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Womwomwom February 02 2012 12:01. Posts 5517 | Profile Blog # |
+ Show Spoiler [LCD monitor basics: TFT Film and Backl…] +You essentially have two major components to worry about in a typical LCD monitor:
- The thin-film transistor (TFT) film used. This is where the panel type comes into play and the difference between the types of TFT technologies will be explained later. - The backlight used. For the typical user, you will only find two types of backlighting: CCFL tubes or edge-lit LEDs.
There is no real performance difference between a good CCFL backlit monitor and a good LED backlit monitor. If a LED monitor is better than a CCFL monitor, this has to do with the thin-film transistor used: a LED backlit monitor probably has a new years of technological advances over an old CCFL backlit monitor.
So the only real indisputable benefits of LED backlighting are:
- Generally much lower power draw. This also means they generate less heat. - They don’t seem to dim with age, unlike CCFL backlit monitors. - Monitors can be thinner because LEDs are thinner than CCFL tubes.
If you don't get a LED monitor, its not the end of the world provided its a good CCFL monitor.
+ Show Spoiler [Panel types and brief comments about t…] + There are three commonly used panel types in the wild:
- Twisted Nematic (TN). Benefits are low price and good panel response. Negatives are bad viewing angles, weak colour stability, and perhaps poor colour reproduction. Some TN monitors are capable of running at 120hz native. These monitors are good for games with lots of motion and can present games in 3D.
Side note: 120hz TVs are not the same as 120hz monitors. 120hz TVs do post processing to smooth out motion; 120hz monitors do not do this.
- Inplane Switching (IPS) or Plane to Line Switching (PLS). Typical benefits are good colour reproduction and good viewing angles. They are typically more expensive than TN monitors but this isn’t so much the case anymore. Most IPS/PLS monitors are adequate for gaming. Check reviews for details but most are around as responsive as a 5ms TN monitor.
Side note: PLS is essentially the same as IPS.
- Vertical Alignment (VA). The strengths of this technology is strong black reproduction; blacks are blacker than what IPS and TN monitors can reproduce. The weaknesses of this technology would be motion performance and viewing angles.
How to tell panel technology if not specified?
Generally not a difficult task: - Look at static contrast ratios. VA monitors will state a contrast of 3000:1 or greater; IPS and TN monitors will only state a contrast of 1000:1. Any numbers in the realm of 15,000:1 should be ignored because they refer to dynamic contrast ratio. - Look at viewing angles. TN monitors will specify 170°(H) / 170°(V) viewing angles. IPS and VA will claim to have 178°(H) / 178°(V) viewing angles.
+ Show Spoiler [Monitor specs and what they mean] +First things first: specsheets are fairly useless. Most companies are downright dishonest about their specsheets. What is mentioned on the specsheet does not relate to the real world. Contrast Ratio:The contrast ratio is the difference between the whitest whites (referred to as white luminance) and darkest blacks (referred to as black depth). Most monitors claim to do 1000:1 yet very few actually get close to this claim. Most IPS and TN monitors will hover around the 800:1 mark out of the box. Dynamic Contrast Ratio:Dynamic contrast features are when monitors decrease their brightness to improve black depth when needed. The provided values are often nowhere close to reality. Most people turn off dynamic contrast because it is an annoying feature implemented badly. Response Times:Response time generally doesn’t mean a single thing - the fact most of those numbers only concern themselves with grey to grey says enough. For LCDs to reach extremely fast response speeds (let’s say 2ms GTG), they have to use overdrive (overclocking the TFT film essentially). You cannot encapsulate the quality of overdrive with a single number: ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/BDK8G.jpg) (Thanks TFT Central) Input lag:Input lag refers to the delay between keyboard/mouse/gamepad input and monitor output. If a monitor has high input lag, the monitor will trail behind your movements, making fast paced gaming difficult. A rule of thumb is that that less features = less input lag. A barebones monitor will have much less input lag than a monitor with advanced processing features. Some advanced monitors have a game mode to bypass these processing features, however you must check reviews to see how well it has been implemented. At the end of the day, your mileage may vary. Plenty of people play seriously on monitors with 30ms of input lag and don’t really mind it; a large number of people cannot stand monitors with 20ms of input lag and refuse to play on them. Anyway, to give the input lag figures you may find in reviews some frame of reference, I will borrow this classification from TFT Central: TFT Central says: Class 1) Less than 16ms / 1 frame lag - should be fine for gamers, even at high levels Class 2) A lag of 16 - 32ms / One to two frames - moderate lag but should be fine for many gamers. Caution advised for serious gaming and FPS . Class 3) A lag of more than 32ms / more than 2 frames - Some noticeable lag in daily usage, not suitable for high end gaming Bit Depth:Bit depth determines how many colours your monitor can actually produce. If you remember old Windows games, you will surely remember how unsmooth many colours were: this is what we call colour banding and it is a result of insufficient bit depth. To put it simply, you want a monitor that can display 16.7 million colours (referred as "true colour"). This requires an 8 bit or a 6 bit + FRC monitor. FRC, also known as frame rate control or dithering, helps extend the bit depth of monitors by quickly flashing two different shades to approximate unobtainable colours. Dithering was hit or miss in the past but in this day and age, it is very difficult to tell the difference between an 8 bit panel and a 6 bit + FRC panel. For most people its not a major problem and it is quite difficult to find banding issues outside of colour gradient benchmarks. Gamut:![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/P4AL3.png) (Thanks Wikipedia) The grey parabolic shape represents the total range of chromaticity, the quality of colour determined by hue and saturation, of the CIE 1931 colour space. The CIE 1931 colour space is essentially a mathematical representation of a wide range of colours and the basis of most colour spaces. The three most commonly used colour spaces are sRGB, which covers 35% of these colours, Adobe RGB, which covers 50%, and wide gamut monitors, which can cover up to 77%. The rainbow triangle is the gamut of a CRT, which is pretty much covering the entire sRGB colour space. So this is a representation of the colours that can be accurately output by the CRT. The CRT's gamut is simply a subspace of the CIE 1931 colour space. Wide gamut monitors tend to extend the colour coverage further around the greens and reds. So you gain access to very powerful and saturated light and dark shades. This sounds pretty cool since you’ve got more colours to play with but this is not always a good thing. Most content in the world, including the internet, follows the sRGB colour space. So what happens if you use a wide gamut monitor? The result will generally be oversaturation: colours will be too saturated, lifeless, and artificial. Wide gamut’s purpose is for printing. If you do not need to do professional printing, there is little reason to get a wide gamut monitor. + Show Spoiler [Interface types and cables] +(images borrowed from Wikipedia) VGA![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/0GCpU.png) VGA is completely analogue. VGA has worse video quality than DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort. No reason to use it. DVI-I shares pinouts with VGA so you can use adapters if you must.. You can tell the difference between VGA and DVI by the triangular pin arrangement as well as the blue port and cable heads. DVI: Dual-link is required to run 2560x1440 resolution or 1920x1080@120hz. Single-link lacks the bandwidth to do so. DVI-I has pinouts for VGA; DVI-D lacks pinouts for VGA. Besides this, there is no difference between DVI-I and DVI-D HDMI:![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/FcgYB.png) HDMI can carry audio and video along the same cable. I don’t believe DVI can do this. Depending on the revision and monitor HDMI implementation, HDMI can work like a dual-link DVI or a single-link DVI cable. The only real way to find out would be to read reviews and impressions. It is completely digital so it is not backwards compatible with VGA. DisplayPort![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/WJSlR.jpg) DisplayPort has the most bandwidth of all interface types. It can run anything dual-link DVI can do. It can also transmit audio and video, just like HDMI. Where do I get cables and adapters?Monoprice, eBay, Daiso, Amazon, Jaycar, etc. Anywhere cheap is fine. There isn't any secret to making a good digital cable as its just some copper wire, some metal connectors, and some cable sleeving. General rule of thumb is: don't pay more than ~$10 per meter of cable.
Monitor Recommendations: I want a very cheap monitor. What should I look for? Your best option would be a cheap IPS or 60hz TN monitor. I suggest going into a store and buying what suits your needs and looks best. Performances between cheaper monitors are all very similar.
I am thinking about 120hz/3D gaming monitors. What do I need for 120hz monitors? The cheapest and safest option would be to use dual-link DVI or DisplayPort. To get anything about of 120hz monitors, you need a very powerful computer. If you cannot well above 60 fps, then you will not see any real benefit from a 120hz monitor.
I am thinking about getting an IPS monitor. What do I need to look out for? - Screen coating. Matte IPS monitors have fairly thick anti-glare coatings that can “sparkle” at you. Check instore to see if you are bothered by it. - Actual motion performance. Refer to reviews. - Input lag. Most have low input lag but some perform badly in this area for some reason.
Glossy vs matte? What's the difference? Matte coatings eliminate reflections. The coating, however, decreases colour vibrancy and may decrease image sharpness. Glossy coatings do not have a negative effect on vibrancy and sharpness. However many people cannot stand the reflections you often get if you cannot control the light in your room. Your mileage may vary and I strongly recommend that you try and see which one you prefer. The last thing you want is buyer's remorse. Keep in mind big box stores are generally awful for glossy monitors thanks to do the extremely bright lighting.
How do I clean my monitor? A diluted mix of water and isopropyl alcohol is what most manufacturer recommend. Use a microfiber or paper towel (think coffee filters) to apply the cleaning mixture. For stubborn marks, rub hard. This is important: Absolutely do not use anything with ammonia or is especially acidic or abrasive, like Windex or polishing agents, on your monitor because you are going to ruin the protective coating. This especially important if you have an antiglare coating since that stuff will literally melt right off when faced with good old Windex.
What are some good monitor review websites? TFT Central. Prad.
What is this list? This list deals with specialty monitors. This means 120hz TN, good IPS models, 2560x1440 monitors, etc. If you want to state problems with a specific manufacturer, please put some effort into it. Post images of the monitor in question, the problems you have with it, and then the quality of support you have received. Saying "so and so is shit DONT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM" is not good enough.
What are these Korean monitors people keep talking about? You can find a series of cheap 2560x1440 IPS monitors on eBay. They're priced at like $300-400. Is there a catch? Yes and no: - They're real IPS monitors so you're not being cheated. - The multiple input models are extremely bad compared to upmarket brand-name models. If you adjust the brightness to 120 lux, the contrast dips to around 300:1 or 400:1. This, combined with IPS glow, gives you pathetic blacks. The single input models do not have this problem. - Expect stuck/dead pixels even with the no dead pixel warranty. Don't expect anywhere near the same warranty service you might get from a brand-name company. - They may honour warranty but will either refund a small amount of money or ask you to send the monitor back to them.
To boil it down: - Any model with HDMI or DisplayPort are anywhere near as good as brand-name models. - Any model with only DVI is as good as a typical IPS monitor. - Expect panel defects. Don't expect to return the model if you get defects. - Don't expect good warranty support. The seller is some random guy in Korea after all.
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21”-24” 16: 9 monitors + Show Spoiler +Dell ST2220T (21.5” monitor) 1920x1080 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: speakers, VGA, DVI, HDMI, 3.5mm audio in and out, 3x USB 2.0 downstream powered by one 1xUSB 2.0 upstream. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: No. - Glossy - Also accepts infrared touch. This means you can use this monitor like a huge tablet/smartphone. Maybe useful for Windows 8? I dunno. - Monstrous contrast for IPS (should exceed 1000:1) and tight pixel pitch means outstanding image quality - Fairly expensive for what it is
Asus VS229H-P (21.5" IPS monitor) 1920x1080 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: HDMI , VGA, DVI, headphone jack. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Typical IPS matte antiglare coating - Low input lag - Asus's trace-free overdrive control. Best results are typically 40 or 60. Try it out yourself to see which one you prefer the most. - Generally priced very low at most common sources like Amazon and Newegg.
AOC i2353Ph 1920x1080 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: 2x HDMI, VGA 3.5mm audio out, speakers. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes, through the base. - Matte panel - Overdrive is a little weak - Moderate input lag (18ms) - Attractive and extremely thin design.
Dell Ultrasharp U2312HM 1920x1080 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: DisplayPort, DVI, VGA, 4x downstream USB2.0 ports powered by one upstream USB2.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte panel - Lowest brightness setting is not particularly dim. - Good responsiveness. Minor reverse ghosting but likely invisible in reality. - Lowest input lag of all monitors (0.6ms or 1.1ms depending on reviewer). Will not buffer any frames whatsoever. - Recommended that you buy during a Dell sale and/or have discount coupons.
Asus ProArt PA238Q 1920x1080 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: HDMI , VGA, DisplayPort, DVI, 3.5mm audio out, 4x downstream USB2.0 ports powered by one upstream USB2.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Physically it is essentially the same as the Dell Ultrasharp U2312HM - Slightly higher input lag (still very low) - Overdrive (Asus calls it “Trace-Free”) is easily adjustable in the monitor menu, unlike the Dell. Value I found was best was 40 but your mileage may vary. - Warranty is not as good as the Ultrasharp and it is more expensive
Asus VG23AH 1920x1080 LED backlit PLS (?) monitor. Has: 2x HDMI, VGA, DVI, 3.5mm audio out. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Semi gloss PLS (or IPS, doesn't matter) monitor - Very good motion performance and low input lag - Has passive 3D but Asus doesn't tell you how to set it up properly so you need to ask. - The passive 3D filter seems to be like a stereoscope: some people see grey lines running across the monitor while others don't. So buying from a place with good return policies is a good idea. - Able to run at 75hz if you adjust timings with PowerStrip software.
Asus VS239H-P 1920x1080 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: HDMI, VGA, DVI, 3.5mm audio out. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte IPS monitor. - Good motion performance and input lag. Trace-free should be set at 40 or 60.
Eizo Foris FS2332 1920x1080 LED backlit PLS monitor. Has: 2x HDMI , VGA, DVI, 3.5mm audio out and in. Ergonomic features: Tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Uses a PLS panel and not a IPS panel, despite what Eizo says. - Has semi-gloss coating and not the anti-glare coating on all IPS monitors. - Very low latency monitor. Good input lag (~1ms) and decent enough panel response. - On screen display (OSD) menu can only be accessed through a provided remote. - 5 year warranty on panel and electronics. - Swedish residents should be able to purchase relatively cheaply (~2,500kr). - Others can purchase at Fnatic's website for 300 Euro + 50 Euro shipping.
Samsung S23A750D 1920x1080 LED backlit 120hz TN monitor. Has: DisplayPort, HDMI, 3.5mm Audio Out. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: No. - Very glossy panel. - No height adjustment - Low input lag and pitch perfect responsiveness. - No 3D for nVidia cards. 3D only works with AMD cards !!!YOUR VIDEO CARD MUST HAVE DISPLAYPORT TO RUN THIS MONITOR AT 120HZ. HDMI CANNOT DO 120HZ BECAUSE IT LACKS BANDWIDTH!!!
Samsung S23A950D 1920x1080 LED backlit 120hz TN monitor. Has: DisplayPort, HDMI, dual-link DVI, 3.5mm Audio Out. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: No. - As far as I can tell, it performs the same as the cheaper S23A750D. - Has an added dual-link DVI so those with nVidia cards can actually run this monitor at 120hz. - Common occurrence of backlight bleeding around the area that the stand connects to the monitor panel. - Cannot be VESA mounted since the stand contains all of the connectors. - 3D only works with AMD video cards. - Not recommended unless you really must have the design.
Samsung S23A700D 1920x1080 LED backlit 120hz TN monitor. Has: dual-link DVI, HDMI, (nothing else?). Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: No. - Uses the same panel as S23A750D - 3D only works with AMD video cards - Cannot be VESA mounted due to design - Tried and true frame and bezel design.
BenQ XL2420 1920x1080 LED backlit 120hz TN monitor. Has: DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio out, 2x HDMI, dual-link DVI, VGA, 3x downstream USB2.0 ports powered by one upstream USB2.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte panel. - Apparently good responsiveness - Low input lag with instant-on mode turned on (5ms) - Good ergonomic features - VESA mount compatible. - Supports nVidia 3D Vision as well as nVidia Lightboost, which increases brightness of the monitor when running 3D. The 3D will not work with AMD video cards as far as I know.
Asus VG236H 1920x1080 CCFL backlit 120hz TN monitor. Has: HDMI, dual-link DVI-D, composite. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Gloss panel - Controllable overdrive. Not perfect motion performance like the Samsungs but still extremely good. - Low input lag. - Good ergonomic features. - Uses 3D Vision. Does not have Lightboost. If you want the 3D glasses, buy the Asus VG236H and not the VG236HE, which does have glasses. - Good alternative to the BenQ XL2420.
BenQ GW2450HM 1920x1080 LED backlit VA monitor. Has: HDMI, DVI, VGA. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte panel - Low input lag - Much stronger black depth and contrast than IPS and TN monitors. - A VA monitor that finally has decent motion performance. - Requires calibration. If you can't get a hold of a calibrator, you should model your results around TFT Central's results and ICC profile and use your eye to do the rest. It will reduce the major problems but issues with gamma will still likely persist.
24” 16:10 monitors + Show Spoiler +Dell Ultrasharp U2412M 1920x1200 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Displayport, Dual Link DVI, VGA, 4x downstream USB2.0 ports powered by one upstream USB2.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte panel - Good panel responsiveness and input lag. Minor reverse ghosting but hardly a problem in practice. - Good price for offered features - Has no scaler capable of 1:1 pixel mapping. This means 16: 9 PS3 content will be stretched vertically. - Recommended that you buy during a Dell sale and/or have discount coupons.
Asus PA248Q 1920x1200 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Displayport, Dual Link DVI, VGA, HDMI, audio port, 4x downstream USB3.0 ports powered by one upstream USB3.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Uses the same panel as the Dell U2412M - Has scaler for 1:1 pixel mapping. - Has Asus' race-free feature so the panel response can be adjusted to your liking - Asus' warranty is definitely worse than Dell's.
Dell Ultrasharp U2410 1920x1200 CCFL backlit IPS monitor. Has: VGA, DVI, S-Video, Composite, Component, HDMI, DisplayPort, 4x downstream USB2.0 ports powered by one upstream USB2.0 port, SD card reader. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte panel - Very good panel responsiveness. - Low input lag when in “game mode” (10ms) - Wide gamut (!). Not a recommended feature useless you deal with primarily print media or are seriously colour blind as it can make a lot of colours appear unnatural and oversaturated. - Has a proper scaler capable of dealing with many aspect ratios - Very expensive. Not recommended if you don’t need wide gamut support as it is generally worse than the U2412M in most ways. - Recommended that you buy during a Dell sale and/or have discount coupons.
HP ZR2440W 1920x1200 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, 3.5mm audio out, 4x downstream USB2.0 ports powered by one upstream USB2.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Not really physically different from the Dell Ultrasharp U2412M - Slightly better applied overdrive. - Higher input lag compared to the Dell Ultrasharp U2412M due to the scaler (20ms) - Has a scaler capable of dealing with 16: 9 content. - More expensive (~$100 more) than the Dell Ultrasharp thanks to the added scaler. Samsung S24A850 1920x1200 LED backlit PLS monitor. Has: Displayport, Dual Link DVI x2, 4x downstream USB3.0 ports powered by one upstream USB3.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Much thinner anti-glare coating than IPS friends - Has some pretty cool eco-saving/power saving modes - Buy from a source that accepts returns of defective products because apparently the 24” suffers commonly from heavy backlight bleeding. - Has a scaler capable of dealing with 16: 9 content. - Moderately high input lag (~20ms) as a result of the scaler. - Only recommended if you cannot stand IPS antiglare.
NEC EA244WMI 1920x1200 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI-D, VGA, 3.5mm audio in & out, 4x downstream USB2.0 ports powered by one upstream USB2.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Light antiglare coating - Similar motion performance to the Dell Ultrasharp U2412M - Low input lag of around 5ms. - Has a scaler capable of dealing with 16: 9 content. - Fairly pricey.
27” 2560x1440 monitors + Show Spoiler +27” Apple Cinema Display (DisplayPort model) 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Mini DisplayPort, speakers, 4x downstream USB3.0 ports powered by one upstream USB3.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes but requires adapter. - Glossy - Built extremely well. - Mini DisplayPort only. Connections are molded into the monitor. - Contains a MagSafe adapter for your Macbook - Does not support HDCP - Zero overdrive as far as I know. Panel responsiveness is not great but not horrible. Your mileage may vary. - Low input lag (10ms) - Generally a poor choice for consoles due to no HDCP, scalers, OSD, or anything.
Dell Ultrasharp U2711 2560x1440 CCFL backlit IPS monitor. Has: Displayport, 2x DVI, VGA, HDMI, component, composite, SD card reader, 4x downstream USB3.0 ports powered by one upstream USB3.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte - Good panel responsiveness. Minor reverse ghosting but hardly a problem in practice. - Moderate input lag (30ms) - Moderately priced due to coupon availability. - Wide gamut. Not a huge problem due to working sRGB emulation but not recommended if you need only sRGB. - Recommended that you buy during a Dell sale and/or have discount coupons.
Dell Ultrasharp U2713HM 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Displayport, 2x DVI, VGA, HDMI, 4x downstream USB3.0 ports powered by one upstream USB3.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Semi-matte display coating. Similar coating to Samsung's PLS panels. - Good panel responsiveness. - Solid contrast (actually hits ~1000:1) - Moderate input lag (20ms) - Moderately priced due to coupon availability. - 100% sRGB coverage. Not wide gamut or anything. - Recommended that you buy during a Dell sale and/or have discount coupons
HP ZR2740W 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Dual-link DVI, DisplayPort, 4x downstream USB3.0 ports powered by one upstream USB3.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Matte - Zero overdrive. Panel responsiveness is not great but not horrible. Your mileage may vary. - Extremely low input lag (10ms) - Limited OSD and scaling options. Consoles will work but you may need to output content at 720P and not 1080P.
Hazro HZ27WA 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Dual-link DVI (HDCP), HDMI, 2x D-sub, 1x component, 3.5mm audio in, speakers. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Glossy - Cheap - Extensive scaling and OSD options - Good panel responsiveness. Minor reverse ghosting but hardly a problem in practice. - Moderate input lag (25ms) - Warranty and build quality is, apparently, quite poor. Only recommended if you are European.
Hazro HZ27WC 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Dual-link DVI, 3.5mm audio in. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Practical clone of the Hazro HZ27WA with the scaler and input options stripped out. - Low input lag as a result (10ms) - Cheap - Warranty and build quality is, apparently, quite poor. Only recommended if you are European.
Samsung S27A850D 2560x1440 LED backlit PLS monitor. Has: Dual-link DVI, DisplayPort, 4x downstream USB3.0 ports powered by one upstream USB3.0 port. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, portrait/landscape orientation, height adjustment, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Light antiglare - PLS is new technology/Samsung doesn’t know what good hardware design is so buy from a place that accepts returns without hassle. Backlight bleeding is quite common. - Solid responsiveness. - Moderate input lag (30ms) thanks to scaler - Has some nifty eco-energy features - The monitor really needs calibration badly to get any form of colour accuracy. - Only recommended if you cannot stand IPS antiglare.
2560x1440 monitors on eBay (Catleap, Crossover, etc.) 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Dual-link DVI, VGA. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, and swivel. VESA mount compatible: Yes, if you break the stand and grey plastic backing. - Glossy IPS - As fast as your typical overdriven IPS monitor. - Input lag is slow due to zero internal processing whatsoever. - Limited OSD. - Build quality is not great. You probably want to buy a 3rd party VESA stand to replace the stock stand. - Cheap as shit. $400 off eBay. I strongly recommend PayPal so you've got some protection. - Don't recommend getting the one with extra glass cover due to dust issues. - Don't count on warranty. - Possible build quality issues. A literal roulette.
Shimian QH270-IPSMS 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Dual-link DVI (HDCP), HDMI, 2x D-sub, 1x component, 3.5mm audio in, speakers. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Should be exactly the same as the Hazro HZ27WA. - Not the same as the Hazro HZ27WA. All multi-input Korean 27" IPS monitors are bad because brightness adjustment is done through messing with the contrast. - High input lag because of scaler electronics. - Possible build quality issues and don't count on cheap and effective warranty support.
EQD WQHD LED Backlit LCD Monitor 2560x1440 LED backlit IPS monitor. Has: Dual-Link DVI (HDCP), HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA (why man why), speakers (?). Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Glossy. - Seems to have rather low input lag and decent enough responsiveness. - Can be bought locally meaning warranty is much more safe. - Bought from Microcenter for $400 USD.
Viewsonic VP2770 2560x1440 LED backlit PLS monitor. Has: VGA, Dual-link DVI-D, HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2, 2x USB 2.0 Ports. Ergonomic features: backwards/forwards tilt, height adjustment, portrait adjustment. VESA mount compatible: Yes. - Semi matte. - Low input lag and solid responsiveness. - Good factory calibration.
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Last edit: 2013-04-25 22:57:58 |
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| GloryOfAiur United States. February 02 2012 13:08. Posts 120 | Profile # |
| ASUS V and VH series monitors are fantastic. They are not cheap nor overpriced. I use the VH247 as my main monitor and V236H as my portrait-second monitor. Both have 2ms speed (not a big difference but feels good to know), approved and used by MLG, and have multiple settings and monitor settings (like Scenery, Nightview, Gaming, Standard, etc.) at the click of a simple button. |
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| sawedust United States. February 02 2012 13:13. Posts 506 | Profile # |
Very good post, lots of material here for people that are seeking a new monitor.
Got a Dell 2209WA myself, bought it for graphics/video a few years back. Although the 16:10 resolution limits me from a full view of SC2, I would not hesitate recommending this monitor to someone looking for dual monitors for work-related things.
Would love to pick up a 16: 9 monitor for StarCraft II though; seeing more of the battlefield (as well as not having to personally tweak templates made for 16: 9 resolutions) would be a major plus for me.Last edit: 2012-02-02 13:14:26 |
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| MisterFred United States. February 02 2012 15:17. Posts 1821 | Profile # |
There's just one thing I know you might want to add to your post: how to fix monitor whine (for some monitors, I guess).
My monitor had an irritating high-pitched whine until I googled for a bit, then found out many monitors whine when their brightness is turned down for some reason. Turn brightness to 100, monitor whine stops. Apparently, its the monitor setting itself, not the actual photons being produced, that matters. You can turn down brightness with software, although this sometimes causes glitches when alt-tabbing between programs. For me, setting brightness to -25 with Intel's graphics drivers meant StarCraft2 suddenly got darker every time I alt-tabbed out then back in. Presumably this was because Intel and StarCraft's gamma setting were fighting over something or other.
P.S. Thanks for putting together the thread.Last edit: 2012-02-02 15:23:02 |
| | "The victor? Not the highest scoring, nor the best strategist, nor the best tactitian. The victor was he that was closest to the Tao of FFA." -.Praetor |
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| PeZuY February 02 2012 15:41. Posts 911 | Profile Blog # |
| Awesome post, this surely helps me to decide my next monitor! Thanks ^^ |
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| Jonoman92 United States. February 02 2012 16:15. Posts 7411 | Profile Blog # |
| Nice post, just read this despite not being in the market for a monitor right now. |
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| Ben... Canada. February 02 2012 16:30. Posts 1706 | Profile # |
I have a Dell Ultrasharp U2312HM (in the OP) if anyone has questions. It's a fantastic monitor. The difference going to LED backlit IPS from a budget Acer TN panel that crapped out after a year was much bigger than I thought it would be. I got my U23 for around $200 on sale from Dell. Don't pay full price, they have lots of sales.
The OP is accurate for the matte coating on the U2312HM, it is insanely thick compared to my non-Dells. I run 3 monitors. my secondary is an archaic Dell 19" 1907FP with has a similarly thick coating, and my tertiary is some super cheap 20" Samsung jobber I bought that doesn't have a height adjustable stand. Grrrrr. I might get rid of the Samsung because I don't use it much and it looks messy compared to my Dells (It's sitting on a GPU box so it is at a good height, then my Dells are level with it) On most matte monitors you can usually see a tiny bit of light reflection, but not on the U2312. Day or night, the picture is basically unaffected by lighting. There's also almost no noticable ghosting on it. My 19" Dell on the other hand, ghosts like crazy and has severe backlight bleed. But it's 6 or so years old and on it's last legs. I used it for 4 years and put hundreds of hours of BF2 on it.Last edit: 2012-02-02 16:46:09 |
| | "Cliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide" -Tastosis |
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| subl1me Chile. February 02 2012 16:45. Posts 41 | Profile # |
I would like to buy the Samsung 2233RZ to play CS:Source (and SC2 ofc, but I dont see the difference playing on a standard 60hz monitor and a 120hz), for what Ive read and seen, Its pretty good and I'm in love with the desing of it, its just so nice. Does anyone have it? How much did you pay for it? Can anyone give some feedback? Would you recommend another 120hz monitor @ same price?
Thanks beforehand and WOW this is a great post mateLast edit: 2012-02-02 16:51:06 |
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Josh_rakoons United Kingdom. February 02 2012 16:57. Posts 1157 | Profile # |
| Great post, glad someone finally did it. |
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| ArcticVanguard United States. February 02 2012 23:27. Posts 413 | Profile Blog # |
| Great post, OP. Right now I'm actually in need of a budget 16x9 (stupid emoticons) monitor that can go into portrait mode. I've already got a Samsung SyncMaster 2333hd that I'm using for my main monitor or my gaming stuff. I just need a portrait one for web browsing and such, so it doesn't have to look great. Last edit: 2012-02-03 01:41:48 |
| | "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." ~C.S. Lewis |
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| TheToast United States. February 03 2012 00:18. Posts 4804 | Profile Blog # |
Yay! We can add yet another thread to the growing list of condensed topics in Tech Support, great job Womwomwom! I'll get my report button ready for any clown who decides to make a "which monitor should I get" thread. Tons of info is right here.  |
| | I like the way the walls go out. Gives you an open feeling. Firefly's a good design. People don't appreciate the substance of things. Objects in space. People miss out on what's solid. | |
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| Frostydanger_Frost Ukraine. February 03 2012 00:56. Posts 90 | Profile # |
| Hey guys,i just wanted to ask,is a 27'' monitor to big to play sc2 on?Im in the market to get myself a new monitor,i was thinking of getting a Asus VK278Q LCD Monitor 27-inch Widescreen. |
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| Wabbit United States. February 03 2012 02:18. Posts 1006 | Profile # |
Great post Wom, thanks a lot!!!
Question: are there no good budget IPS glossy monitors??? (U2312HM and PA238Q are both matte, though I know the ASUS uses less AG... still.... I guess I need to go see them in a store but like you said, those places are ridiculously overlit and I like my dark room... aaaaah)
EDIT: I also have another question, which I'm sure is going to be very stupid and I'll get laughed at but I cannot find the answer myself... why are the standard refresh rates 60 and 120? Some specific hardware thing, or having to do with common media, or ??? A theoretical 80Hz or 100Hz monitor sounds nice to me, especially if it were achievable with IPS (is that possible? I know i'd pay $400 for a nice 23" 1920x1080 80Hz IPS)Last edit: 2012-02-03 02:59:40 |
| | [QUOTE][B]On July 29 2011 13:35 R1CH wrote:[/B] 575W PSU for $25? ಠ_ಠ[/QUOTE] |
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| Jojo131 Philippines. February 03 2012 03:49. Posts 1312 | Profile # |
I was wondering if anyone had any information/tips about buying an external monitor for your laptop? I'm currently planning on doing this for when I get to college since my laptop is already pretty decent for SC2. At home I'm currently using the stock monitor that I got with my old desktop, but the resolutions don't exactly match with my laptop.
I was told before that the GPU determines what resolutions/scales my laptop can work with, if this is true then I'm wondering if anyone knows what my options are in terms of size/resolution if I have a GT 540m.
Sorry if it was mentioned already in the OP, I'm unfamiliar with a lot of tech-lingo |
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Womwomwom February 03 2012 10:27. Posts 5517 | Profile Blog # |
On February 03 2012 02:18 Wabbit wrote: Great post Wom, thanks a lot!!!
Question: are there no good budget IPS glossy monitors??? (U2312HM and PA238Q are both matte, though I know the ASUS uses less AG... still.... I guess I need to go see them in a store but like you said, those places are ridiculously overlit and I like my dark room... aaaaah)
EDIT: I also have another question, which I'm sure is going to be very stupid and I'll get laughed at but I cannot find the answer myself... why are the standard refresh rates 60 and 120? Some specific hardware thing, or having to do with common media, or ??? A theoretical 80Hz or 100Hz monitor sounds nice to me, especially if it were achievable with IPS (is that possible? I know i'd pay $400 for a nice 23" 1920x1080 80Hz IPS)
Some monitors can get 75hz and so forth with DisplayPort, I think the old Dell U2311 could. No idea which ones do and which ones don't. Some VA monitors can achieve the same. The problem with running outside the recommended specs is that the image quality can end up with significant artifacts.
The cheapest glossy IPS monitor is the Dell ST2220T. Its actually really good. The other options are Hazro and Apple.
On February 03 2012 00:56 Frostydanger_Frost wrote: Hey guys,i just wanted to ask,is a 27'' monitor to big to play sc2 on?Im in the market to get myself a new monitor,i was thinking of getting a Asus VK278Q LCD Monitor 27-inch Widescreen.
I've detailed in my post that the max size of a TN panel should be around 24". Even if you sit perfectly, the overall size of the monitor means you will see gamma shifting. The easiest way to tell if you want one or not is to actually look at one.
On February 03 2012 03:49 Jojo131 wrote:I was wondering if anyone had any information/tips about buying an external monitor for your laptop? I'm currently planning on doing this for when I get to college since my laptop is already pretty decent for SC2. At home I'm currently using the stock monitor that I got with my old desktop, but the resolutions don't exactly match with my laptop. I was told before that the GPU determines what resolutions/scales my laptop can work with, if this is true then I'm wondering if anyone knows what my options are in terms of size/resolution if I have a GT 540m. Sorry if it was mentioned already in the OP, I'm unfamiliar with a lot of tech-lingo
Resolution determines the amount of pixels your GPU needs to push. The more pixels, the more power your GPU needs. If you want to use your external monitor's native resolution (like 1920x1080) and your laptop's resolution is 1366x768, then you will find your frame rate collapse because your GPU needs to push significantly more pixels than it normally would. |
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| jacosajh February 03 2012 10:36. Posts 2522 | Profile Blog # |
| Very nice! Thanks. I learned alot. Last edit: 2012-02-03 10:36:31 |
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| CaptainBoner Vatican City State. February 03 2012 12:18. Posts 80 | Profile # | |
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Womwomwom February 03 2012 12:56. Posts 5517 | Profile Blog # |
| Doesn't really matter. If you read my OP, you'd learn that the specsheet is useless and all 60hz TN monitors are more or less the same. Go into a store and pick the one you like best. |
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| Ercster United States. February 03 2012 13:25. Posts 491 | Profile # | |
| | “The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” -Neil deGrasse Tyson |
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| DirgeForNovember Romania. February 04 2012 01:38. Posts 3 | Profile # |
| @OP: Great guide! You might want to add the Fujitsu Siemens P27T-6 to the list of 27" 2560x1440 monitors. It's a great monitor, slightly more expensive than the U2711, but cheaper than the Apple Cinema display. I own it, and I'm really, really pleased with it. ^^ |
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