Samsung Syncmaster T220

As its nomenclature indicates, the T220 is a 22-inch inch panel. It has a native resolution of 1680x1050, boasts of an impressive 20000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and a 2ms response time. To determine how well these specifications stand up, we invited our AV expert Siddharth to put the monitor through its paces, and here's what he had to say:

“First up, we switched on the DisplayMate software’s now familiar patterns, and ran the monitor through a visual obstacle course. What ensued was a crisp and confident screen, passing most of the tests with high rendition, with small fonts and minute graphics having well-defined borders. This level of distinction and detail in the images was impressive. Along with the patterns, we also subjected it to some highly detailed game wallpapers, to confirm that still images look great on the monitor, detail-wise. As for color in the images, Samsung has lived up to its reputation. The colors are vibrant, with accurate hues, and what's better they stay in their orders well. Saturation and "humanly warmth" aren't excessive; this neutral approach makes it good for graphical applications.

"Moving on to video, we played a couple of trailers including movies like Fears of the Dark, Quantum of Solace, and older ones like Indiana Jones. Blizzard’s Wrath of the Lich King really showed the color capabilities of the Samsung, which as I said are very impressive. Black and grayscale levels were also above average, as we deduced from DisplayMate's gray level pattern. But extreme low blacks were not spectacular, and lower levels merged into one, compromising on absolute black accuracy. But it was definitely better than many other monitors. Same with the brightness, which was vibrant but not exceptional. The good thing is that there was no bleed or blooming in high-contrast scenes.

"The monitor claims a response time of 2ms, so our expectations were high. It did not really disappoint. In movie videos, the response was good enough, with minimal blur and border distortion; this is something that will be great for movie enthusiasts. We then moved on some modern titles such as Crysis Warhead and COD 4. There was no ghosting visible anywhere, and this adds to the overall appeal of the monitor."

Conclusion
The T220 is available for Rs 15,500. At that price it is priced about Rs 1,000 more than the competition. However, it not looks extremely attractive, but also offers very good performance. Keeping this in mind, the price seems justified, and we have no hesitation recommending this monitor.