The Bottom Line: I highly recommend this monitor to anyone in the market for a quality FP LCD monitor. The price is excellent, and SVA-USA evidently believes in its product--thus the 3-year warranty.
jaggwire's Full Review: SVA-USA VR 17S 17 inch LCD Monitor
After several clunky, hot monitors had just about milked my large oak writing desk of actual writing space (you know--pencil-to-paper-style, not finger-to-keyboard), I found myself in the market for a flat panel monitor. Geesch, was I in for sticker shock! Most 17-inchers started at $650.00!
Then I found the SVA-USA VR17S monitor at a local Office Depot. The price scared me into thinking that something may actually be wrong with the monitor. Most 15" FP monitors sold for several hundred more than this 17" one. I hesitantly paid the $345 (in-store special)--after several reassurances from store personnel that I could indeed return it if it did not perform to my liking.
The 3-year warranty was refreshing, as most companies no longer believe enough in their products to couple them with more than a one-year warranty.
Out of the box, the monitor weighed very little (of course, compared to what I had been using). It's large, sleek, silvery-gray frame balances on a surprisingly small foot. I dared not perch it on my monitor stand for fear I'd knock it off.
When I plugged it in and turned it on, the screen went to a sick-bed shade of green/black as it warmed; then Windows XP lovingly recognized my new monitor, and I had a clear, bright, LARGE view of my old familiar Windows desktop.
The screen was not centered, though, and required some judicious tinkering with the monitor's menu buttons. The menu buttons are not as user-friendly as my old Dell monitor, but once I found a happy medium, the monitor has stayed right on my settings--even after power outages. The user's manual, obvious translation that it is, included pictures of the menu commands. Very useful.
On the highest resolution, I've noticed that smaller text isn't as sharp, but this is a small annoyance (that doesn't affect graphics) and not an aggravation.
The speakers are not worth commenting about. (Don't buy this monitor for its speakers; you WILL be disappointed.) The sound is tinny at best, but would do in a pinch. However, the VR17S is worth every cent I paid.
BTW: I now have it on the monitor stand. Light it is; feeble it's not. I now have room to write on my writing desk, and I have a flat-panel monitor that displays graphics like there's no tomorrow. And with the work I do in graphic design, writing, editing, and digital photography, both are very important.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 345.00 Operating System: Windows
Offers One Of The Brightest Images Of Any 17" Flat Panel Display On The Market Today. The Ideal Solution For Professionals Whose Work Space Is Limited...More at Target
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