Good, Basic Value
Written: Jul 24 '02 (Updated Jul 24 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Price, Picture Quality, Warranty
Cons: Lack of Controls, Plain Look
The Bottom Line: A good value for most uses.
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| jumperless's Full Review: KDS Visual Sensations 55p 15 inch CRT Monitor |
We needed a monitor for a workstation, a cheap 15” monitor preferably. For uses, I knew it didn’t need to be top-of-the-line. It will mainly be used for text editing and internet surfing, no graphics or programming. After much research, I decided on the KDS VS-55P because it was a great value and I’ve had good experiences with the warranty and other KDS products.
Picture Quality
The VS-55P has a .25mm horizontal dot pitch and .28mm vertical dot pitch, which puts it in the middle of the performance race in this aspect. Lower end models will have a .28mm horizontal dot pitch, while higher end about .22mm. The lower the number the better. It makes this model a good contender for low-end graphics use and gaming.
This model has a max resolution of 1024 x 768 at a refresh rate of 60 Hz, not a bad resolution, but the low refresh rate could become annoying after awhile, making the monitor seem like it flickers. But, most users won’t want the resolution that high because shrinks everything down too much on the smaller screen making it hard to see from a distance.
The optimal resolution is 800 x 600 at a refresh rate of 85 Hz and this is a nice setting because the higher refresh rate makes the screen seem brighter and not like it’s flickering. In my experience, I’ve don’t like setting 15” CRT monitors about 800 x 600, just because it shrinks the screen too much so this resolution and refresh rate is fine.
Overall, the picture was pleasant to look at in its optimal setting, the colors were crisp, text clear and easy to read and very bright.
Size, Weight and Looks
The VS-55P has a 13.8” viewing area, a little smaller than many in it’s class that average about a 14” viewing area. But, with a smaller, clean frame around the screen, it didn’t seem small.
It’s 14.3” wide, 13.9” high and 15.4” deep. It weighs about 27 lbs.
The exterior is a white/light gray plastic that will match most computers, but is a little bland in style with no silver trim or color hints to separate it from the competition. While it would be good for professional use, such as call centers, some home users may find the looks too plain.
Controls
The VS-55P has basic controls for Contrast, brightness, H/V size/position and pincushion/trapezoid. They’re all accessed through buttons on the base, not through an on-screen menu. This is good because it’s faster to adjust, but bad because the buttons can be hard to read where an on-screen menu would be easier. Some gamers and graphics users might find the controls lacking for specific applications.
Connections
The VS-55P has a 15-pin VGA connection and power connection, no USB or speaker inputs because this model does not have built in speakers.
Warranty
Like all KDS monitors, the VS-55P has a 3-year parts and labor warranty. Good to know and have on a cheap monitor.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 100
Operating System: Windows and Macintosh
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jumperless
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Location: Northern California
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