WHAT'S HOT: Though the LCD9V was far from a leader in our image-quality tests, its text was generally easy to read, and most color images looked good--reflecting the overall high quality of all the monitors we reviewed. In addition, its documentation is top-notch. The printed manual describes the on-screen controls in detail and includes a troubleshooting section and information on how to reach NEC-Mitsubishi's free, 24-hour daily technical support. In addition, the monitor was one of the less-expensive 19-inch models available at the time of our review.

WHAT'S NOT: The AccuSync LCD9V faltered noticeably on our gray-scale and color-scale screens. On the gray-scale test, our judges observed that the AccuSync LCD9V wasn't as good as most other units at displaying shades of gray distinctly on a black background. Likewise, it had trouble rendering dark colors during our color-scale test. Both results indicate that the monitor may not show detail well in dark images. In fact, most of our test screens looked a smidge dark even with the brightness level cranked up to 100 percent.

WHAT ELSE: The buttons for the on-screen controls are a bit confusing at first, but we quickly got the hang of them and were able to navigate to some sophisticated menu options, including color-temperature settings and separate controls for tweaking color saturation and flesh tones. The monitor has good adjustment options, with the ability to tilt the panel, swivel it from side to side, and change its height. Our test model was black; the monitor is also available in white.

UPSHOT: The LCD9V offers a large screen for a relatively low price, but it doesn't have the best image quality among the low-cost models available.