Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

22" LCD Questions

joelw135

joelw135

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 15, 2008
553
279
New Jersey, USA
Looking for a new 22" LCD which will have a bright clear screen. I am a little confused regarding specifications regarding Contrast Ratio is the higher the number better or worse? Brightness is the higher the number better or worse? And last of all who makes a good screen for a reasonable price?
 
The contrast ratio is the big thing you have to look at with 22" LCD's, the higher the number the better, because it is a greater difference between the darkest darks and the lightest lights. All 22" LCDs are going to have the same resolution (1680*1050) so just look for something with a high contrast ratio. (something around 3000:1)
 
tdgrn said:
The contrast ratio is the big thing you have to look at with 22" LCD's, the higher the number the better, because it is a greater difference between the darkest darks and the lightest lights. All 22" LCDs are going to have the same resolution (1680*1050) so just look for something with a high contrast ratio. (something around 3000:1)
Click to expand...

Thanks, what about brightness number is that also the higher the brighter?
 
Bingo, usually 300cd is normal, so if you can find something that has 400cd that is going to be really bright. My honest best advice, don't worry about the numbers (each manufacturer comes up with their own numbers) and just go by looks, if you don't like they way it looks in the store, you wont like it on your desk.
 
tdgrn said:
Bingo, usually 300cd is normal, so if you can find something that has 400cd that is going to be really bright. My honest best advice, don't worry about the numbers (each manufacturer comes up with their own numbers) and just go by looks, if you don't like they way it looks in the store, you wont like it on your desk.
Click to expand...

OK, I was looking at an Acer which looks pretty nice, with a 2500:1 contrast ratio and a 300 brightness. I was also looking at this but the ratio seems low.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...7&cs=19&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=27530&lid=627063
 
A lot of people like the Dell monitors. I'm partially color blind, so I can only tell you what the specs mean. Best Buy sells the most Samsung's, LG's, and Hanspree (Hans G). Unless you are spending a ton of money, just get something on sale.
 
tdgrn said:
A lot of people like the Dell monitors. I'm partially color blind, so I can only tell you what the specs mean. Best Buy sells the most Samsung's, LG's, and Hanspree (Hans G). Unless you are spending a ton of money, just get something on sale.
Click to expand...

I guess you are correct, since I only will have my text on the new screen and my photography editing on the 24" iMac.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I made my decision and choose a Envision AOC 22" LCD wide screen the contrast ratio is 3000 to 1 with a brightness of 300nit. It has DVI and VGA but I will use the DVI. I will chances are try to find a VESA desk mount (Clamp ON) to bring the LCD a drop higher as it has a 405 mm height and it is next to the iMac 24" I hope I can get a mount that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
 
Update:

I just received my AOC 2216Vw from Provantage and I am elated at the fantastic screen. It is almost as bright as the iMac 24" which caused me to lower the brightness. The LCD is rated at 300Nit brightness. The letters are very sharp and the blacks and grays are rendered well. I paid $169.00 with shipping but if I had ordered it today from www.Buy.com I could have gotten it for$139.99. I tried to get Provantage to meet the price but they said no. At least I am extremely happy with the purchase. I had to put the LCD on a monitor riser as it is very low on the desk next to the 24" IMac, so now the top of the AOC is 1/2" above the iMac. The LCD did not come with the DVI-D cable, but came with a VGA and power chords. I used the DVI-D from the Benq LCD that failed. The Benq did not last to long, and I am hopping the AOC lasts longer. If you use this LCD with an iMac you need the Mini DVI to DVI-D adapter cable. I am using the AOC right out of the box with no adjustments, and there are plenty. There are presets for many uses, but out of the box was fine.
 
I have both an Acer AL2216W and an AL2223W on my desk, the 2216 is hooked to a MacMini and the 2223 is hooked to my MacBook Pro. Both are fine displays and seem to have the same level of contrast and brightness. As someone else mentioned, you really need to look at them running to judge things. Now, that being said, the 2223 definitely has "bright corners/sides" issues with the back lighting. I check this by opening firefox and creating a new tab with no web page and maximizing to fill the screen. It is not a huge issue, but I have seen other displays with definite uneven back lighting that would be a problem for daily use.

One other point, most 22" TFT panels are really 6 bit color depth, not 8. The spec will say that they are 16 million color capable. The 6 bit per color panels are capable of 2**18th or 262k colors.
 
gwerhart0800 said:
I have both an Acer AL2216W and an AL2223W on my desk, the 2216 is hooked to a MacMini and the 2223 is hooked to my MacBook Pro. Both are fine displays and seem to have the same level of contrast and brightness. As someone else mentioned, you really need to look at them running to judge things. Now, that being said, the 2223 definitely has "bright corners/sides" issues with the back lighting. I check this by opening firefox and creating a new tab with no web page and maximizing to fill the screen. It is not a huge issue, but I have seen other displays with definite uneven back lighting that would be a problem for daily use.
Click to expand...

Before I bought the AOC I went to at least 4 stores to compare the different LCD screens. And had narrowed it down. Then a friend that runs the IT department of a major firm invited me to come to his office where they have at least 6 different brands of LCDs. He even had unused units to check. We walked the floors and I checked out many different models. I came across one office that had 4 AOC units running and was very much impressed. I decided to order it on Sunday and am very happy with my purchase. The screen is bright and the colors are sharp. The main thing is the text was crisp and the blacks were deep.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back