HP W2207H 22-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor

For the money the HP w2207h is a pretty good monitor. I was leary of the glossy surface but as long as light sources are not directly behind you, there is not much glare. Pictures look quite good but those, who like me, who do photo and art work, be aware that there is some light fall off at the sides and at top or bottom. When looking at a white screen the sides look like a light tan because of this fall off. This is dependant on how close to the monitor you sit. I like to be 20" to 24" back but if you sit 26" to 36" from the monitor you should not have this problem.

I did not install any software that came with the monitor and I don't see any need for it. I use an ATI card that comes with ATI Catalyst software. I just plugged the monitor in and it worked. I set the video to the native 1680 x 1050 resolution. I use a Spyder 3 monitor calibrator. The default brightness of the monitor was 90%. I did a calibration but this monitor is quite bright in dim light such as night. I finally set the monitor to 60% brightness (using the front panel menu) and recalibrated. This is a good set point and not too bright at night.

If your video card output is a DVI connection, you will need an adapter or new cable. The monitor comes with VGA to VGA and HDMI to HDMI cables. I had a VGA to DVI adapter which I used to connect to my Saphire X1600 video card which has two DVI outputs. You will need an adapter or cable if you have DVI outputs on your video card.

Overall I would recommend this monitor if you can sit back 26" or more and if the 1680 x 1050 resolution is good enough. It is for me but might not be for others. Colors are rich in tone and saturation and there was no problem calibrating it. Front panel controls are good. I don't use the speakers since you really need good speakers with a sub woofer for music (possibly a few exceptions) so monitor speakers are only useful for voice.

Image is sharp and bright. Better made monitor stand, nice lacquer black trim. HDMI port and HDMI cable is included. Small imperfections are: backlight bleeding on the top and bottom when black color is displaying on the screen, no DVI port (WHAT?) Like the other reviewer, no audio out, meaning with the HDMI connection, you are forced to use the monitor's weak built-in monitor. When adjusting color setting, the menu is smack in the middle of the screen, which doesn't allow me to see the results of my adjustments unless I exit the menu. If you want quality in the external look ,monitor stand and image quality, I highly recommend this monitor. If any of the minor issues bother you, you may want to look for other items.

I bought this monitor to replace an aging 19" Dell CRT connected to an aging G5 PowerMac. I had several goals; open up some desk space, have a 2nd monitor for my 43P ThinkPad, and gain some flexibility with the swivel feature.

Initially I connected to my Mac using the VGA connection. Decent picture, but not amazingly clear. I've found this to be the case with most LCD panels. When I use the digital connection (HDMI/DVI), the quality is really, really good.

As mentioned many time before, the HDMI cable and VGA cables are included. If you need DVI, get one of the converters for about [...] incl. shippping, or buy a quality cable from [...] of Blue Jeans Cable. The prices are far better than any store and the quality is great. For those putting a PC under a desk, you can get a longer cable without paying the price of the monitor for the cable.

I wish HP would put in the HDMI-DVI converter and drop the skinny VGA cord. I think that would work out better.

The speakers are tiny and tinny. I didn't buy it for the speakers, so it doesn't factor into my rating.

As for the software, I don't care. I have a Mac, I wrote an Automator script to handle toggling the position of the monitor. Works great for me.

This monitor is an excellent choice at this price point (@ $245 special). Visually, it compares to the best of the best (even Apple monitors, which are better, but this compares admirably). The speakers are worthless, but you shouldn't be buying this for sound. This monitor is all about good looks and stunning rendering. It has vivid colors and brightness (I don't think I have ever seen a monitor that can get this bright). It has fantastic response times for gaming and video. It is adjustable (tilt/rise/lower - you can even make this thing rotate for viewing) and is aesthetically pleasing with a black and silver base/monitor that is very easy to fit on most desks and/or spaces. I've been looking a long time for a good wide screen LCD monitor and researched the competition pretty well. When considering specs and beauty, this is the most bang for your buck that you will ever get (@ $245 special). Merry Christmas to myself! ;)

Best Monitor on the market that I have seen. I would only replace this when a glass front model (when available) for the scratch resistance.

This one is kinda easy to clean(unlike other LCDs), with 1 to 1 mix of bottled water and pure rubbing alcohol(don't get too wet), clean with a soft towel. Don't touch in the first place!