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LCD Gaming Monitors<br />
Ace fighter pilots have a saying: Lose sight, lose the fight. That holds<br />
true for gamers, too—the right screen can mean the difference between<br />
running riot and getting lit up like a Cohiba. —TERRENCE RUSSELL<br />
Gateway XHD3000<br />
$1,700 • gateway.com<br />
When we heard Gateway was cooking up an<br />
“extreme HD” display, we chuckled skeptically.<br />
Then the XHD3000 showed up, and our snickers<br />
were replaced with gasps of awe. Console and<br />
PC games look remarkable on this 30-inch screen<br />
running at a 2,560 x 1,600 native resolution.<br />
HD video? Some of the finest we’ve seen. But<br />
building the best gaming monitor ain’t cheap.<br />
We’re all for being ahead of the game, but not if<br />
we have to cut back on groceries to get there.<br />
WIRED The ultimate choice for high-end<br />
performance. Variety of input options: HDMI,<br />
component and composite video, S-video, DVI,<br />
and VGA. Self-powered, six-port USB hub built<br />
in. Advanced PIP lets you control window size,<br />
location on screen, and transparency.<br />
TIRED Outlandish price tag. 6-millisecond<br />
response time is slow for such an advanced<br />
display. Color washes out in direct sunlight.<br />
Single HDMI and component inputs stunt<br />
the monitor’s potential.<br />
Gaming Gear<br />
Dell UltraSharp<br />
2407WFP-HC<br />
$669 • dell.com<br />
With its ho-hum chassis and cheap black frame,<br />
this is the kind of no-frills monitor you’d expect<br />
to see at the Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin.<br />
But fire it up and things improve greatly, with<br />
lush color and intuitive menus. The 6-millisecond<br />
response time is fine for this price point. Novices<br />
wanting to upgrade need look no further.<br />
WIRED Vibrant 24-inch screen had us more<br />
slack-jawed than Cletus. 178-degree viewing<br />
angle. 1,920 x 1,200 optimal resolution. DVI-D<br />
and VGA inputs, plus additional connectors.<br />
TIRED Soggy button response turns display<br />
tweaks into epic, man-vs.-machine battles. Dull,<br />
office-drone looks. Speaker bar sold separately.<br />
EDITORS’<br />
PICK<br />
NEC MultiSync<br />
LCD2470WNX<br />
$820 • nec.com<br />
To hold the line on price, some monitors stint on<br />
form, others on functionality. This NEC model<br />
compromises on both—and costs more! Virtually<br />
everything here is substandard. From the graceless<br />
design to cheap, wobbly buttons to sloppy<br />
frame rates, the MultiSync is an exercise in how<br />
not to build a display for gamers or videophiles.<br />
WIRED 24-inch screen is almost bright<br />
enough to see with your eyes shut. Microsoft<br />
Word looks great.<br />
TIRED Ridiculously overpriced. No media card<br />
slot. Awkwardly positioned rear panel makes<br />
changing inputs a stressful experience. Weighs<br />
an Ikea-desk-busting 27.3 pounds. Flimsy base.<br />
Samsung SyncMaster<br />
226BW<br />
$350 • samsung.com<br />
Wesley Snipes taught us to “always bet on<br />
black,” but we’re not sure who won this round.<br />
A glossy noir finish and stylish frame make<br />
the SyncMaster the most alluring display we<br />
tested. But aside from decent color and a reasonable<br />
price, everything else on this monitor<br />
is fairly commonplace.<br />
WIRED Razor-sharp 22-inch viewable screen.<br />
Blazing 2-millisecond response time. 3,000:1<br />
dynamic contrast ratio. Weighs just 10.8 pounds.<br />
TIRED 1,680 x 1,050 resolution dampens full<br />
HD content. 160-degree viewing angle sucks at<br />
split-screen action. MIA: Native component and<br />
HDMI inputs, USB, and media card slots.
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