NEC takes the high moral ground by revealing the AS171 LCD monitor in a size that used to wow people more than a decade ago at 17″, but by today’s standards, it just won’t do if you happen to spend plenty of time in front of a desktop. Still, the NEC AS171 comes with a native 1,280 x 1,024 resolution, VGA and DVI connectivity, 900:1 contrast ratio, a 5ms response time and conforms to EPEAT silver, Energy Star 5.0 and TCO 5.0 ratings. According to NEC, this model will consume 80% of its predecessors’ power, while using up to 50% less mercury compared to previous models in its display. Expect to see the AS171 ship later this month for $159.