional LCD, the FP231W.
FORM AND FUNCTION
At 23 diagonal inches and with a 16:9 wide aspect ratio, the FP231W is BenQ's largest desktop LCD. Admittedly, that's nothing to scream about when there are several 23-inch LCDs available. What's more, you'll find plenty of 23-inch desktop monitors for a lot less than the $2,359 MSRP of the FP231W. However, not many of those others have a 1920-by-1200 native resolution (WUXGA), and even fewer include multisync video inputs. That brings me back to BenQ's strength: value.
For BenQ value starts with solid industrial design. After all, a company that caters to the high-volume consumer market needs good-looking products that people would want to own. The FP231W has an understated elegance. A simple 5/8-inch silver bezel frames the screen. Menu touch controls are slightly inset and hidden along the leftside of the panel. The panel sits atop a matte black, slightly curved base. A built-in cable clip neatly hides connection cables behind the vertical support arm.
The design is also functional. A release button allows that support arm to move up and down more than five inches. You can also swivel the entire monitor left and right up to 45 degrees without moving the base and tilt the monitor upward some 20 degrees. That makes the FP231W not only a handsome and ergonomic desktop monitor but also a viable presentation or...