Dell's UltraSharp TFT's Have Raised The Bar!
Written: Jul 11 '03
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Pros: Very clear, large, and stylish. Easy on the eyes.
Cons: Expensive.
The Bottom Line: If you are in the market of getting a Flat Panel Display and this is the size you want, then Dell's UltraSharp 1800FP will not disappoint.
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| ksm1010's Full Review: Dell UltraSharp 1800FP 18 inch LCD Monitor |
Just like many people in the world today, I am an avid computer user. So much so that I spend most of any given day in front of a computer monitor. By spending so much time in front of a monitor, I made myself vulnerable to eye strain and other facial discomforts. Thus I was left with two choices, either reduce the computer usage or improve the monitor. Since the former was not possible due to my profession, I chose the latter. Thus I investigated into TFTs or Flat Panel Monitors as they are popularly known, since they are known to be easier on the eyes as they don't contain cathode ray tubes which persistently blast you with charged electrons. The advantage of TFT's are that asides from being easy on the eyes, they are small so take less desk space, the image fits the entire screen unlike CRT monitors which have a thin black line around the screen which reduces screen space, and they are much more energy efficient helping reduce your electric bill. The only problem with TFT's are their price, but fortunately they have become more affordable in the past year or so.
Though all flat panel monitors look good compared to CRT(cathode ray tube) monitors, you must compare the monitors to other FP(flat panel) monitors to get a good idea of their clarity. The main things to look for are the size, resolution, dot pitch, image contrast ratio, power consumption, and most importantly price. After comparing these qualities in different monitors, I found the Dell UltraSharp 1800FP TFT to be the best deal on the market. Dell's UltraSharp 1800FP boasts a large 18.1" screen size which is the length from top left corner to bottom right corner; it is capable of 1280x1024 resolution which means how much can be viewed at one time; it has a dot pitch of 0.285mm with the smaller the number the sharper the image; the contrast ratio is 350:1 which allows you to see fast images in sharp detail, and the power consumption is only around 50W which is less than a standard light bulb. The price comes out to be about $600, which may seem like a lot but is a fairly competitive price compared to other brands.
The monitor comes in a midnight-gray color which essentially looks like black, but is thin and sleek and has a small but stable base. It fits easily anywhere and will match with most room decoration schemes. The monitor only has a horizontal hinge meaning it can only be adjusted up and down; in order to turn it side to side you have to move the entire unit, base and all. That is one drawback. The monitor is deceptively heavy considering it is a FP but is still much lighter than CRT monitors of equal size. There is not much wasted space on the whole unit making it a very efficient design. It connects through the same analog serial port as your current CRT monitor does, so no special wires or ports are needed. Finally, the control buttons on the monitor are small and well placed with an easy menu to customize the unit.
As with TV's, you have to look at the screen to realize the clarity, you can't describe it with words. But I have tested the monitor with the internet, games, graphics, and digital pictures and they all look stunning. Of course, that is also dependent upon how good a computer you have, graphics card, RAM, etc. So, all in all this is a great monitor with crystal clear images, good resolution, energy efficiency, and most importantly very easy on the eyes. I can't quite describe the feeling of easiness the eyes feel when looking at a TFT, you have to experience it for yourself. If the price still concerns you, get the monitor from Dell along with a desktop and you will often get good discounts and free shipping. So remember, Dude...You're Getting a Dell!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 600
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
ksm1010
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Location: Austin, Texas
Reviews written: 73
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
I am a college student who loves testing and writing about hardware and software.
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