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NEC MultiSync EA221WMe review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £196
inc VAT

The EA221WMe is a superb, professional-quality monitor that's ideal for graphics work, but it's expensive for a 22in display.

Specifications

22in screen size, 1,680×1,050 resolution, DVI: yes, VGA: yes, HDMI:

http://www.morecomputers.com

The EA221WMe looks as if it means business. It has a practical matt bezel that won’t distract you from the screen, and a fully adjustable stand with over 10cm of height adjustment and the ability to rotate the screen into portrait mode.

A sophisticated cable management system is built into the stand, and a built-in carousel allows easy rotation through almost 360°. The EA221WMe also includes a four-port USB hub.

Colour accuracy is superb, although colours are natural rather than vibrant. With a dimmer backlight than most – 250cd/m2 rather than 300cd/m2 – the EA221WMe’s colours aren’t as punchy as we’ve seen on other displays. The contrast ratio isn’t as high as we’d expect, and images lack detail in dark areas, although you’d be hard-pressed to notice this without making a direct, side-by-side comparison.

As well as a PC, you can connect a Blu-ray player through the HDCP-compliant DVI input. However, the screen’s resolution of 1,680×1,050 is less suited to HD movies. It’s also disappointing for office use, as other 22in displays have 1,920×1,080 resolutions.

Small, unobtrusive buttons are located under the screen, with a main menu button and a small joystick control to navigate and set values. This is intuitive and easy to use thanks to the joystick. The menu offers the usual controls, and there are four preset image modes, which didn’t improve the image.

An eco mode reduces power consumption to as little as 15W, but this produced a very dark picture and would be suitable only for a darkened room. In standard mode, the EA221WMe draws only 24W anyway, so it’s already one of the most environmentally friendly monitors we’ve tested.

If you want the convenience of an adjustable stand and a USB hub, the EA1221WMe is ideal, and for serious graphics work its colour accuracy is brilliant. For standard home use, though, Samsung’s 2494HM is a better choice.

Basic Specifications

Rating ***

Physical

Viewable size 22 in
Native resolution 1,680×1,050
Contrast ratio 1,000:1
Brightness 250cd/m²
Horizontal viewing angle 170°
Response time 5ms
Response time type black-to-black
Screen depth 76mm
Base (WxD) 218x218mm
Screen elevation 68-176mm

Features

Portrait mode yes
Wall mount option yes
Height adjustable yes
Internal speakers yes (2x 1W)
USB hub 4-port USB
Integrated power supply yes
Kensington lock lug yes
Display extras cable management system
VGA input yes
DVI input yes
S-video input no
Component input no
Composite input no
HDCP support yes
Audio inputs 3.5mm line in

Environmental

Power consumption standby 0W
Power consumption on 24W

Buying Information

Price £196
Supplier http://www.morecomputers.com
Details www.nec-display-solutions.co.uk
Warranty three years onsite

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