As promised we are now rolling out our new and highly demanded ‘top 3 recommended monitors’ feature. Given the range of PC Monitors available in the monitor shop we can understand how confusing it is – especially if you get conflicting advice from elsewhere about a particular panel. You need to decide on a screen size, a manufacturer, a particular aesthetic than appeals to you, connectivity, stand adjustability, panel type, price and many other factors and it can be a pretty overwhelming task. That’s why, in response to our recent poll, we are now rolling out the new recommended monitors feature for each manufacturer. If you can’t decide on a manufacturer you may want to take a look at the Top 10 Monitors section – but we certainly recommend you keep up to date with our personal screen recommendations. These are not just best sellers – they are monitors that we know offer you the best value for money and/or image quality. We will of course update the ‘top 3′ for each manufacturer just as we will update the ‘top 10′, periodically. Here is the list so far with more recommended monitors to follow from other manufacturers in the very near future:

Top 3 recommended Acer monitors:

Read more

TFT Central has given the NEC MultiSync PA271W a good thorough testing. TFT Central has had a lot of experience with all sorts of ‘professional’ computer monitors, including the NEC MultiSync PA241W which we reviewed recently. This experience allows them to really rigorously assess the merits of a monitor from a professional point of view – and in this regard, they were pretty impressed by the PA271W. They commented on its main selling point (the fantastic colour reproduction) and also compared in in several key aspects to other PC monitors they’ve tested. Overall the PA271W offered similar image quality to the PA241W, whilst offering a higher 2560×1440 resolution and 3″ of extra screen space. Input lag was slightly higher, although in reality the performance in games should be similar to the PA241W – these were not designed to be gaming monitors, although they can still be used for that purpose. PC Monitors will be reviewing the NEC MultiSync PA271W from an ‘entertainment’ and home usage point of view shortly, so we will find out exactly how attractive the panel is for gamers and movie fans.

PC Monitors has published its latest review of the NEC MultiSync PA241W. The NEC PA241W impressed us with the range of colours, both vibrant and subtle, and topped this off with great contrast and viewing angles. A lot of the praise that we had for the monitor can be attributed to the P-IPS panel – but nothing in life is perfect and the PA241W is no exception. Read the review to find out more.

NEC MultiSync PA241W review by PC Monitors

CNET’s notorious Eric Franklin has got his hands on the latest IPS-based behemoth from NEC. The NEC PA271W performed ‘superbly’ in their tests and there was really no weakness in image quality. In games and movies colours were vibrant yet accurate whilst blacks were pleasingly deep. A common concern for users of TN LCD monitors who are dabbling in the world of IPS-based LCD monitors is response times, which was traditionally seen as a relative weakness of IPS computer monitors. There were no complaints from Mr Franklin regarding response times in his beloved World of Warcraft or movies, so maybe all but the most diehard FPS fans would be satisfied on this front. He points out that the PA271W is geared towards professional users who demand high colour accuracy, but the large 27 inch display with a resolution of 2,560×1,440 is sure to attract other users.

The downsides of the monitor include high power consumption (a not-so-green 80-100 Watts typical), hefty weight (15kg), lack of HDMI port and the ‘enthusiast’ pricetag of around $1600 (£1180). Given that the Dell U2711 provides similar performance from a lighter but cheaper panel (£800-900) the price may be a particularly compelling drawback of the PA271W. To get more of a taste of the PA271W, read the full review.

NEC have made a name for themselves recently with their professional IPS monitors and they have become a monitor brand associated with premium class and quality. NEC’s latest offering sports the less premium TN panel type and is a fairly no-nonsense 23 inch LED-backlit panel. The nice thing about this monitor is that, unlike many ‘cheaper’ computer monitors launched recently, the stand is fully adjustable with pivot, tilt and height adjustment. The MultiSync E231W sports the usual 1920×1080 resolution, 5ms response time and a fairly modest (thank you NEC) 25,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. No HDMI port to speak of, but VGA, DisplayPort and DVI feature as standard – as does a stellar 3-year NEC warranty. All of this should be available in August for $299 (probably around £210 UK RRP).

NEC MultiSync E231W