As desktop LCD monitors become more prevalent, the idea of a massive display becomes more appealing. Although a 24-inch CRT display would overwhelm most desks, a 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor might fit in. The Dell UltraSharp 2405 ($1,199 direct) display is just such an animal.

With its 1,920-by-1,200 (WUXGA) resolution, the 2405FPW is a productivity boon for graphics pros, spreadsheet jockeys, and knowledge workers who want to keep an e-mail window open off to the side while they work in another application. And while the Dell is not a TV (it lacks a built-in tuner), it's just crying out to be connected to a Media Center PC (or other tuner-equipped machine).

In the past, wanting a big-screen LCD meant digging way deep into the pocketbook. Typical prices for 23-inch widescreen monitors start at around $1,600 and climb upwards from there. In typical Dell fashion, the company has broken the price barrier, bringing the 2405FPW in at an amazing $1,199.

Even though low price doesn't always mean a good product, we're happy to report that Dell has delivered a highly capable widescreen display. The model has a 9-in-1 USB memory card reader and a USB 2.0 hub built into the display. In the lab, the 2405FPW hit its marks, with a measured contrast ratio of 612:1. The minimum dark level was also quite good for an LCD. In addition, the unit we tested tracked close to the 6,500 K (Kelvin) color temperature that's specified by the NTSC standard, which is good news if you plan on watching DVD movies or TV.

One key parameter for fast-moving video and high-frame-rate gaming is the response time. Dell rates the 2405FPW at 12 ms gray-to-gray (from one shade of gray to another). Several action movies we viewed showed no visible signs of smearing or streaking—once we updated the graphics card driver. If you buy one of these, make sure you update your video card with the latest drivers. Games also looked good, and we saw no ghosting even in fast-paced 3D game play. Most games, however, are still mired in 4:3 aspect ratio, so you'll want to set the scaling of the display to Aspect Ratio; the default stretched mode makes some games look really odd.

We do have a few quibbles. If you want fine-grain adjustment of the display when connecting via DVI, you'll have to use your graphics card driver utilities, since the only on-screen adjustment is the brightness control. The buttons controlling the on-screen display are tiny and poorly labeled. Connecting via VGA adds more adjustment options, but you can make most adjustments when connecting via component video. The 2405FPW rotates to portrait mode, but no utilities are supplied to support this.

None of these nits deter us from awarding this monitor Editors' Choice, however. The Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW is a handsome, large-screen display. And thanks to its relatively affordable price, you don't need two monitors on your desk: One of these will do very nicely.

Benchmark test results:
Average Contrast Ratio: 612:1
Average Black Level: 0.4 candelas/m² (cd/m²)
Average White Level: 499 cd/m²
VESA Uniformity Black: 72.9%
VESA Uniformity White: 86.8%

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