The Asus PG221 tries to do something already attempted with the PG191: it’s a 22 inch equipped with a base speaker on the rear complemented by two 5 Watts speakers on the front.  This is instead of a small 1 watt component without a subwoofer for its rivals.  Destined for gamers, especially those who like to travel around to multi-player sessions, the PG221 aims to please with its 2 ms TN panel, 1.3 megapixel webcam, multiple video inputs (DVI with HDCP, VGA, YUV, S-Video and Composite) and a new control panel to adjust every possible (and imaginable) parameter such as color, sound and screen environment.

Overall, the PG221is indeed well equipped for gamers.  Even if the sound quality didn’t leave us completely satisfied, the damage is limited by being able to specify the type of game you are playing in the OSD in order to optimize this parameter.  In the same way, we also liked the shortcut button which allows going from night mode to normal depending on the time of day.  There is also the option of a 1:1 or 4/3 mode in the OSD to display a game in reduced resolution without resizing (black bands are added).


As for display quality, there are two main points that have definitely improved since the previous PG191 :

- reactivity is no longer disappointing and afterglow is well at a minimum.  There isn’t better on the current market.

- evolved color rendering with better good color fidelity.  This is despite the presence of a glossy screen, which tends to denature colors by making them livelier and less natural.  The gloss also means avoiding direct light sources which otherwise changes the panel into a virtual mirror.  In the end, we wonder about such a choice for a gamer’s screen.

We also liked (even if it’s not too easy to get there) the last options menu, particularly the Aspect Control.

This mainly concerns game consoles which are connected, for example, on the YUV input.  They now have the choice of playing on the entire width of the monitor or in 4/3. Older generation consoles and the Nintendo Wii won’t have deformed images.  However, avoid the zoom because it lops off a part of the image. Note that Full and Panaorama means the entire height of the screen is used without horizontal black bands and therefore 720p signals are vertically rescaled.  The rescaling however is very well done for a monitor.

Unfortunately for gamers, one last aspect point could disappoint the commando in you. While liquid crystals are very fast, the electronic circuitry behind them is a little behind.  There is a slight delay in the display of images, a little bit higher than the average.  Gamers that play with this screen will be systematically 2 to 4 images behind those equipped with CRTs or a super reactive LCD like the latest Samsung and Iiyama 22 inch.

In the end, here are our reservations on this screen:

- the webcam isn’t any better.  It still doesn’t do well in bright situations and there is quite a bit of afterglow when you move too much. This is inferior to the capabilities of good webcams ;

- the caisson quickly shows its limits (see box) ;

- the price.  This all-in-one solution puts it as expensive as a 24 inch.