Reviews / previews
This monitor is so built
for gaming it uses a
joystick for handling the
on-screen display
controls.
Too cool.
That's not to say that Sony's 21-inch Trinitron GDM-F500 is unsophisticated.
This monster rolls the resolution up to 1,800 x 1,440 without missing a beat.
And its .22 dot pitch means that at maximum resolution, you can still read
tiny text.
But it's gaming that really makes this Trinitron a joy to watch.
Since we tested on a PII-350 with a Matrox Millennium G200 and a single
Voodoo2, games were limited to 800x600.
But, boy, was it sharp! Tribesers looked life-size on the 19.8-inch viewing area
and the environment rendering was bright and crisp. The colors in Half-Life
have never looked sharper. Even the browns of Quake II were gorgeous.
Plenty of extras are included. The ASC
button (auto-size and centering) used here
should be standard on every monitor. You
don't have to jump into "Properties" to tweak
display settings from game to game or
resolution to resolution. Simply tap the
button and the screen pops into the right
place. The base includes includes three
USB ports-one in back that connects the
base to your PC's rear USB connector and
two in front that allow you to plug in
peripherals. No more reaching around for
future hookups.
There's just one hitch. This monitor will set you back $1,600-enough to buy a
complete mid-range gaming system. But if you've got a grand and a half to
burn, this is a great way to watch the fire.-- If you've got a couple open slots in your motherboard / GamePro
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