Widescreen or no?

botheredbothered Manchester UK
edited January 2008 in Hardware
I assume this goes here.
I need to get another monitor, upgrade for me, mine passed to son, sons passed to Dad. I don't really fancy a widescreen but there seems to be little choice. How does widescreen work? Does it stretch the image to fit or zoom in to fill the screen? Is there any advantage considering it's mainly going to be used for gaming? My 19inch Iiyama is brilliant, a 20inch version of the same would be nice but there only seems to be widescreen available. Less hight but wider seems to be a step backwards to me.
You wide users out there, how'd you find it?

Comments

  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    widescreen is awesome. Most, if not all video cards support the widescreen resolution, so there's no stretching. I game on a 24" widescreen monitor, and it is pure win. I did go from a 17"->24", so I can't really comment on the "wider but shorter part", but I love my current monitor.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Widescreen is now the accepted standard, it would be a step backwards to go to another 4:3. Games handle the widescreen, everything is designed for it now.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited January 2008
    Any recommended makes?
    I've had llyama for years.
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    LG, Samsung, Dell, Hanns-G (quite inexpensive, but have used 4-5 for builds, happy so far)
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Widescreen FTW. I will never buy a 4:3 again If I can help it.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I will never, ever go back to 4:3. I love my 22" Samsung, and consequently, probably won't ever buy another brand. I love Samsung <3333
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    samsung is good, I have a 24" westinghouse that I love - only problem with it is that it doesn't auto-power off (goes to a blue screen).
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Widescreen. I would advice not to go below 22". A 19" widescreen really has very little viewing area. It feels like going back to an old 17" or 15" standard format monitor.

    Another word of advice: Do look at monitors in stores before you purchase. Many of the new monitors, especially the 24" models use TN panels. Overall TN panels are very good, but the angles of view can be terrible. Some of them are so bad that there is color shift and graying out if the viewer is not looking directly at the monitor on a level plane.

    I'm looking for a 24" widescreen right now and have been almost needing headache medication over trying to absorb information about all the different options, screen qualities, and objective and subjective evaluations.

    I'll echo what a couple already mentioned: It's hard to go wrong with Samsung. ANY monitor will be a compromise. No monitor will do all things at top performance, but the Samsung seems to have the best compromise of qualities in its price range. I'll probably end up with a Samsung 246BW. It has the TN panel, but no problem, as I will be looking at it directly with almost zero angle.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited January 2008
    This one caught my eye.
    http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17293)LG-22-TFT-LCD-Monitor-L226WTQ-Widescreen.aspx
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    24" is nice because it'll do 1080p.
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Thrax wrote:
    I will never, ever go back to 4:3. I love my 22" Samsung, and consequently, probably won't ever buy another brand. I love Samsung <3333
    Quote for truth. I have two of these:

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824001083

    The adjustable height is faaaantastic.

    That one you linked to has significantly higher contrast; nice. Personally, I will probably never buy LG products because this mobile phone of theirs I have is total crap (faceplate broke from repeated openings, battery life went to hell and had to be replaced in 6 months, bad reception vs. other phones with the same provider, and it has a loose connection now that causes it to sometimes turn off randomly when jolted).
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    bothered wrote:
    This one caught my eye.
    http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17293)LG-22-TFT-LCD-Monitor-L226WTQ-Widescreen.aspx
    Looks nice from this side of the pond. Tilt and height adjustment are nice to have.

    BTW (OFF Topic)... why do they always display the price without VAT as well? Can you purchase it without paying VAT?
    Is it a law they have to do that so the consumer knows what the tax is on the item?

    (/OFF TOPIC)
  • mas0nmas0n howdy Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    "Wider is Better"

    srsly

    I also have the Samsung 225BW and absolutely love it, it's actually what brought me to SM in the first place (found this review)

    It has it's weaknesses, but like Leo said, all panels do.
  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I have a Dell 2407WFP. I believe it uses a Samsung panel. I love it. It's amazing for movies, it's amazing for Photoshop, and even when I get a laptop I plan on keeping it around.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I was going to comment, but I am a fossil when it comes to this.
    I'll bet that I am the only guy here that uses a wide screen CRT (24" Trinitron).
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Ed, that's a smart choice. It will keep your house planted in the event of a tornado.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    ;D
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I have a pair of 20" wideys, Samsung all the way. They're freaking gorgeous when my computer is working. :( RAM comes in tomorrow!
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited January 2008
    Well it's ordered, should be here tomorrow. Understanding wife has bought it me for my birthday. I've never had anything LG before but if RyderOCZ says they're ok that'll do for me. Also the reviews on the page I linked to seem to be all good. I was on CoD4 last night and asked the other players if any of them use a widescreen and several do, they say there's no problem as most games have widescreen support anyway these days.
    So, Saturday will tell. I'll let you all know how it pans out and thanks for the advice and comments.

    Oh, and RyderOCZ, they tell you the VAT just to remind you who's in charge. There are only two or three things you can do in this country without having to pay the man, and you wouldn't do any of them in public.
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Awesome, congrats! You should enjoy it.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited January 2008
    It came last night. I've had a few hours on it now and I'm impressed. Crysis and CoD4 look awesome. I haven't played anything that doesn't support widescreen yet but I doubt it'll be a problem. Lovely clear display, happy mode.
  • ThelemechThelemech Victoria Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    edcentric wrote:
    I was going to comment, but I am a fossil when it comes to this.
    I'll bet that I am the only guy here that uses a wide screen CRT (24" Trinitron).

    ......I am still using a CRT 19" Trinitron, on my secondary computer:bigggrin:......
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