- Overall
Review of BenQ GW2250HM
The BenQ GW2250HM is a cheap, well-equipped, no frills solution for office work and basic home computing needs. For its price, you get every utilitarian feature you can need for tasks such as document processing and light gaming, all wrapped in a pleasingly compact and mess-free package.
BenQ GW2250HM Specifications
- Screen Size: 22 Inches
- Resolution: 1080p FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: Twisted Nematic (TN)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 2ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 250 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes (-5°/+20°)
- Stand: Swivel – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes
- Connectivity: HDMI 1.4 x 2, D-Sub x 1
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 20.66″ x 15.75″ x 6.85”
- Weight: 8.37lbs
Design and Features
What we love right off the bat from the BenQ GW2250HM is its sleek and compact physique. The cabinet is less than 3 inches thick from the side, and while that isn’t the thinnest we have seen, what we love about it is the power supply is already built inside. You don’t have to deal with a blocky or bulky external brick which most of the monitors of this class include.
The frontal finish of the BenQ GW2250HM is in glossy black, and while it does look sophisticated, we don’t prefer it since it’s almost like a magnet for dust, fingerprints, and scratches. The bezels are quite thick at nearly an inch on each side, so borderless monitor fans may have to look elsewhere. The back, on the other hand, has a dull matte black finish which we prefer more than the former. Overall, build quality feels robust and we didn’t feel any hollowness or unwanted flexing on the plastic parts.
You can access the BenQ GW2250HM’s OSD via five buttons located under the bottom bezel which is tactile, unlike other budget offerings where these minor inclusions are usually flimsy. Each one is neatly labeled up front, so finding which to press is easy. The power button glows green when this monitor is in use, so switching it off in the dark is easy as peas.
The included stand included is pretty basic, it snaps on with minimal effort, but it can only offer tilt for ergonomics. You may opt for VESA mounts or stands since the 100mm x 100mm bolt pattern is readily visible and accessible on the rear bulge. You get a port each for HDMI, DVI, and D-Sub with the BenQ GW2250HM so that you can use multiple host devices for an all-in-one experience. The built-in speakers wrap up the package, and while tinny and lacking in bass response, is still a pleasant addition to a budget-oriented monitor.
Display and Features
The BenQ GW2250HM features a 22-inch TN panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution with a standard refresh speed of 60Hz and response time of 2ms. Colors and contrast are fantastic for the price, and colors appear realistic and vibrant up to a certain degree. If you want to get the most out of this wallet-friendly monitor, we suggest using the sRGB preset for a bit more vibrancy or the Standard preset for freedom to adjust Gamma and Color Temperatures to your liking.
Full HD at 22-inches appears crisp and clear thanks to the tighter pixel pitch and density, so games and movies look sharp and clean. We did notice a bit of graininess from the BenQ GW2250HM’s screen, but it is only noticeable against white or neutral light colors. In darker scenes, we did not notice this issue, and the contrast levels were mighty fine giving blacks that oily thickness you want, while shades and shadows are well-defined due to the resulting grayscale performance.
Screen uniformity is also fantastic for something so cheap, and we did not notice any flaws such as backlight bleeding or discoloration apart from the color shift you see if you view the BenQ GW2250HM from an offset angle. Watching movies with dark atmospheres on this monitor is superb if you can live with the small screen space since we didn’t see any disturbing glows during black scenes.
This monitor also fares quite well in games, thanks to its GPU-friendly native resolution and faster than most GTG response time of 2ms. The BenQ GW2250HM can only go up to 60Hz, but that threshold is adequate for casual gaming. We tested Overwatch with this offering and were pleased to say that the cartoony and colorful images of the title appeared vibrant and crisp despite being a budget monitor.
There were a little blurring and ghosting from time to time in fast-paced sequences here and there, but the speedy characteristic of TN panels comes into play to avoid these flaws. Of course, you can get better mileage if you are willing to spend more cash on budget offerings like the Asus VG245H, but we think the BenQ GW2250HM makes an excellent case if capital is limited or if you need a reliable stop-gap replacement while saving up for a cutting-edge gaming monitor.
Finally, the BenQ GW2250HM is responsive enough to make playing games enjoyable, since we didn’t notice any input lag during our session with Overwatch, a game commonly played with twitch aiming and quick maneuvers. We also tested this model with a Play Station 4 connected to its HDMI slot, and still, the game felt snappy on the screen so sensitive after-hours warriors need not worry about the BenQ GW2250HM’s gaming viability.
Conclusion
The BenQ GW2250HM is an excellent choice if you need a monitor for your office thanks to the excellent quality of its screen’s uniformity and color vibrancy. Home users will also get a like how this display fares in games and movies despite its humble pricing, even if the size feels updated when compared to today’s 24-inch norm.
We cannot complain about anything regarding the BenQ GW2250HM’s robust build quality and excellent feature set such as its complete basic connectivity layout, which makes it ideal for multi-device setups or even triple-monitor builds. Overall, despite its age in the market, the BenQ GW2250HM is still a good buy if you are looking for an affordable option.
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