BIOS Magazine Reviews the Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.biosmagazine.co.uk/rev.php?id=385' target='_blank'>http://www.biosmagazine.co.uk/rev.php?id=385</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Dell's latest flatscreen monitor is a joy to use. It also looks great, thanks to a slimline Midnight Grey enclosure and silver base. The UltraSharp 2405FPW 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor sports a decent range of specifications too, such as a brightness of 500cd/m², 1000:1 contrast ratio, and 16ms response time (12ms grey-to-grey), and we also liked its rubber half-tube attachment at the back of the neck which contains cables. The tube is split down the middle so that you can cram cords into it to keep them out of sight."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/dell-ultrasharp-2005_1.jpg" /><br /><br />A glowing review of a very impressive monitor - I'm using dual 20.1" Dell LCD monitors right now, but I've often pondered replacing them with a single 2405FPW...

[Jonathon Watkins]

Two words....... Tripple monitors........ :twisted:

I have an old 17 inch crt coming back off loan and am seriously considering hooking it up for some triple headed viewing. My desk is large enough, so why not? :D

[Kursplat]

Jason - are your dual Dell 20" monitors the regulat non-widescreen monitors?

I have the Dell 20" widescreen and love it.

I've often pondered supplementing it with either a 2nd 20" WS or two 17" (one on either side) since the 17" monitors should have about the same screen height as the 20" widescreen.

I don't know if I can justify replacing such a nice monitor for an extra 4 inches (and I think it is a little slower then the 20", but I could be wrong).

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

You're not. The 24" is based off a Samsung PVA screen. The 20" are LG-Philips S-IPS screens, with better response times and percieved response and accurate colour rendition.

[Jason Dunn]

Jason - are your dual Dell 20" monitors the regulat non-widescreen monitors?

Square-screen 20.1" units. I love widescreen, but for gaming having 1600 x 1200 is nice. Anything higher than that and my 6800GT wouldn't be able to handle it.

[Jason Dunn]

You're not. The 24" is based off a Samsung PVA screen. The 20" are LG-Philips S-IPS screens, with better response times and percieved response and accurate colour rendition.

Well shucks. That's good to know! :D

[Kursplat]

Square-screen 20.1" units. I love widescreen, but for gaming having 1600 x 1200 is nice. Anything higher than that and my 6800GT wouldn't be able to handle it.

The Dell 20" WS is 1680x1050, so it is a slightly smaller resolution and smaller size (20" WS vs your 34" WS), but in one screen without divider down the middle. :D

For gaming, I'd almost want to go with 3 regular monitors so I don't have the divider down the middle. Of course, the cost of three good graphics cards would be kinda steep. 8O

[sub_tex]

I love widescreen, but for gaming having 1600 x 1200 is nice. Anything higher than that and my 6800GT wouldn't be able to handle it.

The beauty of the widescreens is that you can still run things in 4:3 ratio when you need to.

I have plenty of games I can't run at 1680x1050 and so I run them at 1280 or 1600 4:3. Works perfect.

[Kursplat]

Now, I'm curious if anyone with these widescreens has actually pivoted the screen to use it in portrait mode. And I mean other then the one time when you first got it because of the wow factor. :)

[Jason Dunn]

Now, I'm curious if anyone with these widescreens has actually pivoted the screen to use it in portrait mode. And I mean other then the one time when you first got it because of the wow factor. :)

My 20.1" screens can go portrait as well, but I've never done it beyond the first day when I tried it. Because I have two and they're actually touching, I don't have the room to rotate. Also, there's the issue of the cables. And lastly, there just doesn't seem to be much point for me to do it. ;-)

[Kursplat]

Yeah, the impact of rotating a widescreen has more affect then rotating a regular monitor, but the question of "what benefit" still applies. I guess, if you do desktop publishing (especially on legal size documents) would be great with the WS portrait mode.

How about creating a classic Spy Hunter type game that supports 1050x1680. :)

I guess you could surf the web with less scrolling....

[Jonathon Watkins]

Now, I'm curious if anyone with these widescreens has actually pivoted the screen to use it in portrait mode.

And lastly, there just doesn't seem to be much point for me to do it. ;-)

I have my 19 inch TFT set up in portrait mode permanently. It's great being able to work in Photoshop in either portrait (TFT) or landscape (CRT). I really like using email in portrait mode as well. You can just see so much more and many programs seem to work better that may in my opinion.

[ctmagnus]

Yeah, but portrait mode skews the wallpaper. :P

[Kursplat]

Ah, but now you can have a tall "leggy" shot for your wallpaper. :D