22 December 2008 12:00 GMT / By Paul Lester

If you’re after a new display that can handle high-definition video and widescreen gaming through your ridiculously highly-specced computer you’ll be looking for two things - a low response time and high resolution.

The Viewsonic VX2260 offers both of these with Full HD 1080p (1920 x 1080) and a 5ms response time (2ms in terms of grey to grey if that makes a difference) along with the fact that it’s one of an increasing number of pure 16:9 aspect screens.

It’s stylishly designed as well, and despite the fact that the apparently rushed gloss-black plastic stand doesn’t do it any favours, we were impressed by the diminutive lines of the screen itself. Unfortunately there’s no provision for twisting the display into portrait mode or height adjustment, but the swivel movement is quite smooth and it does feel solid enough to offer the assurance of a well-built design.

A choice of RGB analogue, DVI and HDMI for connectivity is a definite plus and if you’re interested in the audio capabilities of such an LCD (you shouldn’t be) you will find there’s a 3.5mm line in and out that can offer SRS WOW HD sound from the internal speakers. We’ll get this out of the way for starters to say that yes, we did notice a slightly more expansive sound environment using this technology but if you’re serious about enjoying the intended audio environment of a good game or movie, you’ll still need dedicated speakers.

Image quality from the VX2260 is generally very good. Highlights include impressive performance in terms of contrast, with solid blacks and accurate colours that make watching HD content on the display a real treat. Unfortunately colours aren’t particularly vibrant, which while not so much of a problem with video, can affect gaming if you don’t have a system that can get the most out of it at the full 1920 x 1080 resolution.

Overall though the sharpness and clarity of the screen does make for an impressive multimedia solution and thanks to the thin bezel, content that’s viewable in full HD or at least 16:9 resolution does look very impressive.

The range of controls for adjusting an image are comprehensive but certainly not easy to manage. There are no presets on offer to switch between different environments - movies, gaming, etc. - so you’ll be left tweaking the various colour, contrast and brightness levels to try and achieve the optimum image for whatever form of media you’re trying to view.

Verdict

The bottom line with Viewsonic’s VX2260 is that despite some niggles with image quality in certain environments you’re getting a lot of value for money in a screen that sits at the lower end of the price range for 22-inch screens. In this light we were impressed by the overall package and it’s certainly an extremely capable solution as an entry-level widescreen display.

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ViewSonic

Price as reviewed

£169.99

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The good

Excellent contrast levels, sharp lines, good value for money

The bad

Colours can appear a little muted, no preset image modes

Quick verdict

The VX2260 performs very well for the price and will certainly help you get the most from HD-encoded video and the latest games

Key specs

3.5mm jack, DVI, HDMI, VGA

Score

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