The competition in the computer monitor market is fierce at the best of times, but now that customers are increasingly having to tighten their constantly pressurised budgets, it's the monitors that can offer the greatest versatility for the least financial outlay that will be the most attractive to the buyer.

It's with this clearly in mind that LG has now released its W2261V 21.5-inch monitor with full High Definition functionality and a 20,000:1 Digital Fine Contrast ratio. It looks chic in stark black with a matching monitor stand that, in contrast to several of its rivals, fits in swiftly thanks to a screw-in wing-nut. The overall dimensions are 51.90 cm x 39.28cm x 19.32cm, it weighs a satisfyingly solid 4.2kg and it provides you with a wide viewing angle of 170 degrees.

As well as having a funky, dew-shaped, touch-sensitive power button that glows red when on, there are D-sub, DVI-D and HDMI inputs round the back that signal this is a monitor geared up for serious gaming and Blu-ray movies, as well as conventional full HD 16:9 viewing at 1920 x 1080 resolution. If you're watching pictures that originate in 4:3 aspect ratio then there's a separate menu function for this format that cuts out the usual distortion when viewing on a widescreen display.

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The main controls are on the right-hand edge and begin with a FUN button which covers EZ Zooming (which alters the display resolution by single-step increments when attached to a PC), the 4:3 mode and Photo Effect where you can view in Monochrome, Sepia and the curiously named Gaussian Blur (which simultaneously brightens the image and softens it).

The main MENU button looks after the picture (including the black level for HDMI input), colour, tracking and additional Setup (language, white balance, overscan and response time). Holding the menu button in will also lock the OSD settings once you're happy with them.

With an extra speedy 2ms response time and a native 300cd/m2 brightness, the W2261V is powered by LG's F-Engine chipset and there's a separate F-Engine control to suit your viewing application. Thus there are specific settings for Movie, Game and Internet as well as Sports, Demo and standard HDMI input. Manual adjustment can also be done; brightness on RGB/DVI and hue or saturation on HDMI. Alternatively you can just use the AUTO setting when you switch on and everything will be optimised for your input.

The results on screen are uniformly impressive, with deep and solid blacks, vivid colours and leap-at-you brightness on Blu-ray movies and games, while the fast response time means there are no issues over blurring or ghosting.

A stylish and versatile HD monitor that has a host of fun and tailor-made controls to maximise viewing pleasure and accuracy, whether you're playing fast-paced action games or watching the latest Blu-ray movie.