Samsung SyncMaster 226BW

Suffice to say then that with the looks, features and performance, the Samsung 226BW is definitely our pick of the 22" bunch. However, another Samsung’s display that gives it some competition is the 215TW.

This is still one of our favourite units for widescreen monitor quality and it also has the advantage of Component and S-video inputs, which makes it much more flexible, especially for use with consoles. Of course, you lose an inch to the 226BW, it costs a fair chunk more and, for that matter, isn’t quite as stylish, so the choice is there. Alternatively, there is the NEC 20WGX2 which, with its S-IPS panel, kicks the image quality booty of almost everything else in the market segment. Too bad it costs more than £100 extra.

S v A

There has been some debate on various forums over the last few weeks about the panel technology inside the 226BW. One of the best (and longest threads) is here. There appear to be two versions of this monitor - one designated 'S' and one 'A'. We have the S panel here for review, and some gamers have been reporting that the S is a higher quality image.

Whilst the raw specifications on the two panels are the same in terms of contrast and response, but some are seeing slightly better image quality on the S, with the A having very noisy image dithering. Side by side, we are told there is a difference - although we have not seen an A panel to be able to comment on that. It's something to be aware of when ordering this monitor - you might want to check which variant you're going to be getting from your retailer.

Final thoughts

If you're looking for a 20-22" monitor in the sub-£300 price range, this is definitely the one to get. The design is great and the image quality is fantastic, especially when gaming. You can get better image quality if you move up to £300+, but the Samsung 226BW will suit the vast majority of people who are in the market for a great-looking monitor, in both senses of the word.