What to think about when shopping for a monitor

[Zaleukos]

I just had the CRT of my older PC die on me, so it's finally time to get a TFT monitor. I unfortunately dont have any experience of TFTs for non-office applications, so I dont really know what to look out for. Are there any pitfalls with cheaper varieties, or are TFTs so mature by now that I can go for a cheaper brand?

In the short term the monitor will be connected to a P4 with a Geforce 6800GS that is used for gaming, office work, and the occasional movie. The games do include some graphics heavy ones (Two worlds and Gothic 3) that I run at 1024x768, but I'll probably get a new PC this spring and up the resolution as much as the hardware allows. Being able to run games at max settings isnt an absolute must though, and besides RPGs I dont run that many eye candy games. Cost is also an issue, I'd rather not spend more than 250-300 Euros on a monitor.

So I guess the main issues are:

1) What pitfalls are there to look out for when shopping for a monitor?
2) What is the appropriate resolution for a moderate gaming rig today?

Being a stingy bastard I already have my eyes on the following models (descriptions in Swedish, but most of the technical details should be easy to translate):

19" 4:3
https://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.aspx?Product=HYX91D
https://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.aspx?Product=LGL1919S-SF
https://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.aspx?Product=ASVB191T
https://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.aspx?Product=NECLCD195BL

20" 4:3
https://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.aspx?Product=MIRDML520N100
https://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.aspx?Product=ASLS201D

22" 16:10
https://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.aspx?Product=NECLCD22WV

All are budget screens, but money IS unfortunately a concern

EDIT: The only major electronics retailer available in this crappy town offers a few Viewsonic, one HP, and one Samsung 19" widescreen, as well as one HP W2007V 19" 4:3 in the same price range, and would obviously offer faster delivery as the shop is less than 1000m from our doorstep. Technical specs are harder to dig out from their website. EDIT2: They have an affordable Acer 22" widescreen too.

 

[Prime Junta]

In a very small nutshell:

(1) No, all LCD monitors aren't created equal. You gets what you pays for, as usual.
(2) Apart from size and resolution, the characteristics to look at are color fidelity and latency. Latency is important for moving things, color fidelity is important for things like photos. On desktop monitors, the viewing angle thing is no longer a major issue.
(3) Bigger screens tend to have poorer latency, all else being equal.
(4) Cheaper screens tend to have poorer latency and poorer color fidelity.

So, if you want it all -- a big screen with low latency and high color fidelity -- it'll cost ya. I have an Eizo 2410W, and I paid about a grand for it in 2006; prices have come down a bit since then.

For gaming, a 19-inch 1280 x 1024 screen is ample; in fact, unless you have an extremely beefy GPU, many/most games will look better on it than on bigger screens since you won't need to down-scale them to it. But for just about anything else, bigger screens rock.

Which one to buy? I won't tell you, 'cuz I don't know: I haven't been in the market for a monitor in over a year, and am not up to date with what's hot and what's not. You'll should to do a bit of research on tech review sites; start with Tom's Hardware Guide and AnandTech.

 

[zakhal]

If you have the space you might wanna consider using 32/37/42/47" hd/full hd lcd tv as a monitor. Ive had a 32" hd lcd tv ( mostly 1360x768 / 1024x768 ) for two years now and its has been the best deal ever.

If you wanna go cheap you might get a 32"/37" hdtv ( 1360x768 ) for 300-400eur.

 

[magerette]

I lucked out and got my nice 19" flat widescreen monitor free from Dell with my last PC. Of course, the PC cost was for me major but I would have spec'ed it the same anyway plus had to pay for a new monitor so I think I got a good deal including warranties and tech desk help and other intangibles that a low techie user like myself needs.

I hope my point is a valid one and not just one born of laziness --that is, don't neglect shopping around with online manufacturers either. Big ones can offer free shipping to your door. There are deals out there, even if you aren't buying a whole new system and you probably know more about the nuts and bolts than I do so you may find quite a good one.

@zakhal--I know--I could have got it cheaper if I'd built it myself

 

[Corwin]

Dead pixels appear to be the major concern I read about. Cheaper models have more and do nothing about them. Don't know if BENQ is available there, or its price, but they are an excellent monitor!! I'd stay clear of Low Grade, but Acer should be OK!!

 

[Remus]

For periodically updated LCDs buying guide:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=31&threadid=2049206&enterthread=y

Infos on LCDs and resources:

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/

 

[txa1265]

If you have the space you might wanna consider using 32/37/42/47" hd/full hd lcd tv as a monitor. Ive had a 32" hd lcd tv ( mostly 1360x768 / 1024x768 ) for two years now and its has been the best deal ever.

If you wanna go cheap you might get a 32"/37" hdtv ( 1360x768 ) for 300-400eur.

Driving something like that for gaming would require a dual 512MB card in SLI configuration, I figure ... and *that* wouldn't be cheap.

 

[KazikluBey]

I don't know much about which TFT to buy, but the ratio for 1280x1024 screens isn't 4:3, it's 5:4. Doesn't matter much, but games made for a 4:3 ratio (many games 5 years and older) look stretched in full screen.

 

[zakhal]

Driving something like that for gaming would require a dual 512MB card in SLI configuration, I figure ... and *that* wouldn't be cheap.

No need for SLI im sure one of the higher end nvidia cards (GTS/GT) would run it just fine too with single 512mb.

Full hd resolution (1920 x 1080) is not that demanding. Its just a slight step up from 1600 x 1200. For SLI you might wanna try out the resolution s that go over 2000x.

But if you can only afford low budget card then you can always buy hd lcd. Even a three year old card can run its best resolution (1360x768). That resolution is well supported even baldurs gate has it nowadays.

Once you go to the big screens you never wanna go back! Computer is nothing without a screen. Its the most important part of the whole setup.

 

[Remus]

Actually, for 24" lcd to play games smoothly you need at least 8800GT/GTS, unless you play old games...

 

[zakhal]

Actually, for 24" lcd to play games smoothly you need at least 8800GT/GTS, unless you play old games...

It has nothing to do with screen size but resolution. In 24" its 1900x1200 and that is more than full hd even 1920x1080. If 8800GTS runs 1900x1200 smooth then 1920x1080 should be even smoother.

My 32" is 1360x768 which is much below those so almost any card can run it smooth.

 

[Bartacus]

@zakhal That's absolutely correct. I can say that resolutions above the full HD standard require only two DVI outputs, not two videocards.
So SLI isn't needed at all, unless you want an ultimate gaming pc (think the newest quad cores like the QX9650) and I don't think Zaleukos was aiming for such a system.

 

[Remus]

Of course i meant 1900x1200 when i said 24" as it's the standard resolution. Big screen always good with high resolution; and also you can run games on big screen in lower resolution and it will be smooth. What i'm saying is on new games like Crysis, and turn on every graphical features - even SLi can't run the game without stutter. And i bet very soon 8800GTS won't be enough to power newer games even on 1680x1050 pixels.

 

[zakhal]

Crysis runs just fine on my 1360x768 with all maxed (GTS). For full hd maxed I might need a 9series card that is going into production sooner or later. But Im in no hurry to update to full hd yet so that can wait.

Even then crysis is more like an exception. Most pc games really dont need such specs. The game is a poorly optimized mess of dx9/dx10 imho. Of course pc players never complain about that - they just accept it and invest more into the engineroom.

 

[Zaleukos]

Thanks for all the replies

I only had the time to read PJ's response (and various reviews) before my gf pushed me to the store We got a 22" widescreen (the local store turned out to only stock Samsung and Viewsonic, and NO 4:3 screens whatsoever) that seems ok so far. It's plugged to the older PC since we occasionally watch movies on that one.

We already have a 32" TV with the same resolution as Zakhal's, and we are very unlikely to ever have enough space for that monster close to the computers (we typically put the two PCs next to each other in a room designated as office/library). That aside Bart is completely correct in that I dont aim for the very top of the line in hardware (I usually buy stuff that was top of the line half a generation ago as that tends to be better value for the money)

 

[Sir Markus]

Well I'm so old I fart dust and have cobwebs growing behind my ears, and my CRT Sony Trinitron 21" just died on me after a good 7 year run of almost constant use. I said a prayer that she be given unrestricted access to monitor heaven when I threw her in the dumpster. And I'm going to buy the exact same one as a replacment, I've already found a refurbished one online for less than 200 bucks. No LCD's here.

 

[Corwin]

You don't realise what you're missing!!

 

[Zaleukos]

You don't realise what you're missing!!

Yeah, it's as if the room just got bigger. And it didnt cost that much either (about USD 340). Compared to the old monstrosity its well worth a month on a noodle diet...

EDIT: the only advantage I can see with a CRT is the lack of "native" resolution...

EDIT2: I've had a partially fuzzy Dell LCD at work, but that was in 2002 and the technology has matured a bit since.

 

[Sir Markus]

You don't realise what you're missing!!

Nope I'm set in my ways this is the one I'm going to get plus I can pick it up locally. I just don't like the 'fuzzy' quality of the LCD's I've seen in the past:

http://www.accurateit.com/details.asp?iid=442

 

[Corwin]

I have several LCD's and NONE of them are fuzzy!!