The Philips 200W6 is the first "6" generation of LCD panels from the Dutch maker. Yet its design has a somewhat familiar air about it. Let's hope the same won't hold true of its performance...

Design

Philips didn't bend over backwards with the design. As far as looks are concerned, this is nothing more than a stretched version 190B6. And it has all the same shortcomings. The plastics are only of average quality. The assembly is fairly careful, but certain details still leave a lot to be desired. The plastic of the control buttons is still too soft, making them unpleasant to use.

Ergonomics

The OSD is always good with Philips products, but here the poor quality of the control buttons hurts this monitor's overall ergonomics. The display has height and tilt adjustments - both positive points. But certain details suggest a lack of careful design - for example, the headphone jack is accessible only from the back of the unit.

Connectivity

The connectivity is fairly limited compared to what we'd just seen on the Sony and Acer units. The 200W6 has only dual DVI, VGA and audio connectivity. But wait! There's a USB hub... with only one connector! In other words, your monitor doubles as a USB extension cable. Wow!