Photo gallery: Acer F-20Acer has capitalised on its relationship with the Ferrari Formula One team by releasing a range of notebooks, and now LCD monitors, sporting the familiar red and black strip of the Modena-based car manufacturer. The F-20 is a top-notch widescreen LCD monitor that is equally well suited to gamers, office workers, and even those looking to watch DVDs on a PC.
Design
The screen is dressed up in the red and
black colour scheme favoured by previous Ferrari-branded Acer
products, but Acer has done a great job of designing the screen
border to not detract from the displayed image. The rounded gloss
black border is subdued and gives the screen a clean,
professional appearance. The screen sports a pair of 5w speakers
that are surprisingly clear for system beeps and listening to
music - although they tend to distort if the volume's turned up
too high.
The screen includes VGA (analogue D-Sub), DVI, and S-video inputs along with power and audio connectors. The common cables are obscured by a panel cover at the rear for neat cable routing, and the screen can be wall-mounted if desired.
Features
Specs-wise, the F-20 is in the winner's
circle, boasting a 1680 x 1050 pixel resolution (for a 16:10
widescreen aspect ratio), along with a 176-degree viewing angle
and a maximum brightness rating of 300cd/m2. What's more, it
offers an 800:1 contrast ratio, providing clear definition for
greyscale and images without much tonal variation.
Performance
The black display sports a glossy "CrystalBrite" screen coating
that serves to enhance clarity and colour reproduction, and the
screen consistently produces clean, vibrant tones and clear pixel
definition. The 8ms panel is up to the rigours of fast-paced
gaming without obvious signs of ghosting or blurring, and the
contrast ratio ensures that movies with dark scenes are
reproduced accurately. The OSD is also straightforward to use,
and tweaking the settings has an immediate and visible effect on
display properties.
Given the generous screen real estate and outstanding picture quality, we can't help but feel this monitor should ship with a TV tuner. It could then do double duty in a lounge room, which would be a significant bonus given the AU$1499 asking price. That minor gripe aside, the F-20 screen is a pleasure to use and would be a fantastic addition to any high-end dream PC.
