Why You Can Trust CNET NEC MultiSync LCD review: NEC MultiSync LCD
It looks like a plain and unrelentingly rectangular 19-inch LCD, but the MultiSync LCD1960NXi offers surprisingly good performance with DVDs and games--strange, given its relatively slow 25-millisecond pixel-response time. It's good enough for productivity tasks at work and home, too. Read the review.
NEC's video dark horse: LCD1960NXi
NEC's MultiSync LCD1960NXi is a plain and rather clunky-looking 19-inch LCD with an unrelentingly rectangular design. The relatively thin bezel measures three-quarters of an inch along the top and the sides and a little more than two inches along the bottom. Ergonomically, the MultiSync LCD1960NXi has much to offer: You can raise the panel to give the monitor almost five additional inches of height; however, at full height, the MultiSync LCD1960NXi is top-heavy and prone to wobbling. The monitor also smoothly swivels almost 360 degrees on its mostly square base--170 degrees in each direction--and the panel can tilt 5 degrees forward and 20 degrees backward. You can also remove it from its base and attach it to a "--="" rel="noopener nofollow" class="c-regularLink" target="_blank">&siteid=7&edid=&lop=txt&destcat=ex_1&destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwebopedia%2Ecom%2FTERM%2FV%2FVESA%2Ehtml">VESA-compatible wall or arm mount. A cover on the back of the LCD1960NXi's neck gathers and conceals the power and signal cords.
The MultiSync LCD1960NXi has one analog and one digital input (NEC includes only an analog cable), and setting up and adjusting the image is pretty easy--the No Touch Auto Adjust image optimizer kicks in as soon as the display receives its first analog video signal. The eight power and image-adjustment buttons are somewhat hard to read since they blend in so well with the bezel, but they're intuitively laid out and easy to use. You can also adjust the monitor via keyboard or mouse using NEC's free "--="" rel="noopener nofollow" class="c-regularLink" target="_blank">&siteid=7&edid=&lop=txt&destcat=ex_1&destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enecmitsubishi%2Ecom%2Fnaviset">NaViSet software.
The MultiSync LCD1960NXi turned in an uneven performance in CNET Lab's tests. The 19-inch monitor has a 1,280x1,024 native resolution, and text looked decent and readable, largely because of the display's excellent contrast, but it lacked the razor sharpness we expect from LCDs. Colors appeared vibrant, but the monitor had a bit of trouble with our grayscale tests: the dark end of the grayscale had a slight green tint, and there was some compression between the shades of gray at the dark and light ends of the spectrum. Users looking for better overall image quality should consider Planar's PX191 or NEC's AccuSync LCD9V.
Surprisingly, the MultiSync LCD1960NXi did reasonably well in our motion tests. DVD playback resulted in no significant loss of accuracy in colors, and the usual streaks, ghosts, and jitters that haunt LCDs displaying DVDs and games were only minimally present. We found this somewhat strange (although not unwelcome), given the LCD1960NXi's relatively slow 25-millisecond pixel-response time.
NEC backs the MultiSync LCD1960NXi with an industry-standard three-year warranty on labor and parts, including the backlight. A two-year warranty extension is also available. NEC provides 24/7 toll-free tech support.
Find out more about how we test LCDs.
NEC's MultiSync LCD1960NXi is a plain and rather clunky-looking 19-inch LCD with an unrelentingly rectangular design. The relatively thin bezel measures three-quarters of an inch along the top and the sides and a little more than two inches along the bottom. Ergonomically, the MultiSync LCD1960NXi has much to offer: You can raise the panel to give the monitor almost five additional inches of height; however, at full height, the MultiSync LCD1960NXi is top-heavy and prone to wobbling. The monitor also smoothly swivels almost 360 degrees on its mostly square base--170 degrees in each direction--and the panel can tilt 5 degrees forward and 20 degrees backward. You can also remove it from its base and attach it to a "--="" rel="noopener nofollow" class="c-regularLink" target="_blank">&siteid=7&edid=&lop=txt&destcat=ex_1&destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwebopedia%2Ecom%2FTERM%2FV%2FVESA%2Ehtml">VESA-compatible wall or arm mount. A cover on the back of the LCD1960NXi's neck gathers and conceals the power and signal cords.
The MultiSync LCD1960NXi has one analog and one digital input (NEC includes only an analog cable), and setting up and adjusting the image is pretty easy--the No Touch Auto Adjust image optimizer kicks in as soon as the display receives its first analog video signal. The eight power and image-adjustment buttons are somewhat hard to read since they blend in so well with the bezel, but they're intuitively laid out and easy to use. You can also adjust the monitor via keyboard or mouse using NEC's free "--="" rel="noopener nofollow" class="c-regularLink" target="_blank">&siteid=7&edid=&lop=txt&destcat=ex_1&destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enecmitsubishi%2Ecom%2Fnaviset">NaViSet software.
The MultiSync LCD1960NXi turned in an uneven performance in CNET Lab's tests. The 19-inch monitor has a 1,280x1,024 native resolution, and text looked decent and readable, largely because of the display's excellent contrast, but it lacked the razor sharpness we expect from LCDs. Colors appeared vibrant, but the monitor had a bit of trouble with our grayscale tests: the dark end of the grayscale had a slight green tint, and there was some compression between the shades of gray at the dark and light ends of the spectrum. Users looking for better overall image quality should consider Planar's PX191 or NEC's AccuSync LCD9V.
Surprisingly, the MultiSync LCD1960NXi did reasonably well in our motion tests. DVD playback resulted in no significant loss of accuracy in colors, and the usual streaks, ghosts, and jitters that haunt LCDs displaying DVDs and games were only minimally present. We found this somewhat strange (although not unwelcome), given the LCD1960NXi's relatively slow 25-millisecond pixel-response time.
NEC backs the MultiSync LCD1960NXi with an industry-standard three-year warranty on labor and parts, including the backlight. A two-year warranty extension is also available. NEC provides 24/7 toll-free tech support.
CNET Labs DisplayMate tests (Longer bars indicate better performance)
Brightness in cd/m2 (Longer bars indicate better performance)
Note: Measured with the Minolta CA-210
Find out more about how we test LCDs.