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Dell UltraSharp 2209WA review
IPS panels are the best that LCD technology has to offer at the moment, but IPS panels have also been the most expensive. Dell surprises us with an affordable variant, called e-IPS (e stands for economy). How good is this new type of panel compared to its more expensive cousin, S-IPS? The Dell UltraSharp 2209WA is mostly a pleasant surprise, especially considering the price.
Specifications
| Panel Size | 22'' |
| Resolution | 1680 x 1050 |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:10 (widescreen) |
| Panel Area - Size | 1403 cm2 - 47.4 cm x 29.6 cm |
| Total Weight | 5.53 kg |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Gamut | sRGB |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.282 mm |
| Brightness | 300 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio (manufacturer's spec) | 1000:1 (overinflated) |
| Connectivity |
|
| HDCP | Yes |
| Other | USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Hub, with 4 ports |
| Power Consumption | 52 W |
| Price | ~ $300 |
Our Assessment
|
|
|---|---|
Sequential contrast at 80 cd/m2 |
533:1 |
Sequential contrast at 120 cd/m2 |
800:1 |
Maximum sequential contrast |
800:1 @ 160 cd/m2 |
Brightness |
120 cd/m2 - 300 cd/m2 (too high) |
Screen surface treatment type |
matt |
Screen surface treatment |
5/10 (average) |
Color inversion |
9/10 (excellent - almost no inversion) |
Viewing angles |
7/10 (good) |
Gamma, colors |
4/10 (almost ok) |
Grayscale, precision |
8/10 (very good) |
Lag |
0 frames / 3 ms |
Response time |
13 ms |
Black - clear |
No |
Overdrive quality |
7/10 (good - low artifacts) |
Usability |
7/10 (good) |
Settings versatility |
4/10 (below average) |
Final verdict
The IPS matrix is satissfactory, with a contrast level of about 800:1.
The biggest problem is far too strong backlight, which can not be tamed with brightness control. Second biggest problem are the monitors electronics, which are set in such a way to produce incorrect gamma curve, which results in incorrect colors being displayed. Note that this is not a consequence of 'bad electronics'; our opinion is that Dell did this on purpose, to somehow 'enhance' the picture quality. There is no way to disable this 'picture enhancing mode', and that annoys us a lot. To remedy this problem, we recommend setting the contrast at 50%, at this setting the problem mostly disappears, and as a bonus the brightness level gets reduced to 80 cd/m2, which is acceptable.
Now the good things. The matrix is extremely fast, with no lag, low response time and a well tuned overdrive. Dark grays are very precise, with no added tints. Additionally, as a benefit of IPS matrix, there is no color inversion, which eliminates one very annoying LCD technology perk.
We would recommend Dell UltraSharp 2209WA for most uses in well-lit environment, especially use during daytime. Gaming, office use, surfing the Internet, multimedia, this monitor is well suited to all if there is enough light in the room. Also, if you like to watch the movies with 60 Watt light bulb on, then this monitor will do just fine.
We have to warn against usage of this monitor for anyone who does a lot of work during nights, or in dimly lit environments. Also, if you like to play movies in pitch black room, then this monitor will not make it. Ditto for games.
Work that requires precise colors matching will be problematic with Dell UltraSharp 2209WA. For photo editing / web design, color calibration will be mandatory, due to incorrect gamma curve. On the other hand, precision, grayscale, lack of color inversion and price make this monitor more attractive for the purpose.
We wouldn't recommend it for print-target media processing.
Altogether, great monitor for a given price.
Read on for details...