NEC MultiSync LCD1700NX

In terms of value for money, a 17in TFT usually offers the best compromise between price and screen size. NEC's new MultiSync LCD1700NX is a fine example, costing just £459. However, LG's 18in L1810B at £140 more also offers USB, making it a tempting alternative.

Like the LG 1810B, the 1700NX uses IPS panel technology. The main advantage to this is superb viewing angles, and the 1700NX could still be clearly read almost side on.

The only other notable features are non-captive D-SUB and DVI-I inputs - there's no pivot functionality, USB hub or speakers.

To test the 1700NX, we connected it to the DVI output of a Matrox Millennium G450 graphics card at the native resolution of 1,280 x 1,024 in 32-bit colour. The resulting image was sharp with a natural colour balance, although Iiyama's AS4332UT was slightly brighter.

Eizo's L565 produced smooth colour fades and the NEC comes close to matching it. Greyscales were well extended, with even gradation between light and dark shades. Colour fades also looked great, with only a slight hint of stepping and some truncation at the high end. Colour blends were handled skilfully too, helping to make images and video look more realistic. That said, the 1700NX still isn't ideal for image editing, truncating the subtle shades in our test image.

If you don't have a DVI-equipped graphics card, the results using analog were still good, although less sharp. Low-resolution scaling was fine though, and the panel coped with gaming, although the Eizo was slightly more responsive.

The NEC MultiSync LCD1700NX offers superb value at £459, especially with its DVI input and excellent viewing angles. When connected via DVI, it rivals the best we've seen. The features are minimal though, and the larger bezel makes it look dated. But if you're not fussed about style and want top image quality, this is £459 very well spent.

Author: Gareth Ogden