Acer DA220HQL, we have tested it

Is it a monitor or is it a tablet? Both. The Acer DA220HQL is a 21.5-inch panel with Full HD resolution , which can function both as a traditional monitor connected to a computer or laptop and as a large-format tablet with the Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system . This option is quite useful when surfing the net or when watching movies or videos from the net. The panel has a rear base that allows the monitor to be placed almost horizontally, so that we can place it on our knees to take advantage of its tactile capacity. This Acer teamIt is now available in Spain for a fairly competitive price of 350 euros , a very attractive figure considering that it combines the functionality of a monitor with that of a tablet. We have had the opportunity to test the Acer DA220HQL in depth. We tell you our impressions.

Design

Monitor Acer DA220HQL has a classic black design, which highlights its fineness of 5.6 centimeters and weighing quite restrained from 4.9 kilos to allow use on your knees is less uncomfortable than it may seem at a first moment. On the other hand, it incorporates a hinge on the back with which the monitor can be placed in various positions (even almost horizontally). The aspect that we liked the least about this monitor is the tab on the back that opens to show the connections. These connections are located on the side and are somewhat uncomfortable when connecting the cables. In addition, this arrangement will cause the cables to get in the way.if we connect several at the same time.

Image and 3D

The  Acer DA220HQL is a monitor with an LCD panel with a Full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. This figure will allow us to see the contents of the device in considerable detail. This image has a medium quality, since there is a certain lack of vividness in the colors, despite the fact that we have a static contrast ratio of 1,000: 1 . On the other hand, it incorporates a brightness of 250 nits that will facilitate its use inside the house. Being a bright looking screen, we can have some problems when it comes to seeing the screen when it receives the rays of light from a lamp or the sun. In addition, we must also highlight its ability to display content in three dimensions, although it is a feature that is losing much popularity in recent months and is becoming a secondary specification.

An Android tablet

The most revolutionary aspect of this monitor from Acer is its ability to function independently as a large tablet with the Android operating system . This functionality will be quite useful when browsing the web or watching movies and videos, although it loses some sense with other types of apps that are designed for smaller screen sizes, such as games or even productivity applications. The typing experience on such a large screen is quite uncomfortable to type more than one sentence.

The version that incorporates the Acer DA220HQL is Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich. To run this system fluently, the device integrates a dual-core processor with a power of 1 GHz and a RAM of 1 GB. In our tests we have been able to use most of the most common apps normally, such as Evernote, Google Maps or Gmail. The same in the case of games, although the most powerful can experience some performance problems when they require a more demanding use of graphics power.

Undoubtedly, another aspect that attracts the most attention when using the monitor in tablet format is the ability to make video calls with applications such as Skype . The monitor incorporates a 1.2 megapixel camera that will allow us to make video calls with a fairly acceptable quality. On the other hand, the two speakers of the monitor have a medium performance, they are not spectacular but they will help us to enjoy movies and videos. What we did not like about the equipment when it is used in tablet format is that it heats up easily, and it can be uncomfortable when we use it on our lap.

Connectivity and peripherals

One of the strengths of the Acer DA220HQL monitor is its connectivity options, both in tablet format and in traditional monitor form. In the first case, this monitor is able to connect to the network through its integrated WiFI connection , or through an Ethernet cable . Most of the connections are on the back of the monitor, under a tab at the bottom. Although this tab is used to cover and organize the cables, we have found that its design does not finish working and it can be somewhat cumbersome when making more than one connection at the same time. Inside this accessory is the port to connect the monitor to the electrical network, a MicroHDMI port(to connect the cable to a computer or laptop with HDMI ) or the Ethernet port . Finally, a slot for inserting MicroSD cards of up to 32 GB capacity has also been included .

On the left side of the monitor we have a MicroUSB port to connect a device such as a smartphone or tablet and charge it and the headphone output to listen to the contents of the tablet directly. Meanwhile, on the right side of the monitor are two USB 2.0 ports for hooking up compatible devices. In the field of peripherals, we have a 1.2 megapixel front camera to be able to carry out videoconferences with acceptable quality and two simple speakers.

Price and reviews

One of the highlights of the Acer DA220HQL monitor is its price. The 350 euros that this equipment costs will make it an option within the reach of many pockets, and its extra functionality as an Android tablet multiplies the available capacities. At the image level, it has given us the impression that the reproduction of the contents of the computer loses some vividness in the colors that are displayed, although it has an acceptable performance. The great danger that this monitor runs is staying in no man's land, since it has worked in a balanced way in its monitor and tablet functions without particularly standing out in either of the two.

Data sheet