The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: 17" LCDs Reviewed

Sony SDM-HS74P: In A Class By Itself

Sony is really a company that runs its own race in the consumer-electronics world. Some of the technical choices it's made in the past have hurt it - such as adopting the proprietary Memory Stick format for digital cameras, or the less-than total compatibility of its Mini-Disc players with the MP3 format. Yet Sony still has a certain aura in the eyes of the public and the brand image is still synonymous with quality, modernity and good design. This is also true on the LCD monitor market. This one is the evolution of Sony's SDM-HS73P model. It's as good-looking as earlier units and sets its aim higher performance-wise thanks to the use of a new AU Optronics panel, the M170EN06-V2. Sony has added its proprietary X-Black filter, which is supposed to improve contrast and brightness.

Specifications