Five universal 22-inch monitors under $200

HP P221 22 "

The HP P221's 21.5-inch screen has a TN+film format matrix. On the one hand, this is a proven solution with a short response time (5 ms), and on the other hand, it has unimportant viewing angles (160° vertically and 170° horizontally).

Like the vast majority of models in its class, the display resolution of the monitor is 1920 x 1080 pixels (FullHD). This figure is enough for almost any purpose, both home and office. In terms of contrast, the device also does not lag behind colleagues on the shop floor: 1000:1 in normal mode and 30000000:1 in dynamic scenes — the image quality in dark or bright scenes will be on top.

The owners of the monitor are satisfied that its screen is matte and it is not subject to parasitic glare. The display is illuminated by white WLED LEDs. The illumination level is uniform and does not fade closer to the edges. Relative to the stand, the monitor can tilt 5° forward and 25° backward. There is only no height adjustment. But if necessary, you can hang the monitor on the wall, on its back panel there is a VESA mount with a typical size of 100x100 mm.

The model has no significant drawbacks. In this point, you can only attribute the absence of an HDMI port. Instead, he is offered a slightly faster DVI-D Dual link and standard VGA. As a bonus — the presence of the Kensington lock, which prevents the theft of the monitor by analogy with a bicycle cable. But it is available on all models of this class.

HP P221 has an extended name that includes the phrase ProDisplay, i.e. the manufacturer positions it as a solution for professional use, which, paired with the TN matrix, raises questions. However, the monitor will not get lost at home either and will perform the tasks assigned to it, whether it's watching movies or surfing the Internet.

Asus VS229NA 22 "

Strict conservative style and wide functionality — it immediately becomes clear that this is the brainchild of the Taiwanese company Asus.

The model with an advanced AH-IPS matrix occupies a niche of a strong average among 21.5-inch monitors. In some ways, the Asus VS229NA is really head and shoulders above its closest competitors. We are talking about a phenomenal level of dynamic contrast, which reaches a value of 80000000:1. In dark scenes of games and movies, in addition, the "Smart Contrast Ratio" function is activated, with which the picture becomes more realistic. And in some ways the monitor is inferior to similar models. For example, the fact that there is no HDMI connector on board.

The monitor is fully revealed in the office. Taiwanese engineers gave him a couple of hotkeys designed to simplify working with documents. These are "Aspect Control" (fast switching from 16:9 widescreen mode to 4:3 and back), as well as "QuickFit" (a virtual ruler for understanding how the image on the screen corresponds to a particular format for printing).

There are only two ports for connecting external devices: a traditional VGA and a faster DVI-razem. The monitor can be hung on the wall — the VESA mount has the most extended size of 100x100 mm. But his native place is a table on which the device will stand steadily and firmly.

The symbiosis of software "chips", a short response time (5 ms) and an excellent contrast level allows you to use the monitor as a "workhorse" and as a multimedia player.

Samsung S22E390H 22 "

Samsung monitors stand out among their own kind with a proprietary matrix PLS (Plane to Line Switching). This is a proprietary development of a South Korean corporation, which is essentially an improved version of IPS.

The main advantage of such a matrix is its cost. Samsung engineers managed to reduce the cost of production, thereby reducing the final price of the monitor as a whole. I.e., in comparison with analogues, the model can offer a little more for the same money. And indeed, a short response time (4 ms), saturated and natural colours, a good contrast level of the picture — all these indicators are practically the best in their class. Another important advantage of the PLS matrix is the absence of parasitic purple shades that sometimes occur on the dark textures of IPS format matrices.

The monitor has good viewing angles (up to 178°) and a matte finish that is not subject to glare. Do not forget about the variety of ports: HDMI, VGA and Mini-Jack 3.5mm for headphones or external speakers. Judging by the numerous reviews on the Web, we can conclude that the model is very popular with its owners. They note only a couple of minor disadvantages — the inconvenience of the location of the control buttons, which are hidden on the back panel, and the lack of a VESA mount, which is why the monitor cannot be hung on the wall. In truth, in most cases, the 22-inch model does not need the latter.

Gamers whose low-cost is limited often stare at the monitor, but I want to buy something really high-quality and responsive. The short response time paired with the game mode "GameMode" (automatic adjustment of brightness and contrast levels) fully contribute to the use of the monitor in games.

Philips 227E6QDSD 22 " black

The epithet "golden mean" is the best fit for a monitor from Philips. It is balanced to perform any everyday tasks.

The mystery of the device matrix is shrouded in darkness — it has the ADS-IPS format. Everyone knows how it stands for ADvanced Super IPS, but few people know how this solution differs from conventional IPS. Most likely, this is an improved version of IPS, seasoned with the marketing of a Dutch company. Nevertheless, the naked eye can see the pure colours that the monitor screen gives out, and its excellent brightness level.

The response time of the matrix loses to the main competitors in class (14 ms), but it is still enough for watching action scenes in movies, and for launching modern games. In both cases, the "SmartControl" function will be responsible for the picture, which automatically adjusts the brightness of the backlight and contrast in dynamic scenes. The contrast level of the monitor when using a smart "chip" is 20000000:1, in normal mode it has a value of 1000:1.

Other equipment is connected to the monitor via HDMI, VGA and DVI-D Dual link ports. The use of the last cut allows you to realize the possibility of playing videos with a resolution up to 800x1600 pixels.

If you look at the monitor from an angle from above or below, you can notice a slight distortion of colours. This is the only "but" that its owners pay attention to. Another feature of it is the touch control keys. They can not be written either in the pros or cons — you just need to get used to the buttons.

AOC I2269Vwm 22 "

AOC solutions try to surprise users even in the low-cost segment. A monitor with a diagonal of 21.5" proves once again that a quality product for adequate money is a reality.

Traditionally, for this class of devices, the monitor is equipped with a matrix with FullHD resolution. It has the AH-IPS format — an evolved version of the IPS standard, devoid of its typical childhood sores (long response time, colour rendering quality, etc.).The response in 6 ms allows you to launch any games and watch the most dynamic video scenes.

The engineers of the AOC company did not skimp on the number of various openings. On the monitor body there are as many as two HDMI ports, one high-speed DisplayPort, a traditional VGA connector and an output for connecting headphones. The latter can not be used — the "chip" of the monitor is the presence of built-in stereo speakers. All the closest competitors in the class remain far behind.

The lucky owners of the AOC I2269VWM praise it for its matte anti-glare display. It is illuminated by white-glow LEDs (WLED), which are evenly distributed over the entire plane of the screen. The corners of the monitor are highlighted as well as its centre.

The only drawback of the model is the inability to adjust the height position. Instead, it is equipped with a VESA mount (75x75 mm) for the ability to hang the monitor on the wall.