First Look: Eizo Flexscan L885 20.1" LCD monitor

The display is compact and stylish, but response is a tad slow.

THE FLEXSCAN L885 FROM Eizo is a 20.1" TFT LCD monitor that offers a native resolution of 1600 X 1200. The first thing I noticed about the L885, aside from its stylish appearance, is just how small it seems for a monitor with a screen of this size. We've come to expect LCD monitors to be smaller than their CRT counterparts, of course, but the L885 is compact even for an LCD display. This is, in part, because of the very thin monitor bezel that also makes the display suitable for multipanel, side-by-side arrangements.

The Eizo FlexScan L885, a 20.1" LCD monitor with a 1600X1200 native resolution, takes up less room than you'd expect, even from a flat-panel display.

Display characteristics include a dot pitch of 0.255 mm X 0.255 mm, with a brightness of 250 cd/m² and a 500:1 contrast range. The sync range for analog input is 24-94 KHz horizontal and 49-86 Hz vertical. For digital input, the horizontal sync range is 31-76 KHz and the vertical range is 5-61 Hz. VGA text is 69-71 Hz.

The rated dot clock is 202.5 MHz for analog input and 162MHz for digital input. Response time is a relatively average 20 ms, so you're likely to see some lag if your work involves fast rotation of complex models. The screen is viewable over a 176° angle, both horizontally and vertically. The displayed image is both bright and attractive.

At the bottom center of the L885's bezel are eight flush-mounted control buttons for the display. On the black monitor evaluated here, the functions of these control buttons are not easy to make out, although this might not be the case with the gray housing option. The buttons include, from the left, a signal source selector (there are two connectors on the back of the monitor), an automatic adjustment button, an enter button, four directional buttons for adjustments and menu navigation, and a power on/off toggle. A USB 1.1x connector is provided along with a USB cable. Input connectors include both mini D-sub and a DVI-I 29-pin (switchable) socket. The input connectors, USB, and power cord connectors are all vertically mounted on the rear of the panel. A cable-managing clip is incorporated into the stand.

Eizo Flexscan L885

The supporting stand for the L885 is very stable, although it shows a slight wiggle when the display is rotated to portrait (vertical) mode. Height is adjustable within an 82 mm range. The stand pivots 90°. It tilts upward 40° and swivels 35° right or left. The monitor weight with the stand is 20.3lb. Without the stand it weighs 13.7 lb.

The on-screen menu supports seven languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, and Japanese. The menu system is easy to understand and navigate. It provides access to a wide range of settings and adjustments.

ScreenManager Pro for LCD software, which comes bundled with the Eizo FlexScan L885 monitor, is compatible with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP. Specialty software, sold separately for $39.95, is necessary for viewing in portrait mode. You can find it online at http://personalcomputing.portrait.com/us/products/pp_overview.html. The monitor includes a utility CD-ROM along with a multilanguage user manual.

Eizo offers a five-year limited warranty on the FlexScan L885, with usage time limited to 30,000 hours and LCD panel and backlight warranty limited to three years from the date of purchase.

Several accessories are available, including a panel protector, client management software, an attachable speaker unit, a wall-mount arm, and a height-adjustable stand that holds two monitors. The Eizo FlexScan L885 monitor is priced at $1,499 (MSRP).

Ron LaFon, a contributing editor for Cadalyst, is a writer, editor, and computer graphics and electronic publishing specialist from Atlanta, Georgia. He is a principal at 3Bear Productions in Atlanta.