NEC MultiSync P221W

^M00:00:01 [Music ] ^M00:00:03 >> Mr. Franklin: Hi everyone. This Eric Franklin from cnet.com. And today we're taking a look at the NEC multiSync P221W. This is a 1610 monitor with a 22-inch slightly frosted matte screen and a resolution of 1680 by 1050. Although the P221W's relatively narrow foot stand denies it the kind of unflinching stability heavier monitors have it is still quite stable. Especially with the screen height adjusted to its lowest point. The panel pivots to the left 90 degrees, swivels nearly 360 degrees, and tilts back about 25 degrees. Also the panel can easily be removed from the stand and then mounted visa style on a wall. There's a groove at the top back of the panel that acts as a carrying handle. Taking the way too easily removable panel off the back of the stand reveals several vertically aligned hooks for organizing the cables. The onscreen display or OSD menu includes controls for the usual brightness and contrast but also two eco-modes which cap the brightness at 75 and 50%. Navigating the OSD was made simple by the menu labels that pop-up on the screen adjacent to each button. Movies on the NEC look great thanks to the display's deep blacks and high contrast. Games look good running at 1680 by 1050 and showed no signs of ghosting or input lag. The display's colors didn't look as vibrant as we like but they weren't quite drab either. The $490, 22-inch NEC is a great performing alternative to the super high end and super expensive professional monitors such as the $1400 Eizo ColorEdge CG222W. The NEC has wide viewing angles, a robust and easy to use on screen display, accurate colors, and several useful ergonomic options. Unfortunately this is where the Dell Ultra Sharp 2408WFP steps in. Dell recently lowered the price of the monitor to $550 only $60 more than NEC. Also the Dell includes a larger screen and many more connection options. It's performance isn't quite as good, especially in color accuracy, as the NEC but it makes up for its higher price with its feature count. So if color accuracy is what you desire, the P221W is one of the best. You may, however, be disappointed by its feature list especially when it comes to connections. Once again this Eric Franklin. This has been a first look at the NEC MultiSync P221W. ^M00:02:39. [ Music ] ^M00:02:43