BenQ FP91V+

It's a badly kept secret that quoted response times from TFT manufacturers are generally meaningless, as the methods used for measuring them vary so wildly. Grey-to-grey is arguably the most relevant though, and BenQ is referring to this with its 6ms claims for the FP91V+. Undoubtedly, 6ms is quite an achievement and, even though our motion tests revealed a slight shadow trailing fast-moving objects, it's still superior to the majority of LCD panels. In normal use, though, we found no perceptible difference while playing games or scrolling through spreadsheets to 16ms panels we've tested.

Brightness and colour reproduction are far more important to most, and we were pleased by the level of detail in high-resolution images - BenQ quotes a 450:1 contrast ratio, and that followed through to plenty of detail in dark areas. We were satisfied by the panel's colour gamut too, and by the lack of banding on graduations.

Horizontal viewing angles were good, but vertical viewing angles were lamentable - an indication of a less than cutting-edge TN+film panel. Sat in a normal typing position, we noticed a significant difference in brightness between the top and bottom of the screen, making a white screen appear yellow at the top.

Glossy panel covers are all the rage currently, mainly because they give panels more of a TV feel, but we found the shiny finish on the BenQ's panel distracting: our eyes were drawn to random places on the screen as people moved behind us. The reflectivity will also increase eye strain if there are bright lights or windows behind you.

A pair of 2W speakers are built into the silver bezel, which are loud but lack punch, particularly for bassy tracks. The OSD, tricky to navigate at first, is something you'll quickly get used to, although colour temperatures being referred to as 'blueish' and 'reddish' is hardly inspiring.

With a basic stand, the vertical angle of the monitor is the only thing you have any control over. But this is reflected in a competitive price, and home users and gamers are buying a lot of monitor for not much money. Add to this a three year, on-site exchange warranty and the BenQ is reasonable value if you can put up with its foibles.

Author: DaveStevenson