BenQ FP231W LCD Computer Monitor Reviewed

  • By: HomeTheaterReview.com,

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4 Stars
Value
4 Stars
Overall
4 Stars

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Is it just me, or has DVD made you look at all LCD screens differently? Whether it's a PDA, laptop computer or high-tech refrigerator, if its LCD isn't widescreen, it just doesn't look right anymore. DVD and HDTV have created a widescreen world, and other sectors of the electronics industry are finally starting to fall in line.

Additional Resources
• Read more LCD HDTV reviews by HomeTheaterReview.com's staff.
• Explore Blu-ray options in our Blu-ray Player Review section.

The availability of widescreen computer monitors means great things for anyone who likes to look at two Microsoft Word pages side-by-side or anyone who likes spinning DVDs in the old DVD-ROM drive. The trouble is, widescreen monitors
(which admittedly have been around for a few years) are typically no larger than 17 inches (diagonal). Well friends, feast your eyes on BenQ's FP231W and its 23 inches (diagonal) of widescreen glory.

Unique Features
For anyone who has spent any time shopping for a LCD monitor, there is one term you're bound to be familiar with: response time. LCD monitors have what's called a "pixel response time" which is essentially how long it takes (in milliseconds) for a LCD pixel to go from active to inactive and back to active again. If you mostly look at static text pages all day long and there isn't a lot of motion on your screen, a monitor's response time isn't terribly important. However, if you're into PC gaming or watching DVDs on your computer, then response time becomes incredibly important.

A slow response time results in a distracting artifact called "ghosting", where images linger on screen a moment longer than they should. If you drag your mouse across the screen really fast, a slow response time will result in a trail of arrows streaking behind your cursor. This problem becomes infinitely more annoying when watching a fast-moving game or DVD movie. A general rule of thumb is that anything under 20ms is probably fast enough to keep up with games and DVD video without ghosting. Anything over 20ms and you might regret your purchase. BenQ's FP231W is one of the first LCD panels in this size category to feature a blazing fast 16ms response time.

Also unique to the FP231W is its built-in four-port USB 2.0 hub. The number of USB-enabled peripherals is countless and having four ports right in front of you makes quick connections a snap. Whether it's a digital camera, joystick and/or PDA cradle, BenQ's monitor makes it easy to drive your gear from one convenient location. This is one feature that belongs on all monitors, large and small.

Read more on Page 2.

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