A very compact Compaq, the S2021A LCD is the monitor for those looking for a less footprint-heavy option.
With so many massive wide-screen monitors to choose from, it seems crazy to even consider anything under 22in. But then again, some setups just don’t have the space for a bulky monitor, not to mention decent energy and the possible purchase price savings.
The Compaq S2021A measures a rather diminutive 20in. Unlike larger monitors, it’s not full HD and runs a 1,600 x 900 resolution which gives it a wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio. The 5ms refresh is decent, but not amazing and the 700:1 could be better. It is LED backlit, has a brightness of 200 cd/m² and displays 57% of the NTSC colour gamut.
Despite this, in actual use it’s not too bad. Colours are reasonably vibrant, though a little over accentuated and there is a little light bleed around the edges of the screen. A little tweaking in the OSD will help, but there isn’t huge gains to be had. The viewing angles are quite low, but that’s not a big deal as you’re not really going to be sharing a screen of this size. It has a matte non-glare coating on the screen, making it perfect for bright or backlit environments. While no aspect of the S2021A is amazing, it works together rather well and will easily satisfy those upgrading from old CRTs or LCDs.
It has both DVI and VGA ports but disappointingly only ships with a VGA cable. You do get inbuilt speakers and a 3.5mm audio cable, but these are not really good for much more than Skype or the odd YouTube video. The stand is also pretty basic - only offering a small range of tilt. On the plus side, this little Compaq used only 13W and while it might take a few years, it will save you a significant amount of money from your power bill.
While not the largest or highest spec monitor, the S2021A can be found online for under $150 at places such as JB Hi-Fi. Even better, some retailers offer it bundled with the Compaq CQ3 desktop PC for even less.
Available from Compaq, retailing for $229.
APC rating: 7/10
