Philips Brilliance 200W6

The impressive silver frame of the Philips Brilliance 200W6, while based on an almost identical design to its 4:3 counterparts, manages to look much sleeker.

A pair of small stereo speakers is hidden behind a grille that looks much narrower and slimmer in this 16:10 format.

Based on a 20in S-IPS panel, the 200W6 produced very good colour results in our Displaymate tests, being beaten only by HP’s f2105. All other tests produced very good results apart from minor colour shifts at wide viewing angles in dark parts of the image.

This is characteristic of S-IPS panels. Our tests were conducted using the automatic setup functions but with a little effort the 200W6’s supplied FPadjust software can help you achieve even better performance.

The stand is particularly ergonomic, with tilt, swivel and height adjustments, making it suitable for prolonged or office use where the benefits of a height adjustment are all too easily overlooked. But the inclusion of only one USB port, seems almost pointlessly mean.

Its on-screen menus are very clear and easy to use, in contrast to many that seem more like an afterthought. Menu options are described clearly with corresponding button controls detailed below, eliminating that all-too-common ‘press and guess’ frustration.

Philips’ Smartmanage feature enables the 200W6 to be managed over a network.

This includes remote control of the monitor’s settings and the ability to configure it to shut down after-hours or if removed from its designated PC. A full three-year warranty comes as standard, with a 48-hour on-site swap-out.

Its combination of ergonomics and manageability make the 200W6 attractive for business use while its high quality will suit everybody – especially as it’s priced considerably lower than all but Belinea’s 10 20 35W.

It’s a shame there’s no useful cable management, though.

This is part of a group test looking at widescreen TFTs. For other products in the test, see:
Apple 20in Cinema Display
Belinea 10 20 35W 
Dell Ultrasharp 2005FPW 
HP f2105 
LG M203WX 
Philips Brilliance 200W6 
TFT Technology explained 
Should you go widescreen?

Broader vision: Widescreen TFTs Group Test

Large widescreen TFT monitors used to be a luxury for those with deep pockets, but that’s all changed. We review six displays costing less than £600  31 Jan 2006

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