LG Flatron L1960TR Black Jewel review

LG Flatron L1960TR Review

Reviewed by: Rory Reid

Reviewed on: 14 March 2007

LG has opted to install both D-Sub and DVI ports, which gives you plenty of choice about how you connect it to your PC. The DVI port is HDCP-enabled, too, which means it can play back copy-protected HD movies, provided you have an HDCP-enabled graphics card.

Weaknesses
The biggest drawback with the L1960TR is the fact it isn't widescreen aspect ratio. Its 1,280x1,024-pixel SXGA resolution offers a 5:4 aspect ratio, but this is a shame as the majority of movies use a widescreen aspect ratio -- usually 16:9.

The monitor's contrast ratio is breathtakingly high -- its blacks are extremely black and its whites are extremely white -- but there's a loss of detail in tones that sit somewhere near the middle. Near-white tones in particular appear as total white, but luckily near-blacks can still be distinguished, which is good news for anyone who likes to spot horror movie villains lurking in the shadows.

The monitor has a removable back panel, which helps to keep cables neat, tidy and out of sight

LG has done a good job in making the Black Jewel as stylish as possible but there are some compromises in its usability. The on-screen display buttons are hard to access on the side of the screen. Craning your neck around the side doesn't help much -- the inscription accompanying each button is inset embossed so they're hard to read.

Conclusion
The Black Jewel is a great piece of kit. Not only does it have a good design, but its high contrast ratio and fast response time make it ideal for playing movies or games. The 5:4 aspect ratio and the fact it loses detail in some light tones diminishes its appeal, but on the whole it's a great product.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Kate Macefield