We retested ViewSonic'sVP912b
because the company has replaced
the antireflective screen
included on the unit that
PC World first tested
with a new, antiglare screen.
The first version remains
the only recently tested 19-inch
LCD to win Outstanding ratings
in both text and graphics.
The newer version, though
still an excellent performer,
fell short of its predecessor,
earning a rating of Very Good
in both text and graphics.
Though the new
VP912b showed
crisp text on
our test
screens, it
failed to match
its
predecessor's
performance on
almost every
test. The CTX
F973 bested it
on both text and
graphics, and
the Philips
Brilliance
190P5EB
outperformed it
on graphics,
leaving it with
a third-place
ranking for
overall graphics
quality. Our
jurors liked the
color balance
that the VP912b
showed in our
test screen of a
group photo, and
its depiction of
a brightly
colored fruit
tart was
appealing.
Though the new
VP912b garnered
respectable
scores on all
graphics
screens, it
didn't lead the
pack on any of
them.
Aside from the
screen, the new
VP912 is
identical to the
old one.
Dual-monitor
users will
appreciate the
thin bezel,
which minimizes
the interruption
between images.
The height,
swivel, and
pivot
adjustments let
you set the
monitor to the
most comfortable
viewing
position; and a
PerfectPortrait
pivoting driver
comes with the
monitor. The
VP912b's
on-screen
controls include
five color
presets. This
strong feature
package and
still-solid
image quality
enable the new
VP912b to retain
the Best Buy
honors won by
its predecessor.
Upshot:
Image quality
remains pleasing
on the ViewSonic
VP912b's new
antiglare
screen--though
the previous
antireflective
screen was even
better--and this
LCD is packed
with useful
features. |