Review: LG Fantasy Series monitors

Aesthetics are all too often overlooked when making a PC-based purchase.

If you’re not a case modder or an Apple fan, it’s much easier to base your buying decisions purely on price or performance.

LG’s Fantasy range comprises three models, two of which are currently available in the UK. All are variations on a theme of glossy, piano black cases embellished with red illuminated features which respond to hidden touch-sensitive controls tucked under the bezel.

All three versions are offered at the same price and come with identical panel specifications, accessories and software. The differences between them are all in the monitor base; the Ring model features a circular cut-out surrounded by a soft red light, while the Jar’s resembles a small, similarly-illuminated cave. The Eclipse model, yet to go on sale in the UK, has an up-turned scoop rather like a small boat.

The different base designs also cause variations in weight. Due to the Ring’s (6.8kg) stand having a much higher centre of gravity it's considerably heavier than the Jar (5.54kg) to ensure the monitor remains stable on your table.

From the stand upwards, the monitors are the same. The very slim panels with ultra-thin bezels look as attractive in the home as they do exclusive on the executive desktop, and the build-quality is high.

However, bezels this thin leave no room for either power or video connections. A single DVI-I connector is provided on an external dongle, which in turn provides a connector for an external power supply brick. The dongle is pleasantly styled and finished in matching piano black and red, but unfortunately, the power supply is not.

The Fantasy range monitors come with a driver CD and a second disc containing utility software. This software is particularly important as the monitor has no display controls or on-screen menu. Instead, all of these functions are taken care of by the very capable, but Windows-only, Forte Manager application.

This software combines all the usual functions of an on-screen menu with built-in setup and basic calibration functions which help you get the best out of your display while providing an easy-to-use, mouse-driven interface.

Brightness, contrast and colour temperature, along with some more advanced functions, are all adjusted using your PC mouse or keyboard and you can save your preferences in user profiles.
If you’re sharing your computer, each user can load their preferred configuration without interfering with how others like the display set up.

Forte Manager worked fine on 32-bit Vista, although compatibility wasn’t mentioned in the documentation. With 64-bit Vista we had some problems as the required drivers weren’t digitally signed and wouldn’t load.

As far as image quality is concerned, we weren’t disappointed. The simple menu system included in Forte Manager helps you get things looking just right and the panel itself was of sufficient quality to ensure smooth band-free colour gradients and reasonably accurate colour reproduction, even if the software calibration isn’t used.

It’s rated at an impressive 2,000:1 contrast ratio, but we were a little disappointed with the contrast actually measured on screen. It looked pretty good to the naked eye, but we’ve seen better real-world contrast performance from lower-specified monitors in the past.

Even so, for a TN panel the Fantasy range of monitors do a good job, although they’re clearly not aimed at graphic designers or professional Photoshop users.

When it comes to price, you’re definitely paying a premium for the Fantasy range – they cost more than a budget 22in widescreen display. Even LG’s own 1960TR offers better performance, features and considerable style for less, but without those illuminated designer touches.