HP LP2065 review: HP LP2065

The HP LP2065 has all the essential features a good 20-inch business display requires, including a reasonable $649 price. In addition to a flexible stand, the LP2065 offers four USB ports, some keyboard-and-mouse-based image calibration, and asset management software--and that's about it. The more entertainment-centric Gateway FPD2185W costs $50 less and delivers comparable image quality and better adjustability, plus component-video ports and picture-in-picture functionality.

Designed for office use, the HP LP2065 has a well-heeled look. The silver-colored bezel runs just 0.5 inch along the top and sides and 0.75 inch along the bottom. The stand and the cabinet are matte black.

Like all good corporate displays, the HP LP2065 is quite adjustable. The neck offers five inches of height adjustment--an inch more than most LCDs we see. However, unlike the Gateway FPD2185W, which moves smoothly and remains stable, the LP2065 is difficult to adjust and wobbles easily. A hinge at the top of the LP2065's neck lets the panel tilt smoothly 30 degrees backward and 5 degrees forward, swivel 45 degrees right and left, and pivot from landscape to portrait mode. Just above the hinge, a quick-release lever makes it easy to remove the panel for wall or arm mounting.

The HP LP2065 has two digital inputs, a USB 2.0 hub with one upstream port and two downstream ports, a cable lock slot, and a master power switch. HP includes two digital cables, two digital-to-analog cables, and one USB cord. Two more downstream USB ports can be found along the left side of the panel. The HP LP2065's cable management system keeps cords completely out of sight and allows enough slack to pivot the screen.

The control panel consists of a set of four buttons centered at the bottom of the bezel. The big buttons and the straightforward layout make the onscreen menu (OSM) easy to navigate. The OSM gives you a fairly standard array of adjustment options plus some extras: you can control individual red, green, and blue color values; check the number of backlight and total usage hours; and calibrate colors. You can adjust the brightness, the contrast, the resolution, and the white point via a keyboard and mouse after installing HP's Display Assistant software (included on a CD-ROM, along with a thorough user guide).

Tested at its native resolution of 1,600x1,200, the HP LP2065 performed quite well on CNET Labs' DisplayMate-based tests. Text looked dark and clear, and it was pleasant to read. Colors looked bright and vivid, although in our scale tests, colors were occasionally too dark and tinted green. The HP LP2065's grayscales were also dark and marred by greenish tints. Screen uniformity was fair: the left side was slightly brighter than the right, and we saw some dark patches in the center.

HP says the LP2065 has a quick 8ms pixel-response rate, and we found that its DVD-playback performance was good. We saw slight noise and ghosting, but these flaws were mitigated by sharp-looking still images, accurate flesh tones, and vivid colors. Gaming backgrounds and characters were similarly sharp and colorful.

The HP LP2065 comes with an industry-standard three-year limited warranty that includes the backlight. Tech support is available 24/7 in English and Spanish. In addition to calling, you can e-mail questions to HP's tech support or chat online with an HP support technician. Drivers, manuals, and access to HP's Business Support Center are also available on the HP Web site.