Planar PL1910M-BK

Good image quality is this low-priced, no-frills monitor's strongest attribute. Sharp details on our Microsoft Excel screen contributed to a text rating of Very Good. Vivid colors and good detail on our people photo helped the PL1910M-BK gain a Very Good rating for graphics, too. In each of these categories, it performed in the top third of recently tested monitors.

But image quality is about all that this model has going for it. Its only physical adjustment is tilt, its speakers hiss audibly, and the skinny buttons are labeled with hard-to-read, stamped descriptors. The documentation CD includes test images that are handy for fine-tuning the display's settings, though.

If your budget is very tight, the PL1910M is a reasonable choice, but you'll relinquish usability for the low price.

Laura Blackwell