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"Great Monitor, Good "TV" Support" on by Oatmeal25
Pros: Connectivity, Warranty, Attractive, Integrated Web Cam
Cons: Not completely refined
Summary: I've only had this monitor for a few days now so my opinion may change over time. Pardon the poor grammar, I’m writing this review during a lunch break.
The Asus PW201 comes with every connector except HDMI--DVI, VGA, Component, Composite, S-Video, 3-Port USB Hub (all ports are on the left side of the monitor along with a headphone jack) and a 1.3 Mega pixel web cam. The monitor comes with a driver CD, manual, 3-in-1 VGA-Audio-USB (poor build quality), DVI, RCA and power cables.
I’d gladly give up the web cam and speakers for a lower price, especially since the sound quality is poor and I have not been able to get the web cam to work.
Having a web cam is not critical for me but I did pay for it. I'm still waiting for tech support to get back to me with a solution.
The picture quality (DVI) is better than the more expensive Gateway monitor I tried and I had no problems switching inputs. If I have any complaints perhaps the monitor contrast is a hair low. But I need to do more tweaking before making my final decision.
There were no signs of motion blur while gaming (NASCAR Racing 2003) and playing at resolutions lower than the native 1680 x 1050 looked quite good.
The video quality is satisfactory when I connect my Xbox using component cables but could be a lot better. It appears the monitor only allows a maximum of 480p though the Component cables. I’m comparing this to my Samsung 23” LCD TV that looks a lot better.
The monitor does have picture-in-picture but you have to fumble through the on-screen menu to set it up. A remote or a touch sensor would have made this easier.
There are plenty of adjustments available once you navigate through the menus using the finicky touch sensor controls. The power sensor is in the bottom right corner, conveniently right where my thumb goes if I want to pivot the screen. Other touch sensors allow you to scroll through inputs and change the video preset mode.
When the monitor pivots the enclosed PivotPro software does not automatically switch the screen resolution. Instead you have to manually tell the software to reconfigure the display using the system tray icon or a keyboard shortcut.
The stand is attractive (swivels too) but a little awkward to use. I found the hinge joints stiff and it felt like was forcing it too much during set up (the documentation doesn’t mention anything about adjusting the joint tension).
Cable management is primarily a hole in the stand and if you have a full complement of cables connected to this monitor that may make it awkward to use the pivot feature often.
The monitor comes with a No Bright Pixel Warranty. I had no pixel problems at all.
Overall I'm quite pleased and would rate this monitor a 9 once I get the Web Cam to work.
Picture Quality: 9
Connectivity: 9
Sound: 3
Value: 8
Documentation: 6
Asthetics: 10
Accessories: 5
Useability: 7 -
"BAD PRODUCT, BAD SERVICE, AND OUTRAGEOUS REPAIR COSTS" on by ASUSPOOP
Pros: Good monitor until it goes bad on you......
Cons: [Refer to bottom line summary]
Summary: I bought my Asus PW201 on April 2006 and the date of my post is February 2011. My monitor has been acting up horribly to the point where I can't use it. I turn on the monitor with the touch screen and immediately the monitor takes over and starts raising or lowering the brightness and volume all the way up or down. It also has a blue line that appears vertically through the screen. I have tried every method out there from unplugging power supply from monitor and the wall.... still nothing different in performance.
I paid $650 for this 'top quality' monitor but I am questioning its quality to perform when it only lasts 5 years. I have called ASUS and they simply say that it's out of warranty and I have to pay $250 to get it serviced. The ASUS rep even said that if they can't fix it I'm still stuck with the fee. This company is outrageous because they charge outrageous fees for a monitor I paid a huge amount for and the ASUS reps are no help at all. One rep just hung up on me because he couldn't help me diagnose the problem. RETHINK BUYING WITH ASUS. They don't treat their loyal customers right and they are horribly greedy with repair costs. I will never buy another ASUS product again. I want a resolution. I want ASUS to fix these defective monitors free of charge. There needs to be a recall on this product. If there are 20 posts on just this subject it's only logical that 1000 people may have this same problem. I'm not one to throw away a piece of hardware and just buy a new one. I want this monitor fixed and I want my monitor's problem addressed by ASUS! -
"Exceptional Screen" on by dmt2
Pros: The screen quality and build are fantastic
Cons: I haven't found any cons yet.
Summary: I've had this monitor for two weeks and really I can't fault it. Here's a list of why I rate it:
Pros:
Excellent picture quality
5 preset screen types - the theater one really does improve dvd images
I've had no problems with my webcam
And my USB ports work fine
The build quality is very good
£370 (approx $715)is a good price. The equivalent Sony screen is £599.
The zbd (zero black dot) guarantee is a nice touch. Asus are the only company who will replace a screen if 4 zbd appear within 12 months. They'll replace it with free courier if any go in the first 30 days
Cons:
The speakers aren't great, but I didn't buy it for the sound.
The buttons are a bit fiddly but I hardly have cause to use them. -
"Video Conferencing; Be Weary" on by RaiL0
Pros: physical adjustment options, multiple device input options
Cons: Faulty Drivers, especially for the Web Cam
Summary: Seemingly a monitor loaded with multiple features, the specs did not live up to expectation.
This monitor is shipped with faulty drivers making it really annoying to set up. Especially the Web Cam. The Customer Service's suggestion to download the driver from their site, did not alleviate the problem either.
Not to mention customer service is the worst ever. After twice staying on hold of 30 minutes the customer service rep seemed annoyed on my questions and comments, and hung up on me.
Since Asus does not manufacture this monitor (They just put their logo on it), they do not have the staff or expertise to solve any problems related to this. -
"Great LCD Screen. There is no better 20" out there!" on by asusreviews.com
Pros: Very bright and crisp LCD panel. Built in webcam.
Cons: A bit expensive for 20". You can get a 23" for $500+
Summary: This is a great monitor, however I wish it was a little bigger. 22 or 24" would be great, and in that case, I would buy another one. This LCD screen looks great and works great! It is very high quality.
100% Recommended!
www.asusreviews.com
20.1 inch WSXGA 1680x1050, 800:1, 8ms user reviews
Where to Buy
Pricing not available
