Dell UltraSharp 1905FP 19" TFT

[WackyDan]

My 19" CRT is starting to act up - Samsung 900SL. Had it about 5 years now and has been great monitor. I'm thinking I have either a capacitor going or a cold solder joint. (used ot do repair work as a profession on RGB displays.)

I really don't have the time to rip this 19" crt apart and mess with it.

So... Nature of my post...

I've heard great things about the Dell UltraSharps even though I don't like the rest of their product line.

I was hoping someone could tell me about their experiences with this display, and can anyone tell me if it's a 6 or 8 bit panel? Dell's site doesn't seem to mention whether it's a 6 or an 8.

I use my monitor for business purposes at home, but also play online flight combat sim, and Call of Duty currently.

I know it can handle the flight sim, but COD leaves me wondering about the 20ms response time.

Oh... And I appreciate all your replies in advance.... Dell has the 19" on sale for $335.30 until may 17/18th. $143 off.

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

20ms is too high...go 12 or less. I have a 17" Samsung Syncmaster 710T, and it has 12ms, and handles Call of Duty fine, but I think it could be better. I'm looking at a 17" Sony SDM-HS75P ($449.00) with 8ms response time and X-bright tech. Looks sweet.

Don't get the Dell, you may regret it later for gaming.

 

[Nexworks]

It is a 8bit panel. The screen is perfect in terms of colors and quality. I play UT2k4 on it and it works great. The ghosting is there IF you look for it. Otherwise if you dont look for it then its not an issue. Its the same thing as the two horizontal lines on trinitron CRTs. If you look for them, they are there. Otherwise its a non issue

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

It's a good monitor.

It can play UT2K4 just fine. FarCry plays decently as well.

My only complaint against it is that it's almost TOO bright.

It's the same height as my 2001FPs, just not as wide.

Can't say I really care for their cable management system. They seriously need to rethink it in the next revision.

AnandTech reviewed it a while back. And yes, I can see the backlight from the outside on mine, but that doesn't really bother me much.

 

[UsandThem]

Review

The last page of the review should help you with your question.

 

[ponyo]

Might want to check this thread for better price.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=40&threadid=1591452&enterthread=y

General opinion on this LCD seems to be good for office, poor for gaming.

 

[6000SUX]

I have two 2001FPs and one 1905FP. They're all fine in my book for gaming or anything else. I've never had problems with any of them. I'm not a huge gamer, but they run games like Need for Speed Underground with no problems whatsoever. Maybe I don't have the ultra-calibrated eyeballs some people seem to have... but maybe no one does. You never know. Save your budget (in the long run) and space and get a decent LCD panel, which the 1905FP definitely is.

 

[WackyDan]

Thanks guys.

Looks like with the coupon code plus the discounts, I can get a 1905FP and a 512meg usb key for $328 delivered (U.S.).

The USB key is esentially free as that added to the price lets me use the $60 coupon vs the $30 coupon for the monitor only and the key was $10 off as well.

I have until Monday-Tomorrow to mull this over (offer expires tomorrow). I'm part tempted to rip apart my CRT, but I have a business trip this week and not enough time this next weekend.......

I hate spending money even if I have it!!

 

[LordMorpheus]

for the 340 range you can get a Hyundai L90+ or a Samsung 915T . . . both 19", both 8ms response. Both have gotten nothing but excellent reviews.

I'm looking to buy the Hyundai maybe tommorow, depending on how AT responds to the thread I posted here.

 

[Atomik]

Another happy 1905FP user. I'm glad I bought this even after reading a couple negative forum posts about it. The Anand review pretty much sums up my experience with it, as I use it for gaming and notice little ghosting. For everyday windows use there is not a better monitor for the price and as for the games I play (ut2k4, halflife 2, etc) it performs perfectly fine.

 

[WildHorse]

It true 8-bit.

Check out the temporary 35% discount coupon.

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
for the 340 range you can get a Hyundai L90+ or a Samsung 915T . . . both 19", both 8ms response. Both have gotten nothing but excellent reviews.

I'm looking to buy the Hyundai maybe tommorow, depending on how AT responds to the thread I posted here.

The Hyundai is a 6 bit panel, and given the response time of the 915T, I would assume like-wise with the Samsung.

I'm looing for a balance between quality and performance, with the requirement being 8 bit.

 

[firefaux]

it depends on what you need it for and what youre willing to sacrifice. for games, the dell 1905 will be fine for flight sims and isnt actually that bad for fps, though you have to watch out for dark games, which makes ghosting visible. i'd say that 'slow' fps like cod would be ok, but if youre playing something fast paced and dark like painkiller or doom3, expect some ghosting. but unless youre a hardcore gamer and cant handle minor ghosting, i'd suggest the dell. as many people have said, it has a true 8 bit color panel, which gives it the full 16.7 million color range, as opposed to the 16 or so million dithered that the other panels have (this will really matter if you do any kind of photo/graphics works). and also make sure your video card has dvi. it will make a world of difference on the 1905fp.

 

[RyanHirst]

Here's the problem:

According to the THG review SPECS, the LD90+ is a 6-bit panel (16.2mil)

But, according to the manufacturer's website (www.hyundaiq.com), the LD90+ is an 8-bit panel (16.7mil). I also verified that they list their 6-bit panels at 16.2mil.

Also, if you read the THG review, there are consistent references to the high quality and image fidelity of the panel. He even mentions that unlike with other attempts at fast response rate monitors, which sacrificed quality for speed, the LD90+ featured a "high-quality" panel.

I wrote THG an email to see if they just made a typo about the 16.2million; I suggested it would be helpful to us all if reviewers explicitly stated if the panel they are reviewing is 6-bit or 8-bit like Anandtech does (since companies lie to us and list 16million colors either way).

Also on sites where you can purchase the LD90+, (like Newegg) it is listed at the full 16.7 million.

**It appears, in fact, that the LD90+ is NOT 6-bit, but 8-bit.**

If THG writes me back, I will post an update.

 

[cptCuervo]

Thats the one I've been eyeing for a while the HYUNDAI L90D+. I've heard nothing but great reviews... and for around $360.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824179014

 

[WackyDan]

Well, I ordered the Dell... I looked at the Hyundai, and due to the inability for me to accurately find evidence that it is indeed an 8bit panel, I went with the Dell.

With the sale on the display, and another coupon code, I was able to get the Dell, and a 512 memory key essentially for free.

 

[WackyDan]

OK... I got the Dell in... Earlier than Dell initially forcasted.... so kudos to them.....

More than bright enough.=, had to turn it down a bit.

I'm noticing blur...... I can't really tell if it's me or the display. Wife says it looks fine, and I am due an eye appointment. I'm using the 15pin VGA connector as I have this monitor on a KVM with other NON-DVI machines.....

Anybody have any insight?

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: WackyDan
OK... I got the Dell in... Earlier than Dell initially forcasted.... so kudos to them.....

More than bright enough.=, had to turn it down a bit.

I'm noticing blur...... I can't really tell if it's me or the display. Wife says it looks fine, and I am due an eye appointment. I'm using the 15pin VGA connector as I have this monitor on a KVM with other NON-DVI machines.....

Anybody have any insight?

Mine are too bright as well (and the brightness adjustment is fairly useless) altho that doesn't affect the sharpness of these. However I have a vga dual monitor card running them, and one vga port is ghosting. I thought it was the monitor and was ready to return it, until I swapped cables/ports and found the monitor in question is fine and the card is defective. I didn't notice my vid card problem with the crt simply because the crt's aren't nearly as sharp to begin with so the expectations were lower.

I'd first recommend bypassing the kvm and see if there is an improvement. Then I'd try another video card to be sure. I'm looking forward to getting a dual dvi card, because everyone says its even sharper (altho you definitely shouldn't have sharpness concerns even with an analog connection.)

On the other hand many people have returned these monitors due to ghosting problems, so its a process of elimination before you go thru the hassle of returning the monitor and being without it for a while (its hard to go back to a crt after these. )

 

[Miramonti]

btw, a good test is to turn off the monitor, disconnect the video cable from the computer or kvm, and turn the monitor back on. You'll get the self-test feature, a small box with red gree blue and white drifting across the screen. If that is sharp, then it is probably your other hardware etc. (if its not, then its down to your monitor...or your eyes. )

 

[WackyDan]

Well... I'm now wearing my glasses vs contacts.... and even though my glasses are a prescription behind, I can notice a difference... Much clearer. As I said I'm due an eye appointment... I'm going to try the DVI connector this week and see what that does for things..

 

[alleycat8675309]

Great monitor. I've had mine for 5 weeks now. No dead pixels.