120Hz Displays

[MChao1]

Dual-Link DVI will do it.

Did I get it confused with the 3D stuff?

 

[Gloomy]

Did I get it confused with the 3D stuff?

No, 3D is something separate. To use it you need to be able to drive the display at 120Hz. Once you can do that, all you need are polarized glasses (wired or wireless) and the software and you're good to go.

 

[MChao1]

Thanks for all your help.

One last question. Some monitors are marketed as Nvidia 3D ready while others are marketed ATI 3D ready.
This is just marketing? I should be able to use an ATI card to do 3D on a monitor marketed as Nvidia 3d?

 

[Gloomy]

Thanks for all your help.

One last question. Some monitors are marketed as Nvidia 3D ready while others are marketed ATI 3D ready.
This is just marketing? I should be able to use an ATI card to do 3D on a monitor marketed as Nvidia 3d?

The monitors are software-agnostic. If they're 3D ready 120Hz monitor, you can use either AMD or NVIdia as far as I know.

 

[shurato]

So the OCD in me made me leave work a little early and trek an hour over to the nearest Microcenter and I bought the Samsung S27A950D.

Here are my initial impressions:

120HZ is an AMAZING leap forward from my 60hz Hanns-G 28"... everything in general is so much more smoother and clearer in Windows. The biggest test was playing Modern Warfare 3. It's like playing a different game. So clear and smooth...definitely gives you an advantage and very easy on the eyestrain. Seeing details in the game that I have never noticed before.

I know this monitor only supports AMD 3D as I have an NVIDA card but I have no interest in 3D, just bought it strictly for 2D so I can't comment. I'll never be able to go back to 60hz screens anymore. One minor complaint so far is the weird monitor stand. Feels like the screen is dipping ever so slightly down on the left.

So $700+tax might sound a tad ridiculous for a 27" monitor which will only be used for 2D but I figured the eye comfort alone since i stare at my screen for hours on end is worth it.

Also, going down in size from a 28" 1920x1200 to 27" 1920x1080 is actually not too bad. Lose a noticeable amount of screen real estate but i feel like especially with gaming so far, it's actually improved my field of vision and this might be the sweet spot for size on my desk.

Now the only thing I have to worry about is the Samsung reliability... I've had terrible luck with expensive Samsung electronics and it failing on me the first few weeks of purchase. Had to get this because the Asus and Acer 27" 120hz offerings just didn't appeal to me.

edit: also wanted to add that the glare of the glossy screen is really a non factor for me. not noticeable or distracting what so ever. colors seem to look so much more vibrant and eye popping now.

 

[Gloomy]

In my case I have a light source directly behind me (window/fixture) and I'd rather not rearrange the whole room just for a monitor.

I remember seeing a little while ago somewhere that you could set the nvidia software to generic monitor mode and use an uncertified monitor that way, but you have to pick the shutter mode for the glasses manually.

 

[Fallengod]

Gloomy, just in your opinion, do you think its worth the $90 difference to get the Planar SA2311W over this viewsonic?

http://www.buy.com/prod/viewsonic-v...-2-ms-adjustable-display-angle/211573834.html

Its pretty cheap, only $210(on another site).

Its a tough decision for me since I really dont need anything crazy, just looking for 120hz basically. I also rather have a smaller monitor than a larger one. Is the Planar SA2311W worth $90 more you think? I hate to throw away $90 just to achieve basically the same thing.

 

[Gloomy]

It's 1680x1050 though...

 

[Fallengod]

Whats wrong with that?

 

[Gloomy]

You're paying for a bit more pixel real estate with the planar. There's also a few open-box asus vg236h for 266 dollars and free shipping up on ebay. You can get one of those.

 

[Fallengod]

Yeah not interested in asus monitors or open box items with no warranty from ebay.

 

[Dkcode]

What would be a good 120Hz monitor for someone who is used to a 30" IPS ?

Nothing is going to come close to matching the image quality of your 30" monitor. You will be making a compromise by switching to a 120hz panel.

I have a 30" PVA monitor which I used for gaming for 3 years. I was curious about 120hz and I found the 30" Samsung to be a little slow, I was also gaming competitively and wanted something quicker.

At the time (March 2011) I tried the BenQ 2410T and the ASUS VG236H. I settled on the ASUS as the image quality was better. I picked these two as their design fitted in with my current kit which looks mostly industrial/professional rather than "gamer", the other screens looked more like TV's that monitors. The ASUS nearly falls into this category but along my existing kit it does seem to fit in well.

The ASUS while good is still not perfect in desktop mode and if this was my only and primary monitor I would probably have sent it back and purchased a 16:10 60hz IPS panel and lived with it. Messing with the various presets and tweaking the colours its a compromise between having grainy colours or nice saturated colours with lighter tones being too bright. I use the screen in a dual monitor set up so I have the 30" mounted on the wall and I use this for everything except gaming. The ASUS only runs Steam in desktop mode but for everything game related its the primary display.

Coming from a 30" panel to this in games did not take long to get used to and this is where it really shines. You notice the colour inaccuracy a lot less in games than you do looking at photos and web pages. The quicker response and fluid animation in FPS games speaks for itself.

As you already have a 30" monitor you could use both and get the best of both worlds.

While I love the 30" monitor for just about everything it was becoming a pain in the arse when it come to gaming, not just the panel being slow but having to drive 2560x1600 with everything cranked took a lot out of your video card. Now I can have a single GTX 580 and everything flies on the 1920x1080 panel.

 

[MChao1]

...Had to get this because the Asus and Acer 27" 120hz offerings just didn't appeal to me.

What was it about the Asus and Acer that didn't appeal to you?

 

[shurato]

What was it about the Asus and Acer that didn't appeal to you?

Primarily from reviews/forums and aggregating all available customer comments/feedback from the various retail sites. I know not the best way to make a determination but was enough for me.

This was also a great review on the Samsung.

http://wecravegamestoo.com/forums/gadgetry-electronics-discussion/8220-samsung-s27a950d-review.html

 

[Gloomy]

What was it about the Asus and Acer that didn't appeal to you?

I'm not too confident in Acer/Asus build quality. This will be my first Planar monitor though so maybe I shouldnt be too quick to judge. Hopefully it's punch-proof up to at least welterweight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0jLtouzhoU0#t=26s

 

[WMD]

So the OCD in me made me leave work a little early and trek an hour over to the nearest Microcenter and I bought the Samsung S27A950D.

Here are my initial impressions:

120HZ is an AMAZING leap forward from my 60hz Hanns-G 28"... everything in general is so much more smoother and clearer in Windows. The biggest test was playing Modern Warfare 3. It's like playing a different game. So clear and smooth...definitely gives you an advantage and very easy on the eyestrain. Seeing details in the game that I have never noticed before.

I know this monitor only supports AMD 3D as I have an NVIDA card but I have no interest in 3D, just bought it strictly for 2D so I can't comment. I'll never be able to go back to 60hz screens anymore. One minor complaint so far is the weird monitor stand. Feels like the screen is dipping ever so slightly down on the left.

So $700+tax might sound a tad ridiculous for a 27" monitor which will only be used for 2D but I figured the eye comfort alone since i stare at my screen for hours on end is worth it.

Also, going down in size from a 28" 1920x1200 to 27" 1920x1080 is actually not too bad. Lose a noticeable amount of screen real estate but i feel like especially with gaming so far, it's actually improved my field of vision and this might be the sweet spot for size on my desk.

Now the only thing I have to worry about is the Samsung reliability... I've had terrible luck with expensive Samsung electronics and it failing on me the first few weeks of purchase. Had to get this because the Asus and Acer 27" 120hz offerings just didn't appeal to me.

edit: also wanted to add that the glare of the glossy screen is really a non factor for me. not noticeable or distracting what so ever. colors seem to look so much more vibrant and eye popping now.

Nice review. The S27A950D is one of the best monitors currently and proves that image quality wise a good TN can be as good or better than a IPS. If you don't mind a little worse viewing angles then 120Hz is the way to go.