Clueless has £200 for a 22" LCD

b4z · 29 May 2008 at 09:14

As per title.

I have no idea which are the best 22" LCDs for that price...

I have £200 and i would like to get a 22" Widescreen LCD

I have looked at the Dell and the Samsung models that are currently on offer...

But i really have no idea what is any good...

So could someone with a bit of expertise help me please?

I would be using it for desktop, browsing, [some] video editing, [some] gaming, watching films/tv, etc.

Thanks a lot!

b4z · 29 May 2008 at 09:21

Dell Ultrasharp 2208WFP 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor - Midnight Grey
£190

Samsung SM-226BW 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor
£196

Dell SP2208WFP 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor with Webcam - Arctic Silver
£211
[i like the idea of HDMI, and the webcam - can someone comment on this?]

b4z · 29 May 2008 at 09:23

and i have read a few reviews about the samsung panels in terms of the difficulty to calibrate the colours correctly... [not the big panel problem]

this would be a problem, since i do a lot of photo editing and some video editing, so the colours are important to me...

b4z · 29 May 2008 at 09:27

also what are these like?

Samsung SM-2232BW Pebble 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor - Glossy Black
[how does this differ from the 226BW apart from aesthetically?]

Samsung SM-226CW 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor - Glossy Black
[presumably a revision of the 226BW model? whats the difference?]

Buffman · 29 May 2008 at 10:11

The pebble monitor doesn't have wall mountability in it if that interests you =/, also there is an edit post button you know...

SeriousPigeon · 29 May 2008 at 10:23

I got the Samsung 226BW for someone. He is very happy with it. Dells are pretty good too. So toss a coin or go with the one you like the look of the most

b4z · 29 May 2008 at 15:41

does anyone know about the colour differences between the samsungs and the dells?

roadie · 29 May 2008 at 16:15

b4z said:
Dell SP2208WFP 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor with Webcam - Arctic Silver
£211
[i like the idea of HDMI, and the webcam - can someone comment on this?]

I have one of these. However, it is my fourth(!), as the first 3 Dell delivered to me all had problems. I really like the design and the fact it has a good range of inputs. It is also solidly built, but from my experience quality control is slightly lacking.

I would still recommended it though, as the picture it produces is very good. Detail at the darker end of the spectrum is great, but reds need taming somewhat.

Snograt · 31 May 2008 at 08:35

The Samsung 2232BW is the mutt's nuts. Blackest blacks, brightest whites and nothing wrong with calibration at all (it comes with MagicTune which also rocks.)

Get one.

Unless you'd prefer lower quality and extra fripperies such as USB ports and HDMI.

b4z · 1 Jun 2008 at 11:35

is the DELL actually lower quality than the Samsung 226BW/CW though?

the thing is, if i wanted to connect something HDMI based, to the Samsung, how would i go about doing that?

DVI to HDCP/HDMI ?? any loss of quality?

Skrapt · 1 Jun 2008 at 12:07

There's no loss of quality, and if the samsung is HDCP ready, it's just a case of a DVI to HDMI adapter.

Aod · 1 Jun 2008 at 23:45

for £200 why not get the OcUK 24" monitor? much higher Res!

b4z · 3 Jul 2008 at 19:54

my budget is now £250 for a 22"

i think 24 is a bit too big...

has anyone actually got the Samsung 226CW who can compare it to the Samsung 226BW ?

melbourne720 · 10 Jul 2008 at 09:32

I have the 226CW. Whilst I think it is a great monitor, I don't think it was worth the extra I paid, and next time I would have either paid less and got the 226BW, or paid more and got a 24"

philjohn · 10 Jul 2008 at 09:58

b4z said:
my budget is now £250 for a 22"

i think 24 is a bit too big...

has anyone actually got the Samsung 226CW who can compare it to the Samsung 226BW ?

Get the £200 samsung and spend the other £50 on a calibration unit like the basic huey (can be upgraded later to the pro IIRC). If colours are as important as you say they are to your photography this is the smartest move.