NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 20 Inch AV HD LCD Monitor Review

Aug 6 2006, 12:00am CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Whether you have a home office, are studying for your law degree, or just love playing games, one thing you definitely need is a powerful monitor for your computer. For most people, a moderately priced flat-panel LCD screen will give them all they need for a worthwhile gaming experience. However, for the select group of people who need to have the no compromise monitor, with enough bells and whistles to sound off the Canadian army, the NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 will have you wondering how you ever lived without it.

Gallery

4 images

Benchmarks

First Impression
The 20WMGX2 (which I’ll refer to from now on as the 20W) is a 20 inch wide-screen HD monitor that is built with the gamers and media aficionados in mind. The moment the monitor is turned on, it just blows the mind, especially if you’ve never used an HD monitor. I remember the first time I switched from a CRT to an LCD screen, and was blown away with the increase in picture quality. I had the exact same reaction when I first turned on this monitor.

Just looking at some of the extremities of the monitor at first was a little overwhelming, but in a good sense. In addition to the standard plugs and ports that we all love, what really separates the 20W from other LCD monitors is the onslaught of input plugs for audio and visual devices. There’s a set of A/V inputs for something like a DVD player or PlayStation 2. There’s also a four port USB hub here, which is another crucial add-on for any computer geek out there.

Functionality Aplenty
Truth be told, you could probably get your money’s worth out of this monitor even if you never used it for computing of any sort. With its built-in TV tuner, audio/video inputs, and other functions, it is a superior device just for home entertainment purposes. With its wide-screen format, it is just awesome to watch movies or play video games on it, even non-PC games.

Of course, it’s only 20 inches, so it’s probably not going to dwarf your TV in terms of size, but it is nice to have for those times you need to multitask, for example when you need to type up your doctoral thesis and watch the American Idol finals at the same time. That’s where my personal favorite feature of the monitor comes in – picture-in-picture. This feature is what turns the monitor from a power-packed gadget to a meticulously created marvel. So, if you want to play Xenosaga on your PlayStation 2 while keeping up to date on your MySpace page, you can do it all on one screen.

NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 20 inch lcd monitor Review

AV inputs including Antenna Cable for TV Tuner.

It’s a little bit disappointing that, even though there are three different PIP sizes, the largest one is still on the small side, and doesn’t even take up a fourth of the screen. Obviously you’re mainly only going to use PIP when there’s something you just want on in the background, but it still would have been nice to give some more flexibility on the size option. It’s a minor nitpick.

Because of all the entertainment features, the 20W also has built-in speakers, so you can feed all of the audio from your computer to the monitor, which provides stereo sound. Very few monitors do this, and it means that there’s one less thing (a set of speakers) you have to plug in to your computer and find an extra outlet plug for. Basically, this monitor, when paired up with your computer, is all you need to have the perfect computer experience.

It Just Looks Awesome
Of course, all these features mean nothing if the screen itself isn’t a good one. Fortunately, the 20W doesn’t fall into this trap. In fact, the resolution is so bright, so clear, and so pristine that you’ll never look at another monitor the same way again. It has OptiClear technology, which means that it increases contrast and brightness, and reduces glare better than other, sub-standard LCD screens.

Also, because it is a widescreen monitor, it is infinitely better for gamers, movie addicts, and those who just like to watch the cool pre-programmed music visualizers in Windows Media Player. It does work better in low-light settings, so it’s not necessarily the best choice for your office computer, but then again you wouldn’t need something like this for your office, unless you do a lot of slacking off during your work hours and play games all day.

NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 20 inch lcd monitor Review

The 20 inch NEC monitor supports PIP.

Verdict

Conclusion

Verdict
In case it’s not clear enough by now, I really love this monitor. I’ve been around the block when it comes to different monitor formats, and the 20W is bar none the best one I’ve ever used. It just hits everything right on the mark, from its superior screen resolution to the absolutely overwhelming amount of home entertainment features. If you’ve got the money and you log in any sort of significant time with movies or games on your computer, this monitor is for you.

8.0

where to buy

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Luigi Lugmayr
Luigi is the founding chief Editor of I4U News and brings over 15 years experience in the technology field to the ever evolving and exciting world of gadgets. He started I4U News back in 2000 and evolved it into vibrant technology magazine.
Luigi can be contacted directly at ml@i4u.com. Luigi posts regularly on LuigiMe.com about his experience running I4U.