Preface

When people think of Sony two words come to mind, quality and expense. It's certainly true that a person can get the same viewable-size monitor and equivalent dot pitch (explained later) for a couple hundred dollars less (see Viewsonics and Mitsubishis). However, if you were to take a closer look and use the actual products, you'd immediately notice that Sony products offer a different sort of "comfort" because of the attention to details that may not be necessarily something that is included in the spec sheets for most monitors.

Your monitor is what connects you to your computer; it's how it gives you feedback. With the surge in digital photography and the like, the better the monitor, the better the picture, the better your experience.

Specs - The Pros and Cons
in this section I will only concentrate on features which set the Sony monitor apart from many of those on the market now

19" (18' viewable) FD Trinitron monitor with HiDensity Electron Gun - 0.24mm-0.25mm AP

Almost a standard for most monitor purchases today is the flat screen and desktop real estate that is equivalent to about 18" viewable. Trinitron has become synonymous with the Sony name at this point. The technology employs the use of an aperture grill, which is a series of wires that is stretched vertically down the screen and held horizontally by two wires. This arguably makes text and pictures appear clearer. I do see a big difference between Trinitron monitors and older shadow mask monitors. It is worth noting that there are two faint gray lines that run across the screen due to the two wires that hold the aperture grill in place. There are virtually unnoticeable unless you work under a light background.

The aperture size of .24mm - .25mm is more than adequate for most uses. As a matter of fact I also have the CPD-FD400 which is basically the same monitor but with a .22mm grill size. Honestly, I don't see the difference. As long as you keep your screen resolution in the 1280X1024 or 1600X1200 or lower range.

Refresh Rate

It is also important to note that Sony monitors in general have higher refresh rates for each resolution. Refresh rate basically is the frequency at which the image on your screen is updated. So the higher it is, the less perceptible the flicker. I'm not sure what the effect is, but for some reason, the higher I set my refresh rate, the clearer the text seem to be (maybe someone can explain this to me).

OSD - On Screen Display

As with many monitors, there is a function that allows you to change the screen size, move the image around etc. In this area, Sony monitors in general offer a lot more features. Standard to a lot of the higher end monitors are the horizontal and vertical convergence, which in effect can make text much clearer. Added on to that, there is ability to change color temperature, which basically changes the tones of the colors used. Of course, there's the degauss function to reset the charges on your monitor (gets rid of some low level residual magnetic fields).

Dimensions and Weight

The monitor measure 17.7" X 18.2" X 18.2" which ranks average in most 19" monitors to date. I only wish the depth of the monitor (the neck) could have been a little less, like those of the 19" Compaq monitors. The monitor weighs about 60lbs, which is about average as well.

It's a Sony

I usually don't buy electronics based upon the manufacturer, but for Sony, I do make an exception. Their engineering process is such that it takes a long time for a product to be released for mass production. This results in products that aren't necessarily on the cutting edge, but are very reliable. You can see the distinction when you compare audio products produced by Sony versus the ones produced by their subsidiary Aiwa.

I don't know if this was an actual physiologic response or a psychological one, but I used to get red, dry eyes when I stare at a monitor for more than a few hours. However, once I switched to the Sony, I've never run across that problem.

Just one more thing I want to add, not necessarily related to this product, but I thought it was interesting. Did you know that the first product Sony made was a rice cooker and it was a flop?


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 600
Operating System: Windows