Computer Monitors

[Timo]

Hi Trick, I have a 22" Samsung SyncMaster 226BW with a matte screen with 16:10 aspect ratio and a native res of 1680 x 1050 and I absolutely love it. Bright, great contrast, excellent and balanced colour reproduction right across the screen, zero light leakage, and most importantly (for me) unfatiguing in use.

Bought a 21" LG monitor before it and hated it, was so harsh on the eyes, horrible digital colours and contrast, no matter how much I tried to customise the settings. I'm not normally one for sending stuff back, but I couldn't live with the LG. Swapped it for the Samsung and paid the difference (+£60, taking it up to £180 as opposed to the LG's £120) and it was worth every single penny.

Bought a Sony Vaio laptop last summer and it had a 16:9 aspect and the loss in height compared to 16:10 was constantly niggling me. Incidently I sent that back for other reasons, but next time I grab a laptop I'll definately be looking for one with 16:10 as opposed to 16:9.

Unfortunately 16:10 is being phased out and replaced by 16:9 as a whole, though. Apparently it's cheaper to make the panels this way, and that people use them for watching films/DVDs.

However 16:10 is massively closer to the "Golden Ratio" than 16:9.

What I don't like about 16:9 is that if you take into account the Windows Taskbar/Startbar, and the title/menu bars of any applications at any one time, the lack of height starts to sting you. The taskbar and menubar steal pixel space (real estate) that could be better used to give you greater height like 16:10 does.

In short, I hate 16:9!

As for the Samsung, can't recommend it highly enough. It's a great monitor. Got it a couple of years ago so it'd be a lot cheaper now if they still make it.