Best 22" LCD for the money?

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Skizzy

Supreme [H]ardness
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So, I was looking at monitors, since I'm running on a 17" HPvs17 LCD @ 1280x1024 max with probably a 50ms response time (exaggerated, I know). I know very little about monitors, and want to get the best bang for the buck widescreen monitor, and since I'm on the computer 6+ hours each day (limited myself to an hour during the summer), I feel I need something better.

I was looking at these two monitors:

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16824009111
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?Item=N82E16824254020

I found these by searching around here in the Display section, but I do not know which is better, nor if there are any other better monitors for the price. I will be upgrading my video card when the new ones come out, dropping the prices on the older models.

Thanks in advance!

Forgot to mention, I want a widescreen.
 
compared to the samsung 226bw, the HP w2207 looks like crap and costs more. only good points were a very adjustable stand - although not very rigid - and glossy finish if you're into that. and yes i've compared them directly.
 
THRESHIN said:
compared to the samsung 226bw, the HP w2207 looks like crap and costs more. only good points were a very adjustable stand - although not very rigid - and glossy finish if you're into that. and yes i've compared them directly.
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People need to remember that when reading other peoples posts of "it looks like crap" or "it's awesome" that there is always the implied "in my opinion".

That said, having seen a Samsung 226 and HP w2207 in person, saying that the w2207 "looks like crap" is hyperbole at it's finest when comparing the two. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

For anyone looking for a new monitor go to the local Best Buys, CompUSA, Circuit City, Fry's etc and look at a few to guage what you like. Then read some reviews and see if they align to with what you want. If you are really worried, buy from a B&M that has a good return policy.
 
another vote for hp w2207

300$ from CC, its got my usb plugs, and a nice as anything stand !!!

great deal

ebay had 10% off coupons also
 
The w2207 does look very nice, but the glossy screen was a no no for me, mainly as I have mine facing a window. When seeing one of these in the shop, there were reflections everywhere!
 
Hey I've got the same vs17e monitor so let me know how big a difference it is, with both picture and resolution. Many people seem to think the hp 2207 is the best 22" monitor but that is a bit more expensive and you don't want to spend that much. So I would say you should go for one of the two monitors you're looking at because I don't think theres anything thats a lot better. I mean what you could do is spend a little more for the samsung 226bw ($315 at newegg) or the dell for around 310 or so and get a better monitor. Otherwise if you're only going to spend around $275 get one of the monitors you are interested in. Edit: If you don't like the glossy screen maybe you should look at the samsung?
 
I thought it was a nice display. It didn't strike me as incredibly superior to any of the displays they had (was a Circuit City). I didn't directly compare it, as I wasn't interested it. Personally, I like the "crystal brite" "true brite" etc glossy finishes over the standard matte anti reflective coating, and so does my wife, for whom the display was to be purchased.

Had I not found the Acer for the price I did, I would have purchased the HP w2207 from my companies EPP program with HP, but the Acer ended up being about $50 cheaper shipped, and since it was for my wife, I was more worried about $ / buck than I would have been if I had bought it. I still think HP's 1 year warranty is b.s. though and the Acer comes with a 3 year warranty.

So to answer your question directly Mansize_Tissue, I like the HP w2207 better than the Samsung 22BW (and even more so with the whole panel lottery fiasco that Samsung is doing with them).

In fact, this Chrimbo, I'm considering replacing the Benq FP91 display I have on my desk as a secondary display with something, and it just might be the HP w2207 / Acer X222Wbd.
 
Tejstar said:
The w2207 does look very nice, but the glossy screen was a no no for me, mainly as I have mine facing a window. When seeing one of these in the shop, there were reflections everywhere!
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I though this would be an issue for me also. As it turns out, its not as big of a deal, totally depending on where the light is from and how bright it is.

My wife's computer is in our family room, with a small desk light on the desk (think 30w, with shade, just enough ambient light to write notes / see the keyboard) and a tall halogen room light (think bright bright white light) about 6 feet behind and to the left. I played around on the computer last night from 5pm EST (still light outside) to past 9pm EST (dark outside) playing serveral FPS's, WoW, and watched some video. I didn't notice any issues with ghosting or reflections of ambient light.

As yours is facing a window, and may get direct sunlight, it might be an issue.

Good luck!
 
color accuracy on the hp is aweful....i had the 22 lg aewesome display.....returned thouhgh for the 24 lg...also...the best 24

22 and 24 lg is the winner hands down imo
 
my major gripe with the HP w2207 was the backlight bleed was so bad it was offensive. i didn't find that the glossy coating made any difference (no, not near a window - i live in a basement) and yeah the colour was pretty halfassed. i found the 226BW C panel better all around even before i started adjusting it and using the profiles.
 
Guys,

1. If you have your desk near a window the solution is obvious: move it. Any screen will loose some of its effectiveness when daylight is directly incident upon it.

2. Colors: few monitors will have accurate color rendering directly out of the box, maybe excepting the IPSs which seem to have the best color accuracy. Just play with the adjustments or, if you're really a color freak or your work demands maximum accuracy (like in my case photo and film editing) get a colorimeter, short of buying an 8 bit monitor. Remember, this is a 6 bit monitor and for a good 8 biter you pay 3 times as much. This monitor can be adjusted and its colors are totally awsome, even if one plays with brightness and contrast only.

3. Back light bleeding: this one is a very variable parameter. I have seen few monitors having the same amount. Some have more, some less. Unfortunately it's lottery. Mine has moderate. But when some programs are running it's barely noticeable. Movies are great to watch on this monitor, dark scenes included, which is good testimony to the minimal effect of its back light bleeding.

4. Comparing monitors: when in a well lit store it's hard to do it, especially that many of the monitors are chain-connected and fed by marketing programs running on a single computer. The effect is awful. CC and BB have changed this but not sufficiently, since the 24 inch monitors are still chain-connected all looking like... well, crap. Last weekend I went to our local Microcenter (a very good store). There I saw the new 26' Acer connected to a laptop which could not run it on its native resolution. It really looked like crap, with no 1:1 compliance and wishy-washy colors. What a pity. I made kind of an unwarrantedly upset remark to the salesman. It wasn't his fault so I went back to him and sorta apologized. The fact remains though. When one is a serious onlooker with some deeper knowledge s/he is expecting a degree of professionalism in return. Few places will oblige completely.
 
I've got a brand new w2207 sitting in my room which i haven't had a chance to use yet (the parts for my computer should be coming tomorrow). I'll see if i can post some photograph up and tell you what i think of it if i get some time tomorrow.
 
So you finally threw in the towel :) I know you've been waiting for a long time. How much is this thing in the UK? Does the price vary from say Brighton to London?
 
I've been using the w2207 for a little while now, and the glare is not as bad as I had anticipated. It's really only an issue when watching a movie with an almost black screen. The viewing angles are the only thing that bugs me, but that's a common issue with TN panels. There is a pretty noticeable amount of backlight bleed when viewing a black screen. That doesn't really bother me at all, but I know there are some people who care about that sort of thing.
 
sylva said:
So you finally threw in the towel :) I know you've been waiting for a long time. How much is this thing in the UK? Does the price vary from say Brighton to London?
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Yeah, and i have been waiting a long time. It ran me £230 here which, in the US, would roughly equates to $450! I think there's only 2 retailers in the UK which currently stock this monitor- it's still relatively difficult to get hold of. I can't wait until i get my computer built tomorrow and start using the thing, the monitor has been sitting in my room for a couple of days in its box. :(

Are you still happy with yours?
 
I still can't get over the colors and the sharp image contours. Remember, I have my old LCD beside this one partly as a reminder of where I am coming from and partly to save it from overusage. There, another thing, of the other 3 computers none have digital video so I need the old monitor anyway which is mainly used for installing OSs: Linux distros such as Ubuntu Server, Gentoo and SuSE. Since I do zero gaming I cannot say anything about timing and other specific parameters. However I still find movie watching very rewarding including dark backgrounds. Some people swear by the Sammy or LG 226 and nothing will dissuade them which is all well. It's like the partisans of Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux. I won't have any of it and so is the case with these monitors. I am sure that 6 months from now HP will come out with an even better monitor, perhaps the 24" version of this one but I am bent on using my w2207 for quite awhile to come. Let us know about your experience. How come monitors are that much more expensive in the UK? It must be taxes. John.
 
sylva said:
How come monitors are that much more expensive in the UK? It must be taxes.
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Yeah, that's mainly what it comes down to. It really sucks, and i don't think our wages keep up with the high prices as well as they do in the US. Oh well, i suppose i just have to live with the fact that i'm getting less and less for my money.

I'll get some photographs up tomorrow, if i have time; failing that, it'll probably be Saturday. That is, if the rest of my computer is delivered tomorrow.
 
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