Sleek, Thin-Bezel Models Feature 30% Smaller Frames Than Competitive Models; Provide the Best Value in their Class
Planar Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: PLNR) has launched a new family of ultra-thin desktop monitors that set new standards for price-for-performance, sleek design and ease-of-use, raising the bar in the flat-panel display industry.
Planar's new 15-, 16- and 17-inch flat-panels draw on the company's 20-years of flat-panel display experience, and are designed to suit space-constrained environments such as financial trading desks, call centers, reception areas, hospitals, classrooms, small businesses and home offices.
The new slim-bezel displays have 30 percent smaller frames than other comparable models on the market, and offer top visual performance characteristics at prices that make them the best value in the industry. A variety of mounting and viewing options, coupled with color-coded cables and one button auto-adjust for easy set-up, address the needs of both demanding professionals and first-time buyers.
"A rapidly growing number of customers have come to expect the best in performance from Planar," said Erick Petersen, general manager of the desktop monitor business at Planar. "We're providing sleeker, thinner designs, that feature high contrast ratios, wide viewing angles and stunning brightness for an unparalleled visual experience."
Planar delivers the industry's best warranty and one of the broadest offerings on the market with flat-panel monitors that provide maximum value, along with responsiveness and support for its reseller partners.
Planar's new 15-inch monitors lead the way with an innovative industrial design about two-thirds the size and weight of competitively priced products, with a smaller desktop footprint. The new 15-inch models have a stand with a pivoting base that mounts to the wall or sits on the desk and folds flat when not in use. Aimed squarely at the highest-volume segment of the flat-panel monitor market, Planar's 15-inch monitors support resolutions up to 1020 x 768 (XGA), weigh less than eight pounds and are available with or without speakers. Estimated street prices for the 15-inch monitors start at $380.
"Customers are looking for a flat-panel display with the smallest possible form factor," said Sam Bhavnani, senior displays analyst at ARS. "Thin-bezeled displays are fast becoming a must-have feature."
Planar's first 16-inch monitors address a growing retailer need: a high-performance product that fills the current price gap between 15- and 17-inch flat-panel displays. This attractive, thin-bezel model offers a viewable area equivalent to an 18-inch CRT monitor and delivers the performance of a 17-inch flat-panel monitor for just $599.
Planar's new 17-inch monitors also set the pace in their class for value and visual performance, with a 170-degree viewing angle in horizontal and vertical directions. Thin, lightweight and space saving like the rest of the line, Planar's new bezel design lets the company pack a 17-inch screen into the same external dimensions as current 15-inch flat-panel monitors, maximizing viewing area for the user while minimizing desktop footprint. Estimated street price for the new 17-inch models starts at $645.
All Planar desktop monitors include the industry's leading three-year "Customer First" warranty with free, two-day-air advance product replacement. Planar's new models are available in white, black or black with a silver bezel, and are available with or without built-in speakers.
CONTACT: Investors:
Planar Systems Inc.
Stewart Clark, 503/748-6984
stewart_clark@planar.com
or
Media:
The Bohle Company
Trip Thomas / Laura Weir
310/785-0515, Ext. 219 / 262
trip@bohle.com /
lauraw@bohle.com
For More Information:
http://www.planar.com
Planar's New Flat-Panel Monitors
