Are 17" LCDs Dead?
ASUS PM17T-S: A Sensational Debut
ASUS is a company full of surprising capabilities. They have clearly successfully diversified from its origins in the field of PC motherboards. Today, ASUS sells video cards, portable PCs, office PCs, but also components such as PC cases, LCD screens and even...portable phones. What got the company off the starting block was simple: offering fast and well-finished screens for gamers. And when you can see what the brand is capable of in the portable PC marketplace, we can only expect more.
The PM17T-S comes in two versions; the standard version based on a 16-ms panel or a PM17T-S, which uses an AU-Optronics 8 ms panel. Our decision was to lean toward the PM17T-S for this test. Note, however, that this monitor is not available in North America.
| ASUS PM17T-S | |
|---|---|
| Diagonal | 17" |
| Native Resolution | 1280 x 1024 |
| Contrast | 600 : 1 |
| Brightness | 400 cd/m2 |
| Latency | 8 ms |
| Colors | 16,3 |
| Viewing Angles H/V | 140/130 (H/V) |
| Loudspeakers | 2x 2,5 W |
| Connectivity | VGA, DVI, audio-in |
| Average Price | $ N/A (305 euros) |
Design And Finish
The PM17T-S is a very stylish device, with a breathtaking finish, which has nothing to fear from the big players in the PC display arena. In the tradition of a portable PC manufacturer, the materials used are of excellent quality, the stand (in solid metal) is incredibly stable. The entire product radiates quality.
Ergonomics
Ergonomically, the PM17T-S is adequate, nothing more. The OSD is easy to use but we were disappointed with the limited range of inclination adjustment: we've seen better.
Equipment
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With double VGA/DVI connections, an audio socket and two loudspeakers, the PM17T-S is fairly average. Despite all that, there's the usual external power supply and the loudspeakers are useless. Note that the audio input is cinch type and not mini-jack. The cables provided are all armored.