ViewSonic VA721 17 inch LCD Monitor
Out of stock |
Similar in Monitors
- Response Time: Slow (More than 17 ms)
- Contrast Ratio: 450:1
- Screen Size: 17 inch
- Display Max. Resolution: 1280 x 1024
- Monitor Type: Flat Panel LCD TFT (Active Matrix)
- Native (Recommended) Resolution: 1280 x 1024
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Great colors and brightness with easy setup
Pros
Great picture, easy setup and image adjust.
Cons
Static gathers cat hair? No real problems.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Definitely worth checking out, but still consider going into an actual store to compare. Looks better without fluorescent lights at home.
I got a new 19" CRT monitor less than 4 years ago, so the decision to upgrade was tough for me. On one hand, my existing monitor worked great, but on the other hand, a new monitor would take up less space on my desk and look a lot nicer. Because it wasn't an immediate need, I took my time in comparing and shopping around. I decided on the ViewSonic VA721 initially because of the great price I got it at. This is not to say I picked it only because of price. I had found other great deals and walked away because of the quality of the monitor.
The only reason I hesitated getting this monitor was because it's only 17" and I was looking at 19" at first. However, when I looked at my boyfriend's 17" LCD, I realized that it was nearly as big as my 19" CRT and there was no noticeable size difference. I had seen contrast ratios and brightness figures on all sorts of monitors for months, but I quickly realized that you really have to go to the store to compare in person. I ended up going to Office Depot because they have all the monitors set up using the same screen saver on the same machine where CompUSA has them on different machines. Because the quality of the computer's video card can greatly affect the picture quality, it is important to have a fair comparison.
I considered the "shiny" monitors that Sony makes because they just look great. But as the salesperson I spoke with pointed out, they're horrible for glare. Also, they're quite a bit more money and harder to keep clean.
So the stats on my monitor are as follows:
Display Area 17.0" diagonal
Optimum Resolution 1280x1024
Contrast Ratio 450:1 (typ)
Response Time 8ms (typ)
Brightness 280 cd/m2 (typ)
Panel Surface Anti-glare
The first thing that is important to realize is the size difference in LCDs compared to CRTs. You may not need a 19" LCD if you have a 19" CRT. You'll probably want one though. Price is getting closer on the two, but it wasn't worth the extra $50-$100 for me.
The resolution is only good if you have a decent video card. If you're using an on-board video card (came built in with your machine), then you may not be able to use the optimum resolution anyhow.
My research told me that next three numbers are the most important. The Contrast Ratio 450:1 is pretty standard. However the Response Time 8ms is incredibly fast comparatively! Most other cheaper monitors I found were between 12ms and 16ms. The Brightness (280 cd/m2) was actually listed differently in the store, so I'm not sure what is correct. However, it looks a lot brighter than other monitors with higher listed brightness. This is why an in person visit is pretty important.
Now that I've gotten it home, I love it even more. Overall, the quality of picture is great. The brightness is just right and helps the picture look near perfect. The colors and contrast have opened a whole new world to me. I take a lot of digital pictures and now when I look at them, I can see a picture that looks a lot more like the picture I took and will print.
I didn't care about built in speakers because I already had some and typically the speakers that come built in are of poor quality. The best extra I've found with this monitor is the Auto Image Adjust. I press a button and it automatically centers and adjusts all the other settings. It also changes as you load other programs! This is a lot easier than other monitors I've seen that require a lot of toggling to get the picture just right. But the Auto Image Adjust is so easy and the results are flawless!
The other feature which I haven't a chance to use yet is fold flat. Basically the stand folds completely flat so you don't have to remove it if you decide to use a wall or desk mount. I'm considering, but it is nice to know that it would be easy to do.
If you're in the market for a LCD, this is definitely worth a second look. It looks a million times better at home than it did in the store. There were no dead pixels right away and ViewSonic is a reputable company. It's stylish with silver and black and matches nearly any computer.
The only reason I hesitated getting this monitor was because it's only 17" and I was looking at 19" at first. However, when I looked at my boyfriend's 17" LCD, I realized that it was nearly as big as my 19" CRT and there was no noticeable size difference. I had seen contrast ratios and brightness figures on all sorts of monitors for months, but I quickly realized that you really have to go to the store to compare in person. I ended up going to Office Depot because they have all the monitors set up using the same screen saver on the same machine where CompUSA has them on different machines. Because the quality of the computer's video card can greatly affect the picture quality, it is important to have a fair comparison.
I considered the "shiny" monitors that Sony makes because they just look great. But as the salesperson I spoke with pointed out, they're horrible for glare. Also, they're quite a bit more money and harder to keep clean.
So the stats on my monitor are as follows:
Display Area 17.0" diagonal
Optimum Resolution 1280x1024
Contrast Ratio 450:1 (typ)
Response Time 8ms (typ)
Brightness 280 cd/m2 (typ)
Panel Surface Anti-glare
The first thing that is important to realize is the size difference in LCDs compared to CRTs. You may not need a 19" LCD if you have a 19" CRT. You'll probably want one though. Price is getting closer on the two, but it wasn't worth the extra $50-$100 for me.
The resolution is only good if you have a decent video card. If you're using an on-board video card (came built in with your machine), then you may not be able to use the optimum resolution anyhow.
My research told me that next three numbers are the most important. The Contrast Ratio 450:1 is pretty standard. However the Response Time 8ms is incredibly fast comparatively! Most other cheaper monitors I found were between 12ms and 16ms. The Brightness (280 cd/m2) was actually listed differently in the store, so I'm not sure what is correct. However, it looks a lot brighter than other monitors with higher listed brightness. This is why an in person visit is pretty important.
Now that I've gotten it home, I love it even more. Overall, the quality of picture is great. The brightness is just right and helps the picture look near perfect. The colors and contrast have opened a whole new world to me. I take a lot of digital pictures and now when I look at them, I can see a picture that looks a lot more like the picture I took and will print.
I didn't care about built in speakers because I already had some and typically the speakers that come built in are of poor quality. The best extra I've found with this monitor is the Auto Image Adjust. I press a button and it automatically centers and adjusts all the other settings. It also changes as you load other programs! This is a lot easier than other monitors I've seen that require a lot of toggling to get the picture just right. But the Auto Image Adjust is so easy and the results are flawless!
The other feature which I haven't a chance to use yet is fold flat. Basically the stand folds completely flat so you don't have to remove it if you decide to use a wall or desk mount. I'm considering, but it is nice to know that it would be easy to do.
If you're in the market for a LCD, this is definitely worth a second look. It looks a million times better at home than it did in the store. There were no dead pixels right away and ViewSonic is a reputable company. It's stylish with silver and black and matches nearly any computer.
