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CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
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Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 04/03/2002
Blast from the past
We often see yesterday's top-of-the-line technology selling today at bargain prices, and such is the case with the $379, analog-only AOC LM500. In many ways, it's aged well. It has a native resolution of 1,024x768, supports 16.7 million colors, shows essentially no distortion, and maintains an excellent focus with both text and graphics. In CNET Labs' DisplayMate tests, colors looked richly saturated, while photos and graphics-based Web sites seemed, if anything, a little too vibrant. If you dislike the subdued (though more accurate) color palette of many LCD panels, you may be happier with the mildly juiced-up colors of the LM500.
On the other hand, the LM500 suffers from a 50ms pixel-response rate that's nearly twice as slow as that of some of the leading-edge LCDs. We saw the obvious effect of this--ghosting and afterimages--in the fast-moving portions of DVD movies. Similarly, the narrow, 120-degree horizontal and 85-degree vertical viewing angles recall a time when you wouldn't expect LCDs to be used for presentations. To a lesser extent, the 200cd/m² brightness rating and the 250:1 contrast ratio are also relics of the past, though many new models don't have much better. While these shortcomings do not affect the viewing of static photos, Web pages, or word-processor documents, the LM500 is inadequate for playing speedy games or DVDs or for making group presentations.
Bulking up
The LM500's feature set is a mixed bag. The power cable connects conveniently into the back of the center support column, while the VGA cable connects to the lower side of the back of the monitor. The LM500's onscreen display (OSD) is easy to access and navigate via a jog wheel, its settings intuitively clustered in a circle. The cabinet is stable but bulky; it's almost as wide as that of some 17-inch displays. While the detachable base's plastic retaining clips hold the monitor tightly, they may not be able to withstand frequent detachments and reattachments. You can tilt the monitor vertically from 45 degrees up to 5 degrees down. But pushed to its extremes, the base makes a loud popping noise when the retaining clips snap into and out of their locking positions. The lack of a DVI connector also means the display misses out on digital video's better image quality.
Setup and standard support policies for the LM500 are pretty good. We received a driver disk and a fairly detailed 22-page manual with our review unit. The manual has a technical-support FAQ, descriptions of the power-management features, and even instructions on how to install the driver. The Web site has a full array of support options, including product registration, warranty information, updated drivers, e-mail addresses for tech support, FAQs, and product manuals. The three-year warranty includes the backlight, and the weekday-only, toll-free tech support is good for the life of the monitor. Continue reading
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