Is there a 24" LCD to suite my needs? Need advice PLEASE

[Overspeed]

Hello,

I am finally moving away from my 4yr old PC into a modern rig. I have enjoyed my NEC 22" CRT but now I would like to move into the LCD realm. Two days ago I would have bought the first screen at "looked" good, but after doing research and understanding LCD monitor specs I am really lost. Here is what will power my new rig:

MSI P35 Platinum ATX LGA775 P35 DDR2 2 PCI-E16 3PCI-E1 2PCI SATA2 Audio GBLAN 1394 Motherboard
Transcend Axeram 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-1066+ CL5 240PIN DIMM Memory Kit
LG 16X Black DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM IDE UDMA33 INT OEM
LG GSA-H55L DVD+RW 20X8X16 DVD-RW 20X6X16 DL 10X Lightscribe DVD Writer IDE 2MB Black OEM W/ SW
Coolermaster CAC-T05 Centurion 5 Aluminum ATX Tower Case 5X5.25 1X3.5 4X3.5INT SILVER-BLACK No PS
ASUS GeForce 8800GTS Top 740MHZ 512MB 2.07GHZ DDR3 PCI-E Dual DVI-I HDCP HDTV Out Retail Video Card
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Edition 32BIT DVD OEM
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 3.5IN 500GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 32MB Cache NCQ Hard Drive
OCZ GameXStream 700W ATX12V 24PIN SLI Ready Active PFC ATX Power Supply 120MM Fan Black
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core Processor LGA775 3.0GHZ Wolfdale 1333FSB 6MB Retail

Now first let me tell you what I do and what i'll need from any potential LCD monitor. For work I manly do software design with a touch of graphic design. So color quality is important to me. On that note my research tells me a 6bit panel will not do, so lets focus on an 8bit panel. Secondly I will be gaming with a touch of video, so response times are also important to me. Yes I know TN panels are fastest but I really need the 8bit for work. I really don't care about s-video, hdmi, or other inputs ... if I want to buy a PS3 or Blue Ray player I'll but an HDTV. So here are some models I have been scoping:

Dell UltraSharp 2407
I have heard good and bad about this one. Mainly some users/models suffering from display lag of some sort. It is an S-PVA, but I'm not sure if that means 6 or 8 bit. This models is within my budget, but the complaint about display lag concerns me. I heard the 2408 is coming out soon but will the panel be better or worse, all I know is it will have more inputs.

Samsung 245T
Also a S-PVA panel. This screen some users complain about uneven backlighting which can ruin watching movies and gaming. There was also a few mentions of display lag. I'm also concerned about this model as a potential choice.

BenQ FP241WZ & BenQ FP241W
I'm not really sure about the specifics of this monitor other than one is P-MVA and the other A-MVA. I always thought BenQ what an entry level "budget" brand. And as such wouldn't have considered these, but some reviews on here suggest it may be worth looking at. Hoping some users my offer some thoughts on both quality of screen and build.

Acer p243Waid
I almost bought this one until I learned it was a TN. I don't think I'll put much thought into it further.

I have reviewed many other models and makes, some aren't appropriate, others outside my budget. I will spend up to $700 USD on my screen.

So it seems every monitor has both it's good and bad, and this has left me more confused than ever ... almost to the point where I was going to scrap the whole idea of moving to a new PC. I need this to last me a long time, and as such need to make the right decision from the start. I don't want a screen that looks great but fails in performance when gaming or working. And I really don't want a screen that suffers from this display lag or what have you.

I am also very concerned about viewing angles, very concerned. This screen will set on my desk about 3 feet from me. I need the color and brightness to be consistent at all areas of the screen. When I visit retailers and stand in front of any given screen and move just a few inches to the right of left, or up or down, the whites become yellow, or the screen darkens when I move up or down. That said I won't be doing much moving while sitting in my chair and I would like a screen that suffers these the least.

Basically I need this:

8bit panel for best color reproduction
Low response times, I would say 6ms max
At least 1000:1 contrast
Even color across screen when sitting in front of it at 2 feet
NO DISPLAY LAG
Between $400 - $800 USD
Adjustable height

Would be nice:
Other controls like swivel and tilt
More inputs
1:1 pixel mapping in case I ever want to use the HDMI

Does anything like this even exist? I can tell you I am really loosing sleep over this. I would consider myself an enthusiast and will pay the price within reason for a great panel. I would greatly value any opinions or thoughts based on actually usage of any of the above models mentioned. Thank you so much.

Robert

 

[monkeydust]

Well, I'm going with the Dell 2408. It should be available within the next couple of weeks. Been happy with Dell for the last 8 years and the specs look great.

http://www.dell.com/content/pr...408wfp?c=us&l=en&s=dfo

 

[james1701]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824176090

I am not sure if this fits exactly what you want, but it is a nice monitor. I was looking at it the last time I was at Ciruit City.

 

[soccerballtux]

You could get the ever-so-popular Soyo TOPAZ S. $300 at OfficeMax every other week; just be sure to get the 2 year warranty for $50 as these have a habit of developing bad lines of pixels. 8-bit panel, 6ms, etc.

 

[CP5670]

8bit panel for best color reproduction

NO DISPLAY LAG

You aren't going to get anything in the 24" size that satisfies both of these conditions. The 24" VAs all have a frame or two of lag.

 

[Overspeed]

Understood. Ok I understand that I will have to put up with some lag. I guess now i'm looking for the "closest match". I want to stay away from TN, so I'm searching for S-PVA's now. Would be nice if several of the other conditions were met. Update: someone pointed me to this one from another site: Planar Px2411W. Mixed reviews for this LCD, mainly heavy ghosting.

What is frustrating me alot right now is that for every monitor that is suggested to me, I find mixed reviews for all. Some praise the model, some despise it. This makes it hard to make an informed decision. So here is my revised wishes:

Non TN Panel, preferred S-PVA or P-MVA for the viewing angles
8Bit (I'm pretty sure all VA's are all 8bit anyways)
Good response times and minimal input lag
Decent contrast ratio. 1000:1 would be good I guess
Stand adjustments, mainly height
DHCP

Would be nice:

1:1 pixel mapping
HDMI

Thank you for all responses thus far.

 

[n7]

LG L246WP-BN/L245WP-BN.

It's the closest to what you describe you want.

non TN - check
8-bit - check
good response time/minimal input lag - check (within reason; VAs aren't perfect for this, but unless you have very sensitive eyes, it's generally quite fine)
contrast ratio - higher than 1000:1 means the display is using some dynamic fake contrast ratio garbage anyway
stand adjustments - check; has height adjust & pivot into portrait mode functionality!
HDCP - check
1:1 pixel mapping - check
HDMI - check

And it also has composite, s-video, components, & vga inputs, not to mention a USB hub

 

[bradsh]

I'd just wait for the 2408 at this point.

 

[Overspeed]

Isn't the 2408 going to start new for about $1,000? That is at least $300 beyond my budget. Also on the 2408, some say S-IPS and some say S-PVA. I think if S-IPS then response times wouldn't be adequate and price will be $$$$, thou it will be great quality. On the other hand, it took Dell 4 revisions to get the 2407 right, and I worry about buying their first gen panels.

 

[Overspeed]

Originally posted by: n7
LG L246WP-BN/L245WP-BN.

Is the 246 and 245 different models, if so which is superior?

 

[n7]

Same thing; 245s are what you buy from online stores; 246 is what they have at retail stores.

 

[Overspeed]

Had a look at the LG monitor you recommended. Seems to be an MVA, would have liked it to be at least an P-MVA. 8ms, a tad higher than the norm 6ms, and no DVI?!? Thou its rumored that the monitor ships with an HDMI > DVI convertor. I wonder what if any consequences this conversion might produce. Lastly, if the HDMI input is used as the primary connector, that leave none for other devices. Not sure about this one. Will research further. Thx for recommendation.

 

[n7]

I'm rather sure it's a P-MVA...

You're nitpicking over 8 ms vs. 6 ms?

There are no *VA panels that get anywhere close to an actual 8 ms response time; read the reviews that actually measure response time & you'll see most are closer to 30ms.
And most people can game on those & never notice ghosting either

Basically, NEVER EVER believe stated response time specs, as they're a lie.

And yes, there's no DVI.
It comes with a DVI to HDMI cable.

You do realize DVI/HDMI = same digital signal; there is no image degredation.
Only consequential difference is that HDMI can carry audio; DVI cannot (excepting via the adaptor on ATi's 3xxx series cards).

I have two buddies who own the LG i mentioned, & i've used it at work as well.
It's not perfect, but it'd be one of my top choices for a 24", & based on what you listed as desired in your ideal display, it's the closest 24" i can think of unless you want to spend alot more.

Keep in mind this display is discontinued (like nearly all other P-MVAs/A-MVAs), so it will soon be all gone everywhere.

 

[monkeydust]

Originally posted by: Overspeed
Isn't the 2408 going to start new for about $1,000? That is at least $300 beyond my budget..

No, the 2408wfp is priced at $699 with the lowest warranty level.

 

[Overspeed]

Thanx n7, I understand better now. I have not seen what gaming looks like on a non TN monitor so I guess I'm worried, perhaps for nothing, about how the potential lag might interfer with gameplay. Based on what i've been reading, the TN/VA differences are a matter of taste and necessity. I'm moving from a CRT and am used to flawless response from the display. All the local retailers around me only demo the TN panels so I have no idea how a VA will perform. I had no idea about the 6-8ms actual of about 30ms. Just under half a second one could imaging that would ruin gaming, kind of like an older pc trying to run a game beyond its specs and lagging behind.

Just for the sake of asking, are the TN timings inflated as well? Does a panel listed as 2ms actually run at 20ms? I just don't want to go TN, ive seen just about every make and model of TN at retailers and the color variation, banding and whites turning yellows as you move your head around just won't work for me.

This is so tough, I need to find someone with a VA and go see it for myself. I was not able to find a local retailer selling the LG so i'll keep hunting. Thx again.

 

[redlinez33]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millisecond

 

[qbfx]

If I were you I would wait for the 2408. Otherwise I'd get the Samsung 245T, it's one of the better 24" S-PVA monitors out there and has everything you mentioned. Anandtech recently made a review of it - http://www.anandtech.com/displays/showdoc.aspx?i=3221

 

[monkeydust]

Yeah, current rumors are the 2408 will be orderable next week and available about two weeks after that. So, if you aren't in a hurry, you should see some reviews popping up within three weeks. But, I've already decided that's what I am getting.

 

[Overspeed]

On a different note, I wanted to ask about GPU. I WAS planning on a superclocked ASUS GeForce 8800GTS Top 740MHZ 512MB. Now i've come to accept that yes, like most it won't play Crysis well, so I won't even go buy it. But, will this card play all current gen games and even the games coming out in next few months adequately? I figured that instead of dropping a massive amount of cash now for an Ultra, I would go for a "value" card and upgrade when the next beast is released down the road. I would like whatever card i buy now to be able to play GTA3, Bioshock etc.

I have heard however that the superclocked GTS runs way hot despite the G92. I would hate to turn my PC into an expensive heater for my office. Maybe the not superclocked version would be fine (and cheaper)? And will a normal GTS run a 24" LCD at full resolution well? I'll fork out extar cash if I need to.

Update: I have heard that the Asus models are quite noisy so I thought maybe the XFX, EVGA, or the MSI versions might be better. So many choices.

Thoughts?

 

[n7]

Here's X-Bit reviewing a bunch of older 24"ers.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articl...play/24inch.html#sect0

They don't like the LG though, lol...

That reviews will put some perspective on how little the stated specs for contrast & response times tend to matter though.

 

[ebeattie]

I have BenQ's FP241W, the model before the FP241WZ and I must say that I have been extremely happy with the performance. I used to game on a 19" Trinitron and thought that it couldnt get any better. Got tired of the bulk and lack of desktop space and initially invested in a Sceptre 22". Was really let down with its quality but for $200-$300 bucks, I couldnt complain. RMAed that and ponied up a few hundred more for my BenQ and couldnt have been more ecstatic!

Color is great, resolution is... well.... awesome (1920x1200) and in game I can hardly sense any blur, even in fast paced situations. Ill admit that there is some, but its really a small amount and after the last few months with it I cant honestly even tell.

Great monitor, one that I will gladly recommend!

 

[lopri]

Which 24" comes equipped both DVI and HDMI?