Photon19vision

LaCie's first 19" LCD, the Photon19vision, has the features you'd expect from years of experience in monitor-making--and with good reason. Devotees of LG displays may recognise the LightView screen presets, which address not only the type of image on view, but also the ambient lighting conditions. The plain-language labels, such as Day/Text and Night/Photo, can be very useful for users who want to optimise their monitor for particular tasks and don't think of colour temperature in terms of Kelvins.

Though the Photon19vision's cabinet and stand are a distinctive dark blue, its ergonomic adjustment options stand out among its physical attributes. The height-adjustable screen can tilt, swivel left and right, and pivot. PivotPro software is included. Two USB 1.1 ports are likely to come in handy, though they may not be as useful as faster USB 2.0 ports for newer devices.

Rich colour, especially on a photo of a fruit tart, helped the Photon19vision gain a Very Good rating for graphics. It rendered our photo of people well, though some jurors noticed loss of detail in the darkest and lightest areas of the photo. Fuzzy detail in Microsoft Word and Excel documents resulted in only a Good text rating.