The ASUS PM17TU isn't long on features, but it is a good deal if you're in the market for your first LCD display. As you would expect from the suggested price tag, image quality isn't good enough for professional graphics use, but it's more than sufficient for general purpose and business applications.

Setting up the PM17TU takes only minutes. Bucking tradition, ASUS includes all of the cables you will need (analog, digital and stereo audio cables), which is particularly surprising for a display in this price range. The base is stable and doesn't demand much in the way of desktop space. Adjustment options are limited to tilting the display 5 degrees forward and up to 20 degrees back. There are no height adjustment, pivot or swivel options. The PM17TU is VESA-compatible, so you can add a wall or arm mount if adjustability is an issue, although this increases the cost.

The PM17TU has a 17-inch viewable area and a native resolution of 1,280X1,040. Image quality is very good, with clear colors, adequate contrast and sharp detail in highlights and shadows. The 3-millisecond pixel response time makes this display a fine choice for gaming and watching videos, as we saw no evidence of ghosting or blurring in any of our tests. This is due in part to the display's Trace Free Technology, which helps improve response time in gray-to-gray levels.

The ASUS Color Shine technology helps produce unusually bright and vivid images, although it may be too bright for some eyes. We found the default settings to be too much for us, although with a little tweaking, we were able to get things under control. There are five available video preset modes (Standard, Theater, Game, Night View and Scenery) and three skin-tone selections (Natural, Reddish and Yellowish), so there's plenty of flexibility for satisfying personal preferences. Six control keys on the side of the right bezel provide access to display controls, except for the power/on off that is located in the middle of the bottom bezel.

The Asus PM17TU offers a modest collection of features and above-average image quality at a reasonable price.


Pros:  Very good image quality, analog and digital inputs, built-in speakers, all necessary cables are included
Cons:  No pivot, swivel or height adjustment options, ports on rear of display are difficult to access

Warranty
1-year Zero Bright Dot warranty for panel, 3 years for system