I bought my Sceptre 19" monitors (I've purchased 5 for myself and clients.) and have been very happy with them.

Used in an office environment, their pictures are crisp and their design is pretty sleek and attractive.

I don't use it for action games, but I do watch DVDs and videos on it, and it works fine for both of these applications.

BEST VALUE
I'm not sure why, but Sceptre seems to have the best 19" deals. I got mine for about $500 (my model has DVI and Analog inputs, but I've seen ones that don't have them). The monitor, however, carries only a 1 year warranty. Now, I don't think this is a big deal, since, in my experience with LCD's, primarily with laptops, the LCDs are very reliable except when dropped or cracked. But still, Sceptre could improve their perception of quality by matching the other manufacturer's 2- and 3-year warranties.

If you want the peace-of-mind that comes with a warranty, you can by an extended warranty from lots of different companies.

GOOD PICTURE
The picture is good. The screen can do up to 1280x1024 resolution, which is just right, in my opinion. Screen is bright... maybe a little too bright (I turn down the brightness.)

As mentioned above, my business clients are happy and I feel that watching DVDs look fine.

I have heard on newegg.com's reviews that this monitor isn't the best for action games, because sometimes the images "ghost" when using really fast action games. I can't verify this. But these reviews also acknowledge that this "action gaming response" is what you lose out on in exchange for the low price.

Eye-strain
I highly recommend getting an LCD if you are having normal (CRT) monitor eye-strain. I suffered with it for a long time and tried all sorts of fixes, like filters and even glasses, but the LCD has really fixed things. I can stare at it for hours without much trouble. In fact, my back starts to hurt before my eyes do.

Extras not so useful
The monitor has two extras that I don't use.

First, there is a USB hub with two ports. I'm not sure if it is USB 2.0 or 1.1. But the two ports are in the back of the monitor and its not a convenient place to plug devices in. However, if you have a media-card reader or something else that stays plugged in, then it might be useful.

Secondly, there are speakers on the version I have. The speakers are really weak and aren't good enough for watching videos. Not a big deal because I use a set with subwoofers, etc, but it might be good for business people. WARNING, I don't think all models have speakers, so please check.

OVERALL
Overall, I'm very satisfied. It met my needs (get rid of eye-strain, inexpensive, reliable, large and clear screen) very well.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 550
Operating System: Windows