ViewSonic VX500+

WHAT'S HOT: Our judges gave the VX500+ high marks for its ability to display rich colors and subtle details in photos. The monitor comes with Colorific, a software utility that helps match on-screen colors to print jobs--a plus if you work extensively with graphics. The unit's 550:1 contrast ratio is among the highest we've seen on a 15-inch LCD.

Controls for onscreen adjustments mirror those on the company's CRT models; but the 1, 2, and adjustment buttons (+ and -) are easier to see than on their CRT counterparts. All of the buttons (including those for adjusting speaker volume) are fairly easy to use, and they respond with a beep when lightly pressed.

WHAT'S NOT: In our text quality tests, the VX500+ faltered at times, even though LCD monitors are typically used for text-heavy work. On a screen containing various typefaces, the fonts and letters weren't completely smooth in some places, and judges noted sharpness at smaller type sizes. (If you run Windows XP, enabling Clear Type--which is hidden in the control panel's display menu--could help.)

The panel doesn't pivot into portrait mode, and it tilts up and down less easily than some we've seen. Also, the bezel seemed somewhat lightly constructed: We pried off the speaker panel without too much effort.