Review: New 17-inch LCD monitors

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By Rebecca Freed

(IDG) -- Monitor makers are bringing 17-inch LCDs into the mainstream by pushing their prices below $1000. Two 17-inch models now shipping from Samsung and ViewSonic make persuasive arguments for moving up to a big LCD.

The overall quality of both displays is very high, but Samsung's SyncMaster 760vTFT wins with superior-looking text plus great color fidelity. Its swiveling base is a thoughtful design touch, and the $799 price is sweet.

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ViewSonic's $899 ViewPanel VE170m renders similarly clear, detailed photos and true, saturated color. It handles subtle differences in shades a little better than the SyncMaster, but on-screen icons sometimes appear murky. Although lettering in Microsoft Word lacks density, small letters in Excel documents and on Web pages look sharp, and most of the text is clear and legible.

The ViewPanel's built-in 1.5-watt speakers sound tinny and thin: If you want to cut the price more, opt for the speakerless version and save yourself $60 to $100. The Samsung model doesn't come with speakers.

The Samsung SyncMaster does the better job of displaying consistent brightness across the entire screen. The brightness of the ViewSonic monitor varies somewhat with even a small change in viewing angle, but that's a minor flaw. When dragging the pointer across the screen, some ghosting is observed on the ViewSonic display, and, to a lesser degree, on the Samsung monitor.

The recommended (native) resolution for both monitors is 1280 by 1024 pixels; both models identify this resolution prominently.

The ViewSonic's quick-start booklet lists safety precautions in 14 languages and provides three-step, illustration-only setup instructions. If you had had to rely on these diagrams to install the monitor, however, you might be lost. Complete documentation is included on a CD-ROM.

One quibble with the Samsung SyncMaster: The on-screen controls display is small, and figuring out how to cycle through the menu choices isn't easy. The bezel's control buttons aren't completely intuitive either, although the printed manual explains how to use them.

The SyncMaster and the ViewPanel are both high-quality products, and neither would be a bad choice. But when it comes to details, Samsung's flat-panel has the edge.