Cornea Systems 19in LCD 1280x1024 75Hz CT1904 Black/Silver Color 500:1 (PC/Mac) (Cornea Systems-CT1904)

The CT1904 was the least expensive 19-inch LCD in our review, selling for a street price of $650 at the time of this review. (In comparison, the average price for all 19-inch LCDs considered for our March 2004 roundup was $735.) Yet you don't sacrifice image quality for the savings. The monitor received high marks in both our text- and graphics-quality tests, receiving scores of Very good and Outstanding, respectively.

However, a great price does require some compromises. In the case of the CT1904, they are most apparent in the unit's lack of adjustment options. The panel, available with a silver or black bezel, tilts but does not allow for other movement, such as swiveling or changing height. As for adjusting the image, the on-screen controls are limited and somewhat clumsy. Screen menus are tiny, and simply adjusting brightness or contrast required four button clicks. Curiously, the unit's built-in speakers are on the back of the panel, and they sounded rather faint--even when we stood behind the monitor. Unlike some other monitors we've seen, the CT1904 does not let you adjust the color temperature while in digital mode. And Cornea provides just 10 hours of phone support on weekdays--compared with several other vendors that offer 24/7 coverage.