Review: Acer AL2016WBbd 20″ Widescreen LCD Monitor

A Relic of the Dark Ages in Computer Hardware

Back when I actually played PC games regularly, a large monitor was one of the most desired pieces of hardware for a good gaming system, and the only way to not spend a load of money in the acquisition of a huge monitor was to buy a monstrous CRT. Of course, the downside of a CRT is the desk space it takes up, especially when you have a 21″ screen - but at the time it was worth trading desk real estate for screen real estate. It was the crown jewel of my geek kingdom. It was so heavy that anyone lifting it had a 56% chance of giving themselves a hernia. It graced my desktop for many years, dwarfing everything. My keyboard barely fit.

Unfortunately for my old 21″ IBM monitor, things change, and the old relic has been banished to the storage shed. It’s been replaced with an affordable, sleek, thin, and widescreen LCD from Acer. Advances in LCD technology paired with a drop in pricing made the switch irresistible.

The Acer AL2016WBbd 20″ Widescreen LCD

My new widescreen LCD is much more modern, and was a reasonably cheap replacement for the old behemoth. Costing me only $189.99, I feel that I’ve purchased a high quality, advanced piece of hardware for a very reasonable price. It fits on my desk perfectly (a nice change) and it modernizes my entire computer setup by 10 years.

Out of the box this LCD is very bright (almost too bright) and came with no dead pixels. I am used to the 1600 x 1200 screen resolution found on my IBM CRT, and I am a bit surprised by how different the 1680 x 1050 resolution is on this new Acer LCD. The missing 200 pixels of height makes such a difference in how I experience the desktop and other software I use. I am going through the process of teaching myself to use the width that a widescreen monitor provides.

The viewing angle of the AL2016WBbd 20″ LCD isn’t amazing, but it’s decent enough for most needs - I could see possible loss of quality if this were being run as a dual-monitor setup, where the user isn’t directly in front of the screen. I love the fact that the edging around the screen is thin, and the entire base is small and non-intrusive. The base has a nice rubbery surface on the bottom which keeps it in place, no sliding around which could be a potential issue as it is so light. The tilt range is pretty decent. Like many LCD monitors, it could use a height adjustment. The brightness, color, and contrast are all an improvement over what I am used to, and seem to perform well from highest to lowest setting. The clarity is outstanding. Basically, you get a lot of screen for a great price - it definitely seems bigger than expected once it’s setup. Although this Acer 20″ isn’t considered high-end, it has been great for all of my needs.

Acer AL2016WBbd 20″ Widescreen LCD Monitor: 4.5/5

Now I just need to upgrade the rest of my 6 year old desktop system, and get rid of my old CRT. Anyone out there want to purchase a used 21″ IBM CRT for $25?… anyone?

Have you considered upgrading your old CRT to LCD? Already have an Acer AL2016WBbd? Tell me what you think of it!

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