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The difference between LED and LCD monitors is mainly in the backlighting technology. LED monitors are in fact LCD or "Liquid Crystal Display" monitors that use a more energy efficient "light emitting diode" technology to light the back of the monitor. With up to 40% less energy consumption, and with no use of mercury, LED monitors are environmentally friendly as well. An additional upside to LED monitors is that, in general, they cause less strain on your eyes. If you get blurry vision or headaches after viewing your screen for long hours, then this could be a huge plus.

While LED monitors are the newer technology, LCD monitors, which use fluorescent lamps to light the display, are generally less expensive and have many of the same specifications and qualities of LED monitors.

Want to learn more about monitor specifications? I've also written a learning guide to monitor specifications and size.

Dell ST2220L 21.5" Widescreen Flat Panel LED Monitor Review:

One of my favorite 22" LED monitors is the Dell ST2220L which is the perfect mix between price and quality. For under $150 you get an attractive, Ultra-Slim Design, with all the specifications you want for home theater and gaming entertainment.

Better Picture Quality for your Money:

With an 8,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1920x1080 full HD resolution, and its ability to display 16.7 million colors the Dell ST2220L seems better than others I've compared it to as far as image quality. It also has an anti-glare coating so you don't have to think so much about where you place it.

Easy To Connect:

There's nothing worse than getting your new monitor home and finding out it doesn't have the right input to connect into your computer or other device. With an HDMI, DVI (HDCP) and VGA analog port, Dell has given you pretty much all the options you might need. For me personally this works great for plugging in multiple devices like my laptop and my computer at the same time.

Environmentally Friendly:

Another thing I really like about the Dell ST2220L is that it uses the latest LED technology which uses up to 40% less energy than standard LCDs and is ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant. Overtime this saves you money and because it doesn't emit mercury is better for the environment.

Modern Design:

I don't have a lot of space on my desk to work with so having a monitor which is ultra-slim and tilt adjustable is important. The Dell ST2220L can tilt forward and up to 21 degrees backward. The touch panel on the front also not only looks good, but is also very intuitive as well.

Overall:

With a great picture, design, and price this monitor is one of the best 22 inch monitors available for the money. I've also listed a few more of my favorites below.

If you want to save a little bit of money by going with a standard LCD monitor instead of an LED, then you can get last year's model with a similar picture for about 33% off. One model I've had experience with and particularly like is the Viewsonic VA2703.

This monitor boasts clear and stunning images with a 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, a full HD 1920 x 1080 picture, and a fast 3 ms response time to produce blur-free images for video games and movies. Another positive is that it's 100mm x 100mm so if you want you can even mount it on your wall.

Still Environmentally Friendly

Even though it's not an LED backlit monitor, the Viewsonic's VA2703 has an ECO mode for 50% power savings while running.

Summary:

Overall if you're wanting to save money with an LCD monitor, then this is the one I'd recommend you get. It has an unbelievable picture and costs just around $200. It also comes with a 3 year parts and labor warranty which reflects Viewsonic's dedication to this product.

Looking for an LED gaming monitor? Check out this post on the best LED monitors for gaming.

We hope you've enjoyed this review of the best 22, 24, and 27 inch LED and LCD monitors for 2013. Don't forget to vote for your favorite monitor brand above and if you'd like to contribute to this lens please leave a constructive comment in the reader feedback section below.

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