Product Survey: 22'' LCD monitors

They were meant to spell the end for 20 and 21 inch screens. And there is good reason. They are bigger and not more expensive (sometimes they are even cheaper). Also, recently some have cumulated advantages in design, reactivity, and colors.

Vincent Alzieu
Updated: 2009-02-25

The tests

Design, ergonomics, color rendering measured with a colorimeter, reaction time in games and movies…There are many criteria.

Of course, ideally the product excels in all domains. This is rarely the case, and the buyer will have to make a compromise based on their needs; prioritize colors if we want to edit images, or first and foremost reactivity if we are into gaming.

22 inch screens are definitely bigger, but they do not display more than 20 inch monitors. They have the same resolution of 1680 x 1050 pixels as on the 20 and 21 inch wide (16/10). This offers two advantages: text is more readable, and games can be displayed bigger without any added difficulty in terms of load. The inconvenience, on the other hand, is that more information isn’t displayed than on a 20 inch. This is unfortunate for those looking for a big screen for their Photoshop palettes, video editing, etc.

The first interest of these 22 inch screens then is their quality price ratio. And for this reason we shouldn’t be surprised to find screens for which manufacturers have done everything to minimize costs. Sometimes anything goes. In the entry level, there is no chance of a metallic body, sophisticated base, and even less a numeric input. Analog and plastic reign in this price range. When we go up a level, we find vertically adjustable bases, better color rendering and even more reactive panels (only with Asus and Samsung for the moment).

What’s left for the 19 and 20 inch?

So, are 22 inch screens really killing the sizes underneath it? Not necessarily. Once again, everything depends on your needs. For example, if you have a restricted budget, an excellent 19 inch wide still costs 80 Euros less than a 22 inch (example : the Samsung SyncMaster 931 BW). 20 inch monitors have another advantage of offering a choice of panel technology, notably P-MVA, which is much more versatile than the TNs integrated to 22 inch products. For this reason, we still have the large success of screens like the Belinea 10 20 35W, with its larger viewing angles, more reactivity than the majority of 22 inch displays, and it’s better for movies.

Nevertheless, for simple use in text, some games, movies, you aren’t a stickler for details, and are essentially looking for a big comfortable screen, the 22 inch can sometimes be a great deal. Of course, this is on the condition that you make the right choice.