21. NEC MultiSync LCD2470WNX

Let's face it: every PC user has his or her own reasons to be a sucker for a big, beautiful LCD display. The NEC MultiSync LCD2410WNX is a 24" model that has a way of bringing out the visual beast in nearly everybody who looks at and eventually lusts for one. Not only does it support a maximum resolution of 1920x1200 (more than 1080p needs), it also delivers a very quick 6 ms pixel refresh rate (which the vendor calls response time, echoing terminology from the nearly bygone CRT era). The unit even swivels so you can turn it from its normal landscape mode into portrait mode, if you like.

Big, fast, and capable are all characteristics that are easy to like in a massive LCD monitor.

This monitor has something for nearly every type of user to adore about its composition and capabilities. Artists, photographers and print professionals rave about its accurate colors. Screen monkeys of every stripe and color appreciate the real estate that lets them spread out to get lots of work done, fast. Media mavens like the unit's HDCP support, because it lets you beam Blu-ray or HD-DVD content out to that big, bad screen. And gamers like the quick pixel refresh rate, which lets the unit handle high-resolution layouts without screen artifacts during rapid action sequences.

This monitor also includes built-in cable management features to help deal with multiple inputs, along with an integrated four-port USB hub. Dimensions are 22" x 16.5" x 10.6" including the sizable stand, and 22" x 14.4" x 3.9" with stand removed. Its weight is 27.3 lbs (12.4 kg) including the stand.

The Vista Premium certification for this monitor means you can be sure that it works well with Windows, even the very latest and greatest version. This can be more of a boon than many people think, because of the oddities that sometimes crop up when dealing with TV image overscan on computer monitors, especially LCDs.

Inputs include DVI-D and VGA; there are no speakers so there's no audio portion to worry about. NEC's software line-up includes all kinds of tools, including sRGB color management, AccuColor Control Systems, and an Intelligent Power Manager, among others.

Street prices for this unit run from about $780 to $800. Any student lucky enough to wind up with one of these monsters is bound to be a happy computer user for some time to come. For more information on the MultiSync LCD2470WNX monitor, please visit NEC's product page.