Product Face-Offs
Asus PG221
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| Diagonal screen size | 22 pouces | ||
| Type | TN | ||
| Resolution | 1680 x 1050 pixels | ||
| Response time | 2 ms | ||
| Interfaces (HDMI / DVI / VGA / YUV) | NC | ||
 See all specifications | |||
| Options | |
| Viewing angles (H/V) | 170° / 160° |
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Built-in 2.1 speakers!
The main distinguishing features of this screen is the inclusion of a 2.1 speaker kit on the back. Is it any good though?
Well, it suffers from the same problems as the previous model, the PG191, where the sub-woofer wasn't powerful enough, producing saturated, crackling bass.
The screen is equipped with an equalizer and SRS TruSurround XT which is supposed to give a surround sound impression in stereo output as well as being able to improve treble. This proved to be very useful in watching movies but don’t forget to deactivate it (simply pressing the SRS button) when you want to listen to music.
Overall, we have to admit that sound is well produced and sufficient for office use. On the other hand, it’s too weak to really use for music listening and any entry level 2.1 kit is much more pleasant.
Note that in this domain, Asus is faced with an almost impossible mechanical obstacle. The bass speaker isn’t that great but a stronger version would cause too much vibration for the screen ...
Well, it suffers from the same problems as the previous model, the PG191, where the sub-woofer wasn't powerful enough, producing saturated, crackling bass.
The screen is equipped with an equalizer and SRS TruSurround XT which is supposed to give a surround sound impression in stereo output as well as being able to improve treble. This proved to be very useful in watching movies but don’t forget to deactivate it (simply pressing the SRS button) when you want to listen to music.
Overall, we have to admit that sound is well produced and sufficient for office use. On the other hand, it’s too weak to really use for music listening and any entry level 2.1 kit is much more pleasant.
Note that in this domain, Asus is faced with an almost impossible mechanical obstacle. The bass speaker isn’t that great but a stronger version would cause too much vibration for the screen ...
Vincent Alzieu
Test date: October 09, 2007
Test date: October 09, 2007
The Asus PG221 tries to do something already attempted by the earlier PG191: it’s a 22'' monitor equipped with a sub-woofer at the back complemented by two 5 W speakers on the front. This replaces the standard offering of a pair of 1 W without a sub-woofer found on competing models.
Aimed at gamers--especially those who like to travel around to LAN parties--the PG221 hopes to please with its 2 ms TN panel, 1.3 Megapixel webcam, multiple video inputs (DVI with HDCP, VGA, Component, S-Video and Composite) and a new control panel to adjust every setting you could possibly imagine.
Overall, the PG221 is indeed well-equipped for gamers. Even if the sound quality didn’t leave us completely satisfied, the damage is limited by being able to specify the type of game you are playing in the OSD in order to optimize the results. In the same way, we also liked the shortcut button which allows going from night mode to normal depending on the time of day. There is also the option of a 1:1 or 4/3 mode in the OSD to display a game in reduced resolution without resizing (black bands are added).
Display quality has dramatically improved in two specific areas:
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This mainly concerns game consoles which are connected, for example, on the Component video input. They now have the choice of playing on the entire width of the monitor or in 4/3. Older generation consoles and the Nintendo Wii won’t have deformed images. However, avoid the zoom because it lops off a part of the image. Note that Full and Panaorama means the entire height of the screen is used without horizontal black bands and therefore 720p signals are vertically rescaled. The rescaling however is very well done for a monitor.
Unfortunately for gamers, one last aspect point could disappoint the commando in you. While liquid crystals are very fast, the electronic circuitry behind them is still a little behind. There is a slight delay in the display of images, which is a little bit higher than the average. Gamers that play with this screen will always be between two and four frames behind those with CRTs or a super reactive LCD like the latest models from Samsung and Iiyama ... yikes!
Aimed at gamers--especially those who like to travel around to LAN parties--the PG221 hopes to please with its 2 ms TN panel, 1.3 Megapixel webcam, multiple video inputs (DVI with HDCP, VGA, Component, S-Video and Composite) and a new control panel to adjust every setting you could possibly imagine.
Overall, the PG221 is indeed well-equipped for gamers. Even if the sound quality didn’t leave us completely satisfied, the damage is limited by being able to specify the type of game you are playing in the OSD in order to optimize the results. In the same way, we also liked the shortcut button which allows going from night mode to normal depending on the time of day. There is also the option of a 1:1 or 4/3 mode in the OSD to display a game in reduced resolution without resizing (black bands are added).
Display quality has dramatically improved in two specific areas:
- responsiveness didn't disappoint us this time, and ghosting has been reduced to a bare minimum. There isn’t better on the current market.
- colour handling is also moved in the right direction and is now accurate! And that's despite the fact that this is a glossy screen, which would usually alter colours by making them look too bright. The glossy finish also means you should avoid bright light sources to avoid turning your screen into a mirror. What was Asus thinking on a monitor for gamers?
This mainly concerns game consoles which are connected, for example, on the Component video input. They now have the choice of playing on the entire width of the monitor or in 4/3. Older generation consoles and the Nintendo Wii won’t have deformed images. However, avoid the zoom because it lops off a part of the image. Note that Full and Panaorama means the entire height of the screen is used without horizontal black bands and therefore 720p signals are vertically rescaled. The rescaling however is very well done for a monitor.
Unfortunately for gamers, one last aspect point could disappoint the commando in you. While liquid crystals are very fast, the electronic circuitry behind them is still a little behind. There is a slight delay in the display of images, which is a little bit higher than the average. Gamers that play with this screen will always be between two and four frames behind those with CRTs or a super reactive LCD like the latest models from Samsung and Iiyama ... yikes!
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Design
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Good connectivity
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Sound functions and controls
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Reactivity
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Preset colours are good (just a little too much blue)
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Bass speaker still modest
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Weak webcam
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Input lag
On the one hand, the PG221 is very reactive and has good colours. Its speakers produce sound quality that is richer than usual integrated components. For this reason, it received 5 stars. On the other hand, there are a few aspects that need improvement; the webcam is quite average and this screen costs as much as a 24 inch.
