Dell's Crystal 22-inch fashion LCD now official

Well, at least we didn't have to wait long. After a bit of a premature showing on Dell's website in the AM, the Crystal is back for realsies. Obviously the notable thing here is the design statement Dell is making with all that glass and metal -- these days it's almost like they've started paying their designers or something -- but the good news is that beauty isn't only skin deep here, since this 22-inch LCD has a 1680 x 1050 resolution, 98% color gamut, 2ms response time, 2000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and a built-in 2 megapixel webcam. There are also built-in speakers, and fancy touch controls across the base of the monitor, all wired along the glass with style. Connections include DVI and HDMI with HDCP and DisplayPort. Perhaps the best news is that you don't have to wait until CES to pick this thing up: it's available now for $1,199.

[Via Direct2Dell]

Gallery: Dell Crystal

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[Ike Turner @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:06PM]

One Part Crystal, One Part Alizé. Thug Passion baby!

[Raymond @ Jan 4th 2008 2:54AM]

Doesn't look all that fashionable to me.

[Jeebus @ Jan 4th 2008 1:03PM]

It's a normal monitor with an oversized piece of glass in front. Fugly as sin.

[CKMBA @ Jan 5th 2008 12:43PM]

I agree 100%, it's a regular monitor with an oversized piece of glass slapped onto the front. Looks like it was designed by an undergrad design student from a community college.

[Paul @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:06PM]

Hmm... If I had more money than I knew what to do with and this was the 30" version, then I would probably buy one. But since neither of the previous statements are true, it looks like I am going to be sitting this one out.

[littlejoe @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:17PM]

am i the only one that thinks this thing is ridiculously ugly?

[RyanTV @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:24PM]

no, you arent alone. it's disgusting.

[BobTurbo @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:24PM]

Nope, Dell (and most PC manufacturers) appear to be devoid of taste. I really don't understand why.

[James Yopp @ Jan 4th 2008 12:08AM]

You're absolutely not alone. Thing's horrid. Why bother with capacitive buttonless buttons if you're going to accent the freaking wires that connect them, and destroy any semblance of symmetry or elegance?

Maybe it'll look nice in an episode of "Entourage" or in a Rooms-to-go flyer, but there's no way this would do much for me except make me cringe every time I sit down to work.

[LordJohnWhorfin @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:21PM]

Yes, it's almost as if Dell had started paying their designers, sadly, they're as talented as their engineers... which is to say, not very.

[Andrew @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:30PM]

It looks to me like some hideous, three legged creature with an LCD for a face pressing its 4 hands against a window to peek through it.

[Luke @ Jan 4th 2008 7:06AM]

Uhh..... Yes :)

[671GD @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:31PM]

Yippee!

Not.

[LondonConsultant @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:34PM]

If Dell produced cars, then this would make a great concept car. The design may be funky and win awards, but don't try actually selling it to the public...

[Lord John Whorfin @ Jan 4th 2008 3:07AM]

If Dell produced cars, they would be like the Homermobile in the Simpson's episode where Homer reunites with his long lost twin brother: http://girtby.net/images/homer-car.gif

[greatslack @ Jan 4th 2008 2:18PM]

How can they say that their design is "award-winning" when it just came out?

[CKMBA @ Jan 5th 2008 12:46PM]

They can say it because it just won Engadget's Fugliest Wannabe Design of the Year award!

[mmh @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:39PM]

The bezel... does it expand over time? Because the last time I saw it, it was really thin.

[mmh @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:41PM]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/01/dell-crystal-top-2.jpg

[Hax Or @ Jan 7th 2008 10:11AM]

Wow, it looks wierd with no image on the screen but it POPS with graphics.

Thanks for the link.

[Matt Wier @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:39PM]

Beautiful! I love my current Dell 22" Widescreen Flat Panel but I don't think I can justify getting one of those haha! The only thing I don't like abou that is the tripod stand.

[pop @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:41PM]

No idea, no idea at all ....

[Isaac @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:51PM]

Porn is gonna look so hawt on that thing.

[Eh @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:39PM]

I guess it will take porn to make a Dell look classy by comparison.

[Ed T @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:53PM]

How...unusual...it reminds me of those college campus architecture buildings that were designed by the students.

Proving once again why industrial design is a job for professionals.

[Alvin @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:54PM]

At least the panel doesn't suck. 2000:1(dyn) contrast and 2ms look like a TN panel, but 98% gamut may prove otherwise. I know their previous *FPW monitors used S-IPS panels, which are top notch, but I didn't think they were as fast as 2ms. Then again, LCD tech is always getting better...

Nevertheless, this thing is still incredibly overpriced.

[Dualboot @ Jan 4th 2008 3:10AM]

I thought bezels were supposed to get thinner, so that when you put these things side by side, you'd have an easy way going from one monitor to the next. Instead, it's something like: Nice monitor picture, glass, hole, glass, another hole, and here is the rest of my picture.

Dude, WTF?

[bob sakamano @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:11PM]

very nice...

for me.....

to

poop on

[jitty @ Jan 4th 2008 1:17AM]

2000:1 dynamic contrast? Ewww...

[Eh @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:37PM]

1200 for a 1680x1050 LCD? Have they lost their minds? Those better be some amazing speakers. It doesnt look anywhere near good enough for $1200. Try again Dell.

[Sauerkraut @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:39PM]

Are those tumors on that thing. Lol I hope Engadget is being sarcastic here. Yes they're stressing design we get it... and failing miserably

[BertiitheMan @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:53PM]

How is this Ugly? Why do you guys Dell Bash so hard. Can't you see the innovation in the product?

[Kimleng @ Jan 4th 2008 12:13AM]

I see innovation in raping my wallet for no good reason! At $1.2k, I could get an NEC or Eizo pro monitor for 22"! Hell, make it 24"! While I understand visual aesthetics is the movement Dell is marching towards, they don't have to overprice this form that attempts to exceed function. Yes, while the specs are not exactly half bad, at this price range, however, I should be able to plop a EyeOne calibrator on it and get fantastic results. And maybe it will produce awesome professional results. I wouldn't know since I don't own one. But, one can speculate...(that you should get at least 24" and 1920x1200 for the price!)

[rwkuhn @ Jan 4th 2008 12:11AM]

Howabout you throw a full system in there and call in a XPS One or an iMac and sell it for the same price...

[KC @ Jan 4th 2008 12:17AM]

It looks so 1970s...

[Dave @ Jan 4th 2008 12:44AM]

A step backwards in design. Don't they realize their customers like to use dual-monitors? Now they're going to have a 6" gap between the screens. Dumb.

[CKMBA @ Jan 5th 2008 12:55PM]

No kidding! Now, if there was a MFG who produced an LCD w/ZERO border, ie, a *full-bleed* image, then that would be a design and engineering feat!!! And if they made the base out of glass, it might even look like an image floating effortlessly on your desk.

*they can hide the buttons on the sides and bottom

Alas, I don't think we have the technology to achieve that, tho.

[zoltano @ Jan 4th 2008 12:53AM]

It is absolutely stunning. But...

It is waaay overpriced. How much are the 22-inchers nowadays? $300?? This shouldn't cost more than $600 IMHO...

Not to mention that these days the 24-inchers are becoming the mainstream, with 1080 "full HD" resolution... In a perfect world this would measure 27 inches and it would be called 2708 WFP - THEN I could digest the $1,199 MSRP... (AND BUY ONE ASAP!!!)

[crescentdavid @ Jan 4th 2008 12:54AM]

It's definitely a designer deal ... I just don't think the tripod fits. The lines are stark and geometric and then there's this ... outbreak of lines which take away from the horizontals. @mmh: you're right about the bezel size ... it was better thinner.

I like the overall idea though ... and the color gamut is definitely a plus ... but at premium prices it should be 1920x1080. Down $1100 and still need a subwoofer, though. Ouch.

[kyle @ Jan 4th 2008 1:10AM]

i paid $200 for my 22" lcd, and it has a thin black bezel that doesn't draw your attention away from whats on the screen. i'm not quite sure what the other $1100 is paying for.

the only cool thing here is displayport. i'm excited for more displayport support in monitors and laptops.

[eddie_nutritious @ Jan 5th 2008 2:31AM]

I think it's a nice design, but doesn't it look like a naked Sony XBR? Check it out: http://www.sonystyle.ca/common/images/slideshow/KDL40XBR5_fl_2.jpg

Except that Sony hid the buttons on the side instead of drawing attention to them on the front. The Dell even appears to have an illuminated logo as well. Wonder if you can turn that off like you can on the XBR.

In any case, a bold design step forward for Dell.

[Mr. S. @ Jan 4th 2008 2:56AM]

Why is it when other companys design things to look like apple they always fail? Seriously, you'd think that there were plenty of designers out there with better ideas then that guy at apple, yet time and time again. It just all looks like cheap crap. (Paid for by Apple Users of the Awesome Universe)

[Ronald McD @ Jan 4th 2008 4:12AM]

I don't get it either. I'm very much a PC guy, but it baffles me that the vast majority of PC companies have such poor taste in design. I imagine that they typically let their engineers design their products.

As I said before, this LCD looks very amateurish.

[Dextro @ Jan 4th 2008 4:33AM]

What's with the speakers on the side? That's a trend i was happy to see disappear in the nineties. Everybody knows they always suck.
In this case the design is even raped by them. I'd love to pay some cold hard cash for a screen like this one, without those speakers and a very narrow see-through bezel.

I'd love to see these designers design an all-in one though. The XPS in this sort of jacket could be very nice. And i'm a mac fanboy :)

[Luke @ Jan 4th 2008 7:25AM]

The thing that has pushed me over-the-edge with this OVERLY amateurly designed diplay is the freakin' bezel!

As seen before (and pointed out before) some of the shots taken before were of it with a REALLY thin bezel. Now it's stupidly thick.

It now IS just the $320 SP2208WFP with a poorly designed frame.

I can't believe that Dell did this.

[Wolfticket @ Jan 4th 2008 11:07AM]

You'd have to be a complete nutjob to get this over the 30" 3007WFP for a similar price, an incredibly shallow nutjob at that.

[palehorse @ Jan 4th 2008 12:28PM]

cute... but $1200 for 22" of screen? no thanks...

[palehorse @ Jan 4th 2008 12:32PM]

What's so "Exciting" about DisplayPort?!

As far as I'm concerned, it's still the same old DRM-infested crap we're seeing everywhere else, and all it will do is confuse the HELL out of everyone...

Genuine advantages over HDMI? none.

[palehorse @ Jan 4th 2008 12:34PM]

that last comment was meant as a reply to Kyle... DOH!

[Good_Bytes @ Jan 4th 2008 1:54PM]

1200$ for a screen that is not height adjustable or even tilt.

No thank you.