Dell Ultrasharp 2005FPW 20.1" Widescreen LCD

Reviews: Multimedia

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Anthony Fiti
Kurtis
Dell
Apr. 25, 2006

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Conclusion

Dell's 2005FPW LCD Monitor is without a doubt an excellent value. Not only is it a quality LCD display, but it also is available for a very competitive price. I can remember not too long ago, 20" LCD monitors were out of just about everyone's price range - over $1,000. While the 2005FPW's MSRP is $529, you can get it for under $400 shipped! Using the Hot Deals feature right here on TheTechLounge, you can find some astounding deals on this monitor (and many other products from Dell and other companies). While Dell runs promotions often, they expire quickly, so you have to keep your eyes on the deals and act relatively fast if you want to save some money. (I got my 2005FPW for $386.20 shipped, and I consider it one of my smartest purchases. - Ed.)

TIP: You can easily find the promo you're looking for by going to the Hot Deals page, then typing "Dell 2005FPW" in the Search Deals field.

Overall, the monitor was well suited for watching DVDs, so long as you sit far enough back to not pick out the little imperfections. Besides, didn't your mother tell you not to sit so close to the screen? The only odd thing I experienced in terms of picture quality was the vertical scrolling lines on the left side of the monitor that I was never able to isolate.

For the games I play, which aren't fast moving games, I have had zero problems with the monitor. Sometimes the game needs to be tweaked to support the specific resolution of the LCD, but that's about as far as the difficulty goes.

For general usage such as browsing the internet and using office programs, this remains a great choice. Microsoft's ClearType (available in Windows XP) makes text more readable and easier on the eyes by utilizing subpixel rendering. While I can remember the days of getting headaches from staring at my LG 995 19" CRT all day writing reports for school, I can stare at my Dell 2005FPW all day with no eye strain.

One thing I'd like to note is that during this review, Dell released their 2007WFP 20" LCD monitor. The display sports the same size, pixel pitch, aspect ratio and resolution. The other specifications of the monitor (brightness, contrast ratio and pixel response time) are very close. Based on the specifications provided by Dell, I'd venture to say it is not worth it to sell your 2005WFP if you already own one to get a 2007FPW, nor is it worth it to throw a lot of extra money at the new model. In fact, now is an excellent time to pick up a 2005WFP on the cheap.

Kurtis' Thoughts

Since I have personally owned this monitor for quite some time, I feel I should offer some of my own input as well. As I mentioned in one of my Editor Comments, the 2005FPW is what I consider one of my smartest purchases. Perfect though it may not be, I actually prefer it to my ViewSonic P225fb 20" CRT. Not only is it MUCH lighter and smaller overall than my beast of a CRT, but I also prefer the image quality of the LCD over it. Being an LCD, it's easier on my eyes, and as much as I'm on my computer that is a very good thing.

When it comes to gaming, I have a love-hate relationship with this monitor. When a game supports widescreen, the extra FOV lends to a more immersive experience, even if just by a little bit. The hate comes into play when there is a bleeding-edge game which supports widescreen but that isn't playable at maxed out image quality settings (yes I'm anal) at the monitor's native resolution of 1680x1050. When it comes to image quality, I don't like to compromise, and it sucks to have to choose between lower video settings and a non-native resolution. I always end up choosing the lower video settings, though, because I can not stand to have everything upscaled - it looks like crap. And I'm not about to have black bars on my screen if I can avoid it if you're thinking I should force a 1:1 ratio. Speaking of which, the other thing I hate is when a game simply does not support widescreen and I am FORCED to force a 1:1 ratio. Black bars suck.

I don't watch DVDs on my computer very often, mainly because there's a big TV downstairs that is more up to the task, but when I have, I got comfortable a few feet away from the monitor (further than I'd be if I was gaming, for example), so the upscaled image didn't really bother me and I didn't notice any artifacts or noise. I wasn't really looking for them, I'll admit, but I found my movie-watching experience to be perfectly enjoyable.

Even for regular usage, I prefer this monitor to my CRT. Whether working in Photoshop, Word, Excel, Outlook, Windows Explorer, whatever! the widescreen aspect ratio and the overall quality of the LCD was appreciated. I highly recommend Dell's 2005FPW LCD Monitor. Just don't forget to use our Hot Deals page to find some promotional coupons to save up to 20% or more.

Pros

Widescreen (16:10 aspect ratio)
Increased FOV in compatible games
8-bit Color TFT Display (as opposed to 6-bit)
Integrated 4-port USB hub
Integrated wire management
Adjustable height/angle/orientation
Amazing value when you use Hot Deals

Cons

OSD menu can be awkward
Portrait mode is a bit too slim to truly be useful
Not all games are widescreen capable

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Page 1: Introduction & First Looks
Page 2: Taking a Closer Look
Page 3: Setup
Page 4: Testing - Display
Page 5: Testing - Features
Page 6: Dell Tech Support Experience
Page 7: Conclusion

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