NEC introduces 22-inch MultiSync P221W LCD monitor

NEC popped out a new 19- and 24-incher earlier this month, but evidently those two just weren't enough. Today, we're being formally introduced to the very first member of the all new MultiSync P Series, the 22-inch P221W. The monitor caters to professionals working in "color-critical environments" and includes a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, wide color gamut that achieves 96% coverage of AdobeRGB, internal 10-bit programmable lookup tables, S-PVA LCD technology, AmbiBright automatic brightness adjustment, a 16-millisecond response time, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness and a four-way ergonomic stand to boot. As with anything with "pro" attached to it, this here display won't run you cheap, but $636.90 isn't too bad for a color-savvy monitor and a 3-year warranty.

[Johan S @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:38PM]

Hold on, I'm still waiting for the pixels to respond.

That's life with a 16 ms pixel response time.

[nitsnipe @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:52PM]

For those of you who are under 15 don't get what he means:

The monitor is total crap when playing games and watching video.

[Oliver @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:43PM]

where can i get that wallpaper?

[lowdef @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:16PM]

El Internet

[thedesolate1 @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:48PM]

Im still waiting for the perfect 24" S-IPS panel with a decent price tag. The Imac is a gorgeous huge behemoth but not being upgradable is a deal breaker for me. I think Im gonna lose it and just get a dirt cheap 28" TN panel if I don't see something awesome by the holidays. =[

[deadpool @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:57PM]

nooooooooooooo! don't do it! that's a long and dark road...

...with bad colour reproduction and shitty viewing angles.

[Nytrojen @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:07PM]

I would highly recommend that you don't go for the Viewsonic VX2835. I bought one, and after bringing it home and unwrapping my new toy, was completely disappointed at the image quality. The panel exhibits one of those strange phenomenons where anything in the red spectrum appears hot pink, and no amount of adjustment could fix it, unless you enjoy really low gamma and hue. There was also a hot spot right in the centre of the screen, which was extremely noticeable if viewing the screen from anywhere left of head on, plus the monitor doesn't auto-off in HDMI mode (which is your only alternative to VGA - no DVI here)

I gave up after 4 hours trying to get a decent image and fought for about 3 hours to get a refund, vowing never to buy Viewsonic again. A week later I bought a Samsung 2493HM, and even compared to my 2007WFP (S-IPS) the colour reproduction and accuracy looks fantastic!

In my own personal experience - Samsung or Dell... NEVER Viewsonic

[Wwhat @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:31PM]

Samsung has been known to have models where they put chinese less-good panels in half of their production of the exact same monitor (although not in review samples of course), same numbering andsoforth.
And if you think 3 hours is bad.. wait until you get in a tangle with dell support, that's a 3 month nightmare at least as we know from countless horror stories.

In the end you can't trust any company really and you just have to be lucky, and don't buy at shops that try to peddle defective models to the next customer or try to not take clearly defective models back.

[thedesolate1 @ Oct 26th 2008 12:01AM]

Thanks for the tip. i'll be on the lookout.

[thedesolate1 @ Oct 25th 2008 9:25PM]

Thanks for the tips. I will keep that in mind for my next purchase.

[thedesolate1 @ Oct 24th 2008 10:52AM]

thanks for the heads up.... Im going to consider that on black friday.

[Sachin @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:49PM]

that just looks like a regular monitor with the contrast turned way up, coupled with an insanely slow reaction time and a seemingly unjustified price.

[Johan S @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:33PM]

The slow response time sucks, but you can't comment on what the actual picture looks like without seeing it in real life (otherwise you are subject to the quality of the camera taking the photo plus image compression plus (especially) your own monitor).

[Wwhat @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:35PM]

Those ad-shots seldomly show the actual output, it's often just a photoshopped in image for convenience. Did you think all GPS devices ever shown on engadget really had quadruple-HD quality OLED displays?

[bobartig @ Oct 24th 2008 12:56AM]

I saw the 30" NEC at MWSF 2008, the LCD3090WQXi BK. It is the most gorgeous display I've ever seen. Also, it was the most color accurate display I've ever seen. You can't have any idea how vibrant and great the colors look, since its way better than whatever display you're currently using. It's like when you see an ad for an HDTV on a standard TV. What exactly are you expecting it to show you?

[StalematE @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:50PM]

No frog? Can't be...

[phanbouy @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:54PM]

"S-PVA LCD technology"

Holy crap! Engadget finally posted the LCD type!

[thedesolate1 @ Oct 26th 2008 12:01AM]

+1 for reading my mind.

[Chris Anderson @ Oct 24th 2008 3:22AM]

Hey, Ginger-balls!

[Eli Gundry @ Oct 24th 2008 4:45PM]

Brett? Here. Jermaine? Here. And Murray's here.

[Ray @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:01PM]

Is my monitor going bad or is that the worst press shot on earth?

Someones been a little to happy with those contrast and color settings

[Wwhat @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:36PM]

The ad-company edited it on a TN panel I bet, suckers.

[DJ @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:06PM]

That monitor isn't looking all that "color-savvy" to me... I think somebody needs to stop playing with the gamma setting.

[Russ @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:13PM]

NEC MultiSync - now there's a brand that lasts. The first one I used was revolutionary because it could handle the 640x480 16 colours that my Paradise 'Professional' EGA could do - must've been around 1988..

[Sharone @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:22PM]

S-PVA is great, but the 1,680 x 1,050 resolution is useless. It should have been a 1600 x 1200 monitor.

Sigh, NEC you disappoint me.

[Nippero @ Oct 24th 2008 5:56AM]

You getting confused with 1920x1080 vs 1920x1200?
Cause 1680x1050 is normal widescreen res.

[Sharone @ Oct 24th 2008 11:23PM]

Nippero no not confused. I want more pixels in a display that size. And the 1600 X 1200 is better for image editing, and practically all desktop tasks exclusing watching pirated movies :)

[José @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:22PM]

Seems like the Lenovo L220X is a better option. 22", S-PVA, 6ms response time, 1920x1200 resolution, at less that $500 USD.

[Mr. B @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:50PM]

I wish I had the money for a real LCD like this... I just bought another 22 inch TN panel to match the Samsung I already have.

[NDogg @ Oct 24th 2008 1:03AM]

For that price, I'd recommend the HP LP2475W - 24" SIPS. Been very pleased with the quality and color. Just another option out there that's been flying under the radar, especially for an IPS panel.

[wonkydonkydotnet @ Oct 24th 2008 10:24AM]

When are all these guys just going to get it together and switch over to Tri-Color LED backlights???

-AND 8-bit panels (ViewSonic VP950b 'professional series', I'm lookin' at u!)

[Pretol @ Oct 24th 2008 2:52PM]

Why is the demo picture for a color-accurate monitor showing a GROSSLY OVERSATURATED image?

[Bryan @ Oct 24th 2008 2:52PM]

Why in the hell would you play video games on a $600 monitor?

Too all those whining about the response time- realize you trade color accuracy for those 2ms panels. There's a good reason they cost $200....

NEC is a good company. The specs look great for the price. But if I go over 20", I need a higher rez. monitor.

NEXT!