Crystal Clear Picture

I just upgraded from an NEC 17" monitor, which I have had for over 4 years, and spent a lot of time researching the different types of monitors available.

The biggest problem with purchasing a monitor of any type is determining how good the picture will be in your home computer setup. The store's normally display monitors under bright fluorescent lighting, and always seem to be showing the worst possible image to make a comparison with. My local CompUSA had about 20 monitors arranged in a large case, all showing a muddy looking floral image, certainly one not good enough to show off the different monitor features.

Picking a monitor really means traveling to at least 3 or 4 different stores to actually get to see a range of monitor types. Most stores only seem to be featuring 3 or 4 different monitors in each size.

I decided to stay with NEC because I have used them at home and at work without any problems, and the picture is always sharp and clear. My home setup is a PIII-600 with a Matrox G400, which provides excellent 2D image quality.

I found the FE950 at Staples, and was able to view a variety of image types on it, all were very sharp, with no distortion at the edges. On the spot I decided to buy the monitor.

Setup of the monitor is straightforward, Windows ME recognized the new monitor and loaded the proper INF file. This is an important file because too setting a higher refresh rate then the monitor can handle will damage it over time.

The monitor has a power switch and a small front panel with 7 control buttons. The default settings are contrast at 100%, and brightness at abut 80%. I set these back considerably, as my eyes were used to my older, dull monitor. Both are set about 30% on the scale.

There is no software supplied with the monitor. Normally the only file you might need is an INF file if Windows doesn't recognize the monitor. Some monitors come with software allowing you to match your monitor and printer output. NEC does not supply any with the FE950.

The best resolution for the monitor is 1280x1024, the refresh rate I use is 85hz, but it will accept up to 95hz at that resolution. Most modern graphics cards should be able to output that combination of resolution and refresh rate without a problem.

Monitor choice is a very personal subjective decision. Try to spend some time in a store where they will let you view text and graphics, and play with the resolution settings if possible.

The NEC is a good choice, its at the high end of the price scale, but it is a quality monitor.