> In fact, a Dell rep can be quoted: "... a 2007WFP is a 2007WFP ... It does not matter what panel is installed."
Did they ever list the panel type? If they did, isn't this false advertising?
If they never promised the panel type/view angle/color accuracy in the first place, then I don't think there's anything wrong with what the rep said. After all, not every one cares what type of panel is used as much as physical dimension/resolution. Nevertheless, it is very surprising to me that they didn't specify what panel is used.
Would you be ok if a car manufacturer put a smaller motor in a car you bought because car reviews said "it had great ability to get up and hold freeway speeds"? Is it ok as long as they didn't sell based on horse power? Or maybe it's handling: reviewers say it corners great, but then you find the suspension has been massively downgraded. How do you even advertise a spec'ed suspension?
It's dirty business if you are giving reviewers something better than the people who are reading the reviews. People don't buy computer parts (or cars) based on the advertised spec sheet, they buy them based on what they can really do.
> Would you be ok if a car manufacturer put a smaller motor in a car you bought because car reviews said "it had great ability to get up and hold freeway speeds"? Is it ok as long as they didn't sell based on horse power?
If they lie about the engine performance, then its wrong. If they change the components underlying (admittedly weasel-wording-marketing-speak) marketing phrasing, then it's not as clearly wrong.
>Or maybe it's handling: reviewers say it corners great, but then you find the suspension has been massively downgraded. How do you even advertise a spec'ed suspension?
This is why specifications, and often component information, exists.
I'm not saying that these companies are in the right, or that this doesn't happen. It clearly does, in some cases. In other cases, it's probably due to the fact that the manufacturing supply chain is more complex than most people understand.
In all cases, it's not a great idea to paint with a broad brush. Especially when creating somewhat comparable analogies than are also pretty general.
> dirty business if you are giving reviewers something better than the people who are reading the reviews
It isn't clear if this is what's happening behind. I think the Dell rep was being very frank about it, that Dell did not intend to supply an IPS monitor and reserve the right to be flexible regarding what panel to use. If IPS panel really matters, then one may want to choose a monitor that clearly says so in the spec. In fact, if you look at the link [3] in the root comment, some people clearly understood that it was possible to receive the cheaper, inferior panel, yet would like to participate in the gamble.
The challenge of engineering physical goods is that, unlike software, many things vary. That is why in electronics industry, manufacturers publish detailed datasheet that lists nearly all the parameter one will care about, including all the tolerances. It is quite uncommon for the customer to actually test each of those parameter to ensure they are within spec, but it is a contractual constraint placed on the supplier in case things go wrong. I think the same idea can be applied to your car example. Ideally, even if most customers don't read the spec sheet, the manufacturer should still provide it. Customer can have peace of mind by knowing that his/her experience will not be too far off from the review others published online. If what you care about is absent from the spec, think twice before buying the product.
I recall the panel type being listed somewhere in the specs. However, I can't find an advertised panel type for the 2007wfp today. This is the only Dell web page I found that still lists that monitor, but panel type isn't cited [1].
But Dell does advertise panel types, especially for their Ultra Sharp monitors (which the 2007wfp is one of). E.g. click into any Ultra Sharp monitor here [2], then view the Tech Specs tab and look for panel type.
> After all, not every one cares what type of panel is used
Agreed, although I'd argue those are likely people that don't seek out higher priced monitors with picture quality only IPS can deliver. It's worth making clear that the difference between IPS and any other panel type is noticeable, in both display quality and (especially) price. In a lot of cases I know of someone owning an IPS monitor, it was an intentional purchase having at least something to do with that detail.
Did they ever list the panel type? If they did, isn't this false advertising?
If they never promised the panel type/view angle/color accuracy in the first place, then I don't think there's anything wrong with what the rep said. After all, not every one cares what type of panel is used as much as physical dimension/resolution. Nevertheless, it is very surprising to me that they didn't specify what panel is used.