LCD Buyer's Guide

[farp96]

I was wondering why when I use the standard monitor profile setting it looks great. But when I load the one from the cd which came with the LCD it looks like crap. Am I missing something here? Do I need to adjust something with the one from the CD?

 

[raildogg]

Nice post.

How is the BenQ FP92G+ compared to the BenQ FP91G+ that is listed on the main page?

Also, what would be a good LCD for mainly text reading but also some gaming?

Less than $300 is a priority.

Thanks.

 

[t4t3r]

nice to hear you are generally happy with the 90GX2, i'll definitely keep that one on the list. i suppose my main priority is price, so i'll keep searching for a little while longer.

Originally posted by: raildogg
Nice post.

How is the BenQ FP92G+ compared to the BenQ FP91G+ that is listed on the main page?

Also, what would be a good LCD for mainly text reading but also some gaming?

Less than $300 is a priority.

Thanks.

also looking for something similar, $300 range would be excellent, and my usage is limited to mostly web surfing and light gaming (WoW).

 

[samduhman]

Looks like Viewsonic is pushing the VX2025mw as a gamers lcd. In my lastest issue of PCGAMER theres a full page ad of some guy gaming on it.

 

[Starbuck1975]

xtknight, You may have addressed this earlier in the thread, but I couldnt find the page it resides on, even with the search feature.

Why did you take the Dell 2007WFP off your list of recommended widescreen monitors for gaming? I am bouncing back and forth yet again on going 19" vs 20.1" WS. Although the NEC 20WMGX2 is my favorite of all the monitors, it also comes at a price premium...unless prices are anticipated to drop in the near future, it may be out of my range.

This leaves the Viewsonic VX2025 or the Dell 2007WFP...while at MSRP the Viewsonic comes out cheaper then the Dell, you can catch Dell monitors at ridiculous savings from time to time.

Is the 2007WFP significantly inferior to the NEC or Viewsonic for gaming?

 

[A5]

This is why he took it off:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=31&threadid=1842727&enterthread=y

 

[samduhman]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
xtknight, You may have addressed this earlier in the thread, but I couldnt find the page it resides on, even with the search feature.

Why did you take the Dell 2007WFP off your list of recommended widescreen monitors for gaming? I am bouncing back and forth yet again on going 19" vs 20.1" WS. Although the NEC 20WMGX2 is my favorite of all the monitors, it also comes at a price premium...unless prices are anticipated to drop in the near future, it may be out of my range.

This leaves the Viewsonic VX2025 or the Dell 2007WFP...while at MSRP the Viewsonic comes out cheaper then the Dell, you can catch Dell monitors at ridiculous savings from time to time.

Is the 2007WFP significantly inferior to the NEC or Viewsonic for gaming?

Like A5 thread linked. It has banding issues.

Starbuck, you and I have the exact same decision to make. I wish I could buy the 20wmgx2 but I can't justify the cost nor can I afford it. Im also trying to decide between 20.1" vs 19". I tried a Samsung 215tw ws but it had a bit of ghosting and it was enough for me to return it. It also cost $550. Im going to pick up a VX2025 ($350 after rebate) tonight and give it a try. The price is much more easier to swallow. If it doesn't work out I guess I have to go with a 19". Either the 90gx2 or vx922. What else is left

 

[Starbuck1975]

I only ask because the 2007wfp is on sale, and with a few coupons and discounts I have lying about, I can get the monitor for $350...but not worth the savings if Dell hasnt resolved the gradient issue.

 

[samduhman]

The VX2025mw is pretty darn nice! Now I feel a little foolish gushing all over the 215tw I returned I've spent about 30 mins doing some quick tests on the VX2025 I bought this evening. Banding acceptable, zero dead pixels, very minor "X" backlight bleed. Desktop looks great. The only adjustment I've made is changing resolution to the native res. One thing that bothered me but its only during boot up is the blue windowsxp startup screen. The bottom left corner looks a little purplish. However when I ran the dead pixel buddy or made the desktop all one color through display properties it was consistent with the rest of the screen.

Now on to the big issue for me since Im a huge gamer. Ghosting or motion blur. Now that I've seen 2 20.1" monitors in action with UT2004 I going to admit I was totally wrong about the 215tw. The 215tw has considerable ghosting issues in fast FPSers like UT2K4 and Call of Duty 2 IMHO. When I first fired up UT2K4s map DECK17 tonight I held my breath thinking here is another bust. Immediately after the match began and I started running I noticed the walls weren't blurring by. My opponents could actually focus. Sure there was a smidgen of blur during fast turns but its not distracting like it was on the 215tw. My son also agreed with my assessment. He didn't like the 215tw at all but liked the VX2025 quite a bit. He said its better than his 17" lcd and was jealous of the huge gaming view.

I have 2 weeks to try it out and this one looks much more promising. My only thought now is, if this one is that good at handling ghosting/blurring then how much better can the 90gx2/vx922 be? So my dilema now is keep the widescreen because its nice having all the real estate or get the 19" screens with better response times.

Three questions.

Whats up with the purple I saw in the left corner?

Are there drivers with this lcd and should I install them (I haven't had time to check)?

Are there any settings I should be using with this lcd? Im a newb and don't know what Im doing.

Thats my initial impression. Hopefullly it won't deteriate like it did with the 215tw

 

[farp96]

Newegg has the 90gx2 for $369.99 which is like $100 less than what I paided :-( but its out of stock, the black one anyway. So far I'm very impressed by this monitor. Its alot better to me anyway than the viewsonic vp930b was, in just about everything. I'm going to do some really gaming this weekend and see how it really performs. But so far desktop use has been outstanding, much better than my CRT...

 

[CP5670]

My 90GX2 came in today (I paid about $410 shipped for it), but I'm probably not going to have time to mess with it until my finals are over in two weeks.

 

[raildogg]

Guys help me.

I'm looking for a sub-$300 LCD that will be great text but can also handle some gaming. The main focus will be on good bright accurate colors and excellent text. Is there a monitor in that price range?

Edit:

I saw the ViewSonic VX2025WM review at Hardforum and WOW my price range has changed LOL. I want this monitor!!! That thing is so sweet and much cheaper than the Dell 20' widescreen the 2007fpw.

How does this monitor compare to the Dell 2007fpw and how is it for text? How is it for games?

I want this now!

Is this a wise decision?

 

[Starbuck1975]

Raildogg, my understanding is that the Dell 2007fpw has gradient banding issues...there is actually a thread dedicated to this in the Video forum...not sure what this means, or the implications for gaming and other applications, but somehow I think it is a bad thing.

As I am in a similar situation in terms of choosing an LCD, what I have read, both in this forum and across other reviews, is that the Viewsonic VX2025WM is the best bang for the buck option in the 20.1" widescreen arena for those of us who can't afford the NEC WM20GX2.

I may still go 19", in which case I will probably choose the NEC 90GX2 over the Viewsonic VX922...if I decide to go widescreen, unless prices drop considerably on the NEC WM20GX2, or Dell resolves the panel issue with the 2007WFP, I will probably go with the Viewsonic VX2025WM.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
Raildogg, my understanding is that the Dell 2007fpw has gradient banding issues...there is actually a thread dedicated to this in the Video forum...not sure what this means, or the implications for gaming and other applications, but somehow I think it is a bad thing.

As I am in a similar situation in terms of choosing an LCD, what I have read, both in this forum and across other reviews, is that the Viewsonic VX2025WM is the best bang for the buck option in the 20.1" widescreen arena for those of us who can't afford the NEC WM20GX2.

I may still go 19", in which case I will probably choose the NEC 90GX2 over the Viewsonic VX922...if I decide to go widescreen, unless prices drop considerably on the NEC WM20GX2, or Dell resolves the panel issue with the 2007WFP, I will probably go with the Viewsonic VX2025WM.

Cool, the NEC VM20GX2 seems a little too high priced to me. I have always wanted an 20' widescreen and now there is one that is well priced and delivers great performance.

I think I have pretty much made up my mind on the ViewSonic VX2025WM unless I can be convinced otherwise.

Are you a serious gamer? I think would justify getting the VX922 or the 90GX2.

 

[samduhman]

Originally posted by: raildogg
Guys help me.


How does this monitor compare to the Dell 2007fpw and how is it for text? How is it for games?

I want this now!

Is this a wise decision?

Raildog read six posts above this one As for text I've made no adjustments yet but at default it looks sharp to my eyes.

 

[t4t3r]

i'm really starting to like the VX2025WM, especially after reading the thread on Hard Forums. my only concern is my current video cards ability to handle the resolutions of a widescreen monitor. so, anyone know if the 9800 non-pro's (yeah this is like 3 years old ) can handle 1680x1050? ATI does list other resolutions, like 1920x1080, etc. though. Might have to just go ahead and build that new machine I've been putting off...

 

[A5]

As long as you have somewhat recent drivers (anything within the past year or so), you shouldn't have a problem getting the desktop to that resolution.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Are you a serious gamer? I think would justify getting the VX922 or the 90GX2.

I am a serious gamer, but I also do enough video editing, photo editing and MS Office application type work such that it does raise some concerns on the VX922.

I have been flipping back and forth on the whole widescreen issue...on the one hand, there are extra steps that you have to take in order to run certain games in widescreen. However, for those games that support widescreen, the aspect ratio is far more appealing. Especially now that there isn't much of a price differential between a 19" and 20.1"WS LCD.

If the NEC WM20GX2 was just a little cheaper, this would be a no brainer...but the cheapest I have seen it for is in the $700s, which is a bit high of an investment in any monitor...which leaves the VX2025 or Dell 2007wfp.

I dont like the VX2025 due solely to its design...no integrated USB ports, and speakers that I will never use...the Dell has integrated USB ports and a better ergonomic design...initially, I heard nothing but good things about the 2007wfp, as it supposedly was using the same panel as in the NEC WM20GX2...but despite the good reviews the Dell is receiving across several hardware sites, the forums tell another story...which makes me a bit cautious.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Wow...I just found the actual thread on the Dell forums regarding the banding issues on the 2007WFP. Not only does the problem seem to be fairly widespread, but there are a lot of disgruntled customers having great difficulty getting information on how Dell intends to address this issue...it appears that in several instances, people are stuck in an endless RMA cycle of defective monitors.

On top of this, there are rumors that the immediate fix by Dell is to replace the current LG panel with an inferior Samsung panel...now I am no expert on monitors or the tech behind them, but there are enough warning bells going off on the Dell that I will either have to find a creative way to afford the NEC, or just go with the Viewsonic.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
Wow...I just found the actual thread on the Dell forums regarding the banding issues on the 2007WFP. Not only does the problem seem to be fairly widespread, but there are a lot of disgruntled customers having great difficulty getting information on how Dell intends to address this issue...it appears that in several instances, people are stuck in an endless RMA cycle of defective monitors.

On top of this, there are rumors that the immediate fix by Dell is to replace the current LG panel with an inferior Samsung panel...now I am no expert on monitors or the tech behind them, but there are enough warning bells going off on the Dell that I will either have to find a creative way to afford the NEC, or just go with the Viewsonic.

I too am in the same situation. I game rarely nowadays but I have a feeling my appetite for gaming will pick-up pretty quickly once I get a new monitor. So that is an important consideration. One thing that concerns me about 20' widescreen monitors like the Viewsonic VX2025 and the Dell 2007FPW is that they are essentially 17' monitors vertically but wider. I'm not sure if that is a negative or a positive.

Will I be better off just getting a regular 20' LCD instead of a 20' widescreen?

It seems like the people who have bought widescreens are generally happy with their decision.

Or should I just buy a nicely priced 19' LCD?

Decisions decisions ...

 

[Starbuck1975]

I agree in that people who make the switch to widescreen seem to enjoy the gaming experience more...and the ability to have multiple programs open on the screen at once definitely takes full advantage of the X2 processor I am putting in my new build. Somehow, I perceive a 19" as restricting multi-tasking to a certain degree.

It is a tough decision, even more so given that the VX922 and VX2025 can be found at the same price point.

As I have said before, if the NEC WM20GX2 was a bit cheaper, it would be a done deal...it is the only monitor that definitely appeals to me, but not at $700...of the options of going VX922, VX2025 or NEC 90GX2, it almost feels like settling for less??? Even though the OP recommends the VX2025 as a comperable and more cost effective alternative to the NEC.

So I dunno.

I have heard rumors that there is a surplus of LCD panels across the industry, and prices may drop considerably with incentive rebates in late May into June...I may hold out just to see if this happens.

 

[Heartbreaker]

There was a big thread on this. People tend to like and defend what they bought. Plus most were moving up from 1280x1024 displays. I have been using 1600x1200 for years so goint back to 1680x1050 would be a step backward for me. It is almost impossible to go to less screen real estate.

See this size compare 19" 20" 20" WS and 17" Click on some source images to see what the black bars look like.
http://tvcalculator.com/index.html?e59bc4c34296ac6620e7d315d0d281b7

General screen real estate: 20inch 1.92 Million vs 20inch(wide)1.76 Million - I am a real estate junky. So this is no contest.

Analyze your usage and see what lines up for you.
For me. My honest usage is:

1: Web surfing. I do more of this than anything else. And here the extra height is a big advantage, extra width irellavant. So Normal wins.
2: Video Watching: A lot of my material is TV shows of the 4:3 variety along with 2:35 movies so it is a wash. Click on the comparitor with those sources and see how they compare.
3: Gaming: I play mostly older games, many are locked at 4:3. I also owned a Widescreen for a while I don't really notice a difference when I am actually in game which format I am in. Wash.
4: Work. No contest. On solaris the extra heigth of the normal screen is a big advantage Also I have a 1600x1200 screen at work that I remote into, so that is my minimum resolution.

 

[imported_Loque]

I am not a widescreen convert either. I just wish there were more panel options available in 1600x1200 (or even 19"), especially a decent AS-IPS equivalent (preferably non-glossy) to the NEC 20WGX2 or at least a S-IPS without banding. I think you were looking for something along these lines too, guidryp?

I noticed this new and very positive review of the IPS-based LG L2000C at Les Numeriques: http://www.lesnumeriques.com/article-203-1109-35.html. No mention of banding. The new review also seemed to find the LG to be fairly responsive. But I am confused about the panel and specs of this model: many sources show the LG having the same panel as the 2000FP, except LG rates its model at a lower 8ms and Les Numeriques makes the L2000C out to be the 'first' 1600x1200 IPS at this faster speed. Similarly strange, are the specs of the new IPS BenQ FP2092 (12ms g2g, 700:1, 420 cd/m2) which many sources also say has the same panel as the 2000FP.

Until this gets sorted, or Dell releases a 2000FP revision with IPS but without banding, I've been looking at TN models which have not been entirely satisfactory. I may check out a 930P or 2030b given all the good press.

The more compromises and problems I see in LCDs, the more I *really* look forward to SED monitors...

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Loque
I noticed this new and very positive review of the IPS-based LG L2000C at Les Numeriques: http://www.lesnumeriques.com/article-203-1109-35.html. No mention of banding. The new review also seemed to find the LG to be fairly responsive.

Unfortunately the LG L2000C was reported to have banding problems in another review but I don't have the link at hand at the moment.

 

[samduhman]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
I agree in that people who make the switch to widescreen seem to enjoy the gaming experience more...and the ability to have multiple programs open on the screen at once definitely takes full advantage of the X2 processor I am putting in my new build. Somehow, I perceive a 19" as restricting multi-tasking to a certain degree.

It is a tough decision, even more so given that the VX922 and VX2025 can be found at the same price point.

As I have said before, if the NEC WM20GX2 was a bit cheaper, it would be a done deal...it is the only monitor that definitely appeals to me, but not at $700...of the options of going VX922, VX2025 or NEC 90GX2, it almost feels like settling for less??? Even though the OP recommends the VX2025 as a comperable and more cost effective alternative to the NEC.

So I dunno.

I have heard rumors that there is a surplus of LCD panels across the industry, and prices may drop considerably with incentive rebates in late May into June...I may hold out just to see if this happens.

As I said before Starbuck. You an I are in the same boat. I went to Office Depot and picked up the vx2025. I have 2 weeks to return, no questions asked. Ive had it a couple days. Today I played World of Warcraft, Unreal Tournament 2004, and Fear all day long. All games played on this lcd in great form. I'm very happy so far. Like I said in a previous post, " all thats left is the vx922 and 90gx2. The 20wmgx2 costs to much and Im loving this wide screen. All I can suggest to you is pick up a vx2025 locally where it easy to return like I did. As of this point, theres no way Im giving it up. Give me a few more days to confirm that comment