Nobody wants a bulky computer monitor monopolising their precious desk space when slimline flat-panel screens are more power-efficient and reduce eye strain. And few hanker for an old-school square-o-vision monitor now that widescreen LCDs are eminently affordable.

The practical benefits of a widescreen computer monitor are more substantial than simply being able to admire panoramic landscapes in movies such as Dances With Wolves. A widescreen enables you to have two documents open on your desktop side by side, making it simple to chop and change. Alternatively, you can leave an e-mail program open in one half of the screen as you attend to a separate task on the other.

There is a common perception that there is little difference between LCD monitors other than size. This is not so. There are real dogs out there that suffer from blurred images on fast-moving video — a defect known as ghosting — or poor viewing angles, in which case your photo slideshow will disappear if you stand up or move to one side. True, there are good deals to be had when you bag a new PC bundle, but ensure a decent widescreen is included. If not, buy one separately.

So how can you tell if a prospective monitor will be a pedigree chum or a right mongrel? With difficulty. It is not possible to gauge a screen’s calibre from specifications alone. That said, any current monitor should have a digital video input, be this DVI or in rare cases HDMI (see jargon buster). All screens should also have a contrast ratio of 800:1 or better, to give colours punch and help ensure blacks are black and whites are white. Beyond that, the specs reveal little.

Even apparently obvious technical factors such as the response rate, a measure of how quickly a screen’s pixels can change colour, do not necessarily imply better performance. The Apple Cinema Display under review has a modest response rate of 14 milliseconds yet handled fast-moving video with dexterity.

A key difference between a computer monitor and a television is that the latter has its image-processing technology included, whereas a PC screen is reliant on the computer to which it is connected. This is why all these screens were attached to a reference computer, using an eight-way splitter, for simultaneous comparisons. We examined benchmark test images followed by challenging photos, movies and games to see if technical flaws, such as an unevenly spread backlight, translated into real-world performance. Other factors considered were styling, ease of use and the warranty.

Current LCD monitors generally have a better resolution than most HD-ready TVs of 1690x1050 pixels. This is so you may read, say, the text within an icon clearly — a common flaw on inferior screens. However, PC screens often lack the ability to handle dark scenes clearly and rarely have the same glossy finish as a TV, as this creates unwanted reflections from the overhead lighting in offices.

Bear in mind that though these screens vary from 20in to 24in, the resolution does not, with the notable exception of the pricey BenQ. Opting for a larger screen with the same number of pixels inevitably means inferior quality, so accept a trade-off between screen real-estate and finesse.

If you intend to watch HD movies on your computer screen, opt for one with sockets that support the new HDCP (see jargon buster) copy-protection standard, as the BenQ, Asus and Dell models under review do. This provides extra future-proofing, but at a price. On that note, it is only worth paying for superb colour accuracy if you are a photography buff.

To put things in perspective, these are all top-class screens that will serve you well. Your decision rests on budget and how well each one suits your purposes. One thing is for sure: once you taste the freedom of a widescreen, you’ll never want to go back.

JARGON BUSTER

Contrast ratio Difference in brightness between a black pixel and a white one

DVI Digital video-only socket. Replaces inferior analogue VGA connector

HDMI Digital socket able to handle video and audio in one cable

HDCP (high definition copy protection) Encryption standard built into the sockets of some screens

Response time How quickly a pixel changes colour, expressed in milliseconds (ms)

FAMILY FRIEND

Rating 5/5

Dell E228WFP — typically £308 from www.dell.co.uk

Great value and flourishes of real quality for a big screen This 22in Dell isn’t cheap but justifies its price by accepting copy-protected video signals. The extra screen width is ideal for movies or side-by-side documents and the neat controls give a simple setup. Photo editing was a snap and only the pricey Apple beat it for colour accuracy. Viewing angles are wide, but performance is a little way off the best 20in machines. The 5ms response time kept movies or games super-smooth and a three-year on-site warranty provides peace of mind. You can find inkier blacks, but that’s being really picky. A class act.

PHOTOGRAPHY-LOVER'S TOOL

Rated 5/5

Philips Brilliance 200WP7ES — typically £289, or £279 from www.morecomputers.co.uk

Tremendous 20in all-rounder at a keen price This new 20in Philips beast performs almost as well as Apple’s Cinema Display at a fraction of the cost. This is not the most elegant of monitors, but the highly adjustable stand wins points and setup was easy. The Philips delivered smooth, accurate colours, with enough fine detail to keep the most demanding of image editors smiling, especially given the impressive 178-degree viewing angle. Legibility of darker scenes was also commendable thanks to a contrast level of 800:1 and it sailed through normal office tasks. The Dell panel’s extra size may appeal, but this screen offers the same warranty and greater finesse.

DESIGN CONSULTANT

Rating 4/5

Apple 20in Cinema Display — typically £529, or £513 from www.it247.com

Stellar performance, at a wallet-burning cost Picture quality for image editing is second to none, and despite a modest response time of 14ms and a slightly uneven backlight, this Apple was a strong performer in tests, with no noticeable blurring in fast-moving games or videos. The minimalist screen has no controls to adjust, other than brightness, and you won’t need them. The cables all attach to a break-out box, which connects to the display with a single clutter-reducing lead. It’s pricey, however, and a one-year warranty is plain tight. If you work with pictures, few monitors offer this colour accuracy; others should avert their eyes.

THE ENTERTAINER

Rating 4/5

Asus MW221U — typically £24/80, or £262 from www.scan.co.uk

Stylish 22in monitor with solid credentials The Asus has no TV tuner but was the best looking model under review and the only one with (very reasonable-sounding) speakers, plus a headphone socket. It didn’t quite match the class leaders for image quality: blacks were slightly patchy, colours a bit washed out and there was a faint blue tinge. But these defects were only apparent when looking closely, and overall the standard was high. As you’d expect with a super-quick response time of 2ms, fast movement wasn’t smeared at all. The Asus can also handle copy-protected HD content, which completes a strong package.

MOVIE MAESTRO
Rating 4/5

BenQ FP241W — typically £646, or £598 from www.ebuyer.com

Flexible, potent performance and future-proofed This deluxe 24in monitor is ideal for an entertainment PC. Despite varied sizes, all the monitors under review have the same resolution, apart from this BenQ, which can handle the top HD standard. It is also unique in offering an HDMI socket for adding a Sky HD box or PS3. It’s large enough to enjoy a movie properly, with no fast-motion blurring, excellent detail and a great 1000:1 contrast. Picture quality is up with the best, unless you need pro-grade colour accuracy. Styling is functional, but nice touches include a USB socket on top for a webcam, and a three-year on-site warranty. Pricey, though.

GAMER’S MONSTER

Rating 4/5

NEC MultiSync 20WGX2 — typically £350, or £346 from www.dabs.com

Seriously fast and super bright, yet pricey for its size When ardent gamers choose a monitor, only one thing counts: response time. In an online death match, milliseconds count and there’s no point honing your reactions for pixel-perfect shootouts if your monitor can’t keep up. Yet despite a modest stated response speed of 6ms, this 20in monster showed no smearing at all in tests. This NEC wasn’t just quick on the draw. It was also the brightest panel reviewed and the only one with a glossy finish, which helped create a vivid picture when alien worlds were ravaged, despite annoying reflections from overhead lights. At this price, however, you’d expect two more inches of screen width.