Dell 2407WFP or BenQ FP241W

[nitromullet]

I decided to go with the Dell 2407WFP mainly because it was less expensive and Dell has a better warrantee than the "30 day limited exchange" offered by Newegg for the BenQ. I am overall pleased with it, however:

1) It does have some banding that is noticeable on occasion. I can't lie, it's there. The 2005FPW had a bit of it as well, but I think it's a bit more noticeable on the 24".
2) I had a weird issue with the USB hub in XP (didn't happen with Vista RC2) where the PC wouldn't shut down unless I turned the power off on the monitor. I tracked the issue down to the USB hub by unplugging the devices one at at time and testing. Ultimately, the issue resolved itself when I swapped the two plugs... It certainly isn't a deal breaker in the end and it is probably unique to my setup, but it was kind of a pain in the ass for while.
3) I see 1:1 scaling as an option in the menu, but I can't select it. The 1:1 scaling issue isn't personally that important to me, but I would prefer to set it to 1:1 as the default if I can.

Overall though, I like the picture quality on the 2407WFP better than on the 2005FPW. The backlight is much more uniform, there is more contrast, and the picture generally looks more vibrant.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Crusader
Dell LCDs are OEM'd by BenQ for godsakes LOL

Unless you get really picky, most LCDs are the same unless you go high end. That BenQ is not high end, no way.
The differences cited in that review are from a better chip engine.

Dell and BenQ have no relation (at least not with regards to 24" LCDs). Dell has a contract with Samsung and BenQ one with AU Optronics (which Acer and BenQ have share in). If you eliminated Samsung the BenQ FP241W would still exist, and if you eliminated AU Optronics the 2407WFP would still exist. I think you can fill in the gaps, but they are two completely different panels using different technology. AU Optronics' panel is superior in image quality to Samsung's S-PVA, which has been confirmed by many reviews. Surely it's a tad subjective, however grayscale tests are objectively interpreted.

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: xtknight
I advise that no one bother with the Dell anymore. Get the BenQ. It's worth the extra. You get better image quality (no banding, better color tracking, better backlight uniformity, faster response time) and an HDMI connector. The only problem is that it has no 1:1 pixel mapping feature in its DSP, so that means no centered mode (with ATI cards).

I would tend to agree, but all of the 2407's I have seen, and the one I have now, they are all awesome. Zero banding, uniform backlights (especially better than the 2005fpw). Makes me not want to recommend the BenQ

Image quality is very good, and I got mine for $650.

 

[Dannyboyayyo]

ya i got my 2407 2 weeks ago now and its perfect. No dead pixels or banding, i've tested it with the link in Xknight sig and with some other programs.

 

[liquid51]

So lets say if 1:1 pixel mapping is available in the benq, and ignoring the nice warranty from dell, is the AMA Z in the benq worth it? I (as well as every other person taking the step from crt to lcd) am worried about ghosting. Is this AMA Z overkill? Or is there some weight behind it?

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: liquid51
So lets say if 1:1 pixel mapping is available in the benq, and ignoring the nice warranty from dell, is the AMA Z in the benq worth it? I (as well as every other person taking the step from crt to lcd) am worried about ghosting. Is this AMA Z overkill? Or is there some weight behind it?

It reduces ghosting just a tad, but actually reduces input lag quite a bit as you can see. See images here: http://www.lesnumeriques.com/duels.php?...41&p1=1562&ma2=48&mo2=142&p2=1564&ph=1

I think the Z version has less connectivity features. I'm not sure whether the model that comes out in the US will be the same or not however.

 

[Chadder007]

Go with the Dell.....ive dealt with BenQ's support a bit and I hate them now because of it. Horrible support.

 

[Cabages]

Quick question on the Benq.

I have noticed people in other places saying that this has HDCP and 1080P support, so I could hook up a HD-DVD or Bluray player, correct?

Someone said it doesnt have 1:1 pixel mapping, and that you would have a problem with ATI cards? That means that unless every source I put into there is widescreen, it will stretch it? Are there any other drivers that allow ATI cards to do centering?

Is there a list of PC games that support widescreen somewhere?

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: Cabages
Quick question on the Benq.

I have noticed people in other places saying that this has HDCP and 1080P support, so I could hook up a HD-DVD or Bluray player, correct?

Someone said it doesnt have 1:1 pixel mapping, and that you would have a problem with ATI cards? That means that unless every source I put into there is widescreen, it will stretch it? Are there any other drivers that allow ATI cards to do centering?

Is there a list of PC games that support widescreen somewhere?

I'm not sure about the HD-DVD or Bluray.

But regarding the 1:1 mapping, yes... your source must be able to fill the resolution of the screen, or else it will just stretch to fill it. There is talk about BenQ doing a firmware update in the near future to allow centered mode.

Widescreen Gaming article There is a link to a list of widescreen-supported games somewhere in this article. Shouldn't take but a minute to locate.

 

[MDesigner]

Originally posted by: Crusader

Dell LCDs are OEM'd by BenQ for godsakes LOL

Unless you get really picky, most LCDs are the same unless you go high end. That BenQ is not high end, no way.
The differences cited in that review are from a better chip engine.

The 2407WFP is a Samsung panel. Not only that, it's a VA panel.

The 2407WFP is a great LCD.. just make sure you have revision A02 or later. A00 and A01 had issues. If you have A00 or A01, call Dell and tell them you want to exchange for a later revision.

 

[StrangerThanFiction]

Originally posted by: Cabages
Quick question on the Benq.

I have noticed people in other places saying that this has HDCP and 1080P support, so I could hook up a HD-DVD or Bluray player, correct?

Someone said it doesnt have 1:1 pixel mapping, and that you would have a problem with ATI cards? That means that unless every source I put into there is widescreen, it will stretch it? Are there any other drivers that allow ATI cards to do centering?

Is there a list of PC games that support widescreen somewhere?

I called up BenQ to ask about this monitor and the 1-1 pixel issue, and here is what I found out:

1. The guy I got on the phone was a first class weasel and made it difficult to get a straight answer about anything. Maybe other phone answering guys working for BenQ are not like that, but I was severely put off by his lack of candor. This has no direct bearing on the quality of their products, but may be an indication of what it will be like to deal with them if you have any problems. By contrast, sales people that I spoke to recently at OPPO and Wacom were informative and patient, the latter even advising me that a less expensive and smaller Wacom tablet would probably suit me better than the one I was asking about.

2. The original version of the FP241W does not adust itself to the aspect ratio of your video source. For some computers that can output the correct resolution, this is not a big issue-- I don't know enough about ATI cards specifically to know whether any support the BenQs native res. I think that most DVD or HDVD or Blueray or other video playback devices will not support the BenQs resolution because it is non-standard for HD. If you connect most DVD players that I know about to this it will stretch the image--only a little for widescreen DVD or typical HD, since the monitor is 16x10 and typical HD is 16x9. If you want to watch 4x3 movies or TV on it it will look awful. This would not be such a big deal--many pc monitors do not support this kind of mapping, but they made a pretty big deal about their inclusion of an HDMI port, so it seems strange.

3. Newer versions of the monitor support 1-1 pixel mapping. If you get an older one and you want to have the firmware upgraded you need to ship it to and from their service center at your own expense, and may not get it back for over 5 weeks. They do not charge for the labor. I don't know how to find out in advance whcih versions are in stock at particular stores.

In other ways it is supposed to be a very good display, but I decided not to get the BenQ, since I wanted it to serve as a part-time TV/part time second monitor for my home office. I got the SCEPTRE x22wg instead which also has an HDMI port (and DVI and VGA plus others). I am sure it is in some ways not nearly as good a monitor as either the BenQ or the Dell (aside from being smaller, that is), but it matched my requirements better than either and was much cheaper. I haven't got it yet, so I don't know how good or bad it is yet.