This Hitachi monitor features IPS TFT, a pre-cursor to the latest Super-IPS technology used in the superb Eizo unit.

This gives the screen a viewing angle of 140 degrees at slightly reduced brightness. This was borne out in our tests, where the Hitachi passed on horizontal and scraped a pass for vertical. It performed well in the DVD and 3D game checks, with no signs of lag in the game and reasonably bright and clear DVD playback.

In common with all the DVI-equipped screens, the Hitachi achieved full marks for sharpness and resolution. Its colour and greyscale scores were also superb for a screen costing less than most. The only outright failure was the white-level saturation test, where high-intensity greys were indistinguishable from white. The colour combinations test was well done – our assessors had no difficulty reading coloured text on different backgrounds.

When it comes to features, the Hitachi contains some surprises. First are the built-in speakers, which are just about capable of rendering music, but are best left for Windows’ sounds. The OSD is even better. It includes all the necessary features and even allows panning around an image larger than the resolution of the monitor, if your OS doesn’t support it.

 

Those wanting a low-cost, 17in TFT should look at the ADI as well as here, but the inclusion of basic speakers means the Hitachi should be on your shortlist if you don’t need high-fidelity sound.