Thanks darXoul and Zebo for answering questions; you've been a big help.
The 20WMGX2 is available in the US at several stores: http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=20WMGX2&hl=en&btnG=Search+Froogle
But it may be sold out for now. Zebo is in the US and he has had one for a while now though.
I'm really not sure about the NEC LCD1980FXi but I really doubt it's better than their 20" widescreen (definitely not in response time).
The 20WMGX2 has HDCP so you won't have to worry about that aspect. (HDCP is only needed for playing back Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs. Other high definition videos can still be viewed without it.) You video card will be the one needing to be upgraded to HDCP though. If I recall, none today support HDCP whatsoever despite it having been implemented in reference designs. The DVI transceiver must be upgraded, so a BIOS flash won't do it.
I feel your pain...there is a lot of information out there, but a lot of it is misleading.
TN is best-suited for the pure LAN party gamers who want a fast and portable display. It's also a low-budget solution. It'll certainly suffice for any kind office work too.
IPS is not a waste of money. It continues to offer the greatest color accuracy of any of the panel types, the best viewing angle, and superior response time to MVA- or PVA- mode panels.
PVA/MVA panels are fairly decent. They are generally less expensive than IPS, but half of them still only offer the color accuracy of TN panels. However their high contrast still makes for a great image.
Dell...well, they are a mixed bag. Their 2005FPW is decent, but their 2405FPW isn't the best like so many proclaim. Plus their monitors have frequent backlight problems although they do have a satisfaction-guaranteed policy. They do sell their monitors for dirt cheap in comparison as well.
Tons of big reviewer sites obtain LCDs and review them but most aren't dedicated to LCD testing and as a result they get caught in many misconceptions. Many will suffice for cursory examinations but it's not a good idea to base a buying decision off of them.
http://www.tomshardware.com/
http://www.behardware.com/
http://www.xbitlabs.com/
Those are my favorite English LCD review sites. Though they actually are all general, they do know their LCD stuff. Tom's and Xbit show you the circuitry they made to measure resopnse time and everything. BeHardware shows you decent color calibration and response time results. I'd say XBit and a foreign site called flatpanels.dk know the most period. I have been frequenting the English forum at flatpanels.dk. Lesnumeriques.com also has good response time measurement images and comparisons of different monitors based on many objective attributes.
I still think the NEC 20WMGX2 is the best for you given price range and longetivity. It is future-proof with HDCP. It's the fastest desktop LCD (great for gaming), and it offers the best colors so far, not to mention the best viewing angles. There is simply no competition for the time being (except possibly the LG IPSes above but they may not have HDCP or the dynamic contrast feature). The NEC really is a great monitor and I'm gonna get my hands on one as soon as...next birthday or so (less than 6 mo).
Originally posted by: Ebola
As an aside, is the NEC LCD1980FXi a good monitor if you can't afford and can't wait for 20WMGX2's to become available here in the US?
The 20WMGX2 is available in the US at several stores: http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=20WMGX2&hl=en&btnG=Search+Froogle
But it may be sold out for now. Zebo is in the US and he has had one for a while now though.
I'm really not sure about the NEC LCD1980FXi but I really doubt it's better than their 20" widescreen (definitely not in response time).
I really don't care about widescreen or not, I just want a monitor that's close to, "perfect" for around 600. I could stretch my budget to 700... and if it's this week maybe 800 but I really don't want to spend that much. On the other hand I've been using this Samsung CRT I bought since 99 so if it's worth it beyond a doubt I could go to 800. This whole HDCP nonsense has only confused the issue for me because I might care about it at some point I can't afford it but someone will probably develop a bypass like they always do.
The 20WMGX2 has HDCP so you won't have to worry about that aspect. (HDCP is only needed for playing back Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs. Other high definition videos can still be viewed without it.) You video card will be the one needing to be upgraded to HDCP though. If I recall, none today support HDCP whatsoever despite it having been implemented in reference designs. The DVI transceiver must be upgraded, so a BIOS flash won't do it.
Here's the issue, I'm starting grad school in the summer and would like a LCD that does everything and will last me for the next 6 years. I've spent around 7 or 8 days researching LCDs and I really have no idea anymore.
I feel your pain...there is a lot of information out there, but a lot of it is misleading.
I've heard IPS is a waste of money if you don't need viewing angles, I've heard it isn't worth it for true 8-bit color and that I want a TN, I've heard that TN has horrid color and I want some kind of acronym-P or MVA, that if I don't get a Dell I'll regret it, that the Dell's available are the best buys possible, that the Dell's available aren't so great vs the "2007" models and I can't keep this all straight anymore.
TN is best-suited for the pure LAN party gamers who want a fast and portable display. It's also a low-budget solution. It'll certainly suffice for any kind office work too.
IPS is not a waste of money. It continues to offer the greatest color accuracy of any of the panel types, the best viewing angle, and superior response time to MVA- or PVA- mode panels.
PVA/MVA panels are fairly decent. They are generally less expensive than IPS, but half of them still only offer the color accuracy of TN panels. However their high contrast still makes for a great image.
Dell...well, they are a mixed bag. Their 2005FPW is decent, but their 2405FPW isn't the best like so many proclaim. Plus their monitors have frequent backlight problems although they do have a satisfaction-guaranteed policy. They do sell their monitors for dirt cheap in comparison as well.
Half the review pages are full of lies or half-truths at best
Tons of big reviewer sites obtain LCDs and review them but most aren't dedicated to LCD testing and as a result they get caught in many misconceptions. Many will suffice for cursory examinations but it's not a good idea to base a buying decision off of them.
I can't figure out whose testing procedure is best and more importantly whose procedure measures real world facts instead of bulletpoints on a pdf.
http://www.tomshardware.com/
http://www.behardware.com/
http://www.xbitlabs.com/
Those are my favorite English LCD review sites. Though they actually are all general, they do know their LCD stuff. Tom's and Xbit show you the circuitry they made to measure resopnse time and everything. BeHardware shows you decent color calibration and response time results. I'd say XBit and a foreign site called flatpanels.dk know the most period. I have been frequenting the English forum at flatpanels.dk. Lesnumeriques.com also has good response time measurement images and comparisons of different monitors based on many objective attributes.
It's going with either a 7900GT or a 1900xt. I'd like it under 600, but if that doesn't allow for what I want then I'll have to see. I want a monitor that'll last, ideally 6 years but whatever. I want it to do everything well, I need gaming first and foremost, but I watch movies and I write papers and read text and do graphics work as well and don't want to compromise these just for gaming capability I won't be maximizing on. Please help?
I still think the NEC 20WMGX2 is the best for you given price range and longetivity. It is future-proof with HDCP. It's the fastest desktop LCD (great for gaming), and it offers the best colors so far, not to mention the best viewing angles. There is simply no competition for the time being (except possibly the LG IPSes above but they may not have HDCP or the dynamic contrast feature). The NEC really is a great monitor and I'm gonna get my hands on one as soon as...next birthday or so (less than 6 mo).