17th Hong Kong International Computer Expo – Computer 2001

LCD Monitors

Nowadays, 15-inch monitors running at 800x600 is probably considered insufficient by most AnandTech readers.  Unfortunately, squeezing a 17 inch or 19 inch CRT monitor into some of the smaller households in Hong Kong could be a problem because of their deep necks, especially with the 19-inchers.   As a result, LCD monitors have provided a nice alternative, especially, since some users have to sit quite close to the monitor such that radiation could be a problem with a traditional CRT.  During Computer 2001, we saw a lot of booths with LCD monitors, most of which had a decent price tag.  One possible reason for this is that some companies buy the OEM parts directly from well-known companies, then build and sell their own models under another brand name. 

One good example of such business is Gennett International Ltd. and Gennett Technologies Ltd.  They directly purchase OEM parts for LCD monitors from Panasonic and develop their own brand, which they call the NP Sexy, and then sell the final product at a cheaper price. This is not unlike the CRT industry where only a handful of manufacturers actually make all the actual tubes for the various monitors out there.

Gennett's newest products are the NPS350S and NPS870S, which are 15 inch and 17 inch models, respectively.  A very nice feature of these monitors is that at the time of purchase, you can request that the company install a piece of glass on the LCD monitor for an additional 50 dollars for better protection of the screen surface.  What's impressive, however, is that a 15 inch model is only around US$433, which is quite cheap compared to the prices found in the US.

Those of you from Hong Kong are probably familiar with the brand Topcon. As one of the biggest monitor manufacturer in Taiwan, quite a few people in Hong Kong use their products in value line systems.  Utopian Computer Systems Ltd. is Topcon's distributor in Hong Kong, and from what they showed us, the price of their solutions is extremely competitive.  Their newest 15 inch model is also priced at around US$433, and even their 17 inch model is only around US$930.

You could also spot a few LCD monitors over at the Acer booth.  Their 15-inch model is priced slightly higher, at around US$600, but compared to the prices found in the US, this is still quite good.

For those looking for high-end products, Sony is ready for you with their newest SDM-N80 LCD monitor.  While this monitor is not yet available on the market, and the estimated price is around US$2500, its look and the ultra-slim design make it very impressive.  Sony will also have several new 15 inch models coming out, including the SDM-M51/51B, SDM-N50PS and SDM-N50.  They are all ultra slim designs, so expect them to be priced higher than average. Of course, you'll pay a bit more just for the Sony name as well.