Looking for new monitor, help please

[Sosseres]

I currently have bit of money over and thought a monitor sounded like a good idea. Which is where my problems start, I simply don't know anything about monitors.

The things I could do with some information on is things like panel, light strength vs contrast and refresh rates. I basically want a mid to mid-high monitor (not high end) where the black areas don't have strong back light making them look like grey (the problem I have with my current SyncMaster 245B). Other than that things like decent colours and refresh rate is probably a factor.

You can see what I mean by the light on the right screen on this image: http://www.bcchardware.com/index.php?set_albumName=Samsung24245BWidescreenLCD&id=compare3&option=com_gallery&Itemid=96&include=view_photo.php Near the edges black will look like grey, especially annoying when I want a 16:10 while new anime is 16:9.

Other factors that I can probably look at for myself is having decent vertical/horizontal viewing angle without degrading image quality, not a shiny frame and it being 16:10 or 4:3 instead of 16:9 (I can take a 16:9 if that is the only option, I simply don't want to).

Anybody care to enlighten me or point out a good, easy to understand guide?

Edit, does anybody know what the feature is called where you can pick to have the screen stretch a low resolution full screen or leave black bars around it?

[TMRNetShark]

Edit, does anybody know what the feature is called where you can pick to have the screen stretch a low resolution full screen or leave black bars around it?

Auto zoom?

You want something in between mid-range and high-end? This is a nice little monitor.

[Sosseres]

That screen has a shiny frame and is 16:9. It works, just that it is something I would consider after excluding those that fit better.

[TMRNetShark]

There really is no good 16:10 non-shiny frame monitors. 16:9 is the better pick because it actually supports 1080p with HDMI (versus just using DVI)... my recommendation is to go 16:9.

As for matte screens, I feel that it doesn't look as "clear" as shiny screens. It might be my imagination, but I prefer matte screens as well because of the lack of glare.

[Sosseres]

As for matte screens, I feel that it doesn't look as "clear" as shiny screens. It might be my imagination, but I prefer matte screens as well because of the lack of glare.

I mean the frame. The area around the screen. There are two basic variants of this. One is a very shiny plastic that looks smooth and reflects light (which I don't want unless I have to), looks kind of like metal. The other is also plastic, yet it looks grained and dull instead of shiny, which is what I want.

To see a comparison that shows this compare the one you linked with for example http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001371 .

What I basically want from this thread is advice about panels and what to look for in the specifications since I don't know if having high light strength is good or bad when you want black that is black, for example. Perhaps it is just a setting that you tune down brightness or you can't get good black and white with good greys on those (for manga/text), no clue. Another thing is if LED is good or not (disregarding power consumption).

[TMRNetShark]

Another thing is if LED is good or not (disregarding power consumption).

Other than LCD, LED is the only other option under 32". You can go above and consider plasma TVs. If you want my opinion on that, I'll gladly tell you how nice my $2000+ TV is... but that's no use to someone who is looking for a monitor. If you want to compare LCD to LED, just go to a computer store and look around. See if you can spot the difference between LED screens and LCD screens. Most of the time, I usually can't tell the difference. People say that LED is better than LCD, but the fact of the matter is that there are some LED monitors that are better than others. Make sure to compare direct LED versus edge LED (which would create your grey edge problem you don't want). LEDs that are used in monitors mostly use edge LED so my recommendation is to stick with LCD. If you are buying above 32", then LED is a smart choice but make sure it's direct and not edge.

[kitamesume]

you'll have to decide the following:
size
resolution
panel type
design
brand

good monitors arent cheap mind you.
sorted by size:
Dell U2211H(468-7485) Black 21.5" 8ms
Dell UltraSharp U2410 (464-7346) Black 24" 6ms
Dell UltraSharp U2711 Black 27" 6ms
Dell UltraSharp U3011 30" 7ms

the bigger you get the more expensive it gets.

dont open the spoiler if you're a nazi.

(click to show/hide)

PS: monitors > TV, because TVs usually has a lower native resolution and higher response time.
notes:
response time = it is the delay from the signal, if the response time is higher then the delay is more noticeable(click for a shoot? wait 0.250seconds before you see it on the screen)
refresh rate = it is the speed of changing frames per second, if the refresh rate is lower then ghosts become more visible(ghosts are the left over image of the previous frame)
screen resolution = the number of pixels your monitor can output, usually the larger the screen resolution gets the harder it is for your GPU to handle, but the quality becomes better.

[TMRNetShark]

response time = it is the delay from the signal, if the response time is higher then the delay is more noticeable(click for a shoot? wait 0.250seconds before you see it on the screen)

Not to be a Nazi... () but this is what I use as my computer "monitor". That's a 6-7 year old LCD TV with a response time of 8.0ms... A modern day LCD TV has at least 10ms response time. True... there are monitors that do 2.5ms... but... can you tell the difference of 10ms (250ms is very noticeable)?

[kitamesume]

^ yes it is, ever played an online game with 200+ latency? it has similar effects, the moment you click on your mouse actually takes milliseconds of delay to get through, getting a headshot on a moving target gets hard as a result.

ah and, theres another problem, the delay from the online games stacks with the response time of the monitor, making it moooooooooore horrible XD well at least dont grab a monitor with a response time higher than 8-10ms.

[Osmo]

IPS, LED are good monitors.

Check the latency. it usually has a number then MS, the lower the better.
And if you can 100hz motion plus is gorgeous.

[Tiffanys]

I have ASUS VW246H, no complaints.

[AceD]

http://www.ebuyer.com/174180-lg-w2486l-led-lcd-24-hdmi-monitor-with-tilt-stand-w2486l

thats my monitor, awesome for everything...visual s look crisp and its 2ms so good for games also...i recommend it.

[nstgc]

If you can still find one an HP LP2465 would suit your needs I think. Its 1920*1200 (16:10), IPS (wide viewing angle), the frame is not shiny, and good reproduction. I do have a problem in the upper left corner where the screen where the back light bleeds through, and they are damn expensive if you buy one new (my one year old monitor is showing signs that its back light is dying). Luckily, in the case of that last problem, I have to keep the brightness at 50 anyway since it will burn my eyes other wise. Another problem, one I often forget, is that it doesn't support HDCP, so I can't play blu-rays even though I have a player.

[Sosseres]

you'll have to decide the following:
size
resolution
panel type
design
brand
Dell UltraSharp U2410 (464-7346) Black 24" 6ms

The point of this thread was to get help with brand and panel type. Design I have decided on, no glossy frame. Resolution is a minimum of 1080p, though I much prefer a 16:10 to a 16:9, this translates to a minimum of 22". As for the link I saved, that is near the upper boundary of what I am willing to pay (I can probably go another 30% of so without issues), unless the monitor is truly great and it clicks with me (then I can go around twice that or a tad more). That monitor seems to have quality problems from when I read the reviews, making it iffy considering the price.

If you can still find one an HP LP2465 would suit your needs I think.

Sounds good, sadly there is no reputable seller that has it in store in Sweden. The only ones that have it I wish to avoid after reading opinions of buyers.

[kitamesume]

then this, IPS panel > TFT panel, because TFT panel sucks on side viewing, the colors become different, specially visible on older models. you can still use a TFT panel though the viewing angel is limited to direct face to face with a few degrees of allowance.

brand... well i cant tell much about this, but this, AOC is one of those cheap products thats really decent, ASUS and Samsung is like "meh, expensively beautiful..." and is on the same level while DELL is the kind of like "pay the name, not the product" but still, DELL makes some exceptional monitors.

[Sosseres]

then this, IPS panel > TFT panel

E, H, S, AS, A-TW - IPS or just plain IPS? Then how does the various variants of MWA and PVA compare?

[bloody000]

things I look at when choosing monitors:

sRGB color gamut. avoid wide-gamut like a plague unless eye-burning colors and banding are desired.
Low input lag. this number can only be found in reviews.
Some sort of IPS or PVA panel for wide viewing angle.
Stated contrast ratio is useless. stick to review results.
Maximum brightness is useless.
Response time isn't very important. The quality of RTC(Response Time Compensation) however, is.
LED vs. CCFL is a non-issue unless you hug trees.



ASUS PA238Q is an "e-IPS", 6-bit + RFC(fake 8-bit), sRGB, White LED, 23" 16:9 1080p display. it's 279USD on newegg.

You can step up to the asus PA246Q, which is "P-IPS", 8-bit + RFC(fake 10-bit), AdobeRGB(wide-gamut), CCFL, 24" 16:10 1200p display with a USB hub and card reader for 500USD.

Or save up for a NEC 2490WUXi2 completed with the Spectraview meter and software.







-----------

kitamesume: Sense you did not made. A type of TFT display IPS is.

[kitamesume]

i was pointing out in general, usually if you look at the overview they'll just tell you it's an IPS panel or TFT panel.

[bloody000]

i was pointing out in general, usually if you look at the overview they'll just tell you it's an IPS panel or TFT panel.

yeah but all IPS panels are TFT displays.

[kitamesume]

well dont screw me on that, screw those shop owners for skipping the details XD