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School me in Monitors

emp123emp123 Registered User regular
edited March 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
Im looking to buy a new monitor in the 23-24 inch range, and currently Dell has a 25% off on ultrasharps thing going on with an online coupon but the ultrasharps apparently arent LED backlit which is something Im kinda looking for. I guess Im more concerned with the IPS display type, but LED backlighting would be nice.

Anybody have a suggestion of what I should do, or should I just pull the trigger and get an ultrasharp?

Also, whats the difference between e-IPS and h-IPS?

Steam
emp123 on

Posts

  • spool32spool32 Contrary Library Registered User, Transition Team regular
    edited March 2011
    Need to know your price range before I can really help you right now. There are a pile of deals out there, and if your video card has HDMI out, you don't have to get a "computer monitor" - as long as 1920x1080 is an OK resolution, you can sometimes find better prices in the "television" section.

    spool32 on
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Im fine with 1920x1080, and while my video card doesnt have HDMI out I could always just use a DVI to HDMI converter, but Id prefer a monitor. I also dont really need a monitor with speakers.

    The 23" Ultrasharp is on sale for $230ish, and the 24" being about $300. I dont think I want to spend much above $300, and I can always wait since my 20" Ultrasharp from 2005 is working fine. I guess this is more of a case of I wants it.

    emp123 on
    Steam
  • spool32spool32 Contrary Library Registered User, Transition Team regular
    edited March 2011
    I don't think you're quite following what I meant:

    Right now, "LCD Computer Monitor" and "1080p HD Television" are the same piece of electronic equipment, but when you buy a "computer monitor" from Dell (e.g. the Ultrasharp 24" for $300), you are paying more money than you would pay for the same device if it was being sold as a "Television". It's all about the marketing. Case in point, you can buy a Visio 26" LED (not LCD) from Amazon for $289, it has HDMI and VGA inputs, and supports multiple resolutions (max 1920x1080).

    If you buy from the "television" section, you're going to pay less... sometimes far, far less. Forget the Dell; just go buy a Visio.

    spool32 on
  • JLM-AWPJLM-AWP Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    In my experience (and I may be wrong about the newest monitors), Dell just doesn't have the best screen quality. I would much quicker trust a Samsung TV than a Dell monitor to have good contrast ratio and the like. You can look at specs all day long, but you also might want to consider hopping over to a Best Buy and just looking at the difference in screen quality between the options you're considering.

    I think Spool has the right idea though. These days, people don't know that most display types (computer, TV) are interchangeable. It drives the specialized market prices up, which happens to be the desktop/monitor market right now.

    JLM-AWP on
  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Well one advantage of the Dell is the stand/mount options. Both my Dell monitors have height adjustable stands that allow me to remove the monitor from the stand and re-install it in the stand in portrait configuration. I'm not sure if the offers you're looking at include those particular stands though.

    There's a table here which describes the various types of IPS.


    If this is mainly for gaming or watching video you may want to save your bucks and buy the E-IPS (or go for an HDTV) as H-IPS is more for those seeking professional-use performance (e.g. artists, those in graphic/photo/print production).

    Djeet on
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Are most LCD tvs IPS? I was under the impression that they were TN based.

    emp123 on
    Steam
  • wonderpugwonderpug Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    emp123 wrote: »
    Are most LCD tvs IPS? I was under the impression that they were TN based.

    I'd like to know this as well. If there's an affordable monitor-sized IPS tv out there I may run out and buy it today.

    wonderpug on
  • HyperAquaBlastHyperAquaBlast Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I have always had issues at home and at work with using HDTVs for computers. Like they will play the recommended resolution but any res changes by a program or down scale usually results in the screen blacking out and saying "Resoulution Unsupported". Then you have to find a way to back out and get back to the old res so you can see stuff again.

    I don't have that issue with dedicated monitors on PCs so I have steered clear of that and have advised the people I provide tech support to do the same for their display needs.

    HyperAquaBlast on
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  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I know IPS HDTVs are available (for example, the panasonic website advertises that the U Series LCD HDTV is an IPS panel), but I'm not sure if that's the norm or not.

    Another minor consideration is that most HDTVs overscan a bit. This may or may not be addressable in the TV menus. When addressed via the video card control panel you usually lose some resolution (e.g. a 1920x1080 panel with 5% overscan may result in a corrected 1824x1026 resolution).

    Djeet on
  • EtheaEthea Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    You also have to look at response times on the TV's. Generally it is far harder to find TV's with sub 5ms response times, which could mean you end up with a TV that produces ghosting when used for FPS and other fast movement games.

    Ethea on
  • spool32spool32 Contrary Library Registered User, Transition Team regular
    edited March 2011
    HyperAquaBlast wrote: »
    I have always had issues at home and at work with using HDTVs for computers. Like they will play the recommended resolution but any res changes by a program or down scale usually results in the screen blacking out and saying "Resoulution Unsupported". Then you have to find a way to back out and get back to the old res so you can see stuff again.

    I don't have that issue with dedicated monitors on PCs so I have steered clear of that and have advised the people I provide tech support to do the same for their display needs.

    Your info is outdated, and incorrect for the majority of cases as well... changing screen resolution in Windows and most programs have a timer after which the display will revert to the old res, specifically to prevent being stuck with the black screen and having to "find a way to back out".

    A quick look at the technical specs of an HDTV in today's market will tell you the resolutions they support, and as long as you choose one of those you're fine.

    spool32 on
  • jamesrajamesra Chicago, ILRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Just piggy-backing on this thread, since I've got basically the same question, but know far less about monitors and their technology than even the OP. My wife and I recently acquired a new, much larger home which in turn allows me a proper home office and I want to return to a dual monitor set up. Ideally I'm looking for something in the 22-inch range, (and absolutely no larger than 23-inches) 1080p/1920x1080, and a price point at or below $250 each. HDMI would be nice, but I need DVI since my Nvida card only has one HDMI out. I work from home, and do a great deal of home office work, but its all with text; my high end needs are all gaming related.

    Currently, I'm looking at a pair of these guys, which would be ideal, I think. But is there something wrong with it that I don't know about? I looked at some of the TVs recommended above, but I cordially despise the form factors on the 22/23 inch models I saw.

    Advice? Thanks in advance, and then I can thank you again, later. (And: Look forward to my next exciting H&A post, wherein I ask for advice on speakers, since we now have space for decent home speakers. This exciting post will coming a forum near you early next week! Be sure not to miss out!)

    jamesra on
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  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2011
    A lot of the advice in this thread is bad, with your price range you can get a very good monitor. It seems like a lot of people here really have no clue what they are talking about beyond personal experience (not saying I am any different, but try and get information from people who know what they are talking about). About three years ago I researched monitors for a couple months, and I decided on the Dell 2209WA

    http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1387587&page=60&highlight=dell

    That is a detailed thread about it, but I highly reccomend reading as many reviews as possible, articles on the technology and all that. Further than that specs mostly don't mean a fucking thing, so you have to dig deeper than that. And to make things even more complicated some companies don't release monitors that could be considered consistent, some are good and some are bad, in the same exact model. It happens.

    My goal was to find a monitor that was high quality (TN is low quality for the most part but they are fast if that is your main goal) and fast so I went for an IPS screen under $400 and that narrowed my search. I found what I wanted, searched the internet and waited and got it for about half of what it was listed elswhere off of dell outlet. I am not saying get this monitor, but do what I did, research, ask on specialty (not here) forums and do your fucking research. You will find something you are happy with, and if you did your research you should remain happy.

    An example of places to look at
    http://www.ehow.com/list_6653780_different-lcd-computer-screen-monitors_.html
    http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-3-10.html
    http://compreviews.about.com/od/monitors/a/LCD-Monitor-Buyers-Guide.htm
    http://forums.anandtech.com/index.php
    http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS/MONCAL/CALIBRATE.HTM

    having trouble finding the speciality websites right now, but they exist. Things for graphic design, photography, video editing, they will have the best insight into quality monitors. Gaming websites (the obvious ones but also even some places like hardocp) will favor speed, so keep that in mind while keeping your needs in mind. Also your goal when buying a monitor isn't to have the brightest fucking thing ever, the most colorful thing in the world or anything like that. That is stupid, it is idiotic and childish, a monitor needs to display accurate and realistic colors, not some hyped up ultra accented world, things look much nicer when they look proper.

    Also I sort of suspect some of the calibration sites of being bullshit, don't take them too seriously but a calibrator is not a bad purchase.

    Fizban140 on
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Thats basically my problem. I was using Newegg to compare monitors, but it rarely lists the panel type. Its been really hard for me to find IPS displays, which is why I was leaning towards the Dell since I know its an IPS screen. Unfortunately its not LED backlit. Im not sure if monitors even have LED backlighting yet (I know some are LED edge lit, but I would like to get one with LED backlighting with local dimming).

    I guess I'll just wait. :(

    emp123 on
    Steam
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2011
    Hmm, yeah that is a rather specific monitor....keep in mind new egg is rather limited in its selection, actually most places are, one place will never have every monitor especially the higher end (not TN panel) monitors. Keep searching though, ask around some other forums even. I bought mine before all the LED stuff so I can't comment on that.

    Fizban140 on
  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    If you're looking specifically for LED + IPS then just googling yields some results (LG, NEC, ASUS), but limiting yourself so excludes plenty of nice monitors.

    TFTCentral has some good documentation and reviews w/r/to monitors.

    Djeet on
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