Best 17"+ gaming LCD

[bLuEScReeN1337]

What is the best 17"+ game LCD for under $1300

I have been looking for a LCD for about two weeks now and this is the list of LCDs that I have come up with and their main specs and prices that I have found. I am looking for a gaming LCD to play games such as Quake3, Tribes2, Counter-Strike and other fast moving ones like that so I need one with really low response time. The most I want to spend is about $1300 but it has to be really good and worth it. I found all the prices from pricewatch and a few from ebay. I would like to know if anyone has had the chance to see these LCDs and if they are really worth the money. I have already thought about getting a really good CRT but I don't want one. I want to get the best 17"+ LCD under $1300 for gaming and if possible I would like to get one with s-video. If anyone has had any experence with any of these monitors please post, I would like to much as possible about them before I put my money into getting one. The Planar CT1904 seems to be the most appealing to me because of the low response time, s-video and it is 19 inches but I have been told by numerous people that it really isn't that good and that there is ghosting that is not acceptable but from the specs it looks perfect so I don't know what to do so I am hoping someone can clear things up for me.


Here is the list of LCDs I have come up with:

$999 Planar CT1904 (black) 19" Response Time (typical)
15 ms rise, 10 ms fall 16.7 million colors
Inputs: Analog RGB, Digital (DVI) and S-Video
http://www.planar.com/monitors/CT1904N.asp

$1125-1219 VG191 white or black 19" Response Time
Total = 25ms (typ) 16.7 million colors
Inputs: digital (DVI) and analog (VGA)
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/lcd_vg191.cfm

$999 Solarism 17" LCD LM1711 Responce Time: 20 ms rise, 20 ms fall 16.7 million colors
Inputs: Analog RGB 0.7p-p 15-pin D-sub, Digital DVI-D
24-pin, Video-in S-Videox1 & RCA Terminal (x1) Audio-in RCA Terminal (x1)
http://www.solarism.com/html/lm1711spec.html

$979-$1095 Samsung SyncMaster 181T/191T 18.1 or 19
inch Responce Time Total: 25ms
Inputs: VGA and DVI 16.7 million colors
http://www.samsungelectronics.com/monitor/181t.html

$1280 Compaq TFT 8030 18.1 Responce Time Total: 20ms
16.7 million colors
Inputs: two VGA two DVI two video inputs
http://www.compaq.com/products/monitors/flatpanel/tft8030.html

$800-$1300 16x10 1600X1024 SGI 1600SW and multi-link 16 million colors
also the adapter needed which is around $400-$500
http://www.sgi.com/products/legacy/displays.html

 

[human2k]

I think apple has the best flat panels but they have a propority connection (i think). If your playing fast moving games such as those why not just stick with a standard CRT? Or are you really that short on real estate? Sony's Flat 21" monitor is awwwesome, it runs $650 at most places, once you use this monitor for a week or two you cant go back!

 

[Yzzim]

The Solarism got a good review at Firingsquad.

Hercules has a mighty fine looking LCD called the Prophetview 720. I haven't read any reviews on it but the thing looks pretty sexy .

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

I would rather not stick to a CRT because I go a LAN party every week and travel with it a lot

 

[flood]

Regardless of which you go for, be sure to use DVI :-]
My vote goes for the planar, i use their 17.4"

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

flood: I plan on using DVI with the geforce4 4600 with dual dvi in what I will be buying. BTW what is your response time on your planar and can you see the ghosting at all?












edit: geforce4 4600

 

[MikeMike]

as far i see the prophet view is 15" and costs $455 at computerhq.com but i dont know if i would get it unless u got the money and it looks like you do

HERE buy 2 of them for tthe price of one of the 17" and you can go dual display w/ gf4 ti4600 and it would be a massive monitor but widescreen

edit price up 22

 

[flood]

<< flood: I plan on using DVI with the geforce4 ti6000 I will be buying. BTW what is your response time on your planar and can you see the ghosting at all? >>



i forget what my response time is, but there is no ghosting whatsoever - movies, gaming, and general windows.

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

nourdmrolNMT1: I thought about that for a while but then realized that I like to have a resolution of 1280x960 and higher and couldn't go back to 1024x768 even if it was split on two LCDs

 

[MikeMike]

yeah i like 1280 a lot too not to small and not to big but in all actuality

1. i would love to save money

2. get a bigger display.

3. and i wouldnt mind adjusting to 1024 if i saved money or got a bigger screen and just think of widescreen dvds!!!

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

It is really temping with the sleek sexy look that the prophet view has but I don't know if I could go back to that resolution and when watching windscreen dvds on it how big would the gap be between the LCDs because I can see that get anoying after a while?

 

[Dug]

Samsung. You might want to look at the 171p though.
or the Compaq.

Those are the top two performers.

Don't worry about the response time as much as the contrast ratio.
500:1 for the Samsung which is fantastic.
You will be able to see the difference in dark shades better.

 

[jaggrey]

Here's another vote for the Planar 17.4!!! I think the response time is 25ms total (15 rise, 10 fall i think). I have the non-pivot version. Excellent in games, movies, and dragging windows across the screen

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

Dug: but shouldn't i worry about the response time if I am going to be playing fast moving games because I will be able to see the ghosting a lot more? do the samsung or compaq have good responces times to play fast moving games?

jaggrey: the people over there at tomshardware.com were right when they said the anandtech people love the planar

 

[Yzzim]

<< Dug: but shouldn't i worry about the response time if I am going to be playing fast moving games because I will be able to see the ghosting a lot more? do the samsung or compaq have good responces times to play fast moving games?

jaggrey: the people over there at tomshardware.com were right when they said the anandtech people love the planar >>


That's because every now and then Dell will have a hot deal on them....plus they're a great lcd

Before getting the prophetview make sure to read some reviews. I was looking for some a while back and couldn't find any. Would hate to stick around $1000 in something without any knowledge of how it works...though it does look like the sh@t

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

I have been thinking about it and now I want to get two 17" LCDs and the Planar sounds great but I don't know if I have the money to get two of them. Does anyone know if I can get two Planar 17.4" LCDs for under $1300 or just two 17"?

 

[jaggrey]

<< jaggrey: the people over there at tomshardware.com were right when they said the anandtech people love the planar >>

LOL



<< I have been thinking about it and now I want to get two 17" LCDs and the Planar sounds great but I don't know if I have the money to get two of them. Does anyone know if I can get two Planar 17.4" LCDs for under $1300 or just two 17"? >>

I got my Planar for $621 after shipping and tax, minus 20% or whatever the Dell deal was at the time. I'd wait for that...they do it often enough. If I remember correctly during the last Dell deal they were $593 and some change including shipping, so you could get 2 for less than $1200. Why do u need 2 though?

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

Two LCDs would match my dual mp 1900 very nicely, I could play Counter-Strike or Quake3 on one of them while on the other I could be on IRC, AIM, ICQ, encoding, surfing the web, watching a moive burning a CD etc. without having to ALT-TAB every minute to check if someone message me or something. It just seems it would fit my dual computer very well.

 

[Bluga]

Planar

 

[Dug]

Might I recommend the NEC LCD1700v if you are going to get two monitors.

I have seen the Planar and prefered the NEC.

You can usually find these locally for a decent price. That way you can try them out and if you have any problems you can return them.
They come in black or beige.

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

Dug: Do you know if the NEC lcd1700v has an analog or digital connection because the video card I will be getting will have dual dvi(digital) connection and it doesn't have a vga connection

 

[Dug]

The NEC only has analog connections.

This monitor still looked better than one's with a dvi connection.
In fact the monitors that I did look at with dvi/analog connections, I couldn't tell the difference when switching between cables. And most people with a good eye will tell you the same thing.

You can always use the dvi to analog converters if you want.

 

[bLuEScReeN1337]

that is ture... I could get a converter... but since I will be having 2 DVI ports I want to use them to there full potintiolP if that is the right word)

 

[Rhombuss]

Consider looking around or reviews of the KDS Rad7 monitor. There were some rumours a few months back about KDS going down under, although I'm not entirely sure they're justified, as the KDS site is still up and running, and retail stores are still stocking their items.

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

God, those 24" Apple ones they have at Frys ki9ck so much ass.