This may be the first ever standalone monitor review in PC Pro to cover two displays at once. That's because the 2236DX comprises both monitor and son of monitor. It's a 22in widescreen display but with a 7in USB-powered auxiliary screen on a telescoping arm attached to the back. The arm rotates around the bezel and there's a hinge at the end so you can position it at all sorts of jaunty angles.
The old rounded Samsung Pebble styling has given way to a slightly more angular design, but it's no worse off for that; the piano-black glossy finish looks superb too. The panel itself stops short of TV-style glossiness, making it less reflective and a better proposition as a PC display.
The image quality of the main screen isn't perfect though: a fair amount of light bleed from the backlight along the bottom of the screen partially spoils the otherwise excellent contrast.
At 300cd/m2, brightness isn't an issue though, and with such brilliant whites the contrast is more than enough for films, especially with the 8000:1 dynamic contrast switched on. Our technical tests showed good colour and gradient handling, but viewing angles aren't brilliant; come more than about 30 degrees off-centre and colour changes, while not huge, are noticeable.
The slave monitor is powered over a USB link to the main display, which then routes the signal over a second USB cable via DisplayLink. Once installed it appears as a third monitor in Windows' standard Display Settings dialog.
Whether you'll find a 7in display with 800 x 480 resolution useful is largely down to you, but we liked it straight away. A separate monitor is the only way to have the likes of your SideBar gadgets and news feeds always visible but never in the way.
There are downsides though, largely due to the way Windows and other applications handle multiple monitors. For example, we tried to get the BBC iPlayer running full-screen in the secondary display so we could watch while working, but as soon as you click anywhere in the main monitor the 7in display drops out of full-screen and back into a browser window.
The price premium is hefty too, considering you can now get your hands on a decent 26in screen like the Iiyama E2607WSV for around £200 excluding VAT.
The 2263DX is a novelty that does have its uses, and we can see a time when secondary screens could become a standard offering. For now though, the price is a little too high.
System Specifications
22in TFT, 1,680 x 1,050, 5ms response time, 300cd/m2, 1,000:1 contrast, 800 x 480 7in auxiliary screen, 3.2MP webcam, HDMI, DVI-D with HDCP, VGA, 3yr on-site warranty, 513 x 218mm x 428.7 (WDH), 5.9kg.
Verdict
More practical than the average novelty, but the price premium for the extra screen is difficult to justify.
Author: David Fearon
PC Pro Online