Eizo FlexScan L565 review

It's an enormous undertaking for any TFT manufacturer to strike an accurate balance between features, screen size and cost. Recently, one of the easiest ways to reduce costs was to use a slightly smaller panel. Eizo's L465 (see Reviews, issue 90, p130) used a smaller 16in panel while maintaining the SXGA resolution of its 18in cousins. Taking this a step further is the FlexScan L565, Eizo's first 17in TFT.

Despite only offering an extra inch to the viewable diagonal, the L565 is more comfortable to view in its native SXGA resolution. The 17in screen size is also harder to distinguish from an 18in panel, making it a good compromise.

Unlike Iiyama's AS4332UT (see Reviews, issue 92, p124), the L565 doesn't offer a USB hub, pivot facility or S-Video input, although there are both DVI-I and D-SUB inputs, plus 1W stereo speakers. That said, the L565 costs £40 less than the AS4332UT, offsetting the lack of features.

The most striking aspect of the L565, however, is its panel, which uses Hitachi's latest Super-IPS technology, first seen in the Hitachi CML181SXW (see Reviews, issue 92, p124). This uses a new electrode structure, helping to improve viewing angles while preserving colour uniformity. We were impressed with this technology in the CML181SXW, and we're happy to say the L565's panel is even better.

The L565 looked superb when connected to the DVI output of a GeForce4 Ti graphics card at its native resolution of 1,280 x 1,024. The screen was bright and clear, with excellent contrast and a wonderfully deep black. All sharpness tests were performed flawlessly too, thanks to the digital signal, and Desktop clarity was outstanding.

What really elevates the L565 above its predecessors (and most other TFTs), however, is its excellent colour performance. The L565 produced some of the smoothest and extended colour fades I've ever seen on a TFT, with hardly a hint of stepping in any of the primary colours. Greyscale fades were similarly superb, and both high- and low-end greyscales were very well extended, meaning the L565 can display a broad range of shades. Colour purity was oustanding too, thanks to even lighting, and colour blending was fantastic, easily rivalling the excellent colour blends of Iiyama's AS4637BK (reviewed below).

It doesn't stop there either, as the L565 handled both gaming and movies superbly too, thanks to a very quick 30ms response time. What's more, thanks to Super-IPS, viewing angles were among the best we've seen, remaining almost readable when viewed side on.

Naturally, switching to an analog signal resulted in a slight drop in sharpness and clarity, but this is to be expected. That said, the L565 still performed very well, but, as with most 17in or larger TFTs, connecting through DVI is far superior.

The Eizo FlexScan L565 offers unmatched quality at this price, surpassing both the Iiyama AS4332UT and AS4637BK. Clarity for office applications is superb and colour reproduction is the best yet seen. Couple this with fast response times and excellent viewing angles and the package is a compelling one. It's really just a question of how much you value the Iiyama AS4332UT's extra features. In our book, image quality is king, and despite the added value offered by Iiyama the L565's cheaper price and superior image quality are more than enough to elevate it to our A List.

Author: Gareth Ogden