PC owners today think small is better. But when it comes to the display, viewing size matters.

As you would expect large desktop real estate to come at a hefty price, Skygate is offering the 21.6-inch Viewsonic VA2226W wide-screen liquid crystal display (LCD) for RM870.
You can say extra features such as the iPod dock, Webcam and speakers are nice to have, but in reality you would be listening to tunes on your PC speaker setup and be relieved that you don’t have to worry about whether the Webcam is on or not.
I tested the VA2226W with high-definition content and my favourite games, and its performance proved outstanding for that price.
First up, gaming experience. Although Call of Duty 4 is no Unreal Tournament 3, it does have fast gameplay and demanding graphics. The VA2226W performed admirably – colours were crisp and vibrant compared to my 17-inch Dell LCD; of course, this was due to the 1,000:1 contrast ratio.
And while playing Call of Duty 4, there was no ghosting, or “tearing”, which helped a lot when trying to pin knifers with a shotgun.
Also noteworthy is the anti-glare coating on the VA2226W. Since my PC is situated with a window behind it, I get all sorts of glare with my old LCD, making it hard to view from a distance of five feet and more. But with the VA2226W, this has been reduced to a tolerable experience.
Besides that, the VA2226W can act as a display for two PCs. You can switch between the two inputs (DVI and VGA) at a push of a button on the VA2226W, which means you can run two PCs simultaneously off the VA2226W. Naturally, you still need a KM switch or mouse and keyboard for each PC.
In a nutshell, the VA2226W is suitable for those looking for a good performing 22-inch LCD on the cheap. The only problem I have with it is, you may have to wait for your order to come in since there is high demand for this LCD.

Product: VA2226W
Manufacturer: Viewsonic
Enquiries: Skygate (Tel: 04-2628257)
Price: RM870


Specifications
Display area: 18.3 inches horizontal, 11.4in vertical, 21.6in diagonal
Weight: 5.1kg
Colour: 16.7 million
Pixel pitch: 0.276mm
View angle: 170 degrees horizontal, 160 degrees vertical
Resolution: 1,680 by 1,050 pixels
Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 static, 2,000:1 dynamic
Brightness: 300cd/m²
Response time: 5ms
OSD language: All major languages
Speakers: None
Power input: AC 100-240V, 50/60Hz
Power consumption: 38W