MaximumPC 2007 112

L?Pi?QM Tes Ted. Reviewed. veRdic Tized

 MAXIMUMPC december 2007

W

hen we reviewed 30-inch desktop

LCD monitors from Dell, HP, and

Samsung back in May 2007, we

were left saddened by the large-screen state

of affairs. These monstrous widescreens offer-

ing unparalleled 2560x1600 resolution seemed

like the perfect fit for power users—if not for

their inherent limitations. Unlike high-perfor-

mance desktop LCDs of lesser size, these 30-

inch panels lack an internal scaler (and Apple’s

30-inch Cinema Display is no different). The

problem is that conventional monitor-scal-

ing technology isn’t powerful enough to drive

these screens’ 2560x1600 pixels.

As a consequence, the 30-inch panels

are all restricted to a Dual Link DVI interface;

they offer no onscreen display options,

such as contrast, color, or even color temp

adjustments, and if your videocard doesn’t

carry HD digital copy protection (HDCP)

over a Dual Link signal (and most don’t),

you’re forced to watch copy-protected high-

def content at 1280x800 resolution (half the

screens’ native res).

Back in May, we predicted the situation

would be remedied in time—we just didn’t

expect it to happen so soon, and certainly

not by the likes of Gateway. But perhaps

it’s precisely because Gateway has fewer

resources, and thus a smaller development

team and less bureaucracy, that the com-

pany was able to see a solution outside the

box. That solution is the Silicon Optix HQV

Teranex Realta video processing chipset.

Capable of performing a trillion operations

per second, this video processor has previ-

ously been found only in broadcast-industry

equipment and high-end home-theater gear,

but its pixel-by-pixel algorithmic scaling now

serves to make Gateway’s XHD3000 the

most flexible 30-inch desktop LCD around.

For starters, the XHD3000 features an

array of interface options (see spec box), so

you can not only connect to the monitor with

a variety of different cables but also have mul-

tiple devices hooked up to the screen at once.

Then you can switch between, say, your gam-

ing console, laptop, DVD player, cable box,

and PC (with each source set at a different

resolution) using the onscreen display menu—

accessible via touch-sensitive buttons on the

monitor’s bezel—or the included remote con-

trol. Picture-in-picture functionality gives you

access to two content sources simultaneously.

The scaler also makes it possible for you

to adjust the screen’s brightness, contrast,

and color, regardless of interface. Bundled

EZTune software offers similar options, with

the aid of step-by-step adjustment and cali-

bration instructions. It also offers some addi-

tional PiP preferences, including the option

to make a PiP window invisible with a simple

mouse rollover.

The XHD3000 is unique in yet another

respect: It offers decent built-in audio. We’re

usually loathe to even mention the presence

of a monitor speaker because we don’t want

to encourage any reliance on tinny, under-

powered audio, but the eight transducers that

span the XHD3000’s front-mounted speaker

bar are capable of producing fairly rich sound

at high volume. It doesn’t deliver the same

bass response as a good stand-alone set

of speaks, but it’s a worthwhile option if you

want to save desk space.

Of course, the meat and potatoes of

any display is screen performance, and

here, too, Gateway’s on it. The XHD3000’s

black looks inky, and a completely dark

screen reveals only slight signs of backlight

at the corners; grayscale reproduction is

strong, showing clear distinction of shades

at the extreme light and dark ends, and the

picture holds up when viewed off-axis.

The screen is capable of playing HDCP-

encumbered content at its intended res and

the results are impressive. Gaming is also

a pleasure on the screen’s wide expanse. A

powerful PC will let you play at the screen’s

native res, but there’s no harm in scaling the

res down for faster frame rates. Either way,

the screen’s pixel response keeps apace

with the gaming action.

You’d think that with all the extras it

offers, the XHD3000 would be more expen-

sive than the competition. But it’s not. In

fact, it’s priced lower than 30-inch models

from Samsung, HP, and Apple and is only

slightly more expensive than Dell’s 30-inch.

If you’re after maximum screen real estate

and ultimate usability, the XHD3000 is well

worth the shekels.

—Katherine StevenSon

Gateway

XHD3000

Finally, a 30-inch LCD that’s made

for power users

While the major monitor manufacturers were busy churning out the status quo,

Gateway was pushing the envelope.

$1,700, http://www.gateway.com

gateway xhd3000

full bar

Nice, big picture; inputs

aplenty; highly versatile.

fubar

Big investment; big power

brick; gaming can be slow

at native res.

9

MAXIMUMP

C

KICKASS

NATIVE 2560x1600

RESOLUTION

INTERFACE Single and Dual Link DVI, HDMI,

Component, Composite,

S-Video, VGA, USB 2.0 (six ports),

audio inputs for all video inputs

HIGH-DEF 1600p, 1080i, 1080p, 720p,

SUPPORT 480i, 480p

specs