Product face-offs
LG Flatron L227WT
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| Diagonal screen size | 22 pouces | ||
| Type | TN | ||
| Resolution | 1680 x 1050 pixels | ||
| Response time | 2 ms | ||
| Interfaces (HDMI / DVI / VGA / YUV) | 0 / 1 / 1 / 0 | ||
| Options | 0 | ||
| Viewing angles (H/V) | 170 ° / 170 ° | ||
Wide gamut: the cure-all?
LG describes its monitor as 97% gamut. We ask, 97% of what? This isn’t specified but it probably involves the NTSC color space, or in other words, colors that will only be of interest to a certain group of professionals. Normal digital cameras work with the most common, the sRGB.
Under these circumstances, if a manufacturer offers an extended gamut screen (capable of producing colors whose intensities beyond which a digital camera can attain) or larger than the sRGB, they should make it a priority to properly display sRGB in default settings. Unfortunately, the L227WT doesn’t do this.
The result: pros, for example, which work with the Adobe RGB color space with their reflex will avoid this screen which has poor presettings. And the more common consumer will not be happy because the sRGB is inaccurate.
Vincent Alzieu
Test date: 2008-04-09
Test date: 2008-04-09
2 ms, contrast at 5000:1, 170° viewing angles from all directions, a stylish look, thin, glossy, and finally, a ''97%'' gamut. And to not ruin the rest, the price of the L227WT-PF is modest, or at least we could have expected more expensive based on this list of attractive characteristics.
Unfortunately, tests put almost all of these claims into perspective. The gamut is indeed larger than usual, but LG forgot to set colors properly. The result is that they are totally off. With default settings the average difference is 7.8 and this is one of the worst measurements we’ve taken in the last few years. Not a single color is well rendered! In general, grays are so ochre that they lack blue. Also, blacks are washed out at 0.6 cd/m² with white at 200 cd/m². The result is a contrast ratio at 550:1that is much more modest than the announced figure (either way this should have included the word ''dynamic'', which actually means nothing). At this point, we were quite disappointed. The sRGB setting found in the OSD is a little bit better and the average difference is then 5.8 (a good screen is less than 3) and black is deeper (0.20 cd/m²); however, the monitor then lacks brightness and produces only 160 cd/m² in white.
Colors aren’t great but the screen is reactive
The L227WT partly makes up for the above by its reactivity. We have to admit it is very good but there is a problem similar to what Samsung went through in mid-2007: the overdrive (a way to accelerate liquid crystals on the panel) doesn’t function optimally. Instead, there is a slight dark afterglow image that is less marked than on the Samsung monitors that were affected last year, but still noticeable.
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As for ergonomics, they are basic but enough. There is a rotating base and digital input (DVI + HDCP) on the back in addition to analog. Otherwise, it’s not vertically adjustable nor is there a card reader or USB hub.
Unfortunately, tests put almost all of these claims into perspective. The gamut is indeed larger than usual, but LG forgot to set colors properly. The result is that they are totally off. With default settings the average difference is 7.8 and this is one of the worst measurements we’ve taken in the last few years. Not a single color is well rendered! In general, grays are so ochre that they lack blue. Also, blacks are washed out at 0.6 cd/m² with white at 200 cd/m². The result is a contrast ratio at 550:1that is much more modest than the announced figure (either way this should have included the word ''dynamic'', which actually means nothing). At this point, we were quite disappointed. The sRGB setting found in the OSD is a little bit better and the average difference is then 5.8 (a good screen is less than 3) and black is deeper (0.20 cd/m²); however, the monitor then lacks brightness and produces only 160 cd/m² in white.Colors aren’t great but the screen is reactive
The L227WT partly makes up for the above by its reactivity. We have to admit it is very good but there is a problem similar to what Samsung went through in mid-2007: the overdrive (a way to accelerate liquid crystals on the panel) doesn’t function optimally. Instead, there is a slight dark afterglow image that is less marked than on the Samsung monitors that were affected last year, but still noticeable.As for ergonomics, they are basic but enough. There is a rotating base and digital input (DVI + HDCP) on the back in addition to analog. Otherwise, it’s not vertically adjustable nor is there a card reader or USB hub. 
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Design of the bezel
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DVI + HDCP
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Reactive
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Colors. The wide gamut has very little interest for this screen
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Subject to slight black ghosting
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Much lower contrast than announced
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No zero dead pixel policy
A very promising screen on paper but it actually has defects in almost all domains. In the end, it’s simply nice to look at while there is better elsewhere.
