Pro Monitors for Photo, Video

Best LCD monitors for photo and video editing

If you do a lot of photo editing, 4:3 monitors in the 20- to 22-inch size seem to be the best option according to reviews.

GCN compares 11 LCD monitors and determines that the NEC MultiSync LCD2190UXi (*Est. $1,020) is the best in all aspects of performance and use. Reviewer John Breeden would unhesitatingly recommend it if it weren't so expensive. The 21.3-inch monitor has a conventional 4:3 aspect ratio; NEC markets it as a professional product rather than a consumer product. And it has an S-IPS panel and every feature you could expect from a product with a premium price. Breeden adds, "Text was extremely easy to read on the LCD2190UXi screen, particularly gray text over a black field, another testimony to its grayscale color reproduction." Full-motion video is also excellent.

X-bit Labs compares the LCD2190UXi with the 21-inch NEC MultiSync LCD2190UXp (*Est. $845) and the 20-inch Samsung SyncMaster XL20 (*Est. $850) without expressing a preference. Reviewer Oleg Artamonov's description of the differences between the two NEC monitors fits the standard distinction between S-IPS monitors like the LCD2190UXi and S-PVA monitors like the LCD2190UXp.

LED backlighting is one feature that helps the Samsung SyncMaster XL20 stand out among monitors for photo and video work. Reviewers see this as a coming trend in high-end displays. The XL20 LCD Monitor also comes with a color-calibration device and an AMVA (Advanced MVA) panel. TrustedReviews.com gives it a Recommended award and the maximum rating for image quality. Benny Har-Even gushes, "I've never seen an LCD display with colours as rich."

TFT Central is also very impressed with the XL20. Simon Baker explains, "It is capable of offering not only some excellent performance in its target area, colour work, but also in other areas as well." He adds, "The only thing which was a little disappointing was the black depth of the screen."

The 20-inch NEC MultiSync LCD2090UXi (*Est. $800) receives mixed reviews. X-bit Labs recommends this S-IPS model for image-editing applications but says it's expensive for any other purpose. Oleg Artamonov advises, "This is a model for people who are perfectly sure what they want to get from their PC monitor and are ready to pay for that."

BeHardware.com agrees that the NEC provides great color accuracy but says the monitor isn't suitable for movie watching or games. PC Magazine concurs. John Delaney sees it as much more of a professional than consumer product.

If you need a professional model for heavy image editing and can afford it, GCN says the 24-inch Eizo S2431W (*Est. $1,300) is the best. All-around image quality and uniformity of brightness are superb. Eizo monitors have no retail distribution, so you should check the website for purchase information. Reviews are generally favorable, although value is questioned. The monitor uses an S-PVA panel.

The 24-inch NEC LCD2490WUXi (*Est. $1,250) is selected as a Reviewer's Choice by GCN. John Breeden says it "excelled in all display categories, especially readable text." Resistance to glare is another virtue. We found no other formal reviews, but some interesting discussion in several photography forums confirms this is a serious contender for photo editing -- not a surprise because it uses an S-IPS panel.