
A 22-inch LCD monitor for $200 is a solid deal. A 22-inch LCD with a built-in HD tuner for just $30 more is, arguably, even better. OnSale has the ViewSonic N2230W-S (refurbished) for $229.99 with free shipping, no rebates required.
Viewed solely as a desktop monitor, the N2230W-S has some solid specs: a 4000:1 contrast ratio, a 5ms response time, an HDCP-compliant HDMI port (meaning it's suitable for pairing with Blu-ray players), and built-in speakers.
Like most monitors of this size, it has a native resolution of 1,680 x 1,050. Unlike most monitors of this size, it includes an ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner, meaning it can receive both analog and digital TV. That makes it a great choice for a den or dorm room, or for any PC that doesn't have its own TV tuner.
Reviews? I haven't found many. A few scattered user reviews dinged the monitor for lacking either a VGA or HDMI cable and for having a flimsy stand, but otherwise it came out OK. Because it's a refurbished model, it comes with only a 90-day manufacturer's warranty (more than enough time to spot any dead pixels, IMHO). If you've been eyeballing a bigger monitor, why not choose one that can pull double duty as a TV?
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