Are 17" LCDs Dead?

AG NEOVO M17: The Truth Is Miles Away

It's the big manufacturers that shape market consensus. It's also the heavy hitters that usually do not take one step beyond the familiar beaten tracks or make a single change that could shock the potential target market. And then there are those who dare, and AG NEOVO has delivered a strong blow with the M17. But it takes more than an attractive packaging to make an LCD screen into a good monitor.

Design And Finish

The style of the M17 is totally aggressive. The manufacturer has broken away from all the rules of the genre and has rewritten the concept from top to bottom. The panel is surrounded in metallic-grey plastic (or black according, to the model). This is then mounted on a layer of semi-transparent Plexiglas. All the controls are grouped together in a corner of the monitor. Finally, only the method of loudspeaker integration is questionable on this device but the effort expended by Ag NEOVO is impressive and deserves to be underlined.

Ergonomics

From the physical point of view the screen is adequately-adjustable in inclination. The large round buttons are easy to use and AG NEOVO thought of integrating the USB sockets on the front, which was a good idea. The quality of the design of the OSD, on the other hand, is debatable. Totally original, its use is organized in sub-menus, which unfortunately turn out to be not very practical.

Equipment

The M17 is a full-option screen. Double VGA/DVI connectivity, audio-in, USB 2.0 Hub: nothing was left out. Note that the USB Hub is also capable of recharging portable devices thanks to its 5 V/800mA compatibility. Well done!

Up to this point the M17 is totally appealing. But, will it stand up to our battery of tests?