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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: I'm always wary of products like this one, that are described as "good value", because that often means mediocre quality at an aggressive price. That's not the case here. The Optiquest/Viewsonic Q95 really delivers outstanding performance - both text and graphics - at a bargain price. Because flat-panel LCD monitors are pressuring the prices of flat-screen CRT monitors which in turn are pressuring the prices of conventional "curved" screen CRTs (like the Q95), this monitor is selling for less than half of what it cost just a few years ago. If you're the type of person who's not happy unless they have the latest technology, then this ISN'T your monitor. Otherwise, you may want to give it careful consideration. Also, if you require very high screen resolutions, you won't be happy. The Q95 can do 1280x1024 with a decent refresh rate (80hz), but no higher unless you're immune to the flicker that comes with low refresh rates. I have mine set to 1152x864 at 90hz and am very happy with it there. I do lots of work with text - Excel and other spreadsheet-type type programs - and have no need for any higher resolution than that. Speaking of text, the Q95 is superb. Letters are sharp and black. I initially looked at the Samsung 955DF, but in 2 different stores where I was able to find it, its text was very blurry. Its possible that it was just the way it was set up, but I've also read some reviews of the 955DF that raised the same objection. Graphics performance from the Q95 is also quite good. Images are bright and vivid, DVDs look great. All monitors require calibration and this one is no exception. I recommend that you find the free Nokia Monitor Test program out on the web and also check out some of the web sites devoted to the subject (which you can find by pointing your search engine at "monitor calibration"). Optiquest gives you all the controls you need, except that I found that mine also required a gamma adjustment, which is NOT one of the available monitor controls. I was, however, able to set it with the driver software for my video card. You may want to double-check that your video driver offers this, as the display was a little dark without it. I've read some reviews that complain that the controls are confusing to use. These are the same people who can't set the clocks in their VCRs. I had no trouble. The monitor is quite compact. It fits in almost the same space as my old Iiyama 17" which it replaced. To hold it's price down, the Q95 offers little in the way of additional bells-and-whistles. No USB hubs, no component video input, no integrated speakers. You get a monitor with integrated video cable, a stand, a power cord and a driver diskette. If you aren't a tech-head who has to have the latest-and-greatest hardware, or a graphics person who needs to work at 1600x1200, this might just be a way for you to have a big monitor at a small price.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I'm always wary of products like this one, that are described as "good value", because that often means mediocre quality at an aggressive price. That's not the case here. The Optiquest/Viewsonic Q95 really delivers outstanding performance - both text and graphics - at a bargain price. Because flat-panel LCD monitors are pressuring the prices of flat-screen CRT monitors which in turn are pressuring the prices of conventional "curved" screen CRTs (like the Q95), this monitor is selling for less than half of what it cost just a few years ago. If you're the type of person who's not happy unless they have the latest technology, then this ISN'T your monitor. Otherwise, you may want to give it careful consideration. Also, if you require very high screen resolutions, you won't be happy. The Q95 can do 1280x1024 with a decent refresh rate (80hz), but no higher unless you're immune to the flicker that comes with low refresh rates. I have mine set to 1152x864 at 90hz and am very happy with it there. I do lots of work with text - Excel and other spreadsheet-type type programs - and have no need for any higher resolution than that. Speaking of text, the Q95 is superb. Letters are sharp and black. I initially looked at the Samsung 955DF, but in 2 different stores where I was able to find it, its text was very blurry. Its possible that it was just the way it was set up, but I've also read some reviews of the 955DF that raised the same objection. Graphics performance from the Q95 is also quite good. Images are bright and vivid, DVDs look great. All monitors require calibration and this one is no exception. I recommend that you find the free Nokia Monitor Test program out on the web and also check out some of the web sites devoted to the subject (which you can find by pointing your search engine at "monitor calibration"). Optiquest gives you all the controls you need, except that I found that mine also required a gamma adjustment, which is NOT one of the available monitor controls. I was, however, able to set it with the driver software for my video card. You may want to double-check that your video driver offers this, as the display was a little dark without it. I've read some reviews that complain that the controls are confusing to use. These are the same people who can't set the clocks in their VCRs. I had no trouble. The monitor is quite compact. It fits in almost the same space as my old Iiyama 17" which it replaced. To hold it's price down, the Q95 offers little in the way of additional bells-and-whistles. No USB hubs, no component video input, no integrated speakers. You get a monitor with integrated video cable, a stand, a power cord and a driver diskette. If you aren't a tech-head who has to have the latest-and-greatest hardware, or a graphics person who needs to work at 1600x1200, this might just be a way for you to have a big monitor at a small price.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Monitor Until end of Warranty
Review: This is a great monitor, great picture, great text, however the only complaint I have is that it started having trouble right after the warranty ran out.
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