Joining LG's new line-up of CRT monitors is the F700P, which replaces the popular 795FT Plus model. Like its forerunner, this 17in CRT makes use of LG's Flatron CRT technology for a picture that the company describes as 100 per cent flat.

This means both the outer and inner surfaces of the CRT are flat, giving rise to a screen that has splendid non-reflective properties.

Furthermore, LG's Flat Tension Mask is a combination of both aperture-grille and shadow-mask technologies resulting in what's described as a 'slot mask'.

Basically, slots rather than holes are arranged vertically in the mask, resulting in a flat screen that is also free from the damping wires found in aperture grilles.

Consequently, there's no dot-pitch to quote here and the F700P has a 'stripe-pitch' of 0.24mm, which by design is equivalent to a dot-pitch of 0.25mm.

As with many 17in monitors the viewable diagonal is approximately 16in, and the optimum resolution is 1,024 x 768 at 85Hz. This can be pushed up to 1,600 x 1,200 at 75Hz, but this feels way too small.

Geometry and colour purity simply cannot be faulted. However, screen power regulation was not tightly controlled by the F700P's internal electronics, and beam convergence was a bit of an issue as it was tricky to align all the electron beams.

There's no vertical convergence control, so you're stuck with the factory setting.

Having said this, the F700P does offer an integrated USB hub with one upstream and four downstream ports, an attractive chassis, and a clear OSD that's easily navigated.

And it will only set you back £159, which alleviates the performance niggles.

Specs

• 17in (16in viewable) screen size
• Maximum resolution 1,600 x 1,200 at 75Hz
• Optimum resolution 1,024 x 768 at 85Hz
• Dot pitch 0.24mm (stripe-pitch)
• LG Flatron tube
• D-Sub (captive cable), USB hub (1 upstream, 4 downstream; cable supplied)
• 41.5 x 43.3 x 41.3cm
• 18kg

Contact:

LG 0870 607 5544
www.lge.co.uk