Advice about buying monitors

[nstgc]

BY $100 more, I was reffering to my uper limit of $300.

As for Dragon Age, that depends largely on your CPU. I have a 9600 GT with 512MB of RAM. At 1680x1050 I can play with everything maxed out without any problems. I'm using a Phenom II 945.

What about ghosting? Do you notice any significant ghosting when playing DA:O?

[edit] Not getting a ZR24W. Terrible contrast (less than 500:1). The 800:1 I have with mine is noticeable and almost annoying.

[xShadow]

Like I said, what little time I did play, I didn't notice anything wrong at all. If ghosting takes more play time to come out, then I'm not sure. If it's supposed to have immediate effect, then I obviously am not experiencing it. I, however, CAN tell you that I have played Wolfenstein ET and League of Legends for hours on end and come out with absolutely nothing strange on my screen.

As for what you're playing Dragon Age on: to be honest, I'm not quite sure how the game settings work. I can tell you that my graphics card is multitudes better than a 9600GT though. So, I'm not sure how it adjusts the game to look based on what settings you choose. I'm thinking it might detect whether your graphics card can render certain options completely, and then adjust the image accordingly.

I'm not bragging or anything, I'm just saying: I know I have 5850, and I also know that it's still considered a fairly high-end card, and I still lag a bit at some parts on 1920x1200. I'm not sure why that is, I'm just sure that it happens. So don't expect everything to be peachy with a 5670. If it's a problem with the drivers, you're likely to have those problems, too. Maybe it's just that the increase in resolution from 1680x1050 to 1920x1200 is a big one, maybe it's that the drivers suck. Who knows?

Edit: And I'm using an i5 processor. I could try overclocking it, but I highly doubt that my processor is what's causing the problem...

[nstgc]

I'm fully aware that the 5850 is faster than a 9600 GT (GPU is 7 times faster, the ram is 3 times faster and there is twice as much I think). Also the i5 is about the same performance wise as the Phenom II. Strange.

As for the ghosting, you did already mention that...and I was the one who asked. Sorry.

[edit] What about Banding? In particular there is terrible banding during the load screen/transition screen in DA. Is there Banding there, or does the texture just suck that bad?

[sdedalus83]

You don't really notice ghosting (unless it's really awful) unless you switch to a significantly faster screen.

On the subject of the ZR24W's contrast ratio -if your current monitor has a TN panel, don't believe that 800:1 for a second.  It's vastly overrated based on the maximum brightness, even though the screen should probably never go beyond 30% due to the complete breakdown of image quality. At least try to find one on display somewhere.

[nstgc]

The reviews I've read on the ZR24W listed contrast ratio as an issue. As for my own monitor, it actually states the contrast ratio is 1000:1, but I've read that its actually closer to 800:1 (unless you wish to use its DC ratio of 3000:1). Also, I've been thinking that my problems with contrast on my current monitor aren't due to the actual contrast ratio so much as an inability to produce colors that are dark.

Thats why I was asking about the load screen from Dragon Age. When loading an area you get this terribly hideous rainbow effect which to me looks like it may be banding (now that I know about it). I'm currently in leaning strongly towards a IPS monitor due to the issue of banding. A few days ago I ran a banding test on my monitor (a gradient strip) and it was clear that I was not looking at an 8b per channel image. I ran the same test on campus yesterday and there was neither banding nor dithering. I'd actually be happy with dithering I think so long as the monitor was sufficiently large.

As for finding a monitor locally (on display) that is IPS or VA, that isn't possible unless I'm looking at a Mac. Unless they are making 1920x1080 IPS monitors with <4ms delays and price tags under $300, all we have are TN panels.

@xShadow: Is your i5 a dual core? DA runs is suppose to run much smoother on a quad core.

On a final note, I said "fuck it" and ordered the LP whatever (the thing xShadow just bought). If it doesn't work, oh well, it can't be worse than near death 1650x1050 TN (which Samsung would have charged me $150 to replace). I'm also getting the service package.

[edit] Done, ordered, over with. No more debating the issue for me! Now...which video card should I get (here we go again).

[xShadow]

Don't remember any rainbows, but I wasn't paying attention to the load screen much.

And yeah, my i5 is a quad. It's the 750 model, which is somewhat midway down on the high-end CPU benchmarks (that page is kind of dumb though, because it includes what looks like a bunch of server CPUs in the list...). I could overclock mine pretty easily but I haven't bothered to, yet. I don't think it's the problem, though.

GL with the monitor, though. I'm kinda lucky that all mine really came with was 3 dead pixels. A lot of people have had theirs come in with fluids leaking out and stuff... just cross your fingers and be optimistic, I guess. >.>

[nstgc]

Part of my thoughts when I decided to buy something now as opposed to later is that my monitor still has a month or two of life left. If there is a problem, I can get it resolved within this time.

Or are you (xShadow) saying that I made a bad decision buying this monitor? I got the impression that you liked yours.

[xShadow]

I'm not being contradictory at all. I'm merely saying that it's a gamble, and it is. The decision you made (just like the decision I made) isn't bad, it's just particularly more risky than ordering a new one, and for good reason.

If you get one that works, you will like it. Well, you'll probably like it. My eyes aren't yours, and the mind judging what they see... also isn't mine. I'm just saying... it's pretty likely.

Oh hell, everything I say always manages to get as vague as possible. >_>

[nstgc]

I see how it is a gamble, but I see buying a new one as a gamble as well. I know the stats, but I don't know how well it will preform. Will the banding or ghsoting piss me off? With the 16:9 ratio annoy me? I could list off possibilities, but I'd rather go to dead.

In any case, Its all a gamble from my eyes. THe dggest difference is that the HP's warrenty guarentees against it (faulty product) but the others don't protect the user from a shitty product.

[xShadow]

It's 16:10 ratio, actually. 16:9 is 1080p.

But then again, you may be referring to something else, because I have a habit of misunderstanding you...

By the way, RMAs to newegg are pretty easy to do. I just didn't because shipping it back to them would cost 20% of the price of the thing anyway...

... Anyway, I notice no one's been posting in this topic lately except me, you and sdedalus. I can't blame em, though; it's 3 pages. lol

[bloody000]

In case anyone wandered into this thread looking for "Advice about buying monitors", I have several:

sRGB (no wide-gamut BS)
one of the PVA or IPS flavors
CCFL (the inferior LED backlights are for eco-terrorists)

[nstgc]

@ xShadow: You're right, I am referring to something else. Many of the alternatives are 16:9. I was saying that on one side of the gamble I have the possibility of a defective item, and on the other a slue of annoyances.

As for RMA'ing Newegg product, yeah, I know its a breeze. I also read the return policy for this monitor. If you want to send it back, they will reimburse you for shipping. Sadly, 3 dead pixels don't warrant a return. If there is a major defect, then they will replace the monitor, and reimburse you.

Also, I seem to be very bad at communicating with others. I am often misunderstood and often misunderstand others.

[sdedalus83]

In the pursuit of trying to give myself an excuse to buy one, I went and traded the first PS2 Devil Summoner for couple of Minolta SRT SLRs and six lenses.  Now I'm looking for a good deal on a film scanner and some bulk fujichrome.  Once I've got all that, I'll have to get a decent monitor for the purposes of image editing 

[nstgc]

Are you a photographer?

[xShadow]

@ xShadow: You're right, I am referring to something else. Many of the alternatives are 16:9. I was saying that on one side of the gamble I have the possibility of a defective item, and on the other a slue of annoyances.

As for RMA'ing Newegg product, yeah, I know its a breeze. I also read the return policy for this monitor. If you want to send it back, they will reimburse you for shipping. Sadly, 3 dead pixels don't warrant a return. If there is a major defect, then they will replace the monitor, and reimburse you.

Also, I seem to be very bad at communicating with others. I am often misunderstood and often misunderstand others.

Well, if they reimburse shipping, I could probably send it back anyway. One of their folks said that it didn't matter how many dead pixels it had, I could send it back for a replacement.


That being said, I'm not sure if I really give a shit. It just doesn't seem worth it.

[bloody000]

In the pursuit of trying to give myself an excuse to buy one, I went and traded the first PS2 Devil Summoner for couple of Minolta SRT SLRs and six lenses.  Now I'm looking for a good deal on a film scanner and some bulk fujichrome.  Once I've got all that, I'll have to get a decent monitor for the purposes of image editing 

shoot -> shoot some more -> roll(s) finished -> drive to a decent lab -> go back a day or two later -> go home and spent an hour cleaning and scanning stuff -> dealing with scanner noise -> start doing PP -> smash head into keyboard

Nightmare, just nightmare. and I haven't even mention the lack of decent high ISO film or the difficulty(sometimes inability) of changing a roll midway.

[nstgc]

I got the monitor today. I've been trying it out. I have a single dead pixel and I must say it is terribly annoying. I had a stuck pixel on my Samsung, but it didn't bother me. This does...a lot.

Other than that its very good. The color is good, the resolution is great, and the ghosting, to my surprise is better. I'm going to try some pixel massage tomorrow while I'm gone. I may send it back depending on their policy (if I can keep sending it back until they get it right).

[edit] Also, I've asked this before, but no one answered, and I can't find the answer on Google: how can I tell how many powered on hours this monitor has?

[xShadow]

Umm... Like I said in a post a little ways back, I just went into the monitor options and pushed "Information".

In other words, push that left-most button on your monitor once. Press the plus sign 4 times. Press that left-most button again. Look at total hours and total backlight hours. I think backlight hours is all that really matters, and most of these don't have that many.


Also, where is your dead pixel located, and are you sure it's not more than one? I can't really tell mine are there during regular operation (mine are in corner-ish areas). Is yours in the direct center? Also, if you can see it that well, it might very well be a small cluster of them.

Edit: It may just be "that thing" I did earlier, but I'm wondering if my monitor's got a certain thing ghosted all over it, or if it's just the way it displays things in general. nstgc, if you put on a white background, do you by any chance notice any strange graininess (I guess that's the best way to describe it) to the white image, when you're at least 2 feet away from the monitor? I'm wondering if it's maybe just the way the monitor works (in which case I'm fine with it), but I'm wondering if this supposed stuck pixel fix (that didn't fix squat) actually ghosted my entire screen with random colors.

For those who wanna know what "that thing" is, just click on this:
http://www.jscreenfix.com/

Run that little Java applet it has. I'm starting to wonder if the way this looks was caused by that applet, or whether this monitor was just like that. If it was caused by that applet, I hope it goes away with time. Otherwise, I don't care.

[nstgc]

My dead pixel(s) is(are) 3cm from the left and 3 cm up. The pixel massage failed. I don't notice any strange graininess.

I do think the colors are a bit washed out.

my back light has 1086 hours on it.