Dell UltraSharp 1907FP review

Kristina Blachere CNET

Published: 28 Feb 2006

The Dell UltraSharp 1907FP is a rarity in the low-price LCD monitor category. This 19in. LCD costs only £299 (ex. VAT), delivers better-than-average image quality and offers the design and adjustability options typically found on much more expensive displays. We have also reviewed the 1907FP's sibling, the 1707FP; this 17in. model costs only £199 (ex. VAT), offers the same versatile adjustments and performs slightly better overall.

The attractive UltraSharp 1907FP has a slim bezel, a brushed-aluminium neck and a fairly small Y-shape base that together contribute to its space-age feel. It offers loads of flexibility: you can tilt the panel forward and backward 25 degrees, pivot between portrait and landscape orientations, swivel 45 degrees to the left and the right and adjust the height an impressive 13cm. The adjustments are generally smooth and easy to make, and we especially like that the neck slides on a track, rather than incorporating the standard telescoping tube-within-a-tube design; the track mechanism is less bulky and allows for smoother movement. The Dell UltraSharp 1907FP's ergonomics are not perfectly realised, however. Making adjustments requires two hands -- one to hold the base in place and one to move the panel. And making even slight adjustments causes the top-heavy monitor to wobble.

At the back, the Dell UltraSharp 1907FP has DVI-D and analogue signal inputs, an audio input and one upstream and two downstream USB ports; two more downstream USB ports are tucked behind the left bezel. The display comes with both signal cables and a USB cable, but there's no cable for the audio jack.

The on-screen menu is fairly easy to navigate via the buttons on the front bezel, although we wish there was a button dedicated to exiting submenus. Also, most LCDs have menu buttons that double as quick-launch brightness and contrast keys; with this display, you must dig through the menu to make these adjustments. Also disappointing is the lack of contrast adjustment when connected via DVI-D. It's normal for there to be fewer adjustment options with a DVI-D connection, but we were surprised to find that Dell omitted this feature.

We were impressed with the Dell UltraSharp1907FP's performance at its native resolution of 1,280 by 1,024. On our DisplayMate-based tests, text looked noticeably sharp and nicely contrasted, and was easy to read. At its default settings, the display's greys had a distinctly red tint, so we lowered the red levels slightly in the colour temperature settings. Once we'd done this, the greyscale tests showed an even, smooth fade from dark to light, with only moderate changes in intensity and hue between steps. With colour tests, we noticed only slight hue shifting in low-intensity colours and some compression in the colour scale screens.

This display's relatively fast 8-millisecond pixel response rate can take partial credit for the smooth movement in DVD playback and games testing. However, we did notice some digital noise in backgrounds and blocks of colour in our DVD tests. The display's viewing angle was also not great: there were noticeable shifts in colour and intensity, depending on the angle of the panel.

Dell offers a standard three-year warranty on parts, labour and the backlight for the 1907FP. You can extend this to four or five years if necessary. Support options include 24/7, toll-free phone support and Dell's support Web site includes an email support form, FAQs, community forums, a searchable knowledge base and driver downloads via the company Web site.

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