LCD Buyer's Guide

[Digitalfiend]

Originally posted by: Engel
The 931BW appears to be an older model: I cannot find it in any major US stores or even on Newegg. And it seems there are two newer versions of this: the 940BW and 941BW.

Nope, the 931BW is a new model, same as the 931C, which I just bought for my wife. The 941BW is older (notice the 4ms vs 2ms response time?)
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Monitor/LCD_Digital/LS19MEWSFXAA.asp

Originally posted by: Engel
For the price that Canadian site is asking for, I would suggest looking at the other ones. Newegg, for example, has the 941BW for much less and even with a 40$ rebate. And just to clarify, it is still a bit less, even with the current exchange rate: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824001088

The 941BW is an old model, hence the lower price. Still, at $174 + $12 + duty + 14% pst/gst once imported + brokerage fees, it will probably come out more than buying a 940BW from Canada Computers, which is probably the same monitor as on NewEgg.

My wife's 931C is so fantastic that it actually convinced me to consider trading in my Viewsonic P225F CRT for a 931BW; I'm tempted to try a 20" but so far I'm not overly satisfied by the refresh rates or picture quality. The 931C isn't perfect but it's pretty damn good. There is a little bit of light bleed from the top and bottom and the viewing angle is pretty small; while you can easily read the monitor from the side the colours/brightness aren't very accurate when viewed off centre. Other than that, I highly recommend the 931C. As I said, I'm a die hard gamer and while nothing beats a CRT (yet), a 931C or 931BW is pretty darn close.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: raildogg
Hello, I need a new widescreen monitor. I currently have a 19" CRT so I need at least a monitor in the 20-22" widescreen size range. I'm looking at the Dell 2007WFP, Samsung 225BW, LG L204WT and the Dell E228WFP. They are all in the similar price range except that the Dell and the LG are 20" while the Samsung and Dell are 22".

I am getting greedy and thinking about getting the Samsung 225BW or the Dell E228WFP. What would you suggest? Which one of these is best in terms of image quality and text quality?

All 22" panels are TNs, and I believe the Samsung and Dell have the most quality control issues of the bunch. I would go for the Acer 22" listed in the OP.

Gaming is really not that big of a concern, but a nice image and nice text are the main criteria. I need a monitor to surf the web and read text.

The Acer 22" and LG L204WT are good, though I'd put the L204WT above the Acer. The 2007WFP's S-PVA panel is nothing short of dreadful, though.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: xtknight
All 22" panels are TNs, and I believe the Samsung and Dell have the most quality control issues of the bunch. I would go for the Acer 22" listed in the OP.

Is the Acer good for text? How does the Acer 22" compare with the Samsung 225BW? I have seen the Samsung 225BW and it seems decent, but I have not heard much about the quality control issues. I'll keep that in mind.

The Acer 22" and LG L204WT are good, though I'd put the L204WT above the Acer. The 2007WFP's S-PVA panel is nothing short of dreadful, though.

Thanks. I am looking at that LG L204WT also. Do you think the LG L204WT is more "future proof" than the Acer 22"? Which is better for text reading and surfing?

I would love to get the Dell 2007WFP Ultrasharp, but it's a great shame that it may not have the S-IPS panel. Do you think it is worth taking the chance?

Sorry if I'm asking too many repetitive questions .

 

[jnmfox]

In your OP you recommend the Westinghouse 37" what are your thoughts/experiences with the 42"?

Thanks

 

[Nnyan]

Ok, I was hoping someone here could help me find a 20.1" LCD that displayed the native resolution (ex: 1680x1050) at 75Hz. I know, I know LCD's don't have a refresh rate like CRT's do, but for whatever reason I still get dizzy if the LCD is set to 60Hz (I'm VERY refresh rate sensitive). I've used a few smaller LCD's that supported 75Hz and if I use any resolution that does support 75Hz I'm fine, bump any of these to 60Hz and no go. This is using a brand new 7950GT Nvidia and a DVI connection.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Nnyan
Ok, I was hoping someone here could help me find a 20.1" LCD that displayed the native resolution (ex: 1680x1050) at 75Hz. I know, I know LCD's don't have a refresh rate like CRT's do, but for whatever reason I still get dizzy if the LCD is set to 60Hz (I'm VERY refresh rate sensitive).

LCDs do not have a refresh rate. I keep explaining this. :disgust: :|

Just kidding. They do actually, and believe it or not there are some 1600x1200 panels that can do it, at least to my knowledge. However, I would be very surprised if that was the reason you were dizzy. Keep in mind that even though they do have a refresh rate in a way, that LCDs never flicker. Your dizziness may be from the screen-door-effect or high brightness.

I think the LG L2000C can (according to specs) and I know lots of 19" LCDs do. For widescreen 20.1" ones I'm not sure. The NEC 20WMGX2 can not do 75 Hz. There may be LCDs coming soon that have a 120 Hz refresh rate. I'm trying to remember if the L2000C can or not, if you're considering it I'll see if I can pull out those refresh rate formulas.

I've used a few smaller LCD's that supported 75Hz and if I use any resolution that does support 75Hz I'm fine, bump any of these to 60Hz and no go. This is using a brand new 7950GT Nvidia and a DVI connection.

Well, if this is true, you may consider bumping the refresh rate of Windows itself up to 240 Hz and leaving the output at 60 Hz. Sounds crazy, but I managed to do it somehow. Motion literally seemed a lot smoother (in particular the mouse). It was just some refresh value I adjusted in the NVIDIA control panel that apparently didn't get sent to the monitor.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: raildogg
Is the Acer good for text? How does the Acer 22" compare with the Samsung 225BW? I have seen the Samsung 225BW and it seems decent, but I have not heard much about the quality control issues. I'll keep that in mind.

The 225BW seems to be plagued by backlight bleeding while the Acer doesn't have much of a problem at all. It may be due to panel pressure.

Thanks. I am looking at that LG L204WT also. Do you think the LG L204WT is more "future proof" than the Acer 22"? Which is better for text reading and surfing?

Well, the L204WT does support HDCP. I'll stick with my opinion that the L204WT is better for everything.

I would love to get the Dell 2007WFP Ultrasharp, but it's a great shame that it may not have the S-IPS panel. Do you think it is worth taking the chance?

I wish I could see the S-PVA panel first hand. I couldn't imagine it would be that bad, but according to some it really is (though I don't know if they're comparing it to a TN or an S-IPS). Worth the chance if you don't mind sending it back, I guess. Let us know what panel you get.

 

[Suetonius]

Originally posted by: Suetonius

Great thread!

But I don't see much about grayscale viewing - so here goes . . .

I request guidance in regards to 19" SXGA (not widescreen) LCD monitors that would be good for grayscale viewing.

I understand that the best my poor old video card (a PCI ATI Radeon 7500) can put out is 8-bit grayscale, so an 8-bit LCD monitor (256 shades of gray) should be a good match. A 6-bit LCD monitor, which is what I have now, only gives 64 shades of gray - this is insufficient for what I would like to be able to do.

My intention with the new LCD monitor is to view conventional grayscale x-ray images at home for educational purposes. Teaching files and the like.

Not for actual diagnostic work - 10-bit (1024 shades of gray) to 16-bit (65,536 shades of gray) monitors are used for serious grayscale imaging, but they tend to run a little bit higher in price than what I have in mind for a modest home computer setup.

Other than that, the monitor will be used for nothing more demanding than web-surfing, email and word processing. No gaming, no photographic work, no DVD watching - so the monitor can be slower than cold molasses (by gamers standards, anyway). I much prefer the 5:4 aspect ratio of the basic 19" 1280 X 1024 SXGA LCD monitor over a widescreen aspect ratio. The larger pixels of a 19" 1280 X 1024 monitor are also a plus for me - I need glasses to read print well and I tend to view a monitor at a distance of about 21". Glare-resistant screens are a plus - I find the reflections in glossy screens to be distracting.

I have already learned a considerable amount about LCD monitors from this thread. I would greatly appreciate further guidance in regard to my own situation.


Thank you,

Suetonius

For you, the NEC LCD1970NX (avoid the LCD1970VX which is a TN) looks like a good choice. It contains an 8-bit (256 shades per channel) S-IPS panel, albeit a slightly aged one. The LCD itself is of good quality (like all NECs). Street price is $389.99, and this sounds like a good place to order from:

B&H - NEC LCD1970NX

It may use the updated LM190E05 panel from LG Philips LCD. Whatever the case, I am pretty certain it's a true 8-bit panel. Image detail and contrast should be great with an S-IPS panel.

If/when you want to upgrade to 10-bit, I think ATI's 10 series (Xxxxx) graphics cards and NVIDIA's 8 series support 10-bit output. You'll have to decide if it's worth it to invest in a 10-bit setup now or not. If you do, keep in mind 10-bit LCDs are actually 8-bit LCDs with smarter dithering algorithms. There are no true 10-bit LCDs to my knowledge. (Maybe one of those $6000 NECs has it.)

Xtknight,

Thank you for the suggestion.

Before ordering the NEC LCD1970NX, I went ahead and checked out the NEC web site. I found that the information that I need to make a decision - 6-bit vs. 8-bit, glossy vs. reflection resistant - was entirely missing in action from the web site.

Strange.

I then found myself chatting with a gentleman from NEC tech support. He seemed to know his stuff. I don't suppose that I should paste the entire conversation, but let me give you the relevant content:

He stated that "the 1970NX is 6bit+FRC." I repeated the question in a couple of different ways - did they use different panels at different times? - I have seen sales literature suggesting that the 1970NX is 24-bit, 16.7 million colors, could he comment on that? - etc. He indicated that NEC cannot control third party content and that "the 1970NX is 6bit+FRC ."

Fair enough.

For my purposes, he recommended the 1990 line. To add to your data base:

1990FX - 8-bit gamma, 24-bit, 16.7 million colors, 250 cd/m2, 800:1 contrast, 178 degree viewing angle, 18ms typical (14 ms G to G), 3 year warranty. $450-$500 delivered (as per Pricegrabber).

1990FXp - 8-bit, 250 cd/m2, 1500:1 contrast (1500:1 contrast?!), 178 degree viewing angle, 20ms typical (8 ms G to G), 35 Watt, 3 year warranty. $540-$600 delivered (as per Pricegrabber). The "p" denotes PVA panel technology.

1990FXi - 12-bit gamma, 270 cd/m2, 600:1 contrast, 178 degree viewing angle, 18ms, 4 year warranty. $675-$700 delivered (as per Pricegrabber). The "i" denotes IPS panel technology - "the best of the best" as per NEC tech support - (time for me to review your original post about which panel is which). It has all sorts of technology to provide uniformity in regards to the viewer's perception of the backlight and for optimal grayscale. This would be the ONE - if I was going to spend that kind of money on this project. But I would prefer not to.


Glossy vs. reflection-resistant screen?

Both the 1970NX and the 1990 series are considered business-class - all the NEC business-class monitors are non-glossy. The consumer monitors with the glossy finish have "G" in their names.

____________________________________________________________________

OK - any suggestions as to another 8-bit 1280 X 1024 19" SXGA LCD monitor that might do 256 shades of gray?

Another manufacturer, perhaps?

I'll do the gum-shoeing if you can steer me in a likely direction.

I was hoping for something in the $300-400 price range. The thought when beginning all this was, "if I am going to get a new LCD monitor anyway, I might as well get one that does good grayscale." Heck, I was just going to get a Dell.

Then I saw your thread.

Looks like reading your thread may cost me some money . . .



Thanks, again

Suetonius

 

[jnmfox]

xtknight,

Any thought on the 42" Westinghouse?

Thanks for all the great info.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Suetonius
Xtknight,

Thank you for the suggestion.

Before ordering the NEC LCD1970NX, I went ahead and checked out the NEC web site. I found that the information that I need to make a decision - 6-bit vs. 8-bit, glossy vs. reflection resistant - was entirely missing in action from the web site.

Strange.

I then found myself chatting with a gentleman from NEC tech support. He seemed to know his stuff. I don't suppose that I should paste the entire conversation, but let me give you the relevant content:

He stated that "the 1970NX is 6bit+FRC." I repeated the question in a couple of different ways - did they use different panels at different times? - I have seen sales literature suggesting that the 1970NX is 24-bit, 16.7 million colors, could he comment on that? - etc. He indicated that NEC cannot control third party content and that "the 1970NX is 6bit+FRC ."

Very interesting. You sure got lucky on that one...talking to an honest tech support person. I'm also very surprised that 6-bit S-IPS panels exist...that's pretty scary. I wonder then what the photo editor's 19" (LaCie 319) uses?

Fair enough.

For my purposes, he recommended the 1990 line. To add to your data base:

1990FX - 8-bit gamma, 24-bit, 16.7 million colors, 250 cd/m2, 800:1 contrast, 178 degree viewing angle, 18ms typical (14 ms G to G), 3 year warranty. $450-$500 delivered (as per Pricegrabber).

1990FXp - 8-bit, 250 cd/m2, 1500:1 contrast (1500:1 contrast?!), 178 degree viewing angle, 20ms typical (8 ms G to G), 35 Watt, 3 year warranty. $540-$600 delivered (as per Pricegrabber). The "p" denotes PVA panel technology.

1990FXi - 12-bit gamma, 270 cd/m2, 600:1 contrast, 178 degree viewing angle, 18ms, 4 year warranty. $675-$700 delivered (as per Pricegrabber). The "i" denotes IPS panel technology - "the best of the best" as per NEC tech support - (time for me to review your original post about which panel is which). It has all sorts of technology to provide uniformity in regards to the viewer's perception of the backlight and for optimal grayscale. This would be the ONE - if I was going to spend that kind of money on this project. But I would prefer not to.


Glossy vs. reflection-resistant screen?

Both the 1970NX and the 1990 series are considered business-class - all the NEC business-class monitors are non-glossy. The consumer monitors with the glossy finish have "G" in their names.

____________________________________________________________________

OK - any suggestions as to another 8-bit 1280 X 1024 19" SXGA LCD monitor that might do 256 shades of gray?

Another manufacturer, perhaps?

I'll do the gum-shoeing if you can steer me in a likely direction.

I was hoping for something in the $300-400 price range. The thought when beginning all this was, "if I am going to get a new LCD monitor anyway, I might as well get one that does good grayscale." Heck, I was just going to get a Dell.

Then I saw your thread.

Looks like reading your thread may cost me some money . . .



Thanks, again

Suetonius

Regrettably, I don't think I do. <$500 8-bit 19" LCDs probably just don't exist. Actually the L2000C was one case of a 6-bit S-IPS (or it was thought to be), so maybe it wouldn't be so odd to realize that all 19" S-IPSes are also 6-bit. You'll probably have more luck with NEC than with me as they (meaning all manufacturers) simply refuse to disclose accurate information.

You're probably totally out of luck if you want a glossy panel. The closest I can come up with would be the NEC 20WMGX2, which really isn't a bad idea at all. It can display more than a 19" screen in both directions. It has a glossy panel, it is truly 8-bit (tested rigorously by me with regard to this).

The 20WMGX2 is up there with the 1990 series.

20WMGX2: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/display/20-21inch-2_15.html
1990SXi: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/display/19inch-4_17.html

In fact I'd say the gamma curve on the 20WMGX2 is tighter. Contrast is almost certainly better (X-Bit Labs had a bad measurement in that review) than the 1990 due to glossy coating. Uniformity is great without any uniformity compensation features.

The Samsung 971P may be 8-bit, I'm just not sure. It could show 256 levels of gray through FRC which has gotten pretty good now. I'm not sure if the 971P uses the better method or not. I doubt that you'd want to get that for $350 though when you could have the much better 1990FX for <$500. Expensive, but worth it IMO.

 

[rxblitzrx]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: rxblitzrx
ViewSonic VP930b or NEC 90GX2

Which would you choose for internet browsing and reading text?

The ViewSonic VP930b has my pick. It has higher contrast.

Ordered one from the Egg. Arrives tomorrow (Wednesday)! Thanks again for the help.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: jnmfox
xtknight,

Any thought on the 42" Westinghouse?

Thanks for all the great info.

Sorry, HTPC LCDs aren't really my specialty. ST used to roam these forums (or maybe he still does) and advise me on that as that was his area of knowledge (he browsed avsforums/multimedia sites too I imagine).

I'll see what I can find out about the Sharp Aquos LCDs listed above and also the Westinghouse.

 

[rxblitzrx]

REVIEW: HP LP2065

Display: I've had this thing about 1 week now and I've been very pleased for the most part. Mine has zero dead pixels and the backlight bleeding isn't too bad. There's only one area on the middle right where it is noticeable in a dark room. There's a little screen door effect but I'm guessing all LCDs have them to some extent. Contrast levels are excellent and blacks show up very dark. Great for reading! However, when I watch recordings of HDTV shows or DIVX movies, sometimes a lot of areas in the movie just show up as black. There's basically no middle ground. Maybe I'm tuning the monitor wrong??

Build: The stand is great. Very sturdy and keeps the screen from shaking when you type. However, it only drops the screen 4" off the desktop. For me that really sucked because I'm used to looking down at laptop screens. I had to buy a third party VESA 100 compliant stand to replace the factory one. Now I have my screen sitting 2 inches off the desk and my neck is loving it.


I really like the text reproduction of this monitor better than the NEC 20WMGX2. I've seen the NEC 20WMGX2 in stores and it was pretty impressive, but something looked really weird about the icons on the desktop. My eyes had a hard time reading the text under the icons and I couldn't tune it to make it better. Clear type or no clear type didn't help, they always looked fuzzy when you stare at it. Overall, I'd have to agree that this monitor is well suited for office work. White on Black.... or Black on White. This monitor is top notch. Watching movies??? I think it performs decent. I just wish I could figure out why medium tones of grey don't show up.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: rxblitzrx
REVIEW: HP LP2065

Display: I've had this thing about 1 week now and I've been very pleased for the most part. Mine has zero dead pixels and the backlight bleeding isn't too bad. There's only one area on the middle right where it is noticeable in a dark room. There's a little screen door effect but I'm guessing all LCDs have them to some extent. Contrast levels are excellent and blacks show up very dark. Great for reading! However, when I watch recordings of HDTV shows or DIVX movies, sometimes a lot of areas in the movie just show up as black. There's basically no middle ground. Maybe I'm tuning the monitor wrong??

Build: The stand is great. Very sturdy and keeps the screen from shaking when you type. However, it only drops the screen 4" off the desktop. For me that really sucked because I'm used to looking down at laptop screens. I had to buy a third party VESA 100 compliant stand to replace the factory one. Now I have my screen sitting 2 inches off the desk and my neck is loving it.


I really like the text reproduction of this monitor better than the NEC 20WMGX2. I've seen the NEC 20WMGX2 in stores and it was pretty impressive, but something looked really weird about the icons on the desktop. My eyes had a hard time reading the text under the icons and I couldn't tune it to make it better. Clear type or no clear type didn't help, they always looked fuzzy when you stare at it. Overall, I'd have to agree that this monitor is well suited for office work. White on Black.... or Black on White. This monitor is top notch. Watching movies??? I think it performs decent. I just wish I could figure out why medium tones of grey don't show up.

Sorry man, I'm not sure about the gray tones thing. If you've gone through my guides on lcdresource.com and it still happens I don't know what to suggest. Let me know how it compares to the VP930b.

and Engel: I believe you said you had a VP930b and thought the 931C was comparable to a CRT. How do you think the VP930b compares to the 931C?

 

[xtknight]

It's time for some market predictions. As I look into my crystal ball, I see:

No more PVA or MVA 19" LCDs. Some more TNs may be released, but for all intents and purposes 19" (and under) is a dead end. There may be some LED-backlit 19" panels, however.
No PVA 22" LCDs.
More, affordable wide gamut LCDs in the 20-22" range. A few niche (high-priced) LED 20" panels.
More 20.1" LCDs with more multimedia features, and more 24". A couple manufacturers like Acer/Dell/Gateway may release panels based on the 27" TN. Again, more high gamut displays, especially at the bigger sizes.
A few more S-IPS LCDs from NEC (20-30" range).

 

[Engel]

Originally posted by: xtknight
and Engel: I believe you said you had a VP930b and thought the 931C was comparable to a CRT. How do you think the VP930b compares to the 931C?

Huh? I do have a VP930b, which I posted a review on a few days ago, but I do not believe I ever mentioned anything about a 931C or it being comparable to a CRT monitor.

Regardless: the 931C is an LCD that I was looking at about two months ago when I was initially researching possible LCD monitors, but I discounted it early on because it used Dynamic Contrast and was a TN panel. I would be curious to see an in-depth tech review of it, but my opinion of DC technology is pretty low. I was able to see an LG model (I do not remember the model #) with such technology, and it was a less than thrilling experience. The technology seems to be an attempt to cover up the generally low innate contrast ratios of the models, and I've read a few reviews that speak of problems with the technology, and I just do not see it outclassing a P-MVA panel on any level aside from, perhaps, a faster response time because it is a TN panel.

Originally posted by: xtknight
It's time for some market predictions. As I look into my crystal ball, I see:

No more PVA or MVA 19" LCDs.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Even with the problems, Samsung seems to be pushing these PVA panels hard. The Samsung 971P, despite the problems that I've detailed, seems to be selling pretty well and is still being mass distributed to online and offline retail outlets. Also, the 971P was a close follow-up to the 970P.

As far as MVA goes, AMVA based models will be popping out soon; while I cannot find any AMVA 19" panels just yet, I remain hopeful.

I was, however, able to find 20.1" AMVA panels that will/are be produced by AU Optronics. The first is CCFL lit, the second is LED:

http://www.auo.com/auoDEV/products.php?...tor&func=info&product_id=10&items_id=1

http://www.auo.com/auoDEV/products.php?...or&func=info&product_id=110&items_id=1

If the new, revised P-MVA panel in my VP930b is any indication to AUO's latest quality achievements, I am excited at the prospect of getting my hands on one of these new 20.1" AMVAs.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Engel

Originally posted by: xtknight
and Engel: I believe you said you had a VP930b and thought the 931C was comparable to a CRT. How do you think the VP930b compares to the 931C?

Huh? I do have a VP930b, which I posted a review on a few days ago, but I do not believe I ever mentioned anything about a 931C or it being comparable to a CRT monitor.

Oops, must have been a mis-quote (DigitalFiend mentioned something about the 931C and it got under your name somehow.

Regardless: the 931C is an LCD that I was looking at about two months ago when I was initially researching possible LCD monitors, but I discounted it early on because it used Dynamic Contrast and was a TN panel. I would be curious to see an in-depth tech review of it, but my opinion of DC technology is pretty low. I was able to see an LG model (I do not remember the model #) with such technology, and it was a less than thrilling experience. The technology seems to be an attempt to cover up the generally low innate contrast ratios of the models, and I've read a few reviews that speak of problems with the technology, and I just do not see it outclassing a P-MVA panel on any level aside from, perhaps, a faster response time because it is a TN panel.

Originally posted by: xtknight
It's time for some market predictions. As I look into my crystal ball, I see:

No more PVA or MVA 19" LCDs.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Even with the problems, Samsung seems to be pushing these PVA panels hard. The Samsung 971P, despite the problems that I've detailed, seems to be selling pretty well and is still being mass distributed to online and offline retail outlets. Also, the 971P was a close follow-up to the 970P.

As far as MVA goes, AMVA based models will be popping out soon; while I cannot find any AMVA 19" panels just yet, I remain hopeful.

I was, however, able to find 20.1" AMVA panels that will/are be produced by AU Optronics. The first is CCFL lit, the second is LED:

http://www.auo.com/auoDEV/products.php?...tor&func=info&product_id=10&items_id=1

http://www.auo.com/auoDEV/products.php?...or&func=info&product_id=110&items_id=1

If the new, revised P-MVA panel in my VP930b is any indication to AUO's latest quality achievements, I am excited at the prospect of getting my hands on one of these new 20.1" AMVAs.

The 971P may last for a awhile, though I think over time that PVAs/MVAs for 19" and under will cease to exist and that no new models will be introduced.

 

[ghoti]

Originally posted by: RedStar
In a few other threads i have mentioned..i love my dell 22 inch monitor

edit: if you want your monitor to last 7+ years though..best wait on those 120Hz lcd due to show up in 6 months...

or oled!

What do you think, xtknight? I've been 'hanging fire' on springing for an NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2: ~$600 for a monitor that may be virtually obsolete in <1 year?

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: ghoti

Originally posted by: RedStar
In a few other threads i have mentioned..i love my dell 22 inch monitor

edit: if you want your monitor to last 7+ years though..best wait on those 120Hz lcd due to show up in 6 months...

or oled!

What do you think, xtknight? I've been 'hanging fire' on springing for an NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2: ~$600 for a monitor that may be virtually obsolete in <1 year?

I wouldn't say obsolete. Don't plan on affordable OLED monitors for at least another two years. (And don't even bother thinking about SED computer monitors unless there's some manufacturing miracle.)

There's lots of tech we've heard about...AMVA, color filter-less LCD (faster response time), Sharp's Mega-Contrast demo at CES 2007, yet we have no idea when any end products (<$50,000) are going to arrive. AMVA should be here in a few months.

I'll say that the NEC 20WMGX2 is the leader of this generation of LCDs. Then we may have another generation, and another with yet more improvements. I'll wait until [this generation]+2 to upgrade. To eschew plans to buy a great product due to waiting for one that will be here at a completely unknown time is not a smart idea, I'd say. We don't even know if the first AMVA LCDs will be any better than the 20WMGX2. My hunch? I doubt it. AMVA is just like a slightly improved S-PVA. Buy now and wait later. There's always going to be something better, you can't just keep waiting. It might be a wise idea if there was a global announcement that LED backlight LCDs would be on the mass market tomorrow at guaranteed low prices, but this stuff probably won't show up for at least a year from now. If it does happen to show up before then, it may be in TN LCDs, etc.

The 120 Hz LCDs, meh...slow mouse movement really isn't the worst of my worries. I can live with that for a generation or two. I'm not sure if they'll even bother implementing it on LCDs <24", but we'll see.

I'm going to take a guess and say there will be nothing that surpasses the NEC 20WMGX2 in all areas, within the next year.

 

[xtknight]

xboxist: You seem to have your settings set up to ignore PMs, so I've posted my reply here:

Lots of people have experienced temporary bleeding on the 20WMGX2. This seems to be due to the pressure of the bezel on the panel. After time, it can go away. Wait a week and see what happens but in the end it's your decision as to whether or not to keep it. And yes it happens even on expensive LCDs, unfortunately. Though I'd think NEC may give you some slack if you call them.

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: xtknight
xboxist: You seem to have your settings set up to ignore PMs, so I've posted my reply here:

Lots of people have experienced temporary bleeding on the 20WMGX2. This seems to be due to the pressure of the bezel on the panel. After time, it can go away. Wait a week and see what happens but in the end it's your decision as to whether or not to keep it. And yes it happens even on expensive LCDs, unfortunately. Though I'd think NEC may give you some slack if you call them.

Oops, sorry. I had no idea that my account was set up to do that.

I'll give it some time and see if it lessens or if I just grow tolerable to it. Thanks for the reply. I just have a decision to make, ultimately.

 

[rxblitzrx]

Just got the ViewSonic VP930b (rev 3). Picture quality is EXCELLENT!! I love the 19" size... not too big, not too small. It's like reading a digital newspaper right in your hands. It is definitely revision 3 because on the back it says ViewSonic VP930b-3

Thanks again for another great recommendation!

 

[Butterbean]

Seem price dropped on NEC 20WMGX2 at quite a few places. It has been 515 at Page Computers and around 550 at several other places (see PriceGrabber).

http://store.pagecomputers.com/catalog/...itors/20_inch/998920.html#tab_overview

554 @ The Nerds
http://www.thenerds.net/index.php?page=...code=cii_5784816&cpncode=11-21958954-2

 

[DustyNL]

What about backlight bleeding on the VP930b rev.3?
Thought I read somewhere it was not too good on first version.

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: Butterbean
Seem price dropped on NEC 20WMGX2 at quite a few places. It has been 515 at Page Computers and around 550 at several other places (see PriceWatch).

http://store.pagecomputers.com/catalog/...itors/20_inch/998920.html#tab_overview

For what's it worth... my one and only experience with Page Computers can be summed up as this:

-- Bought a $400 video card online (shown as "in stock")
-- Credit card was charged immediately; email confirmation
-- 7 days go by; card hasn't shipped
-- It took a call from ME to find out that the card really isn't in stock, and they won't have any for two more weeks
-- Ordered canceled, Page Computers automatically rejected from any future consideration


Regardless, it's nice to see the price of that monitor start to fall. Every bit helps when you're already that expensive.