HP f2105

HP's f2105 is a widescreen model we've seen before, and we praised it for its style and versatility at a reasonable price. Since then, we haven't seen a great deal of progress in the spread of 21in widescreen monitors; the f2105's only direct competitor is the high-end Eizo. This is why we've compared them with the 20in models this month.

In terms of image quality, it's a perfectly good TFT, although it's closer to the Philips than the stunning panels from Apple or Eizo. The sRGB setting produces a decent image, although we found the brightness needed increasing a little. In fact, we achieved a whiter white by using custom colour settings, but for most uses the improvement is minimal.

Movie scenes were crisp and detailed, if slightly yellow-tinged in some outdoor scenes. The colours aren't particularly vivid, but things are enhanced by the built-in speakers. They're powerful enough to fill a reasonably sized room, even if they distort a little at top volume.

In Far Cry, the detail was again great, particularly in the outdoor scenes, but there was a small amount of smearing evident. This was to be expected (despite the 8ms specification), as the f2105 didn't do too well in our technical response-time test. For most people, though, it won't detract from the enjoyment of the game.

Our test photos highlighted the f2105's weakest area: there just wasn't enough vibrancy in colours, even in images such as a bright bowl of fruit or a golden desert landscape. But that extra inch makes everything a bit bigger and easier to work on, despite the same 1,680 x 1,050 resolution as the 20in competitors.

The Windows Desktop is very clear and there's hardly any glare, but the screen coating is slightly reflective. Viewing angles are good, with colours only tailing off at angles that no-one would realistically try to use. The overall design is a bit hit-and-miss: opinion on its silver styling divided the office, but the stand is height adjustable and goes low enough to allow the bottom of the screen to touch the surface of the desk - a potentially handy feature.

The OSD is simple to navigate and comprehensive, and there are DVI and VGA interfaces, as well as audio in and out. The extra inch gives the f2105 an edge, but as with the 21in Eizo it's impossible to recommend it (at £450) for value. Considering there are better-quality 20in displays around for almost £150 less, the HP doesn't do enough to justify its premium.