Iiyama S702GT review

Image quality is clearly the number one priority when choosing a monitor, but there are other issues to consider as well.

Setting up a monitor can range from child's play to the Crypton Factor, and although on-screen displays, or OSDs have helped improve matters immeasurably, there are still quite a range out there.

Iiyama have the usual set of resizing , reshaping, brightness and contrast controls, all controlled by three buttons and the OSD.

Other controls such as reset and zoom are particularly useful. Reset lets you revert back to default factory settings, often a necessity when you've tweaked everything too much and can no longer get a decent image. Zoom enlarges or shrinks the image to fill the screen, making monitor setup a doddle. Iiyama doesn't have either, which is a pity.

On a more positive note, the S702 came with a disk containing information (.Inf) files about the monitor's capabilities. Installing these files will guarantee Windows recognises your monitor's Plug'n'Play name and configures it correctly. However, the manual failed to explain how to install these .Inf files.

In terms of the critically important image quality, though the ADi 5GT comes out as our top monitor, the Iiyama comes a damned close second. Many Iiyama monitors use the arguably superior aperture grille technology; the S702 uses a shadow mask tube but still manages a stunningly sharp picture across the screen. It's slightly softer than the ADi but still offers excellent definition. It can run up to 1,600x1,200 at 75Hz although 1,280x1,024 is an more workable compromise for a 17in screen, for which the Iiyama offers a solid 90Hz refresh rate.

The Iiyama S702GT, considering its terrific image quality, is a steal at just £239. The ADi MicroScan 5GT is exemplary, but at £349 isn't such good value. So the Iiyama, with brilliant image quality at a jaw-dropping price, wins pride of place in our Top 50.