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Dell 2001FP 20" LCD Monitor Review by Rendition

I’ve been waiting for years for an affordable “low-response time” 18 inch LCD monitor to play games and do basic 2D work for about $400-$500. Although the low response time 17” monitors have been out for months, I wanted a larger screen and true 24-bit color, which the current generation lacked. [More]

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Tech Specs

So late in 2003, Dell launched the 20” 2001FP monitor for little over $1000. As tempted I was, it was still way out of my price range. However if you know Dell, those sales and coupons eventually come to the rescue. Knowing that if I continued to wait for an 18” monitor, I would probably be waiting till I was a senior citizen; as soon as Dell had a 25% off sale, I nabbed the 2001FP for $750.

The day the FedEx man came with the monitor, I was like a boy on Christmas Eve, frantically opening the box . The 2001FP comes in two pieces: the LCD screen and the base platform. I carefully took out the mammoth sized screen and hoisted it onto the platform. The first you notice is how much better this monitor looks than the ugly, but respected predecessor 2000FP.

The LCD screen itself is very flexible in placement. You can shift it at an upward angle, downward angle, to the left or right, higher and lower, and even in landscape or portrait mode. Give kudos to Dell for making the 2001FP perfectly ergonomic LCD for any computer desk or user height. The monitor comes with a bevy of inputs and outputs such as composite video, S-Video, DVI, regular VGA, and even USB 2.0 connectors.

The build quality overall is solid. My monitor had no dead pixels and a perfectly lighted screen. None of the backlight leaking in one corner that is prevalent in many monitors today. The only detraction is the quality of plastic internally may be lacking, as once in a while I get cracks and creaks when I have the computer on. This might be due to the crazy temperature changes this winter, but still it’s slightly annoying.

For 2D the images are bright and vivid. Text clarity is excellent and the 1600X1200 resolution really lets you spread your wings with multiple browser windows and applications. The color is stunning for slideshows, especially if you have lots of 4-5 mega-pixel digital camera photographs. There is a “screen door effect”, slightly visible lines, if you stare closely at the screen 1-2 inches away that I hear isn’t on Samsung LCD monitors. It doesn’t bother me at all, however there are some who I read online that are going bonkers because of it.

The 2001FP really shines for games and movies. With its 16ms response time, there is hardly any ghosting in first person shooter games. I tried the monitor with Battlefield 1942, Call of Duty, and the Far Cry Demo. The experience playing in 1600X1200 on a perfectly flat screen with no blurring is pure heaven. If you are a gamer, I can’t recommend this monitor enough. It is so much better than previous Dell LCD monitors, which ghosted and blurred; they gave me headaches within a minute of game-play.

Overall I’m very happy with my purchase. The image quality is stunning and the “low response” gaming ability is second to none for large LCD monitors currently in the marketplace. And for $750, I think it’s a steal.

Final Score: 9 out 10

You must check out our Dell 2001FP discussion forum. It is the best resource on the internet for 2001FP questions and comments with HUNDREDS of messages.