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Originally published at Internet.com Say you walk into a room full of computers, one next to the other. Now which PC would immediately catch your attention... the one with the biggest and best display, of course. All other things being equal, it doesn't matter if a quad core processor is under the hood, or a pair of CrossFire/SLI video cards are burning up the framerates, the monitor is usually the eye catcher. 
HP, in an attempt to provide the best looking monitor at the next LAN party, has launched a new series of widescreen LCD displays. The w2207, a 22" model, sports several special features that make it unique in its own way, but, is it worth the premium price?
Here are the specifications: HP w2207 Widescreen LCD Monitor Specifications Monitor Type LCD TFT Size 22-inch diagonal Pixel Pitch 0.282 mm Contrast Ratio 1000:1 Response Time 5ms Brightness 300cd/m2 Max. Resolution 1680x1050 @ 60Hz Video Inputs VGA & DVI-D Viewing Angle 160 Degree H/V Other Inputs 2xUSB, stereo Weight 19.8 lbs Dimensions 18.9" x 20.5" x 11.3"
Table of Contents • Introduction • Packing & Features • Packing & Features (con't) • Performance • Conclusion
Packing and Features
The HP w2207 monitor comes tightly packed into a heavy cardboard box, along with a support guide and variety of power, audio, USB, DVI and VGA cables. It is very nice to see a bundled DVI cable, as many LCD manufacturers forgo this option as a cost-saving tactic. 
Once the hardware was out of the box and the stand was set up, the HP w2207 monitor looked like this. 
One of the most visible aspects of the HP w2207 is the BrightView glossy finish on the screen itself, which enhances clarity, color and brightness but also tends to reflect more light. Laptop users will be familiar with this type of display, and the very personal matte vs. glossy debate. The black plastic surrounding the panel also sports a glossy finish that truly adds style points to the w2207.
Table of Contents • Introduction • Packing & Features • Packing & Features (con't) • Performance • Conclusion
The buttons for the on-screen display (OSD) are positioned on the lower part of the display. The buttons are: 1) Menu, which opens up the main menu, 2) a pair of - and + buttons for navigation but which also act as volume and quick view, respectively, and 3) the Select button. 
On top of the monitor, the power button is hidden from the user's sight. It illuminates in light blue when active, but turns orange and goes to sleep if the signal is lost or power-savings come into effect. 
The HP w2207 uses one of the best stands out there, especially among 22" LCDs. The height can be adjusted by simply pushing the panel up or down, and can tilt for portrait mode. While it does not offer swivel capabilities, the combination of these two adjustments offers a wide variety of display positions. You can even mount the HP w2207 LCD on the wall using the standard VESA mounts. 
The back of the w2207 is composed of black plastic, with ventilation slots on the sides. To the left is a pair of USB 2.0 ports that are powered by an external connection to the PC.
The HP w2207 offers basic video input options, and considering this is a $360 monitor, you would expect component at least. Unfortunately, there is only VGA and DVI connectors, and to the left and right, we find the USB input and a stereo jack, respectively. 
The fact that the w2207 includes built-in speakers is great, but what is even better is that these are not visible. These 2x2W speakers are fairly quiet and the sound quality is about what about would expect from a pair if tiny integrated speakers.
Table of Contents • Introduction • Packing & Features • Packing & Features (con't) • Performance • Conclusion
Performance
This particular HP w2207 arrived with no dead pixels or any other flaw, a fact that always leads to a good first impression. The reference system used for testing the LCD display has the following specifications: Testing System Configuration Motherboard ASUS P5B Deluxe WiFi-AP Edition Processor Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz Video Card XFX GeForce 7950GT Passive cooled edition RAM OCZ Reaper PC2-6400 Enhanced Bandwidth Edition Hard Drive Seagate 250GB SATA 3.0Gb Sound Integrated HD audio (default drivers) Network Unused (default on-board drivers loaded) OS Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit Drivers Intel INF 8.0.0.1010
Forceware 163.69
Using the HP w2207 for movies proved to be a pleasant experience. Contrast ratios were impressive - thanks to the glossy finish, which helped reproduce some very deep blacks. While watching low-resolution videos and scaling them up to full screen, pixilation was reduced, and quite comparable to a CRT. The glossy BrightView screen also played an important role bringing out more vivid colors and increasing brightness.
For a real test of a LCD, there is nothing like playing a fast-paced action game on a big widescreen display. After configuring visual quality and increasing the resolution to 1680x1050, playing Medal of Honor: Airborne was a real treat and it was very easy to be hooked into the game. After a while (quite a while, really) it was time to give Crysis a shot. The reference GeForce 7950GT comes a bit short of achieving high detail settings on this game, so the resolution was lowered and the settings were shifted to a mix of low and medium.
Certainly, the jungle scenario looked spectacular on the w2207 display but I quickly realized how important it is to play a game at the LCD's native resolution. All LCDs are designed to run at a particular resolution, called "native resolution'', which in this case is 1680x1050. Anything lower simply doesn't look as crisp as at the native resolution, and this definitely brings up a potential issue with any larger LCD. Running Crysis on 1680x1050 was overkill for this referennce system, so keep in mind that you'll need a beefy system when shopping for a larger 22" to 24" gaming LCD.
Evaluating the HP w2207 in casual use also proved to be very satisfying. Text was sharp and colors looked very natural, and there was no ghosting present while scrolling through long documents. The OSD (on-screen display) is fully-featured and offers many area to tweak. Apart from the brightness, control, scaling, color, language and quick profile switching controls, it also includes a management menu from where you can customize the speaker volume, the power led indicator, scaling and the sleep timer, and turn power saving on/off. There is also an information screen filled with technical data such as current resolution, recommended resolution, and serial number. 
Table of Contents • Introduction • Packing & Features • Packing & Features (con't) • Performance • Conclusion
Conclusion
It is obvious that HP had a clear plan for their new line of LCD displays. The HP w2207 features a TN panel, like virtually all 22" displays, but it still offers much more in terms of features and functionality. These include the amazingly adjustable stand, the sleek black and silver design, the glossy BrightView screen, the very useful OSD and the excellent cable bundle, and clearly set the HP w2207 apart from the majority of 22" widescreen displays on the market. The 5ms response time ensures the user doesn't experience any sort of ghosting, while BrightView technology helps overall picture quality by enhancing colors without compromising definition. 
Connectivity is one of the few areas where the HP w2207 loses any real marks, offering only DVI and VGA while most other displays of similar size and price include additional options, such as HDMI and component video. This is all the more confusing given the unit's integrated speakers and support for HDCP. The HP warranty is another issue, as only backing it for one year may seem a bit flaky. HP does have the option to extend coverage to three years, but at a price of $110, and a grand total of $470. At this price, you could probably find a sale-priced 24" display that already comes with three-year warranty.
Pros: * Super picture quality * Excellent contrast and brightness * Glossy BrightView screen * Outstanding adjustable stand * HDCP compliant * DVI and VGA cables included * Hidden speakers
Cons: * One year warranty * No HDMI or Component inputs * Some screen and bezel reflectivity
The Verdict: The HP w2207 sets itself apart from other widescreen displays by offering more features, but for a bit more money. SysOpt Product Info
Product:
HP w2207
Category:
LCD Display
Est. Price:
$360
Manufacturer:
HP
3000 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1185
1- 800-752-0900
Availability:
Now
Ratings: (Best of four stars)
Features: 
Performance:
Value: 
Best for:
Gamers, multitaskers
Table of Contents • Introduction • Packing & Features • Packing & Features (con't) • Performance • Conclusion
Author: Theo Cevallos
Read article at Internet.com site