LCD Buyer's Guide

[AndeeG]

I just found a 20% off coupon for Dell SB monitors, which would make the 2007wfp only $320 with free shipping before tax etc. Right now I have a 19" CRT and the Dell looks pretty appealing. I don't think I would be able to run much higher than its native resolution in most games so getting a big monitor seems overkill. Plus the bigger models with the same native resolution don't seem to be as great. Should I jump on this offer?

 

[SLM Crew Chief]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: SLM Crew Chief
I received my Dell 2007 WFP just over a week ago. In the last 4 or 5 days I've noticed some flickering (looks almost like a florescent bulb going bad), mostly on the right side and what I can only describe as "dancing" in the dark blue shades on my desktop background. It almost looks like the colors are shifting up and down or changing from dark to light and back again. It's not as noticible in the lighter colors. I don't think it was there before but I'm just not sure.

Is this normal? I'd hate to exchange this one which is a S-IPS pannel and get an S-PVA if this is normal for an LCD and still have it do this.

That's definitely not normal. Return it.

Thank you. That's what I needed to know. I'll be on the phone to Dell When I get home from work on Wednesday. I wonder how hard this is going to be!

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: AndeeG
I just found a 20% off coupon for Dell SB monitors, which would make the 2007wfp only $320 with free shipping before tax etc. Right now I have a 19" CRT and the Dell looks pretty appealing. I don't think I would be able to run much higher than its native resolution in most games so getting a big monitor seems overkill. Plus the bigger models with the same native resolution don't seem to be as great. Should I jump on this offer?

Sure, it sounds like an awesome deal.

 

[kennethlee]

Wow! Thanks xtknight. As someone who really doesn't know much at all about LCDs, but is trying to learn, this is great information. Im also looking to build my own computer around Jan 2007 (vista launch) and im trying to educate myself about monitors so I can make the right decision. It would be awesome if someone could give me their opinion on what to buy. Most that have posted here seem more keen than me on these subjects...

Here are my concerns/desires

I would like an lcd 20". Im really leaning toward widescreen (unless there is some disadvantage im not aware of that would make a non-widescreen better for what im looking to do)

I consider myself part of the multimedia/occasional games group. Ill be editing photos, and playing world of warcraft, etc. But not so hardcore that im looking for a monitor for one application specifically. Should I be concerned with the 16 m/s response time of most 20" widescreens?

I really do not want to spend more than 450 dollars, but might if there is some huge advantage by doing so.

HDCP compliance and other "futureproofing" is important.

I mainly want a monitor that will look nice, bright, and display the fullest range of colors excellently, but still be able to pull of gaming well.

Im thinking about the Dell2007wfp. Anything i should be afraid of with that model as compared to others? Should I go with another?

What is recommended from those here in the forum? And why?

 

[KDXPHIL]

Thanks for the replies!

A few more questions.

I am deciding between the Samsung 215tw and the NEC 20WMGX2, my main uses would be editing RAW DSLR images, photoshop, browsing/office work and some gaming. I do make prints from my photos.
I live in Canada and can get the Nec for $70 CDN more (yes it is the "M" version, must be sold in all of North America?)
Another thing that concerns me is the customer service from either company. Both monitors will have to be bought through special purchase with no return policy other than manufacturers defects. I do not have the opportunity to test each monitor, can not find them in stores anywhere. So I would like to feel safe knowing that if I have problems the company will be there to help me out.

Does anyone here use the Nec for primarily photo editing? I read at Xtknight's Lcdresource page that the Samsung is better for colour reproduction, but have also read in this thread that the NEC has better viewing angles and therefore more reliable colour?

I am trying to get the better of the 2 for my purposes, cost not being the big issue.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

Looking at the first page of the guide, it would seem that the 20WMGX2 is still the best overall choice, although prices haven't come down much as of late. Are there any updates in store for this LCD in the next 6 months or so (improved backlight, newer panels, etc.)?

 

[niall]

Kennethlee: bear in mind one major difference about widescreen and regular 20": the diagonal of the screen remains 20" for both, therefore a non-widescreen 20" will be able to display significantly more pixels in height (1200 vs 1050).

I have had the 2007WFP for a few weeks, and that's one thing I'm noticing about it - it didn't feel like an "upgrade" in terms of pure vertical size. (Horizontal? oh yeah babeh!!) Note that with the higher resolution, I can still pack more on the screen than my 17" CRT could. It all depends on your needs. I do some page layout, and widescreen is a godsend, able to finally work both with page elements and text without having to constantly resize the page view. (And I can rotate it to work on single-page flyers the same way!)

As far as response time, since you're an occasional gamer, you shouldn't be bothered by it. It won't be as crystal-clear as a CRT, but you soon shouldn't notice it anymore. The better lighting will definitely compensate.

I'd say the HP LP2065, but it's not HDCP compliant. On that front, for the price you want, it looks like the 2007wfp is a good choice, if the resolution size is good for you.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: kennethlee
Wow! Thanks xtknight. As someone who really doesn't know much at all about LCDs, but is trying to learn, this is great information. Im also looking to build my own computer around Jan 2007 (vista launch) and im trying to educate myself about monitors so I can make the right decision. It would be awesome if someone could give me their opinion on what to buy. Most that have posted here seem more keen than me on these subjects...

Welcome to the forums.

Here are my concerns/desires

I would like an lcd 20". Im really leaning toward widescreen (unless there is some disadvantage im not aware of that would make a non-widescreen better for what im looking to do)

I consider myself part of the multimedia/occasional games group. Ill be editing photos, and playing world of warcraft, etc. But not so hardcore that im looking for a monitor for one application specifically. Should I be concerned with the 16 m/s response time of most 20" widescreens?

I really do not want to spend more than 450 dollars, but might if there is some huge advantage by doing so.

HDCP compliance and other "futureproofing" is important.

I mainly want a monitor that will look nice, bright, and display the fullest range of colors excellently, but still be able to pull of gaming well.

Im thinking about the Dell2007wfp. Anything i should be afraid of with that model as compared to others? Should I go with another?

What is recommended from those here in the forum? And why?

The Samsung SyncMaster 215TW sounds better (if you don't mind 21" 1680x1050). While the Dell is a great monitor, they have something of a "panel lottery" going on, so you can't be certain of which panel you'll receive. If you don't mind spending the extra I'd get the 215TW. It does have many connectors, and HDCP support. Range of colors is great, certainly better than the Dell.

 

[kennethlee]

Thanks niall. I hadnt really thought about 1680 x 1050 vs 1600 x 1200. Thats a good point. In your opinion (or anyone else who would like to chime in), what would be best to go with?

1680 x 1050 widescreen

or

1600 x 1200 non widescreen

Or should I be considering other factors way more importantly than native resolution?

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: KDXPHIL
Thanks for the replies!

A few more questions.

I am deciding between the Samsung 215tw and the NEC 20WMGX2, my main uses would be editing RAW DSLR images, photoshop, browsing/office work and some gaming. I do make prints from my photos.
I live in Canada and can get the Nec for $70 CDN more (yes it is the "M" version, must be sold in all of North America?)
Another thing that concerns me is the customer service from either company. Both monitors will have to be bought through special purchase with no return policy other than manufacturers defects. I do not have the opportunity to test each monitor, can not find them in stores anywhere. So I would like to feel safe knowing that if I have problems the company will be there to help me out.

I don't know about Samsung, but NEC has the best support around. They are usually willing to exchange it if you have even one dead pixel, at least if you talk to the right person. Samsung has been known to be rather nice as well, but not quite as nice as NEC.

Does anyone here use the Nec for primarily photo editing? I read at Xtknight's Lcdresource page that the Samsung is better for colour reproduction, but have also read in this thread that the NEC has better viewing angles and therefore more reliable colour?

I am trying to get the better of the 2 for my purposes, cost not being the big issue.

Thanks for any help.

That article (which I may soon revise having learned more about both LCDs) was written before gamma curves of the two monitors were posted, and frankly, the NEC 20WMGX2 has a tighter gamma (color) curve. Though, left uncalibrated, the NEC doesn't display the first few darker tones so it's hard to say. Both are major steps ahead of any other LCD for photo editing. Since you game too, I would go with the NEC 20WMGX2. For photo editing, just make sure you use standard DV mode, and follow the calibration guide at lcdresource.com to get good colors. I have a calibrator so I can provide you with settings that work good for my 20WMGX2. They won't be calibrated exactly the same, but they'll be better than what you get at default settings.

Throughout my experience with LCDs, I've learned that S-IPS panels are almost always better than S-PVAs for photo editing. They just produce more saturated colors. The NEC is so good at distinguishing between colors that you even see gradation in gradients. Fortunately it doesn't manifest itself much at all in real use. You may see some of it in dark gray colors. But, for how well it reproduces every other color, you can't knock it for that. Screen uniformity is second to none. The glossy coating is just the icing on the cake.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: kennethlee
Thanks niall. I hadnt really thought about 1680 x 1050 vs 1600 x 1200. Thats a good point. In your opinion (or anyone else who would like to chime in), what would be best to go with?

1680 x 1050 widescreen

or

1600 x 1200 non widescreen

Or should I be considering other factors way more importantly than native resolution?

If you choose widescreen, you have a much better selection of quality LCDs.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
Looking at the first page of the guide, it would seem that the 20WMGX2 is still the best overall choice, although prices haven't come down much as of late. Are there any updates in store for this LCD in the next 6 months or so (improved backlight, newer panels, etc.)?

For the 20WMGX2? Not really. They generally don't change the internals of a model over time. The 20WMGX2 Pro will actually have the exact same panel. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure what's different about it.

 

[kennethlee]

Thanks for your input xtknight. I didnt see it until after i posted a response to niall. I really like that samsung, its now officially shortlisted. Here's what i dont understand though...

You mentioned the color range of the samsung as being better than the dell. However, according to the "matrix of all matrixes" (awesome, by the way) if in the dell-sponsored crapshoot panel lottery (ha) say i got an LG Philips with S-IPS technology it would be slightly better at color than a samsung panel with S-PVA.

If I DIDNT get the the S-IPS panel from LG/Phillips in the dell, i would get the Samsung LTM201M1 panel, an 8 bit S-PVA panel. Which, from the looks of it, is extremely comparable (pretty much the same panel just an inch size difference) to the LTM210M2 put in the samsung syncmaster.

In short, it looks like i would either get the same panel in the dell, or a slightly better one.

Does my confusion about why the samsung would be better than the dell make sense?

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: kennethlee
Thanks for your input xtknight. I didnt see it until after i posted a response to niall. I really like that samsung, its now officially shortlisted. Here's what i dont understand though...

You mentioned the color range of the samsung as being better than the dell. However, according to the "matrix of all matrixes" (awesome, by the way) if in the dell-sponsored crapshoot panel lottery (ha) say i got an LG Philips with S-IPS technology it would be slightly better at color than a samsung panel with S-PVA.

I did just say that most any S-IPS is better than any S-PVA. However, Dell does get B-grade panels and in the past they've had some bad backlight bleeding problems. I would take a uniform S-PVA over a blotchy S-IPS any day. That's not to say that the Dell has a crappy panel in it...chances are you'll get quite a high quality screen. Personally, for photo editing, I wouldn't take a chance unless you were guaranteed to get an S-IPS. I guess you could always get one and return it if it's S-PVA but that's rather unethical. Even if you got an S-IPS though, the black level and uniformity on the B-grade panels may not be that great. I may prefer an S-PVA with a higher QC in the case.

If I DIDNT get the the S-IPS panel from LG/Phillips in the dell, i would get the Samsung LTM201M1 panel, an 8 bit S-PVA panel. Which, from the looks of it, is extremely comparable (pretty much the same panel just an inch size difference) to the LTM210M2 put in the samsung syncmaster.

I'm not sure about that. I think the 21" S-PVA is actually much higher quality, though I suppose I haven't seen evidence either way.

In short, it looks like i would either get the same panel in the dell, or a slightly better one.

Does my confusion about why the samsung would be better than the dell make sense?

Oh, definitely. For most people (who can't tell a passive TN from a Brightside HD LCD), it's a pretty easy way for Dell to save money. For the rest of us that do notice TFT panel minutia, we need to get the best of the best.

What I do think is stupid is people opening up the case and looking to see the panel model instead of actually being annoyed by a property of the panel. Just the mere fact that it's a certain model number prompts them to return it. I think it's perfectly fine to expect a high quality panel if you can actually notice it and benefit from it, but people have little business opening it up and then returning it when it may not even benefit them at all. Some people may very well like the S-PVA better, honestly, since it has better contrast.

If I had a batch of 5 average Dell 2007s and 5 average 215TWs I could tell you for sure which one to get for photo editing, but to be honest I have only seen one 215TW displaying a crappy-quality store animation. Well, if they vary a lot, which I suspect the Dells may, I may not be able to tell you which to get. All I know is that the 215TW has gotten rave reviews for color quality, and measurements don't lie. It's great for photo editing and you're more likely to get a high-QC panel.

 

[hhan9]

I'm another one of "Should I get 215TW, NEC, or Dell 2007" person.
I was hoping you, xtknight, could help me make my final decision.

Ever since my 20" CRT broke down (literally), my powermac g4 has been sitting in my closet collecting dust, while I've been managing (very poorly) with my powerbook g4 12inch. I don't know if you've ever tried using Illustrator and InDesign with 12inch LCD screen, but it's horrible. On top of the not-so-good quality of this tiny screen, the LCD is slightly damaged due to my cat's mishap. Being a student, I'm poor. But I've somehow managed to gather some $$ for a new monitor. I was going to get another CRT, but I've been told that LCDs are pretty good nowadays. I'm planning to use my laptop for two-screen setup.

Anyway, I was looking at Dell at first for the $ reason. Then I saw 215TW, most of the reviews I've read online seem to say good things for it. Also, maybe in the future I could hook up some home theatre system to watch movies and whatnot (with all that inputs, HDCP, etc.). THEN I saw your review of the NEC. Seems pretty similar to 215TW in terms of multimedia possibilites, except that it has a TV tuner and USB ports.

I don't play games much, and Illustrator and InDesign are the two apps I use more than anything else. Can 215TW and NEC be a viable small screen home theatre with right accessories? Also what is this input lagging? What do you recommend? Also does glossy screen of NEC make that much of a difference? The only glossy LCD screen I've seen was on the new MacBook.

 

[JETninja]

Not visited in awhile! (was hoping I'd find a Vista MS partner Hot Deal like I did with XP many years ago! LOL!)

Just want to say I'm still over the top with my LG. I play many games, racing league, flying, WWII shooters, Space, etc. Not one issue. I look at tons of photo's with several dig cams in the house. Looks great there too.

Only keeping me away from it a tad is I just got a JVC 61" LCoS 1080P set....looking forward to trying some games on it soon!

 

[talgtapp]

It seems I finaly will be able to get a new LCD :-D

My price range is 700-800$

That will get me the Samsung SyncMaster 215TW or the Nec MultiSync LCD20WGX2 in Norway.

Are there any other good options in that range?

I'll be using it for all sorts of things but my choice will be made for the best monitor for graphic design work/photo adjustment. The monitor must be able to give correct RGB values, and emulate correct CMYK.

Do you guys know when we can expect consumer LED backlight models, I know samsung are releasing LED TVs now. I would hate getting a monitor now only to see the next gen hitting the market in a few weeks.

From what I have read here you prefer the Nec over the Samsung. (Im a little pissed that the Nec went up 100$ the last few weeks (its more expensive than the samsung here).) But the reviews I've seen, especialy the one done by Tom's hardware made me a little sceptical. Like I said correct colour rendering is my top priority ( I don't have a colorimeter, but have some experience adjusting monitors, I would prefer to only do contrast/brightness adjustments.)

 

[talgtapp]

How would 215TW and 20WGX2 measure to Eizo FlexScan S2000?

If i strech my budget i might be able to get the Eizo. Does the 10-Bit look up table and 14-Bit Internal Processing offer real colour improvments and securety (for correct colours)?

 

[KDXPHIL]

Thanks again for the help.

I really really want the NEC but after calling both NEC and Samsung I do not think I will be purchasing the NEC.

Unfortunately the rep on the phone told me that this particular model is not covered by advance exchange. Even worse, in the event of a defect not caused by the customer, I would be responsible for shipping (and paying for the shipping) to their Canadian repair contractor. They would pay for the shipping back to me but it could be 7-14 days (so they say) once they receive the monitor before it would be shipped back.

I called Samsung, they offer advanced replacement on ALL defective monitors where they require you credit card number (Not charged unless they do not receive the old monitor) and they pay for shipping both ways. They also said I could continuously exchange the monitor if I was not satisfied with the replacement.

This service is the deciding factor for me, I have had issues with bad support before and went weeks without a computer. Told myself "never again".

Like i said, I want the NEC but they will need to improve their service policies for Canadian customers or truly have a hands-down unbeatable product (for my purposes) before they will get my business.

S***y deal. Hope that NEC changes it's policies before they release a 26" version.

All the above info is from telephone conversations with both NEC and Samsung Service and sales reps.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[oseven]

Hey guys - anybody had any experience with or heard of the Videoseven V7 L22WD?

Check out full specs (from manufacturer): http://www.videoseven.de/mediadata/imag...v7l22wd/datenblatt/V7%20L22WD%20en.pdf

 

[DustyNL]

today I made my decission and ordered the Samsung 215TW.
I was very convinced about the colors/contrast/quality of this screen, besides I like that it's 21" because I allways thought 20" wide was a little too small.
Of course there are still the stories about input lag, well I guess I will find out if it bothers me (or if I even notice it for that matter). I know the webshop I ordered it very well, so returning it shoudn't be too much of a problem (in good state of course).
So I intend to test the screen for a while, and see where I stand in a few days.
This decission was partially based on experiences/recommandations in this topic, so thank you all (or not, if the screen turns out to be sh*t, can't imagine though )

greetings from the Netherlands

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: hhan9
I'm another one of "Should I get 215TW, NEC, or Dell 2007" person.
I was hoping you, xtknight, could help me make my final decision.

I hope so too..

Ever since my 20" CRT broke down (literally), my powermac g4 has been sitting in my closet collecting dust, while I've been managing (very poorly) with my powerbook g4 12inch. I don't know if you've ever tried using Illustrator and InDesign with 12inch LCD screen, but it's horrible. On top of the not-so-good quality of this tiny screen, the LCD is slightly damaged due to my cat's mishap. Being a student, I'm poor. But I've somehow managed to gather some $$ for a new monitor. I was going to get another CRT, but I've been told that LCDs are pretty good nowadays. I'm planning to use my laptop for two-screen setup.

Anyway, I was looking at Dell at first for the $ reason. Then I saw 215TW, most of the reviews I've read online seem to say good things for it. Also, maybe in the future I could hook up some home theatre system to watch movies and whatnot (with all that inputs, HDCP, etc.). THEN I saw your review of the NEC. Seems pretty similar to 215TW in terms of multimedia possibilites, except that it has a TV tuner and USB ports.

The NEC 20WMGX2 is a multimedia lover's heaven. The Samsung 215TW isn't bad at all if you want to save some money, but the glossy screen and S-IPS panels put the NEC in the front. I'm still amazed by how great pictures look on the 20WMGX2.

I don't play games much, and Illustrator and InDesign are the two apps I use more than anything else. Can 215TW and NEC be a viable small screen home theatre with right accessories? Also what is this input lagging? What do you recommend? Also does glossy screen of NEC make that much of a difference? The only glossy LCD screen I've seen was on the new MacBook.

You wouldn't notice the input lag when playing movies, but you may see it during normal desktop usage. Most people aren't annoyed by input lag just like they aren't annoyed by ghosting, but they are completely different things. Input lag is when the monitor takes a few extra ten milliseconds to respond to movement. Again, this is only a few ten milliseconds but some people do notice it. The NEC doesn't have nearly as much as a problem here as the 215TW.

The glossy screen makes colors look real vibrant/contrasted (not oversaturated or anything though). It also improves black level and prevents ambient light from emanating from the LCD panel, causing eye strain. It does increase glare but if you don't have that much light behind you, it's not that bad of a deal. I have a lamp on the floor that shines light at the ceiling so it's not any problem for me. You can see glare from the ceiling-mounted light though.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: JETninja
Not visited in awhile! (was hoping I'd find a Vista MS partner Hot Deal like I did with XP many years ago! LOL!)

Just want to say I'm still over the top with my LG. I play many games, racing league, flying, WWII shooters, Space, etc. Not one issue. I look at tons of photo's with several dig cams in the house. Looks great there too.

Only keeping me away from it a tad is I just got a JVC 61" LCoS 1080P set....looking forward to trying some games on it soon!

Neat...that's good to hear. The LG TNs are indeed great.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: KDXPHIL
Thanks again for the help.

I really really want the NEC but after calling both NEC and Samsung I do not think I will be purchasing the NEC.

Unfortunately the rep on the phone told me that this particular model is not covered by advance exchange. Even worse, in the event of a defect not caused by the customer, I would be responsible for shipping (and paying for the shipping) to their Canadian repair contractor. They would pay for the shipping back to me but it could be 7-14 days (so they say) once they receive the monitor before it would be shipped back.

Well, all I know is, in the US, they will pay for shipping both ways.

I called Samsung, they offer advanced replacement on ALL defective monitors where they require you credit card number (Not charged unless they do not receive the old monitor) and they pay for shipping both ways. They also said I could continuously exchange the monitor if I was not satisfied with the replacement.

Same story there. I know someone on this forum (DasFox) who repeatedly exchanged a 20WMGX2 due to dead pixel issues. It may be different in Canada though.

This service is the deciding factor for me, I have had issues with bad support before and went weeks without a computer. Told myself "never again".

Like i said, I want the NEC but they will need to improve their service policies for Canadian customers or truly have a hands-down unbeatable product (for my purposes) before they will get my business.

S***y deal. Hope that NEC changes it's policies before they release a 26" version.

Well, that sucks, because they do have some unbeatable products. Maybe the policies on the NEC *90 professional series (e.g. 2690UXi) LCDs are better in Canada.

All the above info is from telephone conversations with both NEC and Samsung Service and sales reps.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: talgtapp
It seems I finaly will be able to get a new LCD :-D

My price range is 700-800$

That will get me the Samsung SyncMaster 215TW or the Nec MultiSync LCD20WGX2 in Norway.

Are there any other good options in that range?

Hmmm....how much is the BenQ FP241W going for in Norway?

I'll be using it for all sorts of things but my choice will be made for the best monitor for graphic design work/photo adjustment. The monitor must be able to give correct RGB values, and emulate correct CMYK.

I'm not sure about the CMYK, but if they display RGB correctly they will be able to do the inverse (CMY). If you mean matching to a printer's color space, they will do it better than any other LCD I know of.

Do you guys know when we can expect consumer LED backlight models, I know samsung are releasing LED TVs now. I would hate getting a monitor now only to see the next gen hitting the market in a few weeks.

The Samsung SyncMaster XL20 is coming soon (press release). However, it's going for $2000 US, which probably means even more in Norway.

From what I have read here you prefer the Nec over the Samsung. (Im a little pissed that the Nec went up 100$ the last few weeks (its more expensive than the samsung here).) But the reviews I've seen, especialy the one done by Tom's hardware made me a little sceptical. Like I said correct colour rendering is my top priority ( I don't have a colorimeter, but have some experience adjusting monitors, I would prefer to only do contrast/brightness adjustments.)

Both Tom's and X-Bit have measured a high black level (0.5 or higher). They must give out some pretty bad review units. I get 0.2 nits black level on mine, and another person I know of with a calibrator gets 0.25 on his. We both end up with about 600:1 contrast. I'm very shocked to say the least.

Most of the time THG and X-Bit's measurements agree, but now look at the response time. THG measures the NEC at twice the response time half the time. Scary, huh?

THG's settings don't make much sense to me either. Brightness at 60 on the NEC is not a good idea. Calibrated settings are more like 10 brightness/80 contrast. They seemed to have measured at an uncalibrated setting.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/display/20-21inch-2_15.html

All I can tell you is how good my own unit is though. I have absolutely no uniformity problems like THG experienced. It's the most uniform screen I've ever used.

I don't really trust THG's response time/overdrive ratings. They gave the VP930b (which I owned previously due to their great review) an A on the overshoot, but the 20WGX2 a C. Yet, from personal use and testing, the NEC is much better than the VP930b here, which had horrible streaking on some transitions.

ExtremeTech's experiences with the 20WMGX2 seem much more in line with my own: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1945222,00.asp

I've never actually used the Samsung, but it's pretty clear the NEC is still superior in image quality (glossy/S-IPS/better gamma curve), response time, and input lag. My only peeve with the NEC is more screen-door-effect than I'm used to. If I sit back farther, that's remedied however. The Samsung may display dark tones better at uncalibrated/default settings.