LG Flatron L226WTQ: Highest contrast ratio ever

By on 14 November 2007, 11:00am

Most monitors are pretty much the same. There's a small percentage that are dreadful, a small percentage that are spectacular, and a small percentage you can punch really hard. But most are just alright, really. One monitor that's a good bet for the spectacular category is the LG Flatron L226WTQ -- the world's first LCD computer monitor with a claimed 5,000:1 contrast ratio.

A high contrast ratio, for those not in the know, stops images looking 'washed out'. You get very dark blacks, very bright whites, and ultimately a better picture. It's not that useful when you're editing images, doing desktop publishing or other dull office tasks, but it's jolly good for watching movies.

We've been playing with an L226WTQ for the last few days and while we can't verify the exact contrast ratio (few people can) it's packing some seriously black blacks. And don't even get us started on those whites. The colour reproduction seems pretty good too, plus you get 2ms grey-to-grey response time, HDCP over DVI-I for high-definition content, and a one-touch zoom function that lets you switch to lower resolutions if your eyes can't cope with 1,680x1,050 pixels.

The L226WTQ is available in black or a rather unattractive shade of grey for around £185. It'll be in stores in plenty of time for Christmas. Excuse us while we slip into our white lab coats -- we'll bring you a review shortly.

Update: A full review of the L226WTQ is now available. -Rory Reid