Ok am not an I.T expert but i like to think that i am upto date in the computer hardware world so here is my review and guide to buying a tft monitor.
Back in December 2003 I decided to upgrade my monitor from a 14 inch CRT (cathode-ray tube) to at least a 17 inch TFT (Thin Film transistor) ... Read review
Advantages: great value, clear, crisp and slim Disadvantages: missing some important features
...you.
The Benq TFT model details and the explanation:
Screen size: 17 inches (measured diagonally)
With TFT monitors the screen size given is the actual visible screen size unlike CRT where a 17 inch monitor only has a visible screen of about 16 inches.
Size:
The screen its self is only 3 inches in depth but with the stand measures about 6 inches in depth. This means that it is about ... ...time: Very Important
The Benq has a response time of around 25ms; this is fairly standard for monitors around the same price range. The response time indicates the time taken for the monitor to refresh the information on the screen the faster the time the less ghosting will occur.
Ghosting is where for example you scroll down a screen full of text the text will be blurred until you stop scrolling, unlike with CRT where you can read ... more
Ok am not an I.T expert but i like to think that i am upto date in the computer hardware world so here is my review and guide to buying a tft monitor.
Back in December 2003 I decided to upgrade my monitor from a 14 inch CRT (cathode-ray tube) to at least a 17 inch TFT (Thin Film transistor) or LCD (liquid crystal display) which ever you prefer to call them. I under took a lot of research at the time and found that no-where really put good information about what to look for in a TFT monitor in one place so I thought it was time write a review of the monitor I purchased and what to look for.
Unfortunately like most new items you get what you pay for and TFT monitors are no exception, lower priced models may be good quality but may be missing certain features that could be important to you.
The Benq TFT model details and the explanation:
Screen size: 17 inches (measured diagonally)
With TFT monitors the screen size given is the actual visible screen size unlike CRT where a 17 inch monitor only has a visible screen of about 16 inches.
Size: The screen its self is only 3 inches in depth but with the stand measures about 6 inches in depth. This means that it is about a 1/3 rd of the depth of a CRT monitor giving much more desktop space.
Resolution: The monitor displays a resolution up to 1280 x 1024 this is the amount of pixels the monitor can display. My monitor is set to this setting and gives a more useable screen allowing for much more virtual space (more windows open on the screen and dotted around) that on lower resolutions. The monitor also has a pixel pitch of 0.264 mm, this basically means that each pixel measure 0.264 mm and the smaller the pixel size the closer together the pixels are and the more defined the picture will be. Also very important to remember that TFTs are flicker free so ideal for people who use a computer allot as they are easier on the eyes to use.
Response time: Very Important The Benq has a response time of around 25ms; this is fairly standard for monitors around the same price range. The response time indicates the time taken for the monitor to refresh the information on the screen the faster the time the less ghosting will occur. Ghosting is where for example you scroll down a screen full of text the text will be blurred until you stop scrolling, unlike with CRT where you can read the text as you go down. This becomes important for gamers as they may suffer from blurring in game play due to a slow response time and any one with a top of the range graphics card should stay away from slow TFT s as the card will simply out run the monitor, making the card effectively a cheap one. I must say though I play a few games and I never really notice any ghosting until there is a lot of information to be displayed and even then it is not enough to make any real difference to the game play. More expensive TFT s will have a response time of 16 or 17 ms and are much better if you can afford them.
Connections This TFT only has a standard VGA 15 pin connection the same as CRT monitors use. More expensive TFT s have DVI connections which are digital connections instead of analogue 15 pin. DVI input results in greater performance from the TFT as there is less signal degradation than using a 15 pin. Think of it as a TFT is digital your computer is digital but the connection is analogue, the signal has to be converted to analogue by the graphics card and then back to digital by the monitor slowing both systems down and loosing some quality. Most computers will not a have a DVI connector but most new graphics cards do so if you are upgrading your graphics or want to future proof your TFT I would pay the extra £30-50 for a TFT with both connections.
Contrast ratio: Contrast ratio is the difference between the brightest white that can be produced and the darkest black that can be produced. The higher the contrast ratio, the sharper the picture. The Benq has a contrast ratio of 450:1 again fairly average but look for higher ratios for better viewing.
Warranty This TFT has a three years on-site exchange for the LCD , two years carry-in exchange for AV-Box and one year carry-in exchange for all the accessories. One import thing to note is that dead pixels can occur on TFT s these are pixels that will appear black all the time. My monitor does not have any and also has not developed any but most manufactures have differing polices on how many dead pixels are acceptable before they will exchange the screen so be warned you may have to put up with one or two if u are unlikely enough to have them.
Other useful info:
The monitor has a silver frame around the screen which is pleasing to the eye. The stand has only up and down tilt and is a bit wobbly at times but safe enough. The on screen controls are easy to use and settings are easy to change and the autos adjust button results in perfect focus when switching between applications and resolutions. The monitor is light compared to a CRT and also comes with drivers for installation.( these can also be obtained from Benqs website). Installation requires plugging it into the pc and that is it apart from attaching the stand.
The screen is so much crisper and brighter than my old CRT so much so I would never go back. The space saving is impressive and the price was right for me at the time £270. I would recommend this to any one who wants a fresh outlook on a dull screen and on a budget.
My only regrets is that it does not have a Dvi connection and that the response time is not the fastest but these features come at a premium and for me this monitor is excellent value for money and i will be buying from Benq again
Advantages: Thin and good picture quality Disadvantages: May be a bit pricey
I recently purchased a BenQ FP731 17inch TFT Monitor as my old CRT (The ones that look like TV's.) was getting long in the tooth. TFT as you may know it are the new type of monitors on the market (You may know them as LCD's). Thinner and with a better picture than your bulky old CRT's these seemed to be the way to go. TFT monitors if you didn't know are actually bigger than CRT's in terms of screen size (not by much though.)
After looking at this ... ...25ms (The time it takes the monitor to refresh an image on the screen) it's about average for a TFT screen. You can get quicker TFT's but if you're like me and hardly play fast games you won't notice the difference if any at all. The screen itself has a maximum resolution of 1280*1024 (and not many people use any above this so it should be fine) I did see a Philips TFT on the eBuyer website for cheaper and a 16ms response time but me being me I couldn't ...
Gaspanic 04.10.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BenQ FP731
Advantages: Cheap to purchase. Easy to set up and use. Great picture quality. Disadvantages: No bulit in speakers.
...the company opted for the Benq FP731 although I presume it was on price and that they got a good deal from a supplier. But you wont hear me complaining as they are fantastic, and a vast improvement on the old 15" flat grey boxes we had before.
The first improvement is the picture quality. With the flat screen you get full use of the 17" screen, and they have a resolution of 1,280 x 1,024 pixels. I can't really get my head around all the technical ... ...picture quality on the new Benq monitors and the old, tired HP monitors we were using. If the image quality does happen to go wrong then the Benq will adjust it back to its optimum settings by simply pressing the I-key on the front of the monitor, without you having to mess around with complicated manual setups.
As well as this the Benq FP731 monitor seems to work with any system. We have a vast assortment of different desktops in our office, with ...
flooda 21.05.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of BenQ FP731
Advantages: Cheap, Bright, Stylish Disadvantages: Not big enough!?
...inch flat screen monitor.
Benq have provided an excellent TFT monitor which is beautifully designed. The screen itself takes up most of the product, with a rim about 1 inch wide around the screen of matt silver. This makes the screen the focus, and not a huge amount of beige like on some other monitors.
At the bottom of the screen are 6 discreet buttons. An on/off button, an auto adjust button (which basically refreshes and realigns the view) and ... ...sorts, from normal computer work, to DVD’s and games and have been pleased throughout.
Basically, if you are looking for a relatively cheap, stylish 17 inch monitor, then this BenQ model is ideal. I have had no problems with it at all, and I really enjoy the big screen. ...
nattybuck 27.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of BenQ FP731
Advantages: Excellent and I mean Excellent Quailty Monitor! Disadvantages: No speakers (No really a disadvantage)
The answer is YES, I have used many LCD monitors in my time and BenQ's always are excellent quality and do the job. This monitor is an excellent monitor which can get to a max resolution of 1280 x 1024 as its a 17 inch monitor. Max refresh rate is 75. Excellent brigthness and constrast function makes it easy on the eyes!
It has an automatic adjust button for automatically resizing the picture to the size of the screen. Good quality for gaming also, ... ...leaves me with loads of room on my desk, unlike the old CRT monitor I had!
The monitors full Specifications are listed below:
LCD Size 17" Resolution (max.) 1280 x 1024 Pixel pitch 0.264 mm Colours 16,2 million (with dithering) Horizontal Frequency (Max) KHz 31- 81 KHz Vertical Frequency (Max)Hz 56 - 76 MHz Video Bandwidth (MHz) 25 - 135 MHz Display Area 337,9 x 270 mm Contrast 450:1 Max contrast 500:1 Brightness 260 cd/m2 Response time (tr/tf) ...
kooldavy 30.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of BenQ FP731
The viewable size of the FP731 is larger than an average 17" CRT monitor providing a screen, which ideally, can be used for big screen operations like documentation. BenQ FP731 is equipped with the "Auto adjustment" function and can adjust the phase, vertical and horizontal position automatically three times under each timing. With the auto-adjustment-key - iKey on the monitor itself, users can easily adjust the display quality and settings. The LCD Monitor is only about 40% the depth of a regular CRT with the equivalent screen size. It saves more than two thirds of your precious desk space. The FP731 is ideal for environments where space is a luxury. BenQ understands that every user requires different viewing angles. This BenQ LCD Monitor has a tilt function of 20 degrees and can be equipped with a VESA wall mounting kit. The monitor can be adjusted to fit your profile.
