CTX S530

CTX's S530 is the only TFT monitor to include a guarantee that there will be no dead pixels, albeit only for 101 days from purchase. It covers any pixel fault, even down to individual subpixels failing. This undoubtedly increases the cost of the monitor, but it's a welcome move and one that other manufacturers are sure to follow.

The panel itself isn't as good as we'd hoped. Its viewing angles are comparatively poor, with the S530 dropping points for both horizontal and vertical viewing angles in the real-world tests. The colour and greyscale tests proved equally tricky. It struggled with the colour-tracking test - some of the dark greys had a purple tinge, while several squares disappeared in the dark greyscale check.

However, the electronics behind the S530 are certainly up to scratch, as the sharpness and resolution tests prove. It was impressive over its analog VGA connection and up to the standards of the Hitachi, Iiyama and Philips screens.

The bezel isn't one of the thinnest on test, and is painted a curious champagne colour that's unlikely to match any PC or peripheral. However, the OSD controls at the bottom are simple and offer direct access to brightness and contrast, although the menu itself has no advanced features besides auto-setup.

With no USB hub, speakers or pivot facility, the CTX is lacking the features that would help it get further up the rankings this month. As it is, the quality of the TN+film panel isn't good enough to justify the extra outlay required as a result of the dead-pixel warranty.

If you're looking for a basic TFT screen without the fripperies of speakers and USB hubs, the NEC LCD1501 offers the best value.