Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC

February 2009. We found the best review at PC World, which posts results of its lab tests along with the review. It also posts an overall score, but you really have to dig to see that the Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC's grade of 82 is one point worse than those of the HP LP3065 and Samsung 305T. We found owner reviews at Dell.com more helpful than some professional reviews. Complaints are permitted and some say they wish there was HDMI and a stand that adjusts better. Reviewers at ExtremeTech.com and XbitLabs.com do their homework but fail to take a stand.

Reviews are complimentary about the Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC, but a few other monitors in this size class also get good reviews. One review says the HP LP3065 performs better for about the same price, while another review finds it comparable to the less expensive Samsung 305T (*est. $1,000). We did find excellent reviews for a more expensive Gateway monitor, the XHD3000 (*est. $1,700), which sets itself apart by including built-in speakers and an excellent video processor. But the Dell monitor costs a lot less, and there's a consensus that the display will be excellent as long as you have a graphics card that supports the resolution (2,560 pixels by 1,600 pixels). Reviews say it displays everything well, but photos can look a bit muted and graphics pros may be disappointed when doing color correction.