If your monitor is looking more 1999 than 2009 then you need to get yourself an upgrade. Whilst you're at it you could invest in some HD technology too and view your desktop in stunning 1080p.

The VH222 from Asus is not only a 22inch flat screen but it boasts a resolution of 1920 by 1080 and has an HDMI port so that you can run your Xbox 360 or PS3 in top HD modes.

In addition to this it also has both DVI and VGA plus a line in for sound, making it ideal if you like a bit of multimedia on your PC as well. You can even have all three inputs plugged in at the same time and then switch between them. This means you can have a game running on your X360 or PS3 whilst doing some internet shopping or work on your PC at the same time.

Our only complaint with this is that the screen is a little sluggish switching between the inputs. You can't press it twice quickly to switch between HDMI and DVI for example. You have to press, wait a couple of seconds and then press again.

It's only a minor niggle but it can get on your nerves if you're doing it a lot. The menu as well can be a little fiddly to navigate and the buttons can be unresponsive at times too, but again these are only really minor complaints.

The VH222 supports five display modes such as Game, Theatre or Night View. These presets change the brightness and contrast to supposedly optimise the display for these uses. Although these work, there is little difference between them and they don't really enhance the experience any more. If you're going to use the screen a lot for gaming then you are probably better off adjusting the settings manually anyway and living with them for all other uses.

This brings us on to the display itself. It's bright and crisp colours are rich and vibrant and we didn't see any ghosting when running games on DVI or HDMI in fact. It's nicely styled too with a piano black bezel and stand, giving it more of a consumer electronics look.

Having a display that can run at 1080p is a little more expensive than a regular 22inch monitor, but if it means you get to play game in their full HD glory then perhaps it's worth it.

83%

Price: £159.99
http://uk.asus.com

August 2009