LG 22U401A Review

Quick Summary

The LG 22U401A is a no-fuss 21.5-inch Full HD monitor for home offices, students and everyday computing. A VA panel gives it good contrast, the 100 Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and light gaming smoother than on 60 Hz screens, and sRGB 99% coverage keeps colours believable. Eye-comfort features such as Flicker Safe and Reader Mode are included. The compromises are a stand that only tilts and a single HDMI input. At around six thousand rupees, it is an easy pick for a first or second monitor.

Design & Build Quality

This is a compact, plain monitor that fits easily on a small desk. The L-shaped stand has a square base that keeps its footprint tidy, and the whole unit weighs 2.3 kg with the stand and 1.9 kg without, so moving it around is simple. The screen body is about 50.7 mm deep without the stand, which is helped by the external power adapter.

The weak spot is ergonomics. The stand tilts from -5° to 20° but cannot change height or swivel, so you may need books or a riser to bring the top edge to eye level. A 100 × 100 mm VESA pattern means a monitor arm or wall mount can fix that later.

Display Quality

The 21.5-inch Full HD VA panel is the highlight. VA technology is known for deeper blacks than the IPS panels common at this price, and LG quotes a typical 3,000:1 contrast ratio, so films, dark web pages and night-mode apps look noticeably richer. Viewing angles are listed at 178° both ways, which is enough for two people to look at the screen together without colours shifting badly.

Colour coverage is listed at sRGB 99%, which keeps photos and social-media content looking natural for everyday use. Typical brightness is 250 nits, perfectly adequate in a normal room but not strong enough for a sunlit corner. HDR10 is supported as a signal format, though it should not be expected to deliver real HDR impact at this brightness.

At 21.5 inches, Full HD looks sharp enough that text and icons stay clean without scaling.

Performance & Gaming

The 100 Hz refresh rate gives a smoother feel when scrolling documents, dragging windows or playing casual and esports titles. The 5 ms (GtG, at Faster) response time is fine for everyday use. LG also offers a 1 ms Motion Blur Reduction mode for gamers, but it lowers brightness, may introduce flicker, and cannot be used together with adaptive sync or Dynamic Action Sync. That makes it an occasional option rather than a mode to leave on.

Variable refresh rate support, Black Stabilizer, a crosshair and Dynamic Action Sync give light gamers more than the price suggests. Competitive players chasing very high frame rates will want a faster monitor, but for a student rig or an entry-level gaming PC this is a sensible start.

Connectivity & Audio

Inputs are one HDMI port and one D-Sub (VGA) port, with a headphone output. That works for a single PC or an older desktop with a VGA output, but a second device means swapping cables. There is no DisplayPort or USB-C input, so modern laptops will need an HDMI cable.

Features Assessment

The eye-comfort set is the most useful part of the package. Flicker Safe reduces invisible flicker, Reader Mode warms the picture for reading, and a colour-weakness mode helps people who struggle to tell some colours apart. Auto Input Switch picks the active input for you, and Smart Energy Saving trims power use. The LG Switch app is a practical bonus because it can divide the screen into as many as six sections and assign hotkeys, which suits multitasking on a small panel.

Ease of Use

Setup is straightforward: attach the stand, connect the HDMI or D-Sub cable and the power adapter, and the monitor is ready. The LG Switch app handles window splitting and picture themes from the desktop, so there is less need to dig through the on-screen menu. The limited stand adjustment is the main thing to plan around.

Value for Money

The lowest main listing we found was ₹5,999 online, against ₹6,399 on LG’s own store. The printed MRP of ₹15,000 is not a meaningful comparison. For about six thousand rupees you get a Full HD VA panel, a 100 Hz refresh rate, broad sRGB coverage and solid eye-comfort features, which is strong value for a first or second monitor. Many monitors at this price are 60 Hz IPS panels, so the faster refresh rate and richer contrast are the reasons to choose it.

Who Should Buy It?

Students, work-from-home users and families who need a reliable everyday monitor should look at this one first. It also suits casual and esports gamers on a tight budget, and anyone building a second-screen setup who wants smoother motion without a big spend.

Who Should Consider Alternatives?

Buyers who need height adjustment or a pivot mode should pick a monitor with a more flexible stand or add an arm. If you connect several devices or use a modern laptop with USB-C or DisplayPort, look for a model with more inputs. Photographers and designers who need wide viewing consistency and accurate colour are better served by an IPS monitor, and anyone sitting in a bright room may want something with higher brightness.