Soyo DYLMO19A

For a pleasant surprise, check out the screen quality on Soyo's Dymond DYLMO19A, the first monitor from a manufacturer best known for motherboards. It performed particularly well on our real-world test screens of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and a colorful photo of a fruit tart. For a second pleasant surprise, take a look at the price: $339, one of the lowest we've seen for a 19-inch display.

At this price, of course, you sacrifice something--in the DYLMO19A's case, the ability to customize the monitor. You can adjust the screen with a rudimentary but functional set of screen settings, which includes 3 color temperature presets. The unadorned design looks agreeably clean, but it offers only a tilt capability--no height, swivel, or pivot. If the DYLMO19A's screen sits too low for your comfort, you'll have to set the stand on risers. The included speakers sound okay, but not great--to be fair, built-in monitor speakers rarely knock my socks off--and I'd prefer a headphone jack on an LCD that's otherwise well-suited to a work cubicle.

As we often see with a new foray into LCDs, the DYLMO19A's accompanying documentation could stand some improvement. Most monitors arrive with a full manual (usually on CD), but the DYLMO19A's paper booklet provides scant detail in its 12 English-language pages. Inexperienced users may encounter frustration while puzzling out even the few settings that this model offers. One final caveat: Since Soyo offers only 8.5 hours of weekday technical help and no weekend hours, the unit makes a better choice for a work environment than for home use.

Upshot: This bargain-priced LCD displays both text and images deftly, but don't expect many features or a generous service policy.

Laura Blackwell