It was the ASUS' dirt cheap price tag which immediately caught our eye, it's just a shame that the overall performance couldn't deliver. This 17in display lagged behind the others when tested for contrast, with detail being lost in both bright and dark areas - something we also saw last month from the Award-winning ASUS W2P00VC multimedia notebook (see August, p60). Colour transitions were poor and we also had issues in our motion tests with a relatively average performance. This throws doubt over Asus' 8ms response times claims and indeed, if you read the small print, the 8ms reflects the 'on to off' time - not the 'on to off to on again' time normally used. Still, it performs more than adequately for everyday tasks like web browsing.
In terms of features and design, it fared somewhat better thanks to the likes of a 30-day zero bright dot policy and bundled DVI cable. But its funky looks belie a plastic feel despite the cool aluminium-alloy base and pivoting stand. We liked how the control buttons on the right were designed to avoid disrupting the aesthetics. While we didn't drop points, those who care about such things should know that the awkwardly-shaped stand and external power supply limit its portability.
Also of note is that this is the only monitor with two RCA stereo inputs for connecting the twin 2.5W stereo speakers. These produce an acceptable, if not good, sound. There's also a 3.5mm to RCA adapter cable included for those who need it.
Overall, this is a decent screen with a nice price tag -- especially if you want to take advantage of the added audio capability. However, if budget is your priority you may be better off saving an extra $100 and plumping for the Polyview. Although it doesn't match the build quality of the ASUS, it has a noticeably better display, suffers less blur and also comes with built-in speakers.
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