This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor.

There have been many LCD monitors we have tested over the years that were pretty good for that day and age. But nowadays, gamers complain about the refresh rate and other various features built into LCD monitors that don’t do them justice. LG Electronics recently released a new line of monitors that feature no problems in refresh rate, kick-ass design, and affordable pricing.

The LG Flatron L1981Q is a 19inch flat panel, TFT active matrix monitor that features F-ENGINE technology which enhances picture quality. The "f" in FLATRON f-Engine represents "fine", as well as fine color, fine image, and fine view. The width of the unit is set at 16.6in, the height 16.1in, and the depth at 10.3in. The monitor itself isn’t that heavy when you pick it up. It weighs about 12.3lb, which is significantly lighter than other LCD monitors on the market.

A feature that I found to be incredibly useful was the fact that this monitor can be tilted in any direction you see fit. You can tilt the monitor back flat and look down on it or even turn it 180 degrees. It makes it very useful for different scenarios if you worked in a company that you needed to show off work to a team or client. Auto-Pivot / Auto-Mirror functions are built into the monitor so whenever you adjust it, the technology will automatically adjust the monitor for you. If you flip the monitor a different way, the items on the screen will automatically adjust itself. It’s a very neat concept and very convenient.

There are several controls on the outer rim of the unit. The controls are linked into the on-board menu which enables the user to adjust the monitor’s brightness, contrast, gamma, RGB color settings, horizontal and vertical positioning, clock/phase tracking, and language. To access the menu, there is a touch sensitive button that enters the menu then two other buttons to adjust all the settings. Next to the menu area is the on/off switch which is also touch sensitive but this time flush with the monitor. So basically all you have to do is rub your finger around the area of the button and it senses the heat and will automatically take effect. I found it to be quite too sensitive especially if you tend to leave items underneath the monitor. I had the tendency to hit the on/off switch with my wrist while reaching for items near the monitor. But then again, not many people will come across this situation.

The monitor is very limited to how high you want to push it up. It can go all the way down to the base stand of the unit, but then can only be adjusted about three inches off the stand. In the end, it does suit some people who have desks that have monitor stands, but the ones that do not, you will see that you will be limited to looking down or making the monitor sit at an angle.

Another huge feature that caught my attention was the fact of how bright this thing is. When in a dark room, it will literally make the room act like there is a light on. I personally love bright monitors because in the past I always had to adjust monitor brightness up very high because factory settings were set too low. Heck, I think it’s better also because if someone thinks it’s too bright, then the user can easily adjust his or her monitor in the settings area since the brightness is clocked in at 250 max.

On a gaming level, it can support up to 1280 x 1024 max resolution and features DVI support. Many video cards nowadays have DVI as a standard which is Digital Visual Interface. Don’t worry; it also has another plug so you can plug in your analog video cards. One thing LG thought of that was quite sneaky was the fact that they made the power unit stand alone instead of integrating it into the monitor itself. That’s one of the main reasons why the monitor is very thin and lightweight. The user will need to plug the unit into a 43 watt power brick and then the wire into the electrical outlet.

Overall, I fell in love with the LG Flatron L1981Q the moment I saw it at E3 2005 in Los Angeles. I immediately asked for a test unit to try it out. Although the price is steep, in the $500 range, it is very much worth the money and investment in the long run. I’m a changed man and now will always purchase LG monitors whenever the need arises. To purchase this LG monitor, head over to the many stores linked below.

Features:
Includes analog and digital cables; 3-year warranty1,280 x 1,024 maximum resolution500:1 contrast ratio, 250 cd/m2 of brightnessAnalog and digital DVI-D inputs160-degree viewing angles, 8 ms response time

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