19" LCD Monitors: The Spring 2006 Collection

Hyundai Q90U

You don't change a winning team. That could be Hyundai Image Quest's motto. Does this monitor look vaguely familiar? It should, because the Q90U has the same overall design as theQ19, derived from the Q17+, which in turn was a copy of the Q17. So everything looks familiar. But appearances can be deceiving. Under the austere façade is a 3-ms panel that claims to meet the needs of the most demanding gamers.

Design and Finish

There's no question that the design of the Q90U is old-fashioned. However, it has an endearing familiarity. The era of the Q17 is not that far away, and that's why Hyundai is using the nostalgia factor to attract potential buyers. So the Q90U has the same angular lines as its ancestor. The plastics are still the same. The finish is respectable, but competitors have made progress in the meantime, and it's no longer enough to set Hyundai's products apart. To avoid interrupting the fluidity of the lines, the control buttons are all placed under the LCD panel. Though we're pleased to see a new LCD monitor from Hyundai, it is about time for the manufacturer to move on to something else if they don't want aficionados of the brand to get bored.

Ergonomics

The OSD's ergonomics is good, but adjusting the monitor is a bit labored. That's mostly the fault of the location of the buttons. Since they're under the panel, it's hard to tell just what you're adjusting. Add to that Hyundai's continued use of industrial-type sealed buttons the accuracy of which is pretty relative, and you'll see why adjusting settings on these monitors isn't a lot of fun.

Connectivity And Equipment

This monitor has VGA, DVI and a USB hub. There's also a headphone jack and speakers. The quality of the speakers' sound is execrable, as usual.