BenQ V2200 Eco LED monitor

According to BenQ, the V2200 Eco is the world's first 21.5in LED monitor. A similar unit to the V2400 Eco — the smaller screen size is the main difference — the V2200 Eco monitor is among the first LCD monitors to boast LED backlighting. Though this results in decreased power consumption and a brighter display with better contrast, you'll pay a premium for it.

BenQ classifies the V2200 Eco as an LED display but in reality this is merely an LCD monitor with LED backlighting. In addition to the afore-mentioned benefits that LED backlit screens provide, the BenQ V2200 Eco doesn't use mercury in its construction. This is one part of BenQ's commitment to providing greener products (hence the Eco name). Other green features include the V2200 Eco's plain white plastic casing, made from 28 per cent recycled plastic and meeting EPEAT standards, and reduced packing material. The company has made use of recycled materials in the packaging and documentation, and claims to have used 80 per cent less paper and 70 per cent less ink.

The BenQ V2200 Eco LED monitor's frame is best described as minimalist. There are no glossy sections or striking design features, and many may consider the design dull. We feel it looks smart though much plainer than what we're used to. The non-gloss bezel doesn't reflect light, making it ideal in an office environment, and the monitor feels sturdy, though the screen wobbles on the stand a bit more than we liked.

A strange design feature is the round holder on the base. It has an optional business card holder that looks like long plastic grass. The BenQ V2200 Eco is wall mountable using a standard VESA mount but has limited adjustability — it can tilt up and down, but doesn't rotate or swivel.

The BenQ V2200 Eco LED monitor should appeal to those who own an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 as it’s a Full HD monitor with a resolution of 1920x1080. Unfortunately, users looking to use this as a double delight for their PC and gaming console may be left disappointed — the V2200 Eco lacks a DVI connection. It has single D-Sub and HDMI ports.

In our tests the BenQ V2200 Eco LED monitor delivered a mixed performance. The main benefits of LED backlight are increased contrast and brightness. Aside from this, we found performance to be almost identical to most regular LCD monitors. In our DisplayMate tests, the V2200 Eco struggled to distinguish blacks and the screen also appeared less bright towards the centre in many of the test images. Colour and contrast are excellent, though, and the display's general performance during office tasks is pleasing. Text, in particular, is sharp and clear, with no visible aberrations. In addition to the four picture presets (standard, movie, game and photo), the BenQ V2200 Eco has a power-saving "eco" mode.

During our gaming tests (using the HDMI port), the V2200 Eco didn't display any ghosting during fast motion, despite only having an average response time of 5ms. Like the V2400 Eco, the V2200 Eco is quite bright so your eyes can take time to adjust to it.

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