NEC MultiSync LCD225WNX review

The NEC and Viewsonic monitors in this group have much in common: both feature flexible and adjustable stands, and both have fairly similar black designs. Yet while they are broadly even in terms of overall design and desirability, each offers a slightly different advantage the other doesn't posess.

The NEC's strength lies very much in its feature set, with a stand that lifts through 11cm, swivels almost a full circle, tilts and pivots 90 degrees. It has the thinnest bezel of all our TFTs this month at an impressive 15mm and also has a set of 1W speakers built in; admittedly they're not really up to the quality required for full immersion in a game or movie but they should prove more than adequate for everyday use. Around the back are both DVI and VGA ports for digital or analogue input, and there's a useful headphone output as well - an all-too-rare touch that always goes down well in the Labs.

The NEC required a little tweaking out of the box before use: we opted to stick with the Native colour setting but had to lower the contrast to eliminate a washed-out top end. The backlight on our sample unit was also uneven around the corners, and our gradient test ramps showed minor banding, suggesting poor colour blending.

Leaving aside these relatively minor slip-ups, it didn't do too badly in our real-world tests, with a nice warm colour tone in movies and games, and a decent level of detail in photos. It's not up there with the best this month, but the pleasing design and features make it worth considering.

Author: David Bayon