LCD monitors

swagfuswagfu
edited October 2006 in Hardware
I am looking for a gaming quality lcd monitor. Problem is, i have no clue what to actually look for. I want to a get a widescreen...

Can anyone give me some solid advice???

I am running Sli with 2 MSI6800GT video cards, if that makes a difference....

Oh yeah, i am trying to stay in the $180-$250 range.

Thanks

Comments

  • NYCDrewNYCDrew NYC(duh)
    edited October 2006
    For gaming on a LCD, the key is refresh rate. You need a moniter that has a very low, like 5ms or less, refresh rate. And that's mainly if you're playing a game that has fast moving graphics. A slow refresh rate will give you like a ghost image behind the fast moving object if the refresh rate is too slow.

    I use my Samsung LCD for gaming all the time. I mainly bought it for doing other things, but have been playing Halflife 2, FarCry, FEAR, etc... and I've noticed no visual problems by playing on an LCD.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited October 2006
    NYCDrew wrote:
    For gaming on a LCD, the key is refresh rate. You need a moniter that has a very low, like 5ms or less, refresh rate. And that's mainly if you're playing a game that has fast moving graphics. A slow refresh rate will give you like a ghost image behind the fast moving object if the refresh rate is too slow.

    I use my Samsung LCD for gaming all the time. I mainly bought it for doing other things, but have been playing Halflife 2, FarCry, FEAR, etc... and I've noticed no visual problems by playing on an LCD.
    I think you mean response time. Lower the better?

    Checking the front page of Newegg, this one looks nice. 5ms response time. 19" widescreen. Sale ends tommorow (10/03/06).
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited October 2006
    Check out www.widescreengamingforum.com for some reviews and a buyers' guide. This is the one I have. It's slightly over your price range but I think the extra space and rez will be worth it.
  • zero-counterzero-counter Linux Lubber San Antonio Member
    edited October 2006
    swagfu wrote:
    I am looking for a gaming quality lcd monitor. Problem is, i have no clue what to actually look for. I want to a get a widescreen...

    Can anyone give me some solid advice???

    I am running Sli with 2 MSI6800GT video cards, if that makes a difference....

    Oh yeah, i am trying to stay in the $180-$250 range.

    Thanks
    SCEPTRE X20WC...FTW!!
    Solid advice...low response time, high contrast ratio, high resolution, DVI capable, low pixel pitch, high brightness, no less than 16.7 million colors (16.3 million can actually make a difference). These are specification approximations that you would want to keep in mind.

    In all honesty, use this site for the reviews and in depth search queries:
    http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/SubCategory.asp?SubCategory=20
    Just plug in your requirements and then read away. If you find a model that you are really thinking about, then you can google it for more info.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited October 2006
    Swagfu, I've sent you a private message concerning a monitor I have for sale. I will go ahead and post part of that message here, as I want gamers to comment on it. I'm not a gamer so wouldn't want to influence you towards a monitor that might not be what you need. I'm not posting a price in this post, as that type of thing belongs in the Deal Depot and Trading Post.

    So guys, what are your thoughts on this monitor for gaming? For general use? I'm not try to sell through this thread, just thought it would be a good place to discuss the merits of different features.

    BenQ FP91V

    • Type : 19-inch active panel TFT display
    • Native Resolution : 1280 x 1024 (SXGA), 60Hz
    • Brightness : 270cd/m²
    • Contrast Ratio : 550:1
    • Response Time : 4ms Gray to Gray / 8ms typical
    • Dot Pitch : 0.294mm
    • Viewing Angle : 140° (V) x 135° (H)
    • Input: Analog : D-SUB / Digital : DVI-D
    • Integrated 2 x 2W Stereo Speakers, SRS Surround

    Warranty: Over 2 Years Left on 3 Year Warranty
    Viewing Angle Adjustable
    Includes the following:
    BenQ Monitor Software (CD)
    User Manual (CD)
    Power Cable
    DVI (digital) Input Cable
    D-Sub (analog) Input Cable
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2006
    Excellent response time, decent contrast, good brand, good warranty, good brightness.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited October 2006
    Leonardo wrote:
    Swagfu, I've sent you a private message concerning a monitor I have for sale. I will go ahead and post part of that message here, as I want gamers to comment on it. I'm not a gamer so wouldn't want to influence you towards a monitor that might not be what you need. I'm not posting a price in this post, as that type of thing belongs in the Deal Depot and Trading Post.

    So guys, what are your thoughts on this monitor for gaming? For general use? I'm not try to sell through this thread, just thought it would be a good place to discuss the merits of different features.

    BenQ FP91V

    • Type : 19-inch active panel TFT display
    • Native Resolution : 1280 x 1024 (SXGA), 60Hz
    • Brightness : 270cd/m²
    • Contrast Ratio : 550:1
    • Response Time : 4ms Gray to Gray / 8ms typical
    • Dot Pitch : 0.294mm
    • Viewing Angle : 140° (V) x 135° (H)
    • Input: Analog : D-SUB / Digital : DVI-D
    • Integrated 2 x 2W Stereo Speakers, SRS Surround

    Warranty: Over 2 Years Left on 3 Year Warranty
    Viewing Angle Adjustable
    Includes the following:
    BenQ Monitor Software (CD)
    User Manual (CD)
    Power Cable
    DVI (digital) Input Cable
    D-Sub (analog) Input Cable

    The stats look equal to and better (especially the response time) than my samsung 19" ...and I've had over 25 of them in the past few years.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited October 2006
    Not being a gamer, I can't comment with experience concerning wide screen advantages. Many gamers seem to swear up and down about the superiority of widescreen gaming. I understand that format for movies - a typical person's peripheral vision is 140 degrees, hence the "letterbox" format. But what about gaming? One that I have seen on widescreen monitors under general purpose usage is the wide format can distort images and some other displays. That doesn't bother some people, but does me.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited October 2006
    If the game supports widescreen monitor's 16:10 aspect ratio (which the vast majority of the games coming out these days do) then the image will not be stretched, and you'll gain the FOV over standard 4:3 resolutions.

    As for games that don't support them right out of the box, the vast majority of games can be patched or hacked to use 16:10. Those that still cannot can be played with "black bars" on the left and right side of the screen, so you never lose aspect even when forced to use 4:3 resolutions.

    Windows also supports 16:10, giving you a larger desktop horizontally than you would have with a standard monitor.

    IME widescreen monitors always look like garbage when on display at Best Buy and the like, because the signal multiplier boxes used in most display cabinets cannot handle the 16:10 resolutions. Furthermore, since the same signal is usually sent to all monitors on display and more 4:3 monitors are sold then 16:10 monitors, the resolution sent to the monitors are all in 4:3 format, despite the fact that it'll make the widescreen monitors look like garbage.
  • swagfuswagfu
    edited October 2006
    Thanks for the information guys. Like everyone else, I would like the biggest bang for the buck. I should be able to afford one soon. I will look at the ones listed in the thread.

    Thanks again.
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