LCD Buyer's Guide

[xtknight]

DELL 2007WFP REVIEWS

CNet - CNET editors' review
ExtremeTech - A Trio of Widescreen Monitors

NEC LCD20WGX2 vs. Dell 2007WFP - Image Quality

(Select different things under "Etape 3" to see how they compare on different criteria.)

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
Well...my interest is primarily as a gamer...I currently have a Samsung 900NF CRT that is starting to die, and am debating taking the LCD plunge.

I have heard that most of the LCDs based on the LG.Philips LM201W01 (AS-IPS 8-bit, newer revision) have a decent mix of color intensity and response for gamers. I believe this is the same panel that Apple uses on their cinema displays?

Apple uses S-IPS in their 20", 23", and 30" Cinema Displays. The Dell 2007WFP and NEC 20WMGX2 might use a newer panel though (the enhanced S-IPS).

I have read some caution against the NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 1680x1050 (16:10) due to scaling issues, but apparently this isn't a problem with the Dell widescreens?

They were referring to the monitor inputting 4:3 resolutions. The Dell did not have this problem.

But you can't go to 4:3 mode when using it in "PC" mode. Normally, we'd just go into the driver and set it to use the display adapter to scale. But the NEC refused to go into 4:3 mode even when we did this. It was a pretty odd quirk, but may only mean something if you really care about the aspect ratio of your PC content when running in 4:3 mode.

That's odd because I have the same problem with my VP930b. I used to be able to go display adapter scaling but it simply refuses to anymore. Software problem, probably.

Uh, I guess the 20WMGX2 can still do 4:3 in monitor scaling mode can't it? They didn't mention that if so.

 

[j3ffry]

or you can checkout the viewsonic VX922... I have one and no problem at all.

 

[Zebo]

But you can't go to 4:3 mode when using it in "PC" mode. Normally, we'd just go into the driver and set it to use the display adapter to scale. But the NEC refused to go into 4:3 mode even when we did this. It was a pretty odd quirk, but may only mean something if you really care about the aspect ratio of your PC content when running in 4:3 mode.

Who said this? Do I have to take a pic? Of course NEC scales just like any other monitor. I even go a hot key setup to toggle LCD scaling Shift + 1.

 

[yacoub]

Originally posted by: xtknight
DELL 2007WFP REVIEWS

Bit-Tech - 20" widescreen monitor group test

Nope, don't see it there. Maybe linked to wrong article?

 

[Starbuck1975]

or you can checkout the viewsonic VX922... I have one and no problem at all.

I don't necessarily require a widescreen monitor, but I have yet to see the VX922 in any stores.

As my fiancee has an 20" Apple cinema display, I have a pretty good idea of what the the Dell 2007WFP and NEC 20WMGX2 might look like.

Just out of curiosity, how is the color intensity and backlight bleeding on the VX922...I have seen the Apple cinema display next to my Samsung 900NF CRT, and honestly, the color intensity and image quality is better on the Apple then on my monitor.

 

[Starbuck1975]

As a total seperate post, I didnt want to start another thread in the forum for monitor recommendations...but I have narrowed down my options to the following.

If I go the widescreen route:

Viewsonic 2025wm or Dell 2007WFP. The NEC 20WMGX2 is a bit pricey, considering that the Viewsonic and Dell are comperable.

If I go 19" route, it will probably be the Viewsonic VX922.

Essentially what I am looking for is a solid quality gaming monitor...mounted USB ports and adjustable stands are nice amenities, but all I want is a great gaming experience on something that takes up less desk room then a monster CRT.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Zebo

But you can't go to 4:3 mode when using it in "PC" mode. Normally, we'd just go into the driver and set it to use the display adapter to scale. But the NEC refused to go into 4:3 mode even when we did this. It was a pretty odd quirk, but may only mean something if you really care about the aspect ratio of your PC content when running in 4:3 mode.

Who said this? Do I have to take a pic? Of course NEC scales just like any other monitor. I even go a hot key setup to toggle LCD scaling Shift + 1.

ExtremeTech review.

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975

If I go 19" route, it will probably be the Viewsonic VX922.

Essentially what I am looking for is a solid quality gaming monitor...mounted USB ports and adjustable stands are nice amenities, but all I want is a great gaming experience on something that takes up less desk room then a monster CRT.

The 20" ones will have much better image quality than the 19" VX922 but the VX922 will be a tad faster in certain transitions.

 

[Starbuck1975]

The 20" ones will have much better image quality than the 19" VX922 but the VX922 will be a tad faster in certain transitions.

I found a local CompUsa that has the Viewsonic 2025wm on display...I want to see the monitor in person before making the commitment.

I am a bit skeptical about going Dell just because I have discovered horror stories on this forum of people going through multiple returns before receiving a monitor without defects...of course there are those who have gotten perfect monitors out of the starting gate with Dell, but given their prices, sometimes you get what you pay for?

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: Zebo

But you can't go to 4:3 mode when using it in "PC" mode. Normally, we'd just go into the driver and set it to use the display adapter to scale. But the NEC refused to go into 4:3 mode even when we did this. It was a pretty odd quirk, but may only mean something if you really care about the aspect ratio of your PC content when running in 4:3 mode.

Who said this? Do I have to take a pic? Of course NEC scales just like any other monitor. I even go a hot key setup to toggle LCD scaling Shift + 1.

ExtremeTech review.

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975

If I go 19" route, it will probably be the Viewsonic VX922.

Essentially what I am looking for is a solid quality gaming monitor...mounted USB ports and adjustable stands are nice amenities, but all I want is a great gaming experience on something that takes up less desk room then a monster CRT.

The 20" ones will have much better image quality than the 19" VX922 but the VX922 will be a tad faster in certain transitions.

http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~smanning/1280x1024.jpg
http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~smanning/1024x768.jpg

 

[Heartbreaker]

Originally posted by: xtknight

I'd wait for reviews first before drawing any conclusions about the Dell 2007FP, but as far as I know, it uses the same panel as the LG L2000C which is a high-contrast monitor that uses one of the new AS-IPS panels.

Two owners report panel is "LPL UXGA LTM201U05"

On any Dell panel lookup I have used. LTM designated Samsung PVA panels. LM designate LG IPS panels.

Does that blow the IPS theory out of the water for the 2007FP?

 

[Starbuck1975]

Two owners report panel is "LPL UXGA LTM201U05"

On any Dell panel lookup I have used. LTM designated Samsung PVA panels. LM designate LG IPS panels.

Does that blow the IPS theory out of the water for the 2007FP?

Are we working from the assumption that the LG ISP panels are the superior choice? If that is the case, what monitor manufacturers use the LG ISP panel?

 

[Heartbreaker]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
Are we working from the assumption that the LG ISP panels are the superior choice? If that is the case, what monitor manufacturers use the LG ISP panel?

I am looking for a ISP panel because I didn't like the viewing angles on a PVA panel. ISP panels are supposed to have much better real viewing angles. By that I mean ignore the BS about 170 vs 178 degrees. That is silly. My 2405 would show odd tone variations when moving my head a couple of inches. This seems to be a characteristic of Samsung PVA panels.

I know the first runs of the Dell 2001fp had an ISP screen, final run reportedly switched to a Samsung PVA. The Dell 2005FPW had a ISP panel. Top end NEC screens are ISP.

For most people it doesn't make a difference, since it is mostly viewing angle and that doesn't seemt matter to most people.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: guidryp

Originally posted by: xtknight

I'd wait for reviews first before drawing any conclusions about the Dell 2007FP, but as far as I know, it uses the same panel as the LG L2000C which is a high-contrast monitor that uses one of the new AS-IPS panels.

Two owners report panel is "LPL UXGA LTM201U05"

On any Dell panel lookup I have used. LTM designated Samsung PVA panels. LM designate LG IPS panels.

Does that blow the IPS theory out of the water for the 2007FP?

Interesting. Typo somewhere there. Sure it's LTM? LPL is LG Philips LCD, whose TFTs (TN or IPS) start with LM model numbers, and Samsung's (TN/PVA) always start with LTM.

The model numbers are so close except for the T that it's impossible to tell. I'd really think it uses an AS-IPS screen. Upon further research, the 2001FP once used a PVA screen. It's quite easy to tell which it is by looking at the viewing angles which reveal the key differences in crystal alignment. There's a photo of the 20WMGX2 being looked at from an extreme angle and the picture being more or less perfect. Can you do that with the 2007FP?

Appears right: http://www.wazamono.jp/pc/src/1143345008586.jpg

Interestingly enough, I haven't heard of one Dell monitor where they haven't used at least two different panels inside.

Anyone have a link to that leaked Excel sheet stating panels in the new Dell monitors?

 

[Heartbreaker]

I don't own the panel. It is JMWarren in this thread:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=31&threadid=1838619

I strongly suspect that the T is a typo in the firmware. Given that this seems to be suffering the same banding issues as the LG L2000C, that has the LM201U05 panel. It seems like they have a design flaw on the panel/DVI integration. Mike above has two 2007fp panels now. Both with banding and playback issues for video only in DVI. Through RGB all is well (he has tried both panels on two different computer).

L2000C review:
http://www.custompc.co.uk/custompc/reviews/84156/lg-flatron-l2000c.html
Despite top marks for black response, its handling of near-white tints showed a tendency towards compression, while the banding in the colour and greyscale colour scales deserves a definite 'must try harder'. In addition, red tones fall off early in colour consistency tests, and the green colour purity tests showed up a few patchy areas.


How do they miss something as fundemental as this in a new panel design? They just lost a sale, because if Mikes second panel had been good, I would have ordered one today. Back to the drawing board now.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

I'm moving to Europe in June and would have liked to buy a good LCD for portability reasons, but all the problems I've been reading about have discouraged me from going LCD.

I certainly wouldn't touch the 2007 at this point, and the NEC is horribly expensive and scarce. If I have to, I can get a refurbished CRT once I move, but I'm getting tired of lugging 70 lbs around every 6 months.

SEDs would be a near-perfect solution. I wish they'd hurry up.

 

[darXoul]

Forget SED for a while. It's been delayed, and even once it comes, we don't even know it will be available in computer monitors. Some high production cost issues have been reported, and the rumor is that SED might only appear in high end TVs.

 

[Heartbreaker]

SED is delayed till 2007, when they are aiming for high end plasma, with prices to match(or exceed). They haven't mentioned any planse to do smaller or do monitors with SED. Eventually Maybe around 2010 or so.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

Damn, I can't put into words how much that hurts if true.

I haven't seen the NEC yet, but most LCDs look like utter shite to me and all the good CRTs are out of production. Between a rock and a hard place.

 

[Heartbreaker]

You should still be able to get a nice 21" Phillips Brilliance. That is what I am thinking about. You can get many years from one. Another 5 years they should have most of the glitches out of LCD.

 

[xtknight]

The ViewSonic VX2025WM is looking like a great choice every second: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/guides/viewsonic_vx2025wm.htm

 

[Heartbreaker]

Originally posted by: xtknight
The ViewSonic VX2025WM is looking like a great choice every second: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/guides/viewsonic_vx2025wm.htm

I don't think it is IPS, so a no go for me. After the viewing angle farce of the Dell 2405, I wont touch an LCD unless it is IPS.

 

[davidos]

Originally posted by: xtknight
The ViewSonic VX2025WM is looking like a great choice every second: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/guides/viewsonic_vx2025wm.htm

I just got the VX2025wm yesterday and it IS a nice monitor. Very good colors and design... I previously had the Samsung 215T for a few days but returned it because the blacks were too dark and it was only acceptable when the brightness was turned down to the 30s...

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: guidryp

Originally posted by: xtknight
The ViewSonic VX2025WM is looking like a great choice every second: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/guides/viewsonic_vx2025wm.htm

I don't think it is IPS, so a no go for me. After the viewing angle farce of the Dell 2405, I wont touch an LCD unless it is IPS.

I can't confirm it but I believe the 2405FPW (PVA) has a 4-domain cell arrangement while the VX2025WM (P-MVA) has an 8-domain one. That should improve viewing angles.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Just curious as to why the 19? NEC MultiSync 90GX2 didn't make the cut for recommended monitors.

I went to a Micro Center today to once again compare monitors, and did a side by side comparison to the 90GX2 and Viewsonic VX922. The Viewsonic I believe as a faster response time, but the color clarity and intensity on the 90GX2 was astonishing despite the glare of its Opticlear coating.

On checking each company's website, the Viewsonic comes in at 2ms and the NEC at 4ms.