The all-in-one stereo monitor.
Written: Mar 20 '02 (Updated Apr 02 '02)
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Pros: Sharp display and coloring; lighter than many other 19" monitors; easy-to-use menu.
Cons: Speaker quality could be a little better.
The Bottom Line: In the $400 price range for 19-inch monitors, there's no better buy ... period.
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| lid's Full Review: Sony DELUXEPRO CPD-G420S 19 inch CRT Monitor |
How many monitors have you seen that can support any resolution while not compromising the quality of the display? This model maintains superior quality display while allowing the user resolutions as high as 1880x1440(please note: I'm not suggesting you use the 1880x1440 resolution ... i happen to prefer 1024x768). As a web site designer, I'm on the computer 8-12 hours a day staring at graphics and endless lines of code, and this is an absolutely vital benefit. Eye strain has been dramatically reduced since I purchased this monitor.
Purchase price will vary from $325 to $425, depending on where you shop ... I happened to purchase mine directly from Dell because Dell has been good to me. Hence, I was willing to spend a few more dollars more than I would have otherwise at a bargain basement warehouse.
Easily installable, I set this bad boy up on my Dell Dimension, which has a P3 processor and runs on Windows 2000. It was supported by Windows out of the box. The monitor is equipped with 9 menu languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, German, French, Russian and two others I couldn't identify. The menu itself is rather extensive, boasting an easy-to-use joystick-like control to navigate through its options. Among the menu's options are: standard brightness and contrast controls; color controls allowing use of up to 1.1 million colors; shape of display (allowing you to make the screen display in a trapezoid or rounded shape if you so desire); and a locking function that prevents unwanted changes from being made to your settings.
In addition to the menu, the monitor has a separate button labeled "Picture Effect." This allows users to select from Standard, Dynamic and Professional. While I prefer to use Dynamic, as I found it is best suited for handling a wider variety of graphics, the ability to choose between the 3 options is a pleasant benefit. Home users will most likely find that the Standard setting is perfectly adequate. Best of all though, these settings display a great variety of graphics without compromising the imagery ... as fellow Epinions writer mdjohn said in his review: "Sony recommends the Professional mode for more accurate colors, and the Standard mode for higher contrast and brightness — but I got the clearest results using the Dynamic mode. The CPD-G420S provides rich color; it doesn't wash out brighter images, and it doesn't mute darker, shadowed images." I couldn't say it any better.
As a Sony Trinitron monitor (yes, that's the same technology that you see in Sony Trinitron televisions), you will find two thin lines that cross the screen. Truthfully, I didn't even notice them until mobiprof, a fellow reviewer, pointed them out to me because the display is so sharp. It arrived marked with the TCO 99 standard for Econology Energy Emissions Ergonomics, but I couldn't elaborate much more as energy usage is not my forté.
The monitor is also equipped with two input ports. This means if you have two CPUs, you no longer need to purchase that putrid "A-B" switch. A small button on the front of the monitor enables easy maneuvering from one CPU to the other.
The final great detail is that it is equipped with internal speakers, a headphone jack and volume control. Hence, I can plug a pair of headphones into it and listen while not disrupting the others in my office. Thus, if your CPU is buried under your desk somewhere, you don't have to worry about wires tangling as you run a line from the cpu to your head.
All in all, this monitor has it all. Great bonus features, simply beautiful display and ease of use. What else could you ask for?
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 425
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
lid
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Member: Daniel Kreeger
Location: Washington, DC
Reviews written: 64
Trusted by: 11 members
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