BenQ G2222HDL review

BenQ has impressed us in the past with the quality of its budget monitors – it's held the Value TFT A List spot for the past year – and the G2222HDL looks to continue that run of success. It's a 22in TFT with a 1,920 x 1,080 TN panel, and it sensibly sticks to the basics to keep the price low.

So the rear panel has just DVI and D-SUB inputs, with no extras such as HDMI, DisplayPort or integrated speakers. The stand is pretty bare, too, tilting five degrees forward and 20 degrees back, but with no swivel or pivot capability and no height adjustment. The design is plain black with just a touch of gloss, so it does look and feel like the budget monitor it is.

What we really care about is image quality, and the BenQ performs its core functions very well. The 250cd/m sq backlight is even and doesn't bleed through at all on a black screen, so the G2222HDL boasts a nice deep black level. Contrast is good, even if the claimed 5,000,000:1 dynamic ratio is as poorly implemented as most we see – leave it switched off. Gradients were totally smooth in our DisplayMate tests and colour-on-colour performance was clean, while our gaming tests showed no blurring in fast motion.

If we have complaints, they're minor. On a black-to-white gradient there was just a thin sliver of black at the bottom, suggesting the BenQ's dynamic range leans toward the high end – you may find highlights look washed out. Our grey tinting test revealed a greenish tinge that makes some colours look a little dirty, and colours lack the punch and vibrancy that only a dearer TFT can provide.

You have to take into account that price, though. A look around online retailers shows £119 exc VAT will only buy you a 22in panel with a lower resolution or no DVI port. The BenQ's Full HD panel gives it an edge, and the picture quality is good enough to match dearer monitors. If all you need is a DVI port and a screen, the BenQ G2222HDL is a bargain of a 22in TFT.

Author: David Bayon