Verdict: Style, quality and great value for money

In terms of sheer style, the L1980Q makes an interesting companion to the Sony SDM-HS95P - all shiny razzle-dazzle to the Sony's laid-back cool. The front, with its silver ring stand, sleek black frame and glowing blue touch-control power button is glamorous enough, but the glossy white back is a real touch of class. It's a functional design too, with the sockets conveniently located on the rear of the base, although this necessitates an external power supply.

The L1980Q is also the most manoeuvrable object we've seen since the Rubik's Cube. There's only a limited degree of height adjustment, but who cares when the screen can be tilted so far back that it actually becomes watchable from the other side? With the right software installed, the windows desktop will actually flip to match! A portrait-mode pivot is another party trick, although whether or not either of these functions will be actually useful is anyone's guess. Only one thing spoils the design: the hidden controls. Despite the labels on the bezel, finding the buttons beneath the frame was a nightmare, making even the simplest adjustments tests of patience.

Luckily, the L1980Q delivers a performance second only to the mighty Sony. Undersaturated off-white tints caused us some minor concern but, overall, it handles colour admirably and never falters with detail.

The L1980Q also makes a brilliant image editing display; although some people might find the colours overblown, for impact and tonal graduation, it's pretty hard to beat.

Setting the L1980Q's 'f.engine' mode selection to movie was an unwise move during DVD playback, as the already saturated colours of 'Bad Boys 2' went a little crazy. However, in normal mode, it produced solid results in both the car chase and gunfight scenes. Blurring wasn't a problem, though the Sony and NEC displays had the edge on definition and punch. The L1980Q fared much better in Doom 3, picking out plenty of texture in the gloom, and producing a depth of tone and range of colour that showed the game at its best.

The L1980Q may fall slightly behind the Sony for quality, but it's nearly £50 cheaper and every bit as stylish, making it a much better buy.

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