Like the Dell SP2208WFP, the T220 boasts a fast 2ms (grey-to-grey) pixel response time. Movies and games showed no signs of ghosting, though it lacks the glossy screen coating found on those other two displays. Finer details in DVDs appeared soft and not as sharp as we would have liked, but the argument for a matte finish is reduced glare and reflection from overhead lights and windows.
The choice between a matte and a glossy screen finish is largely personal preference, though we'd say a matte finish is best if you are buying a monitor for office use. If it'll be used more for entertainment purposes rather than productivity, a glossy screen might suit you better.
Performance
Like its feature set, the Samsung T220's
performance was merely average. It posted a composite score of 83 on
our DisplayMate-based suite of tests, which is a good score in and of
itself but trails the scores the Dell SP2208WFP. It did well on the sharpness, greyscale and screen
uniformity tests, but it struggled with colour accuracy. We saw
compression on the colour scales and intensity colour ramp tests. Colour
tracking errors were evident, with some red visible on the greyscale.
Also, its reproduction of colour near peak white was very lacklustre.
Samsung trumpets a 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The static contrast ratio is rated as a pedestrian 1,000:1. On our contrast ratio benchmark, we got an acceptable 894:1 ratio, though Dell's leading SP2208WFP was better in this regard. Its brightness score was right in the middle of the pack of 22-inch LCDs we've seen recently, and we found that its maximum brightness was more than sufficient in a bright office on a sunny day.
In anecdotal tests, we found the picture to be quite good, with accurate skins tones and vibrant colours. The Royal Tenenbaums on DVD exhibited no colour problems, showing accurate colours from Royal's ruddy complexion to Richie's tennis whites to Pagoda's pink slacks. Finer details were blurry, and edges weren't as sharp as we would have liked. A glossy screen finish would have likely helped smooth the rough edges, though we had no such sharpness issues when playing F.E.A.R.
Conclusion
Overall, we found the
Samsung T220 provides a more than adequate overall image. However, the £199 Dell SP2208WFP costs less and provides an HDMI jack, USB
ports, and a webcam -- all of which are absent on the T220. The SP2208WFP
proved itself to be a better performer, too.
The Dell SP2208WFP remains our pick among 22-inch LCDs, but the Samsung T220 makes a strong case for those who want a great-looking monitor and can do with a thoroughly average feature set.
Edited by Shannon Doubleday
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