Giant Dell LCD Is Not Quite a TV

Dell's 30-inch UltraSharp 3007WFP wide-screen LCD dwarfs other monitors--even big ones. And at a native resolution of 2560 by 1600 pixels, it can more than handle high-definition content. However, the $2199 display is not a TV and it lacks features found on smaller LCDs. But if you're hell-bent on a 30-incher, it looks comparable to and is $300 cheaper than its sole competitor, Apple's 30-inch Cinema HD Display.

The 3007WFP accepts DVI-Digital video input only, rejecting the component, composite, and S-Video inputs of its 24-inch sibling, Dell's UltraSharp 2405FPW. This limitation keeps the 3007WFP from connecting to most DVD players. The $2499 Apple display has the same setup, and both monitors' sole screen adjustment is brightness. The 3007WFP comes with no HDMI input and requires a DVI-D dual-link graphics card supporting 2560 by 1600 resolution.

I found the shipping version of the 3007WFP comfortable to use. In addition to tilt adjustment, it has smooth height control. Its Apple rival has tilt only.

The 3007WFP was impressive in my subjective tests. Black letters appeared crisp against a white background, and flesh tones and bright colors looked pleasing. The 3007WFP played our test movie with minimal ghosting, and HD content looked sharp. I set the Dell monitor next to the Apple 30-incher and found both screens excellent, though I did perceive a faint pink cast on the Dell model.

It's natural to yearn for a huge LCD, and the 3007WFP looks great, but for most people a 24-inch model will serve amply at half the price.