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cadalyst labs feature review
Not so very long ago, almost all 21" monitors cost around $1,500.
In this roundup, only one monitor, the NEC-Mitsubishi MultiSync FP1 375X, is priced in this range, and it includes many extra features such as sophisticated color control and display manipulation. Most of the other monitors cost from $800 to $1,000, with the least expensive the ViewSonic P225F, at $699. So what do you get (or don't get) for your hard-earned money? For the most part, you pay more for slightly larger displays-22" monitors with 20" viewable areas, for example. Dot pitch might also improve as price increases. Most monitors reviewed here incorporate the Diamondtron FP flat-screen CRT tube with a dot pitch of 0.24mm. The Hitachi differs-it uses an Invar shadow-mask design with a 0.22mm dot pitch. The ViewSonic P225F, an aperture-grille model, offers a 0.25mm dot pitch. The average 0.24mm dot pitch is an overall improvement from the 0.28mm that was standard for this display size not too long ago.
Although display controls are fairly consistent across the board, the more expensive monitors tend to offer more languages, corner corrections, and other display options. Most often, more significant differences appear in the connectivity options. With USB being ubiquitous these days, you'd expect these large displays to come with USB connectivity. Though a couple of the displays did indeed include USB (upstream and downstream) connectors, other manufacturers offered USB hubs as options or failed to include them at all.
The two monitors that excelled at connectivity were the NEC-Mitsubishi and the iiyama. Both boasted a variety of connection types. In addition to the USB ports, the iiyama offers sound, through speakers in the monitor base and an audio cable socket. A keyboard connector is also provided in the base. I was prepared to dislike having all these connectors in the monitor base, but in practice I liked the arrangement quite a bit.
Warranties are fairly consistent across this group of monitors. Three-year coverage on parts, labor, and CRT tube is fairly common. Hitachi is an exception, offering five years of coverage. Some differences crop up in replacement policy-some manufacturers offer next-day or second-day onsite replacement. Check the warranty fine print to see what is covered on the display...