The best 22 inch monitors allow you to get your productivity tasks done within limited desk space. Although writing work, multimedia, and gaming certainly benefit from a bigger monitor, those with a cramped desk would rather prefer something much more compact.
Despite the declining popularity of smaller computer monitors, there’s still an abundance of 22-inch models that you can find at very affordable prices. In fact, their presence in UK homes and office environments is fairly commonplace.
Most modern monitors of this size max out at 1080p (Full HD) resolution and often come with HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. Some even feature built-in speakers and additional USB ports for charging other devices and connecting computer peripherals.
As for someone who doesn’t know much about monitors, it can be a difficult task to find the best 22-inch models on the market. Instead, they can follow this guide to our top picks for the best 22 inch monitors and make a smart purchase based on lesser choices.
Complete List of The Best 22 Inch Monitors to buy in the UK
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Top 5 Best 22 inch Monitors Reviews
Whether you are looking to buy a 22 inch monitor for productivity, gaming, or content creation, the following options should meet most of your needs. Monitors of this size are also particularly on the cheaper end, so one of these will most definitely fit in your budget.
1. BenQ GW2280 22 Inch Monitor, Dual HDMI connectivity
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- Panel Type: VA
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
- Typical Brightness: 250 nits
- Native Contrast Ratio: 3000:1
- Response Time (GtG): 5 ms
- Connectivity: 2 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x VGA, 1 x 3.5mm AUX, 1 x Audio Line-In
The BenQ GW2280 is a simple and affordable 22 inch monitor that covers all the basics. It has a stylish and elegant design that features a sculpted base and textured etching on the back panel. The panel is surrounded by ultra-thin bezels that not only offer a modern touch but also add to the overall immersion.
The 8-bit VA panel has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. It reaches a maximum brightness of 250 nits and a 3000:1 contrast ratio, which is on par with most entry-level VA panels. With 72% of NTSC colour gamut coverage, this monitor also offers decent colour reproduction. That said, the maximum 60 Hz refresh rate isn’t suitable for competitive gaming.
Input options include two HDMI 1.4 ports and a single VGA slot for connecting to older PCs and laptops. On the audio side, you can rely on either the built-in 2W stereo speakers or the 3.5mm audio jack to connect external speakers or headphones.
The included stand only offers tilt adjustments, but the 100x100mm VESA compatibility opens up for better aftermarket alternatives. One great feature of the monitor stand is its hidden cable management shroud, letting you neatly hide the power and display cables for a cleaner desk.
Other key features of this monitor include an ambient light sensor for auto-brightness adjustment and a blue light filter option. Overall, the BenQ GW228 is an excellent choice for both productivity work and casual video-watching sessions.
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| Pros | Cons |
| Decent VA panel for the price | The refresh rate is locked to 60 Hz |
| Ideal for office environments | Button-based OSD controls |
| 100×100 VESA-compatible | The included stand has poor ergonomics |
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2. Samsung 22” Full HD Monitor
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- Panel Type: IPS
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 75 Hz
- Typical Brightness: 250 nits
- Native Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Response Time (GtG): 5 ms
- Connectivity: 2 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x 3.5mm Audio Out, 2 x USB 2.0
If you are looking for better ergonomics, the 22-inch Samsung T45F is a perfect choice. The supplied stand is not only compact but is also highly adjustable, offering height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments.
Its sleek all-black frame also blends well with most desk setups. The three-sided borderless screen provides a nearly gapless transition in multi-monitor setups.
The 1080p IPS panel on the T45F offers wide viewing angles and excellent colour accuracy, covering 99% of the sRGB colour space. Whether it’s for media consumption or casual content creation, this is one of the most colour-accurate displays you will find in this budget price segment. The native 75Hz refresh rate and FreeSync support also make this monitor a decent choice for a tearing-free gaming experience.
The T45F includes a single DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 1.4 ports for video inputs, as well as a 3.5mm audio-out jack to compensate for the lack of built-in speakers. It also has two USB 2.0 ports for peripheral connections.
Unlike many budget monitors, the T45F offers joystick-based controls for simpler on-screen display navigation. The built-in Eye Saver Mode reduces eye strain by minimizing blue light emissions. Plus, you get a high-quality HDMI cable in the box to get started.
The Samsung 22” T45F is a fantastic productivity-focused monitor for the price. And for all its key selling points, it’s certainly one of the best 22-inch HDMI monitors out there.
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| Pros | Cons |
| Bright and vibrant IPS panel | Mediocre contrast ratio, IPS glow |
| Freesync-enabled | Slower pixel response time |
| Highly adjustable stand | No onboard speakers |
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3. Acer Nitro VG220Qbmiix 22 Inch Gaming Monitor
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- Panel Type: IPS
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 75 Hz
- Typical Brightness: 250 nits
- Native Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Response Time (GtG): 5 ms
- Connectivity: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x VGA
Those looking for a compact gaming monitor would find the Acer Nitro VG220Q bmiix appealing. The red-on-black colour scheme, frameless design, and three-pronged stand add some extra flair to your serious gaming PC setup.
The VG220Q uses a Full HD IPS panel like most other monitors in an equivalent price range. It natively runs at a 75 Hz refresh rate and has a grey-to-grey pixel response time of 5 milliseconds. It also has a motion blur reduction mode that brings down the response time to 1 ms (MPRT) at the cost of brightness.
This monitor does have FreeSync support. It lets you enjoy fluid gameplay free of screen tearing even when the frame rates dip below the native refresh rate. That said, the VG220Q isn’t a “G-Sync Compatible” monitor, so its VRR features won’t work if you have an NVIDIA GPU.
In terms of connectivity, the VG220Q only has HDMI 1.4 and VGA ports. It doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack, but you can use the built-in 2W stereo speakers for audio.
Other drawbacks of this monitor include the stand’s limited adjustability (-5° to 20° tilt only) and the button-based OSD controls, the latter of which can at least be replaced with Acer’s Display Widget utility software. Luckily, you can use a third-party 100×100 VESA mount with this monitor for improved ergonomics.
Given the rarity of high-refresh-rate displays of this size, the Acer Nitro VG220Q is currently one of the best 22-inch gaming monitors you can buy today. Sure it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a gaming monitor, but that’s all you can get in the budget segment.
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| Pros | Cons |
| 75 Hz refresh rate, native FreeSync support | 1 ms MPRT mode is unusable |
| The IPS panel provides wide viewing angles | No DisplayPort, missing 3.5mm audio output |
| Gamer aesthetics | The design isn’t for everyone |
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4. AOC 22V2Q 22″ Monitor
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- Panel Type: IPS
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 75 Hz
- Typical Brightness: 250 nits
- Native Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Response Time (GtG): 5 ms
- Connectivity: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x 3.5mm Audio Out
If you are looking for a 22 inches monitor that suits your minimalist desktop setup, the AOC 22V2Q is worth your consideration. Apart from having a super-thin frame, the impressively narrow top and side bezels make the display seems like it’s floating in the air.
Like the two previous monitors on this list, the 22V2Q is equipped with a 1080p IPS panel with a 75 Hz refresh rate, 5 ms response time, and AMD FreeSync support. Like most IPS panels, it offers good viewing angles and colour performance, but the static contrast ratio and black uniformity take a significant nosedive.
The 22V2Q comes with a sturdy metal stand that only offers tilt action. The I/O is integrated into the stand, stifling the use of third-party VESA stands and wall mounts. Despite that, the slim monitor casing and the compact stand means it doesn’t occupy too much desk space.
As for connectivity, the 22V2Q offers HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2 inputs, along with a 3.5mm jack for connecting external audio devices. It’s worth noting that this monitor doesn’t have built-in speakers.
The AOC 22V2Q is backed by three years of warranty. HDMI and DisplayPort cables are supplied in the box, so you won’t need to buy them separately.
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| Pros | Cons |
| Minimalistic design, slim and lightweight body | No speakers |
| Ideal for multi-monitor setups | Narrow FreeSync window |
| Stellar price | Incompatible with VESA mounts |
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5. LG 22MK600M 22 inch Monitor HDMI Connectivity
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- Panel Type: IPS
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 75 Hz
- Typical Brightness: 250 nits
- Native Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Response Time (GtG): 5 ms
- Connectivity: 2 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x VGA, 1 x 3.5mm Audio Out
The LG 22MK600M is a fantastic budget 22 inches monitor for gaming, content consumption, productivity work, and creative applications. It actually comes colour-calibrated out of the box with 100% sRGB colour space coverage.
LG specialises in manufacturing IPS panels, so the one on the 22MK600M checks everything you’d expect in this price range: 1920 x 1080 resolution, 75 Hz refresh rate, 5 ms response time, wide 178° viewing angle, and max 250 nits brightness.
The 22MK600M also offers gaming-centric features like Radeon FreeSync to eliminate screen tearing, DAS (Dynamic Action Sync) to minimize input lag, Black Stabilizer to improve visibility in darker scenes, and a crosshair overlay to improve aim accuracy.
Most LG monitors use a singular control nub instead of buttons for OSD navigation, and the 22MK600M is no exception. You can also play with the on-screen display settings via LG’s Onscreen Control software on Windows and macOS.
The included stand doesn’t offer any adjustability other than tilting. But you can take advantage of the 75×75 VESA mounting points and use aftermarket monitor stands or wall mounts. Connectivity-wise, you get two HDMI ports and a VGA input. The 3.5mm audio-out is offered as a consolation for the absence of built-in speakers.
All in all, we consider the 22” LG 22MK600M to deliver in nearly every aspect, especially at this remarkably affordable price range.
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| Pros | Cons |
| Factory-calibrated out of the box | No built-in speakers |
| Simple and unintrusive design | Limited stand adjustability |
| Comprehensive gaming-centric OSD options | No DisplayPort |
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Best 22 Inch Monitors: Jargon Buster
When you start searching for the best 22 inch monitor to buy, some of you might feel a bit lost in various labels and numbers. Here’s what you need to know about them in summary:
Panel Type
Monitors that are based on LCD technology mainly use three different panels: TN, VA, and IPS. There are also variants within these panel types, though we wouldn’t delve too much into it for now.
Twisted Nematic or TN panels are the cheapest to produce, but they suffer from limited colour reproduction, poor contrast, and terrible viewing angles. None of our picks above uses a TN panel.
Vertical Alignment or VA panels perform much better than TN panels, with capabilities to display a wider colour gamut. That said, the shift in contrast values is noticeable when viewing from slight angles.
Lastly, In-Plane Switching or IPS panels are considered the best among the three types for their superior viewing angles and unmatched colour accuracy. However, they suffer from a mediocre contrast ratio, making deeper black levels look greyish.
Resolution
The resolution describes the number of pixels on a screen. For example, the first value in the resolution of “1920 x 1080” refers to the number of pixels arrayed horizontally, while the second value refers to the pixels arrayed vertically. The multiplication of those values gives you the total pixel count.
In simple words, the higher the resolution, the crisper and more detailed the image would look. Most 22-inch widescreen monitors have a resolution of 1080p, with bigger displays coming at double or quadruple the pixel count.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate is referred to the frequency at which the image on a monitor is refreshed, usually measured in hertz (Hz). 60 Hz is the baseline for entry-level monitors, though it goes up to 360 Hz on state-of-the-art gaming displays. Generally, a higher refresh rate means smoother-looking motion that’s easier on the eyes.
Brightness & Contrast Ratio
Candela per square metre or “nits” is the unit of measure used to describe the intensity of emitting light from a screen, also known as brightness. The optimal level of brightness is 250 cd/m², which is also the baseline for entry-level monitors.
The contrast ratio shows the difference between the brightest whites and deepest blacks achievable by a display. IPS panels produce a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and it’s the current optimal standard. On the other hand, VA panels offer a higher 3000:1 contrast ratio.
Response Time
It’s the speed at which a display shifts from one colour to another. The fewer milliseconds response time takes, the better motion look in general. The effect of it is most noticeable when playing fast-paced games and watching action-packed movie sequences.
Traditionally, TN panels are known for their fast response times, whereas IPS panels are the slowest of the bunch. However, it all has recently changed with the next generation of “Nano IPS” panels.
Connectivity
Modern monitors come with various inputs, including HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA. The latter two are the oldest of the bunch and are often seen on entry-level monitors so that they work with legacy PCs, laptops, and other sources.
The former two inputs are currently the industry standard for digital AV connectors and have their own added benefits. They are capable of carrying not only lossless audio and video signals simultaneously but also other metadata.
Must Read – Best Budget Projectors
Conclusion
If you are in urgent need of a 22 inch monitor, our recommendations in this buying guide should hopefully help you with choosing the best option. We have included only the best-selling models from renowned brands like AOC, Acer, BenQ, LG, and Samsung so that you get hassle-free aftersale support.
We also strongly recommend going through each monitor’s pros and cons before placing an order. Though if you still have any doubts regarding these monitors, consider clearing them to us in the comments.