NEC LCD3000 LCD TV Review

Reviewed by Robert Heron, Tech TV

Alienware recently sent us its latest Area-51 PC paired with NEC's luscious LCD3000 display. Simply put, the 30-inch LCD3000 is the best large-format LCD we've seen. But is it best suited for the boardroom, the living room, or next to your PC?

While the LCD3000 functions admirably as a PC display, it isn't an ideal primary display for day-to-day use. For one thing, it sits in a fixed vertical position once the support stands are attached. Without optional mounting hardware, users must position themselves relative to the display and not the other way around.

Do-it-all display
The LCD3000 impressed us with its native resolution of 1280x768 and its 29.5-inch viewable image. It provides a plethora of connection options, including DVI-D, VGA, BNC (RGBHV), composite, and S-Video.

Using the all-digital DVI connection gets you the best image quality. Text and webpages appear crisp and easy to read from up to nine feet away when using default font sizes. PC gaming is an immersive treat on this display with no noticeable signs of ghosting or streaking. DVD video, with its comparatively low resolution, appears quite good. However, not many (any?) set-top DVD players offer digital video output.

In contrast to the drool-worthy DVI, analog connections from VGA on down introduced a slight fuzziness to PC text. DVD video playback also suffered as fine details were softened. Video purists will also consider the LCD3000's 25-millisecond response time not quite fast enough to keep up with 60 Hz, high-definition content.

Is that a plasma?
At first glance the LCD3000 could be mistaken for a plasma display. At roughly 4.5-inches thick, and with the outside edge of the bezel measuring 28 inches by 18 inches, the 35-pound LCD3000 certainly looks like a plasma display.

High-resolution flat displays don't come cheap. Compared to plasma displays offering similar native resolutions, the LCD3000 is a bargain at $4,300.

As a PC display, the LCD3000 is amazing to view at arm's length or further away. However, good ears will pick up on a problem usually not associated with LCDs: noise. The panel has 16 backlights, and the whine of the cooling fan increases significantly when you use the brightest of the LCD3000's display mode presets. Fortunately, it's unlikely that anyone would use the "hibright" mode in day-to-day use, as it's a bit intense and tends to wash out color detail.

Summary: The LCD3000 is dubbed an "information display," and rightfully so. Its impressive size, performance, and connection dexterity makes it an ideal tool for grabbing someone's attention. For people seeking a versatile home theater display or the largest LCD they can attach to their PC (this month), the LCD3000 is capable but not necessarily the best option.

Company: NEC-Mitsubishi
MSRP Price: $4,299.99
Available: Now
Specs: 29.5-inch viewable image; 1280x768 native resolution; pixel pitch: 0.5025 mm; pixel response time: 25 microseconds (average); video input terminals: DVI-D, VGA, BNC (RGBHV), NTSC/PAL/SECAM composite, and S-Video.

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