Advice on new monitor (bye bye CRTs!)

pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
edited February 2010 in Hardware
Alright, the time has finally come for me to get rid of these two bulky 19" Viewsonic CRT monitors. They were both amazing for their day, but their day is many years in the past.

I am looking right now at an HDLCD in the 22"-26" range. Price really isn't a factor (up to $350 that is), but having a built in TV Tuner (it will most likely double as my TV as well) would be really nice. Also needs to have at least one HDMI and DVI, more would be nice, but I can get by with one of each. Ok, questions time.

1920x1080 or 1920x1200?
Contrast ratio?
Recommended brands? (looked at Viewsonic and Samsung so far)

Comments

  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    I personally own a Samsung and a Haans-G. Both are 22" and 1680x1050. Both of them are nice displays. I haven't looked at LCDs in a little while, but I think you're going to have a hard time meeting all your specs (especially the TV-tuner) for under 350.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    Well, I guess I'm going to have to eat my words. All the LCD monitors with built in tuners on NewEgg are under 350$. Guess it just goes to show how much LCDs have dropped in price the past couple years. I paid over 300 for my Samsung LCD, sans TV-tuner, a few years ago. Then again, I did pay extra to get the 3ms response time. If you go through NewEgg and want a TV-tuner it looks like you have no choice but Samsung.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010190020+1289717890&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&Subcategory=20&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    Piggeh, don't forget our affiliate link :D

    <3
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    Prime: I always use the affiliate link when applicable :)

    Also, probably going with the 25.5" Samsung, should order sometime in the next week or two.
  • mas0nmas0n howdy Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    The 23" 16:9 2048x1152 panels from Samsung and Dell are glorious. Worth checking out.
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    ^
  • CrisCris Buenos Aires, Arg
    edited February 2010
    What are you gonna do with it?

    If it's for gaming/movies you should go with 24" or above (resolution 1920x1200), if it's for working: (designing, coding, etc) I suggest looking into a dual screen setup. You'll love it, believe me.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    This monitor is for the Phenom II, HD5850 gaming rig. Will be used also as a TV (hence the TV tuner request). Will probably keep the two CRTs I have now as backups and/or tri-monitor setup (currently running dual 19" CRT)
  • CrisCris Buenos Aires, Arg
    edited February 2010
    If it's for gaming you can get a 120 Hz LCD which supports 3D, I don't know if ATI supports 3D output at the moment but those screens are 3D-ready and are already working with nvidia cards and some games like Batman Arkham Asylum look great on them.

    Soon as 3D games continue appearing most people will start buying those screens so if you're getting your first LCD now, make sure you don't regret in the future not getting a 3D ready setup

    Some of the 120hz LCDs available at the moment are:
    * ACER GD245HQ 120 Hz LCD display
    * ACER GD235HZ 120 Hz LCD display
    * Alienware OptX AW2310 120 Hz LCD display

    They are all 1920x1080.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    Not buying Acer, everything I've ever owned that had that label on it has failed in spectacular fashion up to and including a motherboard that literally started smoking.

    Sticking with Samsung for the time being because they are the only one is my price range that has the features I want. Still a week or more away from ordering though, still researching what I want.
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    If viewing angle is going to be a factor (if you plan to look at it from anything other than strait on), you may want to look at ISP panels as opposed to TS. I would also keep an eye out on the Dell Refurbished site for good deals on displays, but i do love my 24" samsung 245bw and would completely recommend it.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    Not all Acer hardware is crap (although I did believe the same until I bought this). I needed to replace my existing LCD (going back about a year or two) and saw this Acer X222W on offer for £90, now considering it's a 22" screen (1680x1050) I thought even if it is awful I'll just use it as a second screen.

    Lo and behold it is actually a really good monitor, more than pleasantly surprised and it's yet to let me down in any way. So just throwing it out there that not everything Acer make is awful :)
  • chrisWhitechrisWhite Littleton, CO
    edited February 2010
    I've never seen a display I like better then my HP w2408 which seems to have been replaced by the W2338H.

    There's a single stuck pixel that drives me nuts but that's a risk regardless of what LCD you go with.
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