Hewlett-Packard's L1906 has a temptingly low price for a 19-inch display, but its unimpressive image quality and limited features should inspire most consumers to give it a pass. The L1906 is designed for the business market, which may partly excuse its lack of features, but even the most undemanding business users usually want more than this display delivers. On the other hand, if your budget is tight and your needs are straightforward, then the L1906's price may make up for its shortcomings.

Set-up is easy. At a little under 12 pounds, the L1906 is relatively lightweight. The base is compact, and it doesn't demand a lot of desktop space.

A control button on the bottom front panel provides access to the OSD (on-screen display) menu, which is simple and easy to navigate. Two other buttons let you move backward or forward through the OSD menu. A power on/off button and an LED power indicator are located on the bottom right of the front panel. The LED light lets you know whether the display is fully powered, in sleep mode or in sleep timer mode.

Adjustment options are almost non-existent. You can tilt the display 5 degrees forward or 30 degrees back, but there are no swivel, pivot or height adjustment options. The display is VESA-compatible, so you can add an arm or wall mount if adjustability is an issue, although that option offsets the display's bargain price.

The L1906 has a 19-inch viewable area, a native resolution of 1,280X1,024 and limited viewing angles of 140 degrees horizontal and 130 degrees vertical. The anti-glare coating helps reduce reflections, which is particularly handy in an office setting. Image quality is adequate for general-purpose and some business use, but it is definitely lacking for any task where color fidelity or image sharpness are critical. Despite the 12-millisecond pixel response time, ghosting and blurring are noticeable in video and fast-moving games.

The L1906 package includes a VGA cable, a power cable, and a CD with an electronic user guide, drivers, an information (.INF) file and an image color-matching (.ICM) file.

Pros:  Budget price, easy to set up and use
Cons:  Image quality is only average; no height, swivel, or adjustment options

Warranty
3 years parts, labor, on-site service