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Hi guys, I'm new to the forum, but I recently got a L220x monitor and since there was no in depth review on the site I wanted to post one of my own. Ask any further questions if anything's unclear!
Physical Build:
The L220x resides on a sturdy stand. It doesnt wobble or make you feel as if its going to tip over with the slightest bump. On the flipside, the stand isnt the most economical one in terms of desk space. If you have the monitor raised you could probably recover some of that space since the bottom of the stand is wide and flat. The stand raises, tilts, and rotates, smoothly and without nasty creaking.
The cable management system is tidy. It takes a few minutes to set it up and loop all the cables through their holes. Lenovo gives you a spiral cable organizer to twist around the bundle of cables and keep it looking as one. All in all a clean look in the back.
The monitor isnt winning design awards, but its not sore on the eyes. Like most things of the Think line its function over form. In this case youre supposed to be looking at the monitor, and the bezel does nothing to distract you from that. The front LED is just bright enough to see, but not bright enough to distract. Same goes for the front control buttons which you shouldnt even notice in your peripheral vision.
Monitor Quality
This monitor is the only one that Im aware of that sports a 1920x1200 resolution on 22. It uses an S-PVA panel, and claims to have a 92% color gamut. This makes the monitor a viable choice for those who wish to work with graphics applications.
One of the biggest worries is this monitors DPI. Right now it sits somewhere around 106 dots per inch. I know that the size of text has not been an issue for me. The rule of thumb is if youre comfortable working with a high resolution display laptop, you will be more than comfortable with this monitor.
The higher DPI is a blessing for image quality as well. Smaller dots usually mean sharper images. Running some H264 trailers on this monitor proved how much of a difference it can make. I can honestly say that HD trailers have never looked so good or so crisp. If you are a PC-centric video watcher, I would recommend this monitor highly.
Colors are bright and vivid. Unfortunately, they can be too bright and vivid. I did not use any monitor calibration hardware with this display, so I cant speak to how well it calibrates. I did set it into sRGB mode, which made everything slightly more accurate. Red and green tend to over-saturate in places. I heard that is due to a 92% color gamut. I dont find this a problem on photo and video. Nothing looks unnaturally green or red, and neither color spills into other ranges. The only place where this is evident (and annoying) is on the web, where certain shades of green and red tend to make colors seem very neon and bright.
The screen lacks 1:1 pixel mapping, which can be a dealbreaker for many. If you are planning to hook this monitor up to your computer and run at native resolution, you will be very happy. If youre looking to hook in gaming consoles, HD players, etc, you might not be overjoyed with the results.
As far as connectivity, the L220x offers 1 VGA, 1 DVI, and a 4port USB hub (1 in, 4 out). The usb ports are located on the left and bottom left sides of the screen, while VGA and DVI are on the back.
On screen display is quick and responsive, and the buttons are ergonomically friendly. A slight downward curve in each button means your finger will fall to its center and press the button you actually want to press.
Moreover Lenovo provides a control panel software for Windows that can handle adjusting all the values you usually find in the OSD from software. This can be faster and easier especially if youre tweaking color. The same software automatically rotates your screen when it is physically rotated.
Conclusion
This is a solid monitor to be used as a monitor and not as a small TV hooked up to your various media devices. For my taste, the high DPI is worth it images and videos look crisper than on any screen Ive seen before. Colors feel great, except for certain web pages (this may be possible to resolve with proper calibration). The build is sturdy, and, while plain, its functional. At going price of around $500 this is a great 1920x1200 monitor for anyone who wants a good image without breaking the bank.
Physical Build:
The L220x resides on a sturdy stand. It doesnt wobble or make you feel as if its going to tip over with the slightest bump. On the flipside, the stand isnt the most economical one in terms of desk space. If you have the monitor raised you could probably recover some of that space since the bottom of the stand is wide and flat. The stand raises, tilts, and rotates, smoothly and without nasty creaking.
The cable management system is tidy. It takes a few minutes to set it up and loop all the cables through their holes. Lenovo gives you a spiral cable organizer to twist around the bundle of cables and keep it looking as one. All in all a clean look in the back.
The monitor isnt winning design awards, but its not sore on the eyes. Like most things of the Think line its function over form. In this case youre supposed to be looking at the monitor, and the bezel does nothing to distract you from that. The front LED is just bright enough to see, but not bright enough to distract. Same goes for the front control buttons which you shouldnt even notice in your peripheral vision.
Monitor Quality
This monitor is the only one that Im aware of that sports a 1920x1200 resolution on 22. It uses an S-PVA panel, and claims to have a 92% color gamut. This makes the monitor a viable choice for those who wish to work with graphics applications.
One of the biggest worries is this monitors DPI. Right now it sits somewhere around 106 dots per inch. I know that the size of text has not been an issue for me. The rule of thumb is if youre comfortable working with a high resolution display laptop, you will be more than comfortable with this monitor.
The higher DPI is a blessing for image quality as well. Smaller dots usually mean sharper images. Running some H264 trailers on this monitor proved how much of a difference it can make. I can honestly say that HD trailers have never looked so good or so crisp. If you are a PC-centric video watcher, I would recommend this monitor highly.
Colors are bright and vivid. Unfortunately, they can be too bright and vivid. I did not use any monitor calibration hardware with this display, so I cant speak to how well it calibrates. I did set it into sRGB mode, which made everything slightly more accurate. Red and green tend to over-saturate in places. I heard that is due to a 92% color gamut. I dont find this a problem on photo and video. Nothing looks unnaturally green or red, and neither color spills into other ranges. The only place where this is evident (and annoying) is on the web, where certain shades of green and red tend to make colors seem very neon and bright.
The screen lacks 1:1 pixel mapping, which can be a dealbreaker for many. If you are planning to hook this monitor up to your computer and run at native resolution, you will be very happy. If youre looking to hook in gaming consoles, HD players, etc, you might not be overjoyed with the results.
As far as connectivity, the L220x offers 1 VGA, 1 DVI, and a 4port USB hub (1 in, 4 out). The usb ports are located on the left and bottom left sides of the screen, while VGA and DVI are on the back.
On screen display is quick and responsive, and the buttons are ergonomically friendly. A slight downward curve in each button means your finger will fall to its center and press the button you actually want to press.
Moreover Lenovo provides a control panel software for Windows that can handle adjusting all the values you usually find in the OSD from software. This can be faster and easier especially if youre tweaking color. The same software automatically rotates your screen when it is physically rotated.
Conclusion
This is a solid monitor to be used as a monitor and not as a small TV hooked up to your various media devices. For my taste, the high DPI is worth it images and videos look crisper than on any screen Ive seen before. Colors feel great, except for certain web pages (this may be possible to resolve with proper calibration). The build is sturdy, and, while plain, its functional. At going price of around $500 this is a great 1920x1200 monitor for anyone who wants a good image without breaking the bank.
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