HP LP2275W - 22in widescreen LCD

Subjective Image Quality

If the LP2275W's performance in the objective tests is very similar to the more expensive NEC MultiSync P221W, the subjective feel of the two screens is even closer. There's very little to separate the two.

Here again, it's great to see a 22-inch panel with real depth and detail in its black tones. Few (if any) monitors powered by conventional, monolithic and always-on backlights are better in this regard. Only exotic HDR displays with active LED backlights have significantly superior blacks. And those screens cost much more than this one.

Anyhow, factor in the subtle and natural colour balance along with the remarkably stable viewing angles and you have a really fabulous panel for watching HD video content. Granted, it's too small for use as the centrepiece of home cinema rig, but as a budget monitor-grade display for video editing, we reckon you'll struggle to top the LP2275W.


It's no slouch in the gaming department either. The fantastic contrast means you don't have to bork the brightness or gamma settings to bring out details normally obscured by shadow. The lack of significant lag is also a boon, while the pixel response is sufficiently rapid for all but the most blur-sensitive gamers.

All in all, then, this is a very nice display. But does it have any shortcomings? Strictly speaking, the panel's white tones are touch dirty. Certainly, they're not as immaculately clean and crisp as you might expect from a modern PVA panel. It also lacks the sheer razzmatazz that most 24-inch PVA panels deliver by virtue of their ultra-saturated colours.

This is a more subtle and subdued screen that places an emphasis on accuracy rather than instant gratification in terms of eye-popping visuals. That's not to say it's dull, but it won't blow you away in the first few seconds. Unsurprisingly, this is a characteristic it shares with NEC's PVA-powered 22 incher.

Conclusion

First things first, we have no problem recommending this HP monitor over the very similar 22-inch NEC P221W. In subjective terms, the two are extremely hard to separate. Therefore, so long as you don't need the NEC's 10-bit LUT capability, the massive £140 saving the HP offers, along with the future proofing of the DisplayPort input is more than enough to swing it.

A more difficult question is whether this panel is worth the premium over the gruesome TN horde. If that seems a little surprising given our constant bleating regarding the shortcomings of TN tech, allow us to elaborate. Compared to a 16:10 TN panel with a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, the LP2275W is well, well worth the extra money.

But that is no longer the key comparison. 1,920 x 1,080 is quickly taking over as the default resolution for budget 22-inch panels and that makes life extremely tough for any 1,680 x 1,050 screen. Everything from usable desktop space and the crispness of text to the eye-popping detail of full 1080p video benefits significantly from the extra pixels and tighter pitch of a 1,920 x 1,080 grid. Just like the NEC, what this panel needs for perfection is 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.

It just so happens that there is such a screen – the Lenovo ThinkVision L220x. It's a monitor that used to be too prohibitively priced for serious consideration but has now dropped below the £300 barrier. Needless to say, we're working on bringing you a full review shortly. In the meantime, the HP LP2275W remains a superb choice so long as you can live with the modest resolution.

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Score Guide