30-Inch Wide-Screen Monitors

A Big Monitor That Includes TV Capability

If you'd like a side serving of entertainment with your big display, then NEC's MultiSync 3735WXM LCD may be just what you're after. This 37-inch LCD includes a built-in analog TV tuner, which lets you hook it up to a cable connection and view television while you're getting your work done. The 3735WXM is geared for use as an informational display, but we think that it could be easily connected to a media center PC, as well.

The 3735WXM shows pleasing images when displaying television. I also hooked this monitor up to a PlayStation 3 and watched a Blu-ray DVD--the high-def movie looked crisp and lively, even though the display does not have 1080p resolution. The monitor's picture-in-picture capability enables you to work on a document side by side with a TV show, though you can minimize either window, too.

The display has a 1366 by 768 resolution, a common resolution for 37-inch TVs. While that's fine when you use the LCD's TV capability, it can be distracting if you have the monitor hooked up to a PC. Documents and spreadsheets lack the definitive sharpness and detail visible on the 30-inch LCDs we reviewed, which have four times more pixels. In addition, it's advisable to sit 8 to 10 feet from the display, as you would from a similar-size TV--not an ideal distance for viewing documents.

Nevertheless, the lower resolution should suffice if your emphasis is on entertainment. An LCD of this type is a logical fit for a media center PC. But the 3735WXM lacks an HDMI port (which some media center PCs include, and more will have in the future); that can pose a problem if you want to view high-definition content. You'll have to settle for using the unit's component connections.

And then there's the price: This unit costs a steep $2300, or a little more than what you would pay for a standard 37-inch television. Its hybrid capability is a nice benefit. But purists might prefer having the more usual arrangement--that is, a TV in the living room and, in another room, a big monitor attached to the computer.