BenQ G2200WT review

An understated and great value monitor

Benq
The picture displayed by the BenQ G2200WT is clear and bright, but it suffers somewhat from the harshness that you see with some Taiwanese TFTs

TechRadar Verdict

Good looking with some nifty adjustment options

Pros

  • +

    Sophisticated styling

  • +

    Bright pictures

  • +

    Fair price

Cons

  • -

    Picture adjusting can get a bit confusing

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The 22-inch BenQ G2200WT stands out because it is one of the few displays that offers more adjustment than a few degrees of tilt, providing swivel, height and pivot.

Unfortunately, the pivot doesn't have an auto switch and there is no pivot software in the package, so we had to rely on the nVidia graphics drivers to rotate the image.

These adjustments have a useful side-benefit, as the stand is relatively complicated, so this display does not require an assembly. Furthermore, the stand feels amazingly rugged and sturdy.

Snazzy design

Although the stand is relatively sophisticated, the display is less exotic and only offers VGA and DVI connections. You probably won't be surprised to learn that you don't get a DVI cable in the package (ViewSonic is the only company that consistently includes both types of cable).

The styling is pleasant and understated, although there is one feature that deserves mention. There is an LED in the centre of the lower bezel that shows amber for Standby or green for On.

BenQ, however, takes the issue to a new level by lighting the outer ring with a red LED, a bit like a mini Xbox 360, so you have lights that are red and green or red and amber.

Awkward setup

The picture displayed by the BenQ G2200WT is clear and bright, but it suffers somewhat from the harshness that you see with some Taiwanese TFTs.

Adjusting the picture should be simple enough as the control buttons sit at the bottom of the screen and have legends on the lower bezel. The setup looks sensible until you realise that the two adjustment arrows are located either side of the power button, so the process is more confusing than it needs to be.

There's no denying that the BenQ G2200WT is a decent display that represents good value, but you have to wonder who wants to pivot their display to portrait mode when the general trend is widescreen rather than a tall picture.