Dell E207WFP review

With all the buzz about extra screen real estate boosting productivity, you can now make a legitimate case to your boss to spring for some big wide-screen displays. You might face an uphill battle, but Dell is making the argument easier with the Dell E207WFP, a 20-inch wide-screen LCD that retails for $260. It surely won't win any awards for its average styling or lackluster performance, but we were pleasantly surprised to see its DVI input is HDCP compliant. Performance-wise, this set scored relatively low on our DisplayMate tests, so gamers, imaging professionals, and videophiles may want to look elsewhere. That being said, the low list price makes this an attractive option as a budget LCD where performance isn't a necessity.

Design
The design of the Dell E207WFP will be familiar to those who already own Dell LCDs, which means it's average looking but not unattractive. The display can be tilted 4 degrees forward and 21 degrees back, but it lacks the ability to pivot or swivel, and its height is nonadjustable. The onscreen display controls are on the front of the panel, but we found navigation a bit tedious. Unlike some other displays we've seen, there are no extras like speakers or media card slots.

Manufacturer's specs

• Resolution: 1,680x1,050
• Dot pitch: .258 mm
• Pixel-response rate: 5ms
• Contrast ratio: 800:1
• Viewing angle: 160 degrees horizontal, 160 degrees vertical
• Connectivity: DVI, VGA
• HDCP compliant
• Included VGA cable

Performance
The budget price is a good indicator of the Dell E207WFP's performance--for this display, you get what you pay for. The results from CNET Labs' benchmarks showed some poor color performances, sharpness issues, and small amounts of streaking. In other words, this isn't the ideal display for DVD viewing and game playing. Tested at its native resolution of 1,680x1,050, the Dell E207WFP's score of 68 was significantly lower than another 20-inch Dell we've reviewed, the 2007WFP. And while the 2007WFP is a more expensive at $359, it has significantly more connectivity and extras to go with its enhanced performance. Casual home and business users will probably be safe saving the extra bucks and going with the E207WFP, while more critical viewers will want to want to look elsewhere.

The Dell E207WFP comes with an industry-standard three-year warranty on parts, labor, and the backlight. It can be extended by one year for $29 and by two years for $49. Dell also has its very handy toll-free, 24/7 tech support in addition to alternative support options, such as community forums, a searchable knowledge base, and documentation and driver downloads via its Web site.