NEC MultiSync LCD2070WNX

• By John Breeden II
• Jul 13, 2006

Pros: Good text quality,

Cons: Yellowish gray, light bleed at screen's edge

Price: $435

Image quality: B

Features: B

Value: B+

The 20.1-inch MultiSync LCD2070WNX is a widescreen panel with a native resolution of 1,680 by 1,050. For such a large-format display, the government price of $435 seems like a steal. However, in real-world conditions it doesn't particularly stand out from other LCDs we reviewed.

During testing, the LCD2070WNX was good at displaying text and reproduced most colors fairly well. But some of its accuracy was noticeably off. Grays tended to look yellowish, and light-colored images were lost in black backgrounds. There was also some light bleeding along the edges of the screen.

And, interestingly, the stand only tilts up and down and front to back. We would think that a wide-format LCD would be able to rotate into page viewing mode with the panel oriented longer than wide. Lack of this seemingly essential feature reduces the monitor's functionality somewhat. If you need a big, widescreen LCD, the LCD2070WNX will go easy on your budget. But be aware of image quality problems and the lack of flexibility.

NEC Display Solutions, Itasca, Ill., (866) 632-6673, www.necdisplay.com