"Boy, that's cheap!"

How many times have you heard that, when what the person meant to say was "Boy, that's inexpensive?"

No matter how much we'd like them to be, the words "cheap" and "inexpensive" are not interchangeable, with one having connotations of poor workmanship or shoddiness and the other referring to a good price for a quality product.

As true geeks, this is something that's become ingrained on our brains from childhood. So when the folks at AOC Systems asked me to take a look at one of their inexpensive, low-end Envision LCD monitors, I jumped the chance.

The one I tested --- the 19-inch Envision EN9600 (less than $350) --- doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the higher-priced spread. But it is a great deal for those not wanting --- or needing --- ultra-high resolution, built-in speakers or digital (DVI) video.

Basically, it's a monitor for the rest of the world: For those who use computers to read e-mail, surf the Internet and otherwise limit their computing to so-called "business" applications. Also, there's no need to install additional software to set it up. Just attach it to your video card, plug it in and you're connected.

Other key features include:

• It's a flat-panel monitor, so it's wall mountable, freeing up valuable desk space.
• It has a 140-degree viewing angle, increasing visibility from side angles.
• It comes with a 500:1 contrast ratio, which means the picture is extremely clear.
• It offers a response time of 12 milliseconds, which prevents moving objects from becoming blurred.
• Maximum resolution is 1280 x 1024, which is more than adequate for text or games.
• It can be set up for menu displays in English, French or Spanish.
• It has a Kensington Security Slot to thwart nimble-fingered thieves.
• It comes with a three-year warranty.

More information on the EN9600 and other AOC or Envision monitors can be found at www.aocdisplay.com and www.envisiondisplay.com.

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