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21-inch LCD Monitors: Page 2 of 12

Control buttons are located on the right edge of the bezel and are hidden from view, giving the screen a clean, sleek look. The tradeoff is in usability. The buttons context-sensitive, changing function depending on which menu selections you've made and what you want to adjust. The onscreen “virtual labels” assigned to the buttons work fairly well, although I found that, even with the onscreen menus, it was easy to press the wrong button.

Other than the buttons, the ergonomics of the Gateway are fine. The base is stable without being clunky. Tilt range is generous, although the horizontal pan range of 35 degrees isn't as broad as the NEC's. The monitor arm holds its position without being overly stiff, and rotation to portrait mode is smooth. In addition, when you want to flip the screen, there's enough clearance under the monitor so you don't have to awkwardly tilt it while you rotate it.

This is no small trick, especially since the 2185 is a beefy widescreen. It offers four USB 2.0 ports: two on the right hand side for swapping devices and another pair on the back for more permanent connections. In addition, there's a day/night setting for the power LED light, a nice touch for users annoyed by distracting power LEDs shining in their peripheral vision.

One small, but important, hit against the monitor is the proprietary power connection. If something happens to the cord, you'll have to pony up to Gateway for a new one. Thankfully, there is no clunky AC power brick.

The monitor also comes with amplified speakers that attach to the bottom of the bezel. I had a bear of a time trying to align the attachment screws, but once attached, the speaker unit provided passable sound. For more serious audio, you'll want to upgrade. On the plus side, the Gateway speakers also featured one microphone and two headphone mini jacks, making them easily accessible, and boosting the ergonomic score a bit.