Hitachi 17IN/16.1V 23mm 1024x768@85hz Cm615u-511

WHAT'S HOT: Hitachi's $179 CM615 is a great value for a 17-inch CRT. It comes with Hitachi's generous five-year warranty, and while it didn't challenge the top-performing 17-inch displays, text looked sharp and colors appeared lively in photos.

WHAT'S NOT: Although the on-screen menus on this model were reasonably easy to use, the display menu timed out more quickly that we would have liked, and there was no way to adjust the timing to a longer duration.

WHAT ELSE: Although the CM615 does not comply with the TCO standard for energy and emissions, it is compliant with the MPRII standard. Documentation generally covers the basics.

UPSHOT: If paying the lowest price is your main goal, then the CM615 should suit your needs. However, you can get better image quality if you're willing to spend just a little more.

SUMMARY

Hitachi CM615 16-inch viewable area, .24mm diagonal dot-pitch shadow mask tube, up to 85-Hz refresh rate at 1024 by 758 resolution, Plug and Play ready. Five year warranty, 11.5-hour weekday toll-free support. $179 800/441-4832 www.hitachidisplays.com