Image: Dell 3007WFP 30in TFT review
Similar articles
Reviews section
ADVERTISEMENT
Reviews Disclaimer
Readers are reminded that the opinions expressed, and the results published in connection with reviews and/or laboratory test reports carried out on computing systems and/or related items are confined to, and representative of, only those goods supplied and should not be construed as a recommendation to purchase.

Review: Dell 3007WFP 30in TFT monitor

An excellent 30in monitor at a good price

Recommended by PCW
Price: £1,471.10
Manufacturer: Dell
Technical specifications



Ratings
Overall rating: Overall rating
Features: Features
Ease of use: Ease of use
Value for money: Value for money
Rate this product
Verdict

Pros: Huge display; high resolution
Cons: Requires dual-link DVI graphics card
Overall: An excellent monitor costing a fair bit less than the competition, but you'll need a dual-link DVI graphics card to get the most out of it.


Paul Monckton, Personal Computer World 20 Apr 2006

ADVERTISEMENT

As big as a TV and with higher resolution than HD (high definition), Dell's mammoth 30in display is unlike anything else you're likely to have experienced on your PC.

The sheer size of the 3007WFP sets it apart from the mainstream. True, there are many larger LCD and plasma displays available (some of which are connected to computers, usually to form home theatre PCs) but none of these are able to offer the ultra-high, 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution of the 3007WFP.

Having a desktop this big is a huge boost to productivity and its image quality is high enough to make it suitable for a wide variety of applications, including photo and video editing.

Its quality is partly thanks to an 11ms response time and 700:1 contrast ratio.

Unlike other monitors from Dell, there is no on-screen menu - only touch-sensitive brightness and power switches are provided. Monitor adjustments are instead carried out from the PC using a display control panel plug-in provided by Dell.

The latest Nvidia drivers also have support for the 3007WFP built-in. Indeed Nvidia has been flagging this monitor as part of its ultra high resolution gaming push.

If you want to get the best out of this monitor, and at almost £1,500 that's quite likely, you won't want to plug it into any old PC with a DVI cable.

It will work, but if you're graphics card isn't up to the task you'll be stuck at a resolution of 1,280 x 800. To experience the monitor in its full glory you'll need a graphics card with a dual-link connector, which provides the necessary bandwidth to push the resolution up to the maximum of 2,560 x 1,600.

Many such cards exist in PCI Express format, but if you're using AGP your options are severely limited.

Should you want to add a bit of audio to the 3007WFP, Dell's Soundbar can be attached to it and costs £35.

If you've set your heart on a high resolution 30in monitor, it's currently a two-horse race with this 3007WFP or Apple's 30in Cinema HD display .

With almost identical specification it comes down mainly to looks and the fact that this Dell version costs over £300 less, which is just about the right amount to buy yourself that graphics card you'll need to drive it.

Take a closer look at the Dell 3007WFT in our image gallery.

Viewsonic VA2012wLow cost 20in monitor that’s great for DVDs and games  20 Jan 2006
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
Belinea 10 20 35WA low cost TFT, but still good quality   31 Jan 2006
Confused about the different types of TFT monitor? We explain all  25 Jan 2006
MonitorEveryone seems to have an opinion on the best type of monitor but, given a few basic technical requirements, in reality it comes down to what you like the look of  15 Feb 2006

All Flat Panel monitors

Like this story? Spread the news by clicking below:

Post this to Delicious del.icio.us    Post this to Digg Digg this    Post this to reddit reddit!

Permalink for this story

M A R K E T P L A C E
Sponsored links