Sony SDM-S51

Those who expected the entry-level SDM-S51 to be like Sony's groundbreaking SDM-N50 will be disappointed by its rather uninspiring two-tone chassis. Unfortunately, this first impression is unlikely to be changed by its performance.

Like most 15in LCDs, the SDM-S51 has a pixel pitch of 0.297mm and a native resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels. Underneath a hinged access flap at the rear is a single 15-pin VGA port next to the connection for the external power supply.

The base lacks any height adjustment and doesn't support VESA 75mm standard arm mounts. It's also worth noting that, although you can attach a Kensington Security Slot to the base, the panel assembly can be unscrewed.

We were disappointed to find two stuck sub-pixels on our review sample, and a plain grey image revealed poor diffusion resulting in a bright patch along the bottom edge of the screen.

Automatic signal calibration was also unremarkable, with slight phase jitter remaining that couldn't be compensated for with the manual adjustments, which is a problem given that this is an analogue-only display.

Our tests also revealed that the SDM-S51 has a problem with colour reproduction, mainly due to a fairly low contrast ratio of 300:1, which resulted in a loss of shallow tones at the darker end of the colour and grey scales.

Three gamma settings are available in the menu set-up, but these failed to compensate. There's no sRGB option, but you can choose from three colour temperature pre-sets or set your own with individual adjustment of the three primary colour channels.

The SDM-S51's bezel is rather wide and won't appeal to those looking to run multiple monitors on one desk. The vertical viewing angle of 90 degrees is poor and lines of black text caused slight, but visible, streaking. It's quite bright, though, with a rating of 250cd/sq m.

In its favour, the SDM-S51's menu interface is simple and effective, while a menu lockout is provided for system administrators, although this doesn't compensate for its shortcomings. Better options are available, and for a similar price.

Price: £379.99 (ex. VAT)

Specifications:

Native resolution: 1,024 by 768
Pixel pitch: 0.297mm
Brightness: 250cd/sq m
Contrast ratio: 300:1
Response time: 20ms
Interface: VGA

Contact: Sony 08705 424 424
www.sonystyle-europe.com

See also:

LG L1510S

A decent-quality 15in TFT screen at a good price.  03 Sep 2002

Samsung SM151P

Samsung and Porsche produce a stylish 15 inch LCD.  29 Aug 2002

Sony SDM-X52

A sexy little number from Sony - but is it worth the cash?  27 Aug 2002

NEC LCD1550VM

A 15in flat-panel screen with no pretensions.  17 Jul 2002

InFocus LP530

Bright light conditions pose no problem for this all-round performer.  16 Jan 2002

Ask C60

The low-cost C60 is a good all-round performer.  19 Oct 2001

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