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Hardware

P275, 6652-U3N

31 Aug, 2003 By: Ron LaFon

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IBM

4 stars out of 5
The IBM P275 monitor is an attractive black 21" display with a 19.8" viewing area. Like other displays evaluated here, it's based on the flat FD Trinitron tube and is capable of display resolutions of 2048×1536@75Hz in true color. The 0.24mm dot pitch provides a

IBM’s P275, 6652-U3N 210 monitor offers a crisp display, but costs more than the other monitors reviewed.

crisp display on the very dark CRT. IBM is well known for its attention to detail, and the P275 is no exception.

Apart from being unobtrusive and attractive, matte black cases tend to make it hard to find the controls, which are often small black buttons or bars that get lost against the blackness of the case. IBM cleverly solved this by making the center button in the five-button array a different color (blue), which immediately leads you to the correct location for adjustments.

Other details include a D-sub and a DVI-D connector on the back, rather than just two D-sub connectors. Warranty coverage is a standard three years.

On the test bench, the IBM P275 achieved perfect scores for the display and for the capabilities of the on-screen menu, which provides an array of adjustments such as color point, recall, on-screen menu and lock, and more control level.

IBM’s attention to detail and the niceties of the P275 come at a cost—$749—that is more than $100 higher than the price of the least expensive CRT display here. Even though the P275 tested perfectly on the test bench, the combination of high price and standard-length warranty ultimately resulted in a four-star rating for this otherwise excellent monitor. The company does replace your monitor within a couple of days and pays for all shipping.