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Written by Jovo Arezina
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Wednesday, 22 October 2008 |
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Page 1 of 3  For every period on time there is optimal monitor (screen) size. Nowadays, smaller monitor isn’t cheap enough and isn’t worth of savings while the bigger one still doesn’t justify the difference in price. The thing is that lately, mid range monitors and even from low range, become very quality pieces of hardware. And if you pick by random any of them, there are small odds that you’ll chose “piece of junk”. As result of these changes on local and global market it is actually very favorable state for nowadays buyers. Now you can have bigger monitor on the table with more than acceptable price especially if you buy it on sales. So, according to all that, wide monitor with 22-inch diagonal is the best buy at the moment. Keeping that fact in mind, we gathered eleven models that can be classified as cheaper and we did comparison test.
Asus VW221D
This is definitely the cheapest monitor that we tested in this
occasion, but results that we got for it placed it among average
models. Most wide displays don’t have much of understanding for users
that prefer resolutions in some other formats. Picture is stretched
through whole screen regardless on horizontal /vertical resolution
ratio. This model gives you choice between full screen displaying and
stretching as much as possible, keeping aspect of resolution ratio.
That is especially useful to all ones that still love to entertain
themselves with older games which don’t support wide resolutions. Mild
breaching of backlight, certain lower uniformity and “pumped” default
settings for contrast and brightness, cost Asus VW221D several points.
But none of these faults are too conspicuous so we weren’t too harsh on
it. It lost points also on viewing angles because for certain angle
values suddenly starts to change picture quality, but nevertheless that
limit isn’t that alarming. With response speed test VW221D performed
very well.
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BenQ G220WA
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Pleasantly looking model with uniformed performances, left a very good
impression on us and got itself among the best by performed tests
results. All its defects, like mild breaching and a bit lighter default
picture aren’t noticeable in real work conditions so we didn’t take
away too much points and we were also very satisfied with time
response. Its black color and two-toned power button are very eye
catchy and it’s quite clear that more highlighted keys will for certain
spoil the design. Still, we have to take away few points for ergonomics.
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BenQ models noticeably defer in visual sense from each other. Speaking
for ourselves, G2200WA is true winner in design competition regardless
on your affection for gray-black monitors with wide frame around. And
that is, obviously main distinction of T221WA. Its OSD keys aren’t
marked at all, what’s even more they are placed on bottom side of
monitor. BenQ picked up mobile phones’ concept for changeable functions
of certain keys, so you can change them if you want to and you can read
on the screen what exact action can be activated with some button in
that moment. When you press any button first will appear function for
every key above them on the screen, and everything after that is more
or less standard with one exception. Navigation through menus is more
alike to telephone concept, which wasn’t much necessary. Until the end
of testing we didn’t determine why T221WA is more expansive. He lost
too many points on colours test because of noticeable breaching of
backlight, mistakes in displaying of gradients and poor uniformity.
Viewing angle and time response hardly satisfied expected minimum for
nowadays TN monitors.
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LG W2252TQ
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Presence of DVI connector, interesting design and quality made, explain
a bit higher price for this model. Manufacturer really did the best in
creating interesting details, so for example after monitor has turned
on and later also when you call for menu, monitor will greet you with
melody from internal speaker. It is also capable to apply simple real
time effects on the screen. But let keep trifles on the side and start
with importing things. Resolution of 4:3 format is properly displayed,
but unfortunately the other popular formats like 5:4 will be stretched
to 4:3 or to whole screen. That mistake isn’t that big but when other
manufacturers implemented this function LG could also do that. The
worst on test went colour interpretation despite the fact that
breaching of backlight was hardly noticeable and the screen has very
dark and uniform black colour. That is to say, for normal colour
displaying, screen needs to have set gamma value which only has three
offered calibration values in menu. Display of certain gradients didn’t
have dithering but some did have noticeable dithering. We assume that
manufacturer unsuccessfully experimented with algorithms. In all rest
disciplines LG W2252TQ went fine especially on response test because of
implemented RTC technology.
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Mag BP2219ABW
This monitor got least points on our test, so it will be good benchmark
for evaluation of monitors’ market. Nor metal base or screen bearer
couldn’t help it to leave a good visual impression, mostly because of
wide frame around screen. Keys are located below the screen, hidden but
well marked. We didn’t like shinning of Power diode; it shines to
powerfully that even base and table below it are lightened. Double
analogue input connectors could be handy thing, but it is also possible
that because of such an exhibition, video signal will have noticeable
reduced quality on the screen. Mag BP2219ABW lost the most points on
colour interpretation mainly caused by backlight breaching along top,
bottom and even right side of the screen. Colour uniformity is also bad
even though gradients were displayed precisely. Viewing angle is on
limit of acceptance. Response wasn’t that slow if we look it
separately, but with today’s needs and trends, clearly showed in this
comparison test, there’s no need to be satisfied only with these
performances.
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