Crave

A pleasing design, if nothing else. (There is something else, though...a few things, actually.)

(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)

It's been awhile since we've reviewed a Gateway monitor. The last one was the 19-inch Gateway HD1900 and over a year ago I reviewed the Gateway FHD2400. We skipped the FHD2401 model, as it didn't really offer much that was new.

The FHD2402 is a different story. The biggest change is its move from a 16:10 aspect ratio--with an accompanying resolution of 1,920x1,200--to a 16:9 aspect ratio and a lower resolution of 1,920x1,080. The reason for this change is to bring LCD computer monitors closer to HDTVs in terms of capabilities. A 16:9 monitor can display a full screen 16:9 Blu-ray or digital movie shot in 1.85:1, without stretching the image to fit the screen. A 16:10 monitor will need to stretch the same movie's image a bit to get it to full screen and without any black bars.

So, what you lose in pixel count, you make up in the monitor's capability to display undistorted images of movies. If this is important to you, then you're in luck, since the monitor industry seems to be heading down this 16:9 path. For the rest of you, you're only losing 230,400 pixels, so stop your whining!

Anyway, to see what I really think of the Gateway FHD2402, check my full review and remember to keep checking this page for more new reviews, usually every week--unless I'm off somewhere getting married or something along those lines.

Although the very sleek-looking H235H will not manipulate time and space, it at least looks like it could.

(Credit: Acer)

For the most part, I'm really loving this era of 16:9 LCD computer monitors. The fact that we can get a 21.5- or 23-inch monitor with a resolution of 1,920x1,080, can't be a bad thing since previously monitors of those sizes would have topped out at 1,680x1,050 in 16:10. While I have a little something to say about 20-inchers with 16:9, for the most part I'm happy.

Today, Acer continues the trend of giving us more pixels by announcing the Acer H235H. It's a 23-inch LCD computer monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1,920x1,080 resolution.

According to Acer, the monitor includes a 2ms response time, 300 cd/m2 brightness and a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. That last number can mostly likely be attributed to its dynamic contrast ratio however.

The display features Acer's SensorTouch technology. Which shuns buttons in favor of a touch-sensitive space on the monitors bezel used to control the On Screen Display. Not anything new really as other monitors have done this, but judging by the picture, the lack of buttons does allow the Acer to maintain a clean, sleek look.

Connection options include VGA, DVI, and HDMI. Also, Acer includes two built-in speakers, and judging from the narrow 160-degree viewing angle quoted in their press release, the panel type is most likely a TN, since they are known for having narrow viewing angles.

Acer says the H235H will be available in July for a MSRP of $239.99. Look for a full review soon after they send me a unit. In the meantime, you can check out all our monitor reviews here.

The 16:9 monitor revolution (or is that resolution? ha ha...ahem!) has begun. I reported last week that most monitor vendors were moving their lines from a 16:10 aspect ratio to 16:9, since 16:9 is what HDTVs use and monitor vendors would like HD content to fit more nicely on their monitors. Now the first related post-CES news is that Acer is joining the fray.

This is the the 27-inch model. As you can see it displays nothingness really well.

(Credit: Acer)

Last week, Acer announced its Business (B) Series of monitors, the 23-inch B233HU bmidhz and 27-inch B273HU bmidhz. According to Acer, each monitor features a dark gray bezel and a black case. Each monitor also includes a tilt function, swivel, and screen height adjustments.

According to Acer, each display boasts a resolution of 2048x1152 and features a 5ms pixel response time. The 23-inch B233HU will purportedly achieve a 300 candelas per square meters (cd/M2) brightness, while the 27-inch B273HU features a brightness of 400 cd/M2.

Each monitor features the Acer Adaptive Contrast Management feature. According to Acer, this allows the user to adjust the image frame by frame to optimize contrast.

Both displays are available now. The B233HU bmidhz display is available for an suggested retail price of $289, and the B273HU bmidhz display is available for a suggested retail price of $409.

In any collection of similar laptops, the one with the Sony Vaio logo is likely to be the most expensive in the group. So, imagine our pleasant surprise to find the Vaio AW125 to be less expensive than the other 18-inch, Blu-ray equipped laptops we've seen.

Our Blu-ray HP HDX18 was $2,149, while the Blu-ray version of Acer's Aspire 8920 was $2,499 (both have cheaper non-Blu-ray versions). In comparison, the Vaio AW125 was a mere $1,849 (although fancier models from the AW line can get up as high as $3,200).

We're big fans of the 18-inch 16:9 screen concept, which matches the resolution of HDTV screens and works perfectly with HD content. Our only real knocks against the Vaio were its insistence on including the usual assortment of proprietary Sony stuff, from a Memory Stick slot to all kinds of Sony-branded media software (just stick with iTunes or the VLC player).

Read the full review of the Sony Vaio AW125.

The HP G60-125nr

The move from traditional 16:10 laptop displays to 16:9 ones that mirror HDTV screens is shift that's here to stay, judging by the mini-flood of new 18-inch and 16-inch systems that have crossed our desk. What's a little odder is that we've also run into a couple of systems that have 15-inch 16:9 displays (making them 15.6-inches, diagonally, to be precise).

This is a good illustration of how to be a smart laptop comparison shopper, because one of these two 15-inch 16:9 laptops is a much better deal than the other (and both are part of our Holiday 2008 Retail Laptop Roundup).

The HP G60-125nr was in retail stores for $729, and has a 2.0GHz AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core RM-70 CPU, 3GB of RAM, and a 250GB, 5,400rpm hard drive. We were surprised to see this AMD CPU in a system that expensive, especially as the performance on our benchmark tests was more in line with an entry level laptop.

The Acer Aspire 5735-4624

Meanwhile, the other 15-inch 16:9 we reviewed, the Acer Aspire 5735-4624, offered a 2.0GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core T3200 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 160GB, 5,400rpm hard drive. It only wins in the CPU department, but it was about 33-percent faster in our multitasking test, so that's a significant difference to the user experience. The real hook is that the Acer had a retail price of $499, and was occasionally discounted to $399, earning it an excellent four-star rating.

Paying less and getting more is always a win for consumers, but this example is for illustrative purposes only. In the short time since we published these two reviews, the Acer has been sold out at retail stores, and, more interestingly, Best Buy is suddenly offering a deep discount on the HP G60, knocking it down from $729 to a more reasonable $549, saving you $180.

Read the full review of the HP G60-125nr.

Read the full review of the Acer Aspire 5735-4624.

The Gateway MC7801u features a 16-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

(Credit: Gateway)

Gateway on Monday released its first 16-inch laptops, the MC7801u and the MC7803u. With a 16:9 aspect ratio screen, 16-inch (and 18-inch) models are beginning to emerge.

Unlike traditional 16:10 laptop displays, a 16:9 screen matches the ratio of movies and HD content. Similar to the redesigned MacBook, the display on Gateway's MC series laptops features a glossy glass overlay that runs edge to edge. The 16-inch screen features a 1366x768 resolution; you'll need to bump up to an 18-inch model for 1080p playback.

The $950 MC7801u features a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T5800 CPU, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, 64-bit Vista Home Premium, and a 320GB hard drive. So what don't you get on this sub-$1,000 laptop? You miss out Intel's latest Centrino 2 platform, and the laptop relies on integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics.

You're with me, pleather.

(Credit: Gateway)

A second model in the 16-inch MC series, the $1,000 MC7803u, will feature a dedicated 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 graphics card. Providing the MC models with a distinctive look, a thin pleather strip runs down the middle of the lid. The lower-end MC7801u features a burgundy lid, and the higher-end MC7803u features a black lid.

Other features include HDMI and VGA ports, backlit keyboard and multimedia controls, Webcam, DVD burner, Draft N Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, and ExpressCard and media card slots.

The Gateway MC7801u is being sold through Best Buy and is included in our holiday retail laptop roundup. Look for our review next week.

HP's new HDX18.

If it seems like we're seeing more and more 18-inch laptops recently, that's because we are. Behind the scenes, the catalyst is that the companies that make the glass for laptop and television screens would rather make one style of panel, rather than two (16:9 for TVs and 16:10 for laptops). Hence, systems such as the Acer Aspire 8920 and Sony Vaio AW, with 18-inch 16:9 displays.

HP already makes some of the best multimedia laptops, so we were pleased to see them get into the game as well, with the new HDX18. We've just reviewed this multimedia powerhouse and liked its touch controls; big, bright screen; and credit-card-style remote that fits into the ExpressCard slot. Naturally, it includes a Blu-ray drive, which matches up perfectly with the 1920x1080 display.

Read the full review of the HP HDX18.