Before you get too excited, we’ll start with the bad news. If you want to use the full resolution on offer here, you’ll need a dual-link DVI card. Note that dual-link means dual-speed and not dual-head. With a standard card you’ll be left with a very, very big 1,280x800 panel if it doesn’t support dual-link. So far, the list of compatibles includes Nvidia’s 7800GT, ATi’s X1800 and X1900 among others. If you don’t have one of the approved cards, you’re stuck with something else that will need to be added to the bill.

The other bad news is that there’s little onboard processing, so changing resolutions on-the-fly isn’t an option; it’s 2,560x1,600, half that, or the ultra low-resolution VESA 640x480 mode included for boot-time. This lack of onboard smarts means there’s no OSD, and the only controls are for brightness and power. The drivers are just as minimal, so it’s up to your card to handle certain details like colour balance and contrast.

In spite of the size, this is a middleweight rather than an overly heavyweight monitor, and most people who buy it should have no trouble lifting and moving it by themselves. Ergonomics are good, although a more generous vertical adjustment on the stand would have been useful. Once in place, connection is via a single dual-link DVI socket. There’s also a four-way USB hub, as well as slots for CF and SD/SM/MS/MMC cards.

But now to the important question: what’s it like? If you think your current panel is as sharp as it comes, think again. The luxurious space and sharpness on offer here are fantastic. There were no dead pixels, and colour accuracy is good (although pushed ever so slightly towards green). The available brightness is extreme, and most of the time you’ll want to turn it down. Video looks good, with no ghosting, and the 700:1 contrast makes for wonderful rendering. Of course, the WQXGA (Wide Quantum Extended Graphics Array, apparently) resolution gives plenty of space for work and play too.

So this may well be the best monitor ever. If you can live with the lack of rescaling (possibly an issue for gamers and Xbox users) and aren’t budget-conscious (a pair of 1,600x1,200 screens can cost as little as £800 now), then go for it. The looks are impressive, and the price is a steal.