DanÂ’s first review =] DonÂ’t bite!(alot)

Specifications: (Taken from Dell website)

Viewable Size: 20.1" Display
Type: Flat Panel Display / Active Matrix TFT - Desktop
Depth: 9"
Features: Automatic Setup Adjustment, Kensington Lock Slot, 100 mm VESA Mounting, Height Adjustable Stand Included
Height: Compressed: 15.3", Extended: 22.4"
Weight: 17.64 lbs
Width: 18.6"
Image Max H-View Angle: ±88°
Image Max V-View Angle: ±88°
Color Support: 16.7 Million
Compliant Standards: 100 mm VESA®, TCO '99; UL 60950, NOM , CE Mark–EN60950, IEC 60950 CCC , TUVGS , NEMKO, GOST, PSB, TUV–S, SASO; FCC Part 15 Class B, CE Mark–EN55022:1998, EN55024:1998, EN61000-3-2:2000, EN61000-3-3:1995 A1(2001), VCCI Class B ITE, MIC, BSMI, ICES–003, C–Tick; ENERGY STAR®, TUV Ergo
Connectivity Technology: Cable
Device Type: Flat Panel LCD Monitor with Height Adjustable Stand
Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight: 18.6" x 9" x 15.3" to 22.4" / 17.64 lbs
Enclosure Color: Midnight Gray
Image Aspect Ratio: 16:10 Image
Brightness: 300 cd/m²
Image Contrast Ratio: 600:1
Max Resolution: 1680x1050 Pixels
Max Sync Rate (V x H): 75 Hz x 83 kHz
Port(s) Total ( Free ) / Connector Type: VGA / DVI-D / S-video / Composite / 4 x USB 2.0
Power Consumption Operational: 75 W (maximum), 55 W (typical)
Diagonal Size / Viewable Size: 20 / 20.1"
Compatibility: PC

After much research and saving I decided to order this baby, DellÂ’s 2005FPW Wide Aspect LCD. It retails for $750 but is always listed a whole lot lower. When I ordered mine there was a pretty good deal, 25% off $750, which made it about $563 and then plus a $75 coupon, which brought it down to around $488. + tax, CA fee it came out to a total of $534.

Delivery & Package:

Dell either uses UPS or DHL (Airbourne Express) to ship their packages and in my case, they used DHL. My package was shipped on March 3rd and I received it a day earlier than the estimated delivery date March 7th. Heard some bad things about DHL but I had a good experience with them. Their online tracking was pretty much useless because the only updates were when it left the original location and on the date that it was on the truck for delivery.

Just a regular olÂ’ brown box and Styrofoam was what kept this expensive piece of hardwareÂ’s journey safe from its creator to my house. WasnÂ’t really much inside the box besides a single sheet of paper, which had instructions of setup in various different languages, USB cables, VGA cords, DVI cords, Power cord, the stand, and the LCD itself.


Regular use:

Using the 2005fpw has definitely enhanced my experience of regular computing task such as surfing the Internet, word processing, chatting, and other everyday tasks. The clarity is simply so much better than my previous screen (19” Samsung 955df CRT). After using the 2005fpw and going back onto the CRT (which has been handed down), the CRT just makes everything look a whole lot blurrier. If you read a lot of forums and blogs, there is a feature that is pretty amazing. The stand of the 2005fpw lets you rotate the screen 90 degrees that will make viewing blogs and forums a whole lot easier/lazier.



Gaming:

So far the only games that I have played on the 2005fpw, are Counter-Strike 1.6 and Counter-Strike: Source. Both games have widescreen support but in CS:S, I have to use 1280x768 (16:10) instead of 1680x1050 because my videocard can’t handle that high of a resolution but even while not running in native resolution gaming looked spectacular. With CS 1.6, who would’ve known 1.6 was able to look so good. Well, not as good as CS:S of course but having it in widescreen just makes it so much cooler. I have to admit I’m still not totally used to having this widescreen for gaming and it makes me a little dizzy from probably using more of my peripheral vision than I am used to. And also since I play a lot of competitive gaming (CS 1.6) and have heard horror stories of LCD ghosting, I was afraid it was going to be really bad transition from CRT à LCD. However, while gaming I really don’t notice any ghosting but what I do notice is that it does blur a little bit more than a CRT would when you move your mouse very fast. But the reported response time is 12ms and I don’t think I can ask much more from a LCD, especially a widescreen one.


Movies:

Now to the movie sectionÂ… To me, this is where the 2005fpw really shines, if you like watching movies on your computer. Being a widescreen monitor, there is a whole lot less of those black bars that you would have in a regular 4:3 screens and that in itself to me makes the movies a whole lot better.
LOTR: Two Towers

tvshow


Extras:

-S-Video port so you can connect stuff like your consoles to the 2005fpw
-4 USB 2.0 ports
-DVI-D & VGA capabilities


Pros & Cons:

Pros- -Widescreen
-Makes text extremely clear and easy to read
-Very bright, lights up my room
-DellÂ’s 21-day satisfaction guarantee
-Price (compared to other monitors of same size)
-Sexy =P

Cons- -Many people report uneveven backlight problems (I didnÂ’t have any/minimal)
-At certain angles blacks will look brownish or red
-Will need a pretty high-end videocard if you want run in native resolutions at high quality
-Eats a hole in your wallet


This shows some of the backlighting problems the 2005fpw has however, the camera highly exaggerates the blacklight bleeding because with my naked eye I canÂ’t see it at all.

Conclusion:

Well I finally made the jump from a CRT to a LCD and I don’t think I will ever go back. I definitely love this new monitor and looking at anything else just seems boring now. Unless it’s a Apple 30” ACD on display at CompUSA or something haha. Would recommend to anyone but be sure to think about your needs because some games don’t have support for widescreen, especially older games. If you want something that is bigger than this, the 2405fpw lcd has everything the 2005fpw and better .

Thanks for reading, hopefully this was helpful for you guys.


I personally rate the 2005FPW 9 out of 10 Pimp Hats
/ 10

i bought a 6800 ultra near the same time i got the 2005fpw and half life 2 looks great. only problem i had with the 2005fpw was that it took some getting used to seeing the screen so big and the tray icons are little distorted.

btw, the 2405fpw has a slower response time than the 2005fpw.

Quote: Originally Posted by Enko i bought a 6800 ultra near the same time i got the 2005fpw and half life 2 looks great. only problem i had with the 2005fpw was that it took some getting used to seeing the screen so big and the tray icons are little distorted. btw, the 2405fpw has a slower response time than the 2005fpw.

According to Dells site the 2405 has 12ms response time like the 2005fpw. They could be wrong those as with many listings. I've heard on other forums that the 2405 may even be 8ms because it is similar to another lcd that is comparable to it (I forget which one and I can't find that source so take this with a grain of salt).

Well, cant say my aluminum bezel was worth the extra couple hundred, but the dell casing looks a bit fugly and flimsy, even though i think its the same LCD on the inside.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cyno01 Well, cant say my aluminum bezel was worth the extra couple hundred, but the dell casing looks a bit fugly and flimsy, even though i think its the same LCD on the inside.

that's what modding is for

maybe i'll get around to doing something with mine over the summer.

anyways, when zer0s gave us a sneak preview of it, it said that it had 16ms response times while the 2005fpw has 12ms

Quote: Originally Posted by Cyno01 Well, cant say my aluminum bezel was worth the extra couple hundred, but the dell casing looks a bit fugly and flimsy, even though i think its the same LCD on the inside.

Are you talking about the silver stand? I do agree with you that it does look flimsy but its just a plastic cover (that you can unscrew off) and beneath it is steal.

Somthing Dell has been reviewed? Here? Wow you are brave..bling for a good set of pics and overall good first review.

Good job with the review, and it looks to be a good monitor.

Quote: Well I finally made the jump from a CRT to a LCD and I donÂ’t think I will ever go back.

Like you I will probably never go back either, I was so impressed I bought 2 but now noone wants to buy my monitors !!!!

I liked that review banger, good job.

Quote: Originally Posted by danbanger Are you talking about the silver stand? I do agree with you that it does look flimsy but its just a plastic cover (that you can unscrew off) and beneath it is steal.

he's talking about his apple 20" cinema monitor. dell and apple used the same lcd but apple charged $400+ more than what we paid for the dell version since they got an aluminum bezel on theirs.

Quote: Originally Posted by Enko he's talking about his apple 20" cinema monitor. dell and apple used the same lcd but apple charged $400+ more than what we paid for the dell version since they got an aluminum bezel on theirs.

Granted the Apple one was out a while (not sure exactly how long) before the dell ones.

Thanks for all the positive feedback, I'll be sure to remember to do another review the next time I get a new product (if no one else has done it yet).

That sure is a hot monitor. If only I had a spare $750 laying around... sigh. On second thought, this is my birthday. Maybe you should send me yours

j/k

Quote: Originally Posted by Vertical_Zer0 That sure is a hot monitor. If only I had a spare $750 laying around... sigh. On second thought, this is my birthday. Maybe you should send me yours j/k

Hehe..they retail for 750 but every couple weeks they'll have coupons that will bring it down to $486

hmm maybe i should just make one thread for all the 2005fpw sales and just bump and edit it when a new one comes up . ..

Actually I've heard the 2405 was 12ms black to black and its rumored that gray to gray is as low as 8ms. Cant confirm though. What I DO know is that the 2405 has a Samsung glass while the 2005 is an LG. The larger screen doesnt have quite the same amazing vibrant color as teh 2405, but it supposedly has better black and almost no backlight issues.

That being said, I love my 2005(s).





I'll put a big 'ditto' on just about everything danbanger said. Nice review, bud.

Nicely done review, db... Now to find myself about $400-odd laying around unattended...

nice review dan. My dad just got a 1905fp and the thing looks rather amazing. Now you've got me drooling over widescreen goodness mmmmmmmmm.... Must resist the urge...

Thanks, good to know people found my little review useful. Its been almost a month and the LCD's "new eyecandy factor" is still going strong not to mention when friends and family see it for the first time

i would get that if i had the money(along with many other items).