Dell to launch budget 22" widescreen monitor

bit-tech forum member r4tch3t writes to tell us about a new budget 22" widescreen monitor that has appeared on Dell's New Zealand website.

The E228WFP looks set to take on recent splash of 22" widescreen monitor releases from some of the big brands in the TFT industry with a price of NZ$749 - that's a shade over £310 including VAT here, and around $500 in the US. The US price is probably quite a bit higher than expected, it's more likely to retail for around $400.

Update:
The monitor has been found for CA$329 on Dell's Canadian website. See here for more details.

Looking at it, the E228WFP's on-paper specifications aren't too bad, especially when you consider that the monitor is aimed at the lower end of the market. They read as follows:

• Viewable Size: 22 inches (wide);
  
• Pixel Pitch: 0.282mm;
  
• Response Time: 5ms (typical);
  
• Viewing Angle: 160 degrees (verticle), 160 degrees (horizontal);
  
• Luminance (brightness): 300cd/m²;
  
• Contrast Ratio: 800:1;
  
• Native Resolution: 1680x1050;
  
• Connectivity: D-Sub (analogue), DVI-D (digital) with HDCP support.

On top of this respectable set of features, the monitor also comes with tilt functionality. Although that's not quite in the same league as the Samsung 215TW or Dell 2407WFP/2007WFP monitors that come with tilt, height adjustment, swivel and pivot capabilities, it's similar to what other monitors in this price range would come with.

The low response time probably means that the screen uses a 6-bit LCD panel, as opposed to the preferred 8-bit panels found in the better screens. With that said though, it should be good enough for most gamers and students looking for a decent-sized monitor that doesn't break the bank.

It's not clear when Dell plans to announce this monitor, but it may happen this week during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, since it's an event that Dell has used to announce many of its products in the past. We'll be sure to keep an eye out for this monitor on the show floor.

You read more about the monitor on Dell's New Zealand website. We've attached a few pictures in case the monitor is removed from Dell's site.