LG L1520B - flat panel display - TFT - 15"

According to LG Electronics's Web site, the Flatron L1520B won a 2003 International Forum product design award. We agree that the display has some nice design touches, but the L1520B sometimes sacrifices function for form--a tough trade-off in a 15-inch LCD that costs almost $400. Exhibit A: the flashy, chrome-colored, ring-shaped base. It's pretty, but it's also quite wobbly. Home or office users who value style and image quality over money might like the L1520B, but the similarly priced IBM ThinkVision L150p is more adjustable; Samsung's SyncMaster 151S is less expensive.

The L1520B is not particularly flexible. The base does not swivel, and the panel is not height adjustable, nor does it pivot. It does tilt forward slightly and backward more than 90 degrees; LG points out that this feature makes possible table-top viewing and gives it a slimmer profile for storage.

The six, clearly labeled buttons that control the onscreen menus nestle discreetly under a half-inch of brushed-silver plastic that runs along the bottom of the bezel. To their right is a tear-shaped protrusion that houses the soothing, blue-lit power button. It took a few tries to master the onscreen menu navigation, but we never had to consult the manual.

The L1520B is Mac and PC compatible. It connects via an included analog signal cable. The signal and power inputs are concealed behind a slightly flimsy piece of plastic that snaps off the back panel. A cable-feed loop is handy, but it's almost too small to fit both cables. The display can be mounted to a VESA-compliant wall mount or swing arm.

The L1520B's impressive image quality partly compensates for its design and price. In CNET Labs' tests, text looked sharp and clean, colors were accurate and vibrant, and grayscale levels progressed steadily from light to dark. The L1520B's Light View feature underwhelmed us. In theory, seven Light View settings optimize the image for defined viewing conditions, such as Day Text, Night Movie, or Day Photo; but each setting merely gave the image a different cast of twilight blue.

The L1520B comes with a three-year warranty on parts and labor and the backlight. Toll-free tech support is available from Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT. LG Electronics's Web site also offers the fundamentals, including e-mail support, FAQs, manuals, and device drivers.

Brightness in nits  (Longer bars indicate better performance) Measured with the Sencore CP500

IBM ThinkVision L150p 273  HP L1502 272  Sony SDM-HS53 236  NEC LCD1560NX 231  LG Electronics L1520B 218

Ratings from 2 users How would you rate this product? Write your own review
• 8/10 Excellent

  September 1, 2004

  "Truly Great LCD" Read more >>

• 9/10 Spectacular

  July 1, 2004

  "This monitor is a masterpiece" Read more >>

• Write your own review See all 2 user opinions >>

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