Richard Baguley

Sony CPD-G410R

Sony's 19-inch monitor for business users earned top scores on both our text and graphics tests. Our sample images had bright, accurate colors, and text screens were easy to read, with sharp, dark letters. Smaller text was also easy to read. The unit has only two controls on the bezel (a menu button and a joystick-like multidirectional control button), which helps give the case a clean, uncluttered look.
At $399, the CPD-G410R is one of the more expensive monitors on the chart. Although having just two controls does keep the bezel looking tidy, using them to navigate the on-screen menus can be a little awkward. For instance, you access the brightness and contrast controls by pressing the control button, but then you must press the same button four times to exit the controls. Fortunately, you can specify the amount of time the on-screen menu remains visible--if you set it to disappear quickly, you can skip navigating your way out.
Like all larger monitors with aperture grille picture tubes, two faint gray lines can be seen on brighter screens, which are caused by the wires that support the grille. Although most users don't notice these lines, some find them irritating. No software is supplied with this model, but you do get a comprehensive manual. The monitor is capable of an impressive maximum resolution of 1800 by 1440, big enough to display a large amount of text at once.
With very strong performance for both text and graphics, the CPD-G410R would be great for corporate users who don't mind spending a bit extra for great overall performance.

Buying Information

Sony CPD-G410R 17.9-inch viewable area,.24mm-.25mm stripe pitch FD Trinitron aperture grille tube, up to 85-Hz refresh rate at 1280 by 1024 resolution, TCO'99 compliant. Three-year warranty, 24-hour daily toll-free support. $ 399 17.9-inch viewable area,.24mm-.25mm stripe pitch FD Trinitron aperture grille tube, up to 85-Hz refresh rate at 1280 by 1024 resolution, TCO'99 compliant. Three-year warranty, 24-hour daily toll-free support. http://www.sonystyle.com/vaio/displays 800/571-7669