I recently found myself in the market for a new LCD monitor. My desktop’s existing 17” monitor was cutting the mustard, but my wife has increasingly been using the desktop more for watching TV shows and movies. I also needed an interim screen to allow me to game on my Xbox 360 while I am away from my normal household. All this combined with the sharp fall in LCD prices made a new monitor a no-brainer. Read all the dirty details and check out some screens after the break.

Right now 22” widescreens with 1680×1050 panels are the sweet spot for LCD monitors. 24” monitors with 1900×1200 panels cost almost double the same quality in a 22”. If I was a hardcore PC gamer I might be concerned about getting a higher resolution monitor, but 1680×1050 is already going to be quite a step above my existing 1024×768 Dell monitor, so I am happy with that choice. Depending on what brand and sale you choose, you can get 22” monitors for as low as $200. I wanted a very versatile monitor with peace of mind, so I decided on a model closer to the upper end price point, $350.

I chose the Samsung SyncMaster 226BW. This monitor is the successor to the 225BW, and Samsung decided to make a few improvements. It’s advertied “gray to gray” response time is 2ms, an improvement of the 5ms response time of the 225BW. However, I am skeptical of this number since I believe most other monitors are rated at a “black to black” response time. FYI, response time is the time it takes a pixel to go from black to white to black again (or in this case, gray to white to gray). Even if it is rated with a G2G response time, I think 2ms is probably no worse than a 5ms B2B. Next, the monitor features a 3000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. No, this isn’t the same as static contrast ratio, but I think a 3000:1 dynamic ratio is roughly equivalent to a 1000:1 static ratio. [edited to add: The Samsung Website confirms this.] Read the wiki on contrast ratio if you want more information. Samsung also reportedly fixed the backlight bleeding issues associated with the 225BW when developing this model. The 226BW also features a 300 cd/m^2 brightness rating. Using a $40 off $199 coupon at Circuit City I scored this monitor for $309 + tax.

Overall, I am quite pleased. My sole use of the monitor so far has been gaming on my Xbox 360 running 1360×768. With the new spring update the Xbox 360 running a VGA adapter is a formidable source. I was using this monitor before and after the update and the vividness of colors was noticeably better after the update. Picture is sharp, colors are accurate, and ghosting is minimal (but not totally gone). I only mention the ghosting to be objective. It doesn’t noticeably hinder my gameplay at all. Outside of the monitor looks good too. It has a gloss black frame with matte black backing and a matte aluminum finish on the menu bar at the bottom front of the panel. The power button is machined aluminum and has a blue backlight when the monitor is powered on. The menu system is mostly intuitive and arranged well. The monitor does not feature integrated speakers.

There is also a subtle nuance you should be aware of when purchasing a 226BW. Early in the production process Samsung used panels produced in house, by Samsung. Later they starting outsourcing the panels to Chi Mei Optoelectronics and AU Optoelectronics. The outsourced panels are thought to be of lesser quality than the Samsung panels, but opinions differ widely. I have read reviews of people with “A” and “C” panels that are absolutely thrilled with their quality. However, nobody really disputes that you can’t go wrong with an “S” panel. How do you tell what you’re getting? Reference this photo:

It’s simple. S = Samsung. A = AU. C = Chie Mei. If you have to go with an “A” or “C” panel then most people lean towards the “C.”

Summary:
-Great monitor at a fair price.
-Not the cheapest 22” around, but one of the best in quality.
-Try to get an “S” panel if you can, but don’t sweat a “C’ panel. Look around at several stores for an “S” or “C” before buying an ‘A’ panel.

Pros:
-Great specs.
-Beautiful picture
-Professional exterior styling
-VGA and DVI inputs
-Accepts HDCP via DVI
-Tilting stand.

Cons:
-Very minimal ghosting
-More expensive than other 22” LCDs
-No integrated speakers.

I’d recommend the 226BW to anyone looking for a lot of high definition screen real estate at a modest price, for use as a PC monitor or gaming display.

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