Rating: 
Summary: Off-the-scale Quality and Value: A Zero Compromise Product
Review: Forget about everything you're reading online comparing one LCD montior to another. You need to go visit a computer store and see them. After you do that, your focus will change entirely, literally and figuratively. I was prepared to spend up to $2000 on an LCD monitor and, therefore, price wasn't the issue. After doing my research, I believed I knew what I was after. Thank goodness I was able to see in-person the Envision 17 inch LCD. It was FAR SUPERIOR in performance to every other LCD monitor I saw. I bought it and I couldn't be happier. And this was with the analogue interface and my existing video card, you don't need a DVI interface to get perfection. I'm a high-end user and I've always owned high-end monitors. In fact, I could rarely find one that satisfied my needs except for scarcely available super high-end models. This Envision product changed that however. At any price, its performance is visually the best in my opinion. But when considering its price, it's like an entirely different product all together compared to the other LCD panels available today. I simply couldn't be happier with this product. The warranty, also, is excellent. And as I mentioned earlier, if you've been concerned about whether you need a new DVI card and an LCD monitor with a DVI interface, you can forget about it unless perhaps you do video editing full-time. This Envision LCD monitor, in conjunction with a solid traditional/standard video card (like you probably already have), offers absolutely outstanding crystal-clear rock-solid performaance.
Rating:
Summary: Good stuff!
Review: I have been in the market for a while for a LCD monitor and found this particular one a great value. I was looking at first at 18" LCDs, such as the Philips 180P and Princeton Graphic's Senergy 850. After looking around, I came across the Envision 7100. It was one of the cnet.com editor's choice for LCD monitors, so I gave it a look. After seeing no difference between some of the different models, I decided it was worth it for me to give up a little on screen real estate, and save $500-1000. It does not have all the bells and whistles like some of the other LCDs (USB ports, pivot features, etc.), but I really didn't need those features and couldn't justify paying hundreds more for them. Another thing to keep in mind, however, is that it looks best in its native resolution (1280x1024). Anything outside that resolution, and text gets blurry and pixelated (relatively speaking). However, it is a great value, and performs very well graphically speaking. I have two CRTs at home, one a Mitsubishi, and the other a Sony, and this monitor is very easy on the eyes compared to those two. 3D games look good on this monitor, although I prefer the CRT; it may take some time getting used to the LCD. Plus, you can't beat the 3 year warranty. I highly recommend this monitor to those who are looking for a LCD display, but are not graphic designers with money to burn, or those who aren't die-hard for Sony. (aka. "everything sucks but Sony"...ha!)
Rating:
Summary: Best monitor for the price!
Review: I spent a total of ($) for this monitor and it was well worth it. Last Christmas I spent ($) buying a 19" CRT monitor. The picture quality was bad and of course it broke my back everytime I needed to move it around. It was a piece of junk (btw it was a Sceptre monitor). Then in July after doing extensive research I settled on this Envision. Sure they aren't a household name brand but people who used this monitor seemed for the most part satisfied. The monitor was a breeze to install using drivers from the web-site and mine has zero dead pixels that I can see. The default resolution of 1280X1024 is gorgeous, absolutely no flickering and the image is easy on my eyes. I don't see why anyone should buy a CRT monitor any longer. I can't imagine any of the ($)LCD monitors being any better than this one. The Envision also carrys a 3 year warranty so if anything does break...you're covered! This was a great buy and I have absolutely no regrets. Some of the gripes people had was the awkward positioning of the buttons, lack of movement, small viewing angle, etc. None of those problems bothered me and is negligible for this price!
Rating:
Summary: Great Buy
Review: I just read a review posted by "An electronics fan from Prospect Heights, IL" that I could have written myself, with only minor differences. I had to return/exchange the first monitor I brought home, circumstances explained below. I too was completely fed up with failing color guns on CRT monitors, first a 17", then again on a huge clunky and WAY HEAVY 19". I'd been steadfastly holding out for larger-screen LCD prices to drop to CRT levels (I suspect they'll cross that line in the next year or two), but I also finally took the plunge and upgraded. Couldn't be more pleased with this decision. I've had my Envision LCD for just two weeks, but already know I'll never go back to CRT. Got mine at Staples for $449 after a $50 mail-in rebate, so I consider that very reasonable. Mine was a total impulse buy, but a brief web search revealed the price was as low as any mail-order. AND, if memory serves, I paid around $400 several years ago for the 19" CRT. In dollar terms, this really isn't much of an "upgrade:"
failing CRT monitors have cost me much more. Anyway here's my findings... GOOD:
- I too, tested the monitor playing Half Life and am totally jazzed by the clear crisp graphics at highest screen resolution!
- I've recovered a huge amount of valuable desktop real estate!
- Carrying it home from the store was more akin to carrying a briefcase than a TV!
- Has about the same flat screen viewing area as a curved faced 19" CRT.
- I haven't noticed any refresh lines Electronics Fan noted. BAD (w/Caveats):
- As EF mentioned finer print text ain't all that, but I'm certainly willing to live with it for trade-offs in size, etc.
- I too had ONE dead pixel top-center of viewing area right out of the box. It was disturbing, but having purchased at Staples I had NO PROBLEM exchanging it. The second unit has exhibited ZERO Defects to date.
- I had a real problem with the Auto Config/Auto Center feature, but this only occurred on the unit I took back. The screen would start out perfectly centered vertically during boot up, but as soon as Auto Center feature ran, the screen would shift down just far enough to lose the Windows taskbar! I had to manually center anyway after every cold boot - not a real difficult process, but tedious when you have to scroll through all the menu options by button clicking to reach the Auto Center feature. This problem didn't occur on warm boots, only cold, and hasn't happened at all on new unit. Overall, I'm very glad I got it. It suits my current and foreseeable future needs perfectly. I'd call it a 5 star deal, especially at the price. I would recommend it to anyone considering upgrade, but would also suggest to a potential buyer... consider buying from a local retailer in case you experience similar difficulties. It's a real pain obtaining RMA numbers, shipping back, etc etc, especially if there's no difference in price from your local Staples.
Rating:
Summary: Good value in my move to an LCD
Review: ... I do a lot of video editing and DVD authoring on my computer and the Envision offers excellent clarity in this regard. Standard movie DVDs also look fabulous. I played Saving Private Ryan and The Matrix on the LCD and the picture was sharp and actually enjoyable to watch (unlike my previous 17" HP CRT which had made movie watching unbearable because the picture looked dark and cramped on the small curved screen). The native resolution of the EN-1700e is 1280x1024, which is unfortunate for me as I usually set my resolution at 1024x768. This is most inconvenient when surfing the web. Websites seem too distant and I'd really like to adjust the monitor up to 1024x768 but then the screen resolution isn't as clear. Like all LCD's, whenever you're out of the monitor's native resolution setting, things don't look quite as great. This is a definite consideration when buying an LCD monitor. You may want to buy a monitor where the native resolution matches your personal preference (usually 1024x768 or 1280x1024). An obvious benefit for anyone thinking about buying an LCD monitor is the smaller foot print on the desk it inhabits as well as a general sense of space the thing creates in a room previously dominated by a huge CRT. Less obvious, at least to me when buying my new monitor, was the reduced amount of heat an LCD creates. My bedroom feels at least five degrees cooler without the clunky CRT running full tilt. Since heat levels in the summer while working from home was a major issue, the LCD's lack of heat production is a significant benefit to me. Finally, I'd like to contradict a particularly vocal posting on this site that suggested LCD monitors are lousy for gaming. I'm an inveterate gamer and have tested the EN-7100e on several games: Crimson Skies, MechWarrior 4, Driver, Jedi Outcast and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Apart from Wolfenstein (which may be due to my graphics card vis a vis the video settings) all the games look fabulous. Crimson Skies in particular never looked as good on my 17" CRT. I've started playing the game again after two years just because it looks so great. My personal feeling is the time of CRTs has come to an end. The old monitors simply consume too much energy, output too much heat and take up too much space. Buying a computer with a CRT might soon feel like buying a computer that uses vacuum tubes over transisters. As time goes on and the volume of LCDs sold increases, the prices will drop all over the board as they have recently with 15" models. If you're thinking about buying a new monitor and feel like you have to settle for an old CRT, hold off for another 6 months to a year. By the middle of 2003, you'll probably be able to pick up most decent 17" LCD monitors for [$] or less.
Rating: 
Summary: You get what you pay for
Review: After the red tube in my 19" CRT bombed on me (third monitor with this problem), I decided to take the plunge and try an LCD. Having read some of the reviews on this monitor made me a bit skeptical, but I decided to try it anyway due to it's very reasonable price. Here's what I found: Good:
-Bright picture with very crisp graphic reproductions. Games look great! (Diablo II and Half-Life tested)
-Less than half the desk space of my 19" CRT clunker!
-Auto-set feature is great so you don't have to play with the setup controls. Bad:
-Setup was a chore. My resolution was set at 1152x864 when I tried hooking up the monitor. The picture wouldn't even come up. I had to re-connect the CRT and adjust the resolution to 1280x1024 before the picture came up on the LCD.
-Small text is hazy. You can see the refresh lines depending on how far away from the monitor you are.
-Dead pixel at the top left corner of the screen, straight out of the box. Overall, if it wasn't for the dead pixel and poor text performance, I'd have given it five stars. I'd have given it less, but the graphics and games look fantastic (which is what I use my for the most). Great bargain for a 17" LCD, but the performance could be better.
Rating: 
Summary: This was an excellent buy
Review: I am not a geek at all. I just love this monitor. It was easy to set up and is bright and easy to read. I would recommend it to persons like myself who just needed to replace their old CRT's and wanted a monitor that took up less space and was easy to see and read. The only problem I have is that I bought this monitor in December of 03 and it came with a $50.00 rebate that I sent to Envision on Dec 18, 2003. I have yet to get my 50 bucks. It is now March 11,2004. If there is a any kind of rebate promised from this company, don't expect it any time soon.
Thanks-Susan from Seaside, Oregon.
Rating:
Summary: Beware of the auto-adjust problem
Review: This monitor is ok, not a 5 star puchase like most people here said, they haven't seen a Samsung or Viewsonic yet and most of them had been looking at their tiny 15-17 inch CRTs and that's why they were so excited and gave this one 5 stars. Mine came with a dead pixel, a bright green pixel in the middle of the screen, Amazon is sending me a replacement. The most annoying thing about this LCD is that every time you play video game or cold boot it automatically readjusts itself ignoring your settings and you will have to go and manually activate your display profile again using the video card's display control panel. I will probably have to look for another monitor because I can't deal with this annoyance and definitely don;t want to manual change the settings each time I play games My suggestion is that if your budget permits you should go look at a Samsung or Viewsonic before buying this one and if your video card has DVI connection, buy a DVI LCD
Rating: 
Summary: Don't buy if you're a gamer
Review: The monitor looked great with static pages and images, right out of the box. But, as I'm a serious gamer as well, I soon realized that I would have to make a return. Games simply do not perform well on this monitor at all. With high-speed games, especially, there was a lot of ghosting of images and just poor all-around quality. If you're not a gamer, the monitor is great for the price. But if gaming is a big part of your PC experience, look elsewhere. Personally, went back to the big old CRT and, despite the substantial size increase, I'm glad I did. Oh, and as soon as I saw that annoying dead pixel (apparently a common problem here), I also knew I had to make a return. I had no idea that LCD users were expected to live with dead pixels. That seems a bit ridiculous. So, until LCD technology comes up a bit to accomodate perfectionistic gamers like myself, I couldn't recommend this monitor.
Rating:
Summary: excellent monitor
Review: I received this monitor for Christmas and could not have asked for more. I went from a wimpy 14" CRT to this baby, and the differences are unbelievable. The screen is huge, and the colors and brightness are dazzling. The only tip I have is that you MUST use the recommended resolution, otherwise you will run into some problems, like blurry text. Because the screen and resolution are so large, text and things look real small. You might want to tone down the brightness and contrast, and increase text magnification if you're on the Internet or working with documents. It will take some time to get used to, especially if you have been using CRT or a smaller monitor. But by the time you get used to it, it is smooth sailing. Pictures are bright and crisp, and the text is perfect. I had no dead pixels at all. The design of the monitor itself is clean and modern-looking. I am a happy customer.
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