Dream Screens

Thinking of switching from a fat monitor to a flat one? We review new 15-inch LCDs. The best have cutting-edge designs, lower prices--and fantastic image quality.

What's New in Flat Panels

Our tests show that under-$1000 LCDs perform so impressively that there's no compelling reason for you to spend more. That is, unless you really want the extra bells and whistles.

Pricier models include interesting new features: The Samsung SyncMaster 150MP, for example, has television tuner, video-in, and picture-in-picture (PIP) capabilities, and the Compaq TFT5010 offers optional touch-screen functionality, making this monitor especially well suited to providing or collecting customized information in a public setting (like taking surveys, giving out visitor information, or listing product availability). Newcomer AG Neovo's M15 offers a wealth of extras, such as a unique protective outer glass and an unusual swiveling capability.

These add-ons complement another new feature: dual-interface LCDs, which allow you to use an analog interface to connect an LCD to your computer--just as you would a CRT--or use an all-digital interface. We've seen dual-input LCDs before, but in the past you couldn't be certain which digital specification the LCDs supported. The flat panels on our chart that feature dual inputs include the Philips Brilliance 150P, the Compaq TFT 5010, and the NEC MultiSync LCD1525X.

LCD monitors are--by their very design--digital devices, but most graphics adapters available today are intended for use with analog monitors. Digital-to-digital (or "pure digital") transmission avoids the signal degradation or "noise" typical of analog-only LCDs and therefore is theoretically better. To run an LCD monitor in digital mode you'll need a digital graphics adapter (typically costing $150 to $300).

Is a "pure digital" interface worth paying for? Unfortunately, although companies tout these interfaces as the wave of the future, it's not clear from our tests that digital LCDs deliver significantly better image quality than analog LCDs. (See "Does Digital Matter?")

Some LCDs offer landscape and portrait functionality. You must install special software to use it, however, and some companies, such as CTX, charge you for the software that enables you to switch. Additional features you should look for include built-in speakers--a practicality that fits an LCD's mission to free up desktop space--and USB ports, which help you connect peripheral devices such as printers or digital cameras more easily.

Our chart lists the backlight warranty for each LCD. Though an LCD's backlight is the one component most likely to fail, it has approximately twice the longevity of a CRT monitor's tube (20,000 to 30,000 hours versus 10,000 to 20,000 hours).