Digital Trends

Gateway FPD2485W February 20th, 2007 | by Brandon King

Testing and Use

We used the FPD2485W with a desktop PC sporting an Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX2 over DVI and a laptop with a built-in ATI Radeon Mobility X1400 over VGA. The VGA connection showed some extremely limited blurring and had less accurate colors than the DVI input, but the difference between the two was surprisingly minimal.

Text quality was absolutely beautiful using either input. Being able to view two full pages in Microsoft Word at high quality from a laptop is an awe-inspiring experience. The FPD2485W is so bright that some might find it slightly fatiguing to view text over a long period of time. We recommend changing one of the profiles to a slightly dimmer setting to relieve eye strain. For static picture quality, the contrast ratio really shines. Dim pictures and darker scenes had clearly visible details. Video playback was excellent overall, and there no blurring through the DVI and VGA connections, with some artifacts over VGA when using WinDVD 8. We found that the once our eyes got used to the high contrast ratio, artifacts for web videos and pixelation was more noticeable. Again, this is not a problem with the monitor. We liken the issues we have experienced to buying our first high-quality set of headphones — the issues are from the low-quality source material that has been deemed acceptable by most people.

We also tested Battlefield 2142 with the FPD2485W. Even though EA does not support widescreen monitors, we used the “+ widescreen 1920 x 1200” switch on the shortcut and got acceptable results. There was no noticeable ghosting or motion blurring, and the level of detail was exceptional. All in all, the FPD2485W does an excellent job of showing off everything this LCD panel can do. Keep in mind that most manufacturers use the same actual panels with their own circuit boards and casing, and the important thing to note is that Gateway is able to run with the best of them when it comes to the FPD2485W.

We placed the FPD2485W next to the Dell 2405 FPW (previous generation 24” LCD monitor), and the difference was striking. The current generation Dell monitor costs almost $100 more, but comes with a 3-year warranty. Gateway offers a 1-year warranty standard, with a 3-year warranty optional for $30 (as of the time of publication).

Image Courtesy of Gateway

Conclusion

The Gateway FPD2485W is a first-class monitor all around. The picture quality is excellent, the controls are intuitive and attractive, and the only missing connection is the lack of an HDMI input. The optional speaker bar is an ideal solution for desks where this 24” monster eats available space meant for speakers. The analog VGA quality is also worth noting, making the FPD2485W an ideal second monitor for laptops with graphics chips capable of pushing the pixels. In anycase, if you are shopping for a new PC monitor, consider your searching over - this is the one to get.

Pros:

• Excellent image quality
• Innovative controls
• Low price

Cons:

• Large bevel
• One-year warranty