Dell UltraSharp 2005FPW 20" Widescreen LCD


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First let me say this is a wonderful thread. I have read all 68 pages and used the original reviewers screenshots to show-off to my friends ;)

General impressions of the 2005fpw:

I am a PC tech and a hardcore gamer. I spend a frightening amount of time playing all the latest PC games. DOOM 3, HL2, CS Source, Everquest 2 and Warcraft 3:FT... None exhibit any signs of ghosting. I went from a Samsung 900NF on BNC cables to this monitor and even on D-sub the picture is clearer. The DVI port on my X800pro is dead so I cant give an oppinion of the DVI clearity until I have completed the RMA process. I will be testing with a 6800gt next week while my x800pro is on RMA.

Panel quality:

I got lucky. I have no backlight issues and no dead pixels. Panel revision is A01 manufactered in March 05 in Mexico. Black levels seem very uniform, however they aren't quite as dark as my Benq FP737D. The Benq is on DVI to my other PC so its not really a fair comparison.

Dell Tech Support:

When I tried to connect the monitor via DVI and it failed to work I figured I'd give Dell a call. I wasnt sure if it was the DVI port on the monitor, the DVI cable itself or my graphics card. The Dell rep helped me go through the different mode settings. He couldnt provide that many suggestions because its more or less plug and play. He was a very polite gentleman from India and he scheduled a callback for later in the day so I could test the monitor on my other Video Card and DVI cables. The Dell rep called back when he said he would and I have to say I was surprised with the quality of the service. I could understand him clearly enough... I'm glad he wasn't in Texas. I have a much harder time with the southern drawl than a bit of an Indian accent ;)

Price/Delivery:

I live in Ottawa, Canada and I purchased the Dell on the 1 day sale in March. They had the monitor for $599 with free shipping. Thats only $482 in US dollars! I paid $682 after tax which is an incredible deal in Canada. It was shipped promptly and I was happy with the packaging.

Further testing:

I'll be testing the monitor with Halo 2 on my friends X-box and a 6800gt/x800pro on DVI with all the latest games. I'll post my benchmark results I get at native res (1680x1050) so people can get an idea which card functions better with this monitor.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<EDIT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

FOR WARCRAFT 3 PLAYERS:

Warcraft 3 can function in widescreen mode but there is no setting for it in the game itself. You can enable 1680x1050 in the registry and it works in the game perfectly. I have tested this extensively and am very happy with the results:

START > run > regedit > HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Blizzard Entertainment > Warcraft III > Video

Make below change in decimal format:

resheight = 1050

reswidth = 1680

Well I got my new stad Neo-flex from compusa today Much better looks like its floating now...also gives me more space on the desk surface cause my room is small so no room for a big desk.......

imag00507lu.jpg

585713116[/snapback]

Looking cool man, by the way I see you have a midi keyboard, that wouldn't happen to be M-Audio would it? I have an Oxygen8 :D

hey dulow! that's a sick deal you got the monitor for. the minute you upgrade to a 2405, i'm hauling ass to ottawa to pick up your 2005 :D unless you keep it for a dual display, i wouldn't blame you.

by the way i'll probably pick up a novation x-station 49er soon you must know what i mean ;)

Hopefully my income tax refund will be here soon, i want to order one.

If anyone knows of any coupons around the end of the week please post them. As the ones i've used have expired.

p.s. I'm wondering if a Geforce4 TI4200 will run this monitor at native resolution 1600x1200???/

Thanks

CruJones

Hopefully my income tax refund will be here soon, i want to order one.

If anyone knows of any coupons around the end of the week please post them. As the ones i've used have expired.

p.s. I'm wondering if a Geforce4 TI4200 will run this monitor at native resolution 1600x1200???/

Thanks

CruJones

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Well this monitor's native resolution is 1680x1050 -> Widescreen. But the regular 20.1" Dell runs at 1600x1200. The GeForce will run either resolution, no problem. I ran 1600x1200 with one on my old 22" CRT.

I'm going to be getting a new monitor real soon, still undecided between the 20" and the Widescreen. And I'll be selling a 19" MAG LCD, for real cheap if anyone is interested.

Boo for me, my seemingly defect free monitor didn't stay that way for very long.... :(

My first one was defect free, minus a little backlight imbalances here and there, but no dead pixels. But, on the 5th day, 2 appeared, a red-subpixel and a green-subpixel, both stuck on (only visible on black). I didn't mind the red as it was an inch from the top and in the center, but the green was annoying as it was 2-3" from the right frame and vertically centered...

So I called Dell for a replacement... It came yesterday, same revision A01, made again in Mexico... So I plug it in and lo and behold, ONE dead blue subpixel. It's 3/4" from the left and in the center vertically again, but good thing is that it's located in the middle of a group of 4 icons on my desktop... It's well hidden in the foray of colours and I think if I don't get any more, I'll stick with this one as the backlight problem seems to be less...

Let's just hope those damn pixels don't die on me again! :no:

I just got my two monitors a few hours ago. Very nice displays!

Unfortunatly, neither displays are defect-free.

One monitor has a cluster of 3 dead pixels near the upper right hand corner. The second monitor has 4 stuck pixels--two red, two blue--visible only on black (and even then very hard to notice).

As far as backlight issues, neither display is perfect but it's nothing too bad.

I'm wondering if I should bother returning either of them. Of all the problems, the cluster of 3 dead pixels on one of the displays is the only thing slightly annoying.

All in all very nicely made displays though. Recommended. :)

BTW... is it common for further dead pixels to appear over time? I don't plan on actively using one of the monitors until I get a 2nd system next month, so I'm wondering how long I should run the 2nd monitor for testing.

Edited by Zolk

Dell wont officially replace under the Dead Pixels Problem till there is 5 or more on each display, unfortunately.

Regarding backlight, its really common.

Give Dell a ring (But be prepared for a run around) and see if they will replace.

When I buy New products I expect perfect quality, I dont expect New products at these sort of price range to come with defects, at all.

I just got my two monitors a few hours ago. Very nice displays!

Unfortunatly, neither displays are defect-free.

One monitor has a cluster of 3 dead pixels near the upper right hand corner. The second monitor has 4 stuck pixels--two red, two blue--visible only on black (and even then very hard to notice).

As far as backlight issues, neither display is perfect but it's nothing too bad.

I'm wondering if I should bother returning either of them. Of all the problems, the cluster of 3 dead pixels on one of the displays is the only thing slightly annoying.

All in all very nicely made displays though. Recommended. :)

BTW... is it common for further dead pixels to appear over time? I don't plan on actively using one of the monitors until I get a 2nd system next month, so I'm wondering how long I should run the 2nd monitor for testing.

585731524[/snapback]

dead pixels is caused by the manufacturing Process, no more once it be come a product.

well thats me finaly ordered my Dell UltraSharp 2005FPW 20" Widescreen LCD :D

got it for ?440 from the uk site which i thought was a damn nice price

i was tempted by the 24" but it worked out at ?100 for each extra inc:(:(

crossing my fingers everything is ok with i:D:D

I've been looking at this monitor for the past few days. I currently have a 19" Samsung Flat CRT, which I purchased merely under a year ago coming from a 17" CRT.

From what I've seen, the reulgar 20" LCD looks sort of larger than the 20" Widescreen. Looking at the pictures in this review, the height of the Widescreen LCD next to a 17" LCD were about the same.

Coming from a 19" CRT (18" Viewable), would I notice much of a difference if I got this monitor?

BTW... is it common for further dead pixels to appear over time? I don't plan on actively using one of the monitors until I get a 2nd system next month, so I'm wondering how long I should run the 2nd monitor for testing.

585731524[/snapback]

Sorry to hear about the display problems.

I called Dell to replace my panel which had 2 stuck pixels, red and green. But I did it mostly for the green cuz a green dot on a black background is annoying... but I understand how a red stuck pixel isn't as annoying as u really have to look for it to see it.

I called Dell and acted as if I knew nothing and just complained that when watching dvds with the lights off the black looks washed out... the tech support rep didn't ask me to do anything other than if i had tried it with a different source... 5 mins later I was telling her my S/N and we were good to go.

Good luck

EDIT: Forgot to answer the question :laugh: ... i've been running 3dmark for the past 3 nights just to stress things out a little (and to confirm my overclock.. heh) but mind you the two pixels didn't appear until the 5th day.. and i'm quite certain i've searched every square inch of the panel for the first 4 days... :yes:

I've been looking at this monitor for the past few days. I currently have a 19" Samsung Flat CRT, which I purchased merely under a year ago coming from a 17" CRT.

From what I've seen, the reulgar 20" LCD looks sort of larger than the 20" Widescreen. Looking at the pictures in this review, the height of the Widescreen LCD next to a 17" LCD were about the same.

Coming from a 19" CRT (18" Viewable), would I notice much of a difference if I got this monitor?

585738884[/snapback]

I'd say you'd notice a difference from a 19" CRT to a 20" widescreen LCD. I came from a 15" LCD. Woah.. I would've never believed I could ever have so much desktop space... Photoshop, web dev, coding, everything has been so much better! :yes:

Hell, I use a 20" CRT @ 1600x1200 at work and when I get home to my 2005FPW, i feel the difference.. I find running 1600x1200 on a 20" CRT makes the text a little too large, but any higher resolution makes it look ugly (and i doubt that i'll reach my desired refresh rate).. but yah, 1680x1050 is PERFECT!! :woot:

well thats me finaly ordered my Dell UltraSharp 2005FPW 20" Widescreen LCD :D

got it for ?440 from the uk site which i thought was a damn nice price

i was tempted by the 24" but it worked out at ?100 for each extra inc:(:(

crossing my fingers everything is ok with i:D:D

585734181[/snapback]

Congrats on the purchase, hope you'll enjoy it. Nice sig btw:D:D

Sorry to hear about the display problems.

I called Dell to replace my panel which had 2 stuck pixels, red and green.  But I did it mostly for the green cuz a green dot on a black background is annoying... but I understand how a red stuck pixel isn't as annoying as u really have to look for it to see it.

I called Dell and acted as if I knew nothing and just complained that when watching dvds with the lights off the black looks washed out... the tech support rep didn't ask me to do anything other than if i had tried it with a different source... 5 mins later I was telling her my S/N and we were good to go.

Good luck

EDIT: Forgot to answer the question  :laugh: ... i've been running 3dmark for the past 3 nights just to stress things out a little (and to confirm my overclock.. heh) but mind you the two pixels didn't appear until the 5th day.. and i'm quite certain i've searched every square inch of the panel for the first 4 days...  :yes:

585739801[/snapback]

Well the stuck pixels on the 2nd monitor aren't very noticable even on black. I have to be about a few inches from the screen to be able to see them. With a normal viewing distance of 2 feet or more, I doubt they'll cause any annoyance.

Right now my main concern is the 3 dead pixels on the monitor I'm currently using since they're much more visible. They are at least off to the corner so ussually I don't see them. It kinda looks like there's a piece of lint on the screen. I really only see them when I close out of a window. I'll see how things are over the next week or so before I make a decision to send it back.

I'm mainly holding off on a replacement for two reasons: the hassle of sending this one back and fears that the replacement monitor could be worse.

Just to clarify things: If I were to replace this, would Dell first send me a new monitor before I have to send this one back? Also, would they cover return shipping on the "defective" display? Is it possible to have UPS pick it up from my house?

Thanks.

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