Help me decide - 22" or 24"

Ok so I'm not sure if I really need a 24" monitor... Would it be toooo big? (given I am not sitting very far away from it on my desk...)

Could you help me decide between these monitors:
Samsung Lavendar P2250 22" (£150)
Benq G2222HDL 21.5" (£105)
Samsung SyncMaster P2450H 24" (£172)
Benq G2420HD 24" (£150)

Or the BenQ G2420HDBL (£150), which seems to be the same as the G2420HD but with LED back lighting???

I also looked at the Dell P2211H Monitor with 3 Yrs Dell Warranty
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Dell P2211H (22" £150), because it has a much better stand (which would be great), but I can't find any reviews... anyone know anything about it?

I'm not sure why the benq products are much cheaper than the samsung... are they noticeably worse?

btw I will be using the screen for light gaming, lots of work, and watching movies

Thanks a lot!

Having used many monitor sizes and tested often from within comfortable arms reach of the screen (so often well under 60cm) I would say that 24" is actually an ideal size for a screen. It doesn't seem overwhlemingly large at all and it is very easy to get used to. I find 22 inches just a little on the small size, 23 inches a bit more comfortable and 24 inches just perfect. Anything larger is also fine but it takes some getting used to.

There are a few things to consider when comparing the BenQ G2420HDBL or G2222HDL to their Samsung counterparts. The build quality is not up to the level of the Samsung P2*50s and they feel light 'toys' in comparison to a real piece of 'kit'. The stand of the Samsung P2450H isn't fantastic but the overall feel of the monitor and look is pretty good. The image quality, from a technical perspective, is also a bit better on the Samsungs. Colour gradients and gamma in particular is favourable in most situations.

The Dell P2211H I have not personally used so it is difficult to comment. I would imagine it's a fairly solid performer but certainly not up to the level of the Dell UltraSharps. If an adjustable stand is essential then you could look into it, but if you think this is more of a bonus than a necessity my recommendation would lie with the Samsung P2450H. Samsung actually discontinued this model and then brought it back to retail due to demand.

thanks very much. Think I might well take your advice and go with the samsung P2450H, as I am very familiar with samsung monitors and have always found them good and reliable. Not sure if the saving of £20 is worth it if the monitor feels a bit flimsy...

I originally thought I wanted a 22" but have now changed my mind to a 24".

The reason is that I currently have a 19" 4:3 monitor and I realised that the display area on this is actually taller than that of a 22" and about the same as that of a 24".

So I reckon that a 22" would look smaller than my current 19" - though a little wider of course.

Cheers,

Nigel