Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
set, suitable for anything from listening to music or watching videos to gam-
ing. With 9.5W per channel on the satellites and 21W to the subwoofer, it's
much less powerful than the 200W Z-2300 (40W per channel plus a 120W sub-
woofer), but the Z523 is still powerful enough to produce uncomfortably loud
sound. The two-way AV 30 set offers 15W per channel and a flatter frequency
response curve from low base to high treble, with sufficient dynamic range to
produce accurate sound even for classical music. Gamers will probably prefer
the Z523, while anyone who mostly listens to music or watches videos will
probably prefer the AV 30.
Of course, if your budget extends to the $150 Z-2300 2.1 set, you can have
the best of both worlds. At 120W RMS for the subwoofer and 40W RMS for
each satellite, the Z-2300 can rattle the walls when you're gaming, but at low-
er volume it's also fine for listening to anything from classical music to DVD
soundtracks. The satellites do a good job on the midrange and highs, and the
subwoofer provides excellent bass response for this price level.
The THX-certified Z-2300 speakers are solidly built, and are attractive enough
to use in your living room or den. The subwoofer includes an 8” long-throw
woofer and the built-in amplifier. The satellites each use one 2.5” midrange/
tweeter driver and are brushed aluminum with removable grilles. The Z-2300
includes a wired remote with volume control, mute button, and headphone
jack.
Display
ASUS VW246H
(
http://www.asus.com
)
ASUS MS228H
Samsung 2494SW
(
http://www.samsung.com
)
Samsung EX2220X
ViewSonic VX2433wm
(
http://www.viewsonic.com
)
ViewSonic VX2250wm-LED
With a higher budget for the mainstream system, we can spend half again
as much on the display as we did for the budget system. The sweet spot for
mainstream displays is $200, give or take $25 or $30, which is likely to remain
true for some time to come. There are literally dozens of displays available in
that price range, including many models from top-tier manufacturers such as
ASUS, Samsung, and ViewSonic.
That price buys you a 24” fluorescent-backlit display with 1920
×
1080 (Full HD)
resolution, fast response, and excellent image quality. If you're willing to step
down to a 22” display, you can choose from among several models with LED
backlighting, which provides even better display quality and has an essentially
unlimited lifetime. (LEDs don't burn out; after 50 years or so, they dim to about
half their original brightness.)
