LCD manufacturers are currently falling over themselves to launch 22in models. We’ve seen the sub-$600 Chimei 221D and the cheaper but superior ViewSonic VX2235wm, so we were keen to see Samsung’s latest offering. The SyncMaster 225BW is closer to the ViewSonic in price at a little over $531, and in terms of quality they’re similar.

The screen resolution is 1680 x 1050 – the same as 20in and 21in models – and it’s clear that at this size the enlarging of pixels does have its disadvantages.

We noticed quite a bit of grain on 22in-screen videos before now, and things are no different here – these larger LCDs can’t compete with a 20in model for sharpness and clarity. The flipside, naturally, is that you can sit further away, thanks to the extra two diagonal inches.

The OSD is clear and simple enough to navigate, and it has all the adjustments you need to tweak the image to your preference. With a maximum brightness of 280cd/m2 and a 700:1 contrast ratio, blacks are always going to be more intense than whites. While the black level is deep enough that your eyes won’t be drawn to the black borders during a 16:9 DVD, we did notice a minor amount of light bleeding through at the base.

White screens aren’t blindingly bright but they’re perfectly adequate. Light scenes were washed out until we scaled back the contrast, and from there on we saw a high amount of detail in our images and videos. Our technical tests showed it can blend colours without any visible banding, and the red level in particular was beautifully vibrant. Flaws were apparent in other areas, though: dark scenes took on a greeny-blue tinge, despite colour adjustments, and everything plunges to yellow if you move more than 45 degrees off-axis.

Like the ViewSonic, the Samsung 225BW is a good-quality LCD, with digital and analogue inputs, and solid build quality. It’s the first 22in LCD we’ve seen with a height-adjustable stand – with an impressive 10cm range – and if you need the two extra desktop inches it’s among the best for image quality. But we’d still go for a cheaper 20in model such as the LG L204WT for optimal value.