Review: LG Flatron L206WU 20in TFT monitor

Until recently, Samsung had an exclusive licence Display Link technology, rebranding it Ubisync.

However, Display Link is now lending its technology to other products, starting with LG’s ‘Multilink-enabled’ Flatron L206WU.

The L206WU is a widescreen 20in LCD with a 1,680x1,050 resolution that connects to a computer via DVI, VGA or USB.

If you take the video signal over USB, you can daisychain up to six monitors, doing away with the need for multiple graphics cards. The L206WU can even daisychain with Samsung’s Ubisync monitor, the 940UX.

The display is a stylish mix of a white stand and a black bezel, but with a USB hub that is difficult to access. It’s one of the few widescreen displays that pivot 90°, which requires the stand to be raised an extra 14cm.

We measured a brightness of 236.1cd/m2 – a little behind the best 300cd/m2 desktop displays – and a 621:1 native contrast ratio, which is excellent for office tasks.

Our 2.8GHz P4 test PC showed an additional 40 per cent CPU usage when playing back standard-definition video. Resources were stretched even more than on the 940UX, occasionally peaking at 80 per cent, possibly due to the L206WU’s higher resolution. Video playback produced poor colour gradients and blocky pictures.

It’s difficult to see who will buy the L206WU; its styling suggests home use, but Display Link is unsuitable for video playback. Perhaps the home office is the best place for the L206WU, since it can fit a couple of documents side by side. And when you consider it only costs £15 more than a similar LG monitor without built-in Display Link, it’s an easy decision if video isn’t a priority.