What specs should I be looking for when buying the best 19" LCD monitor?

[THELAIR]

Hey guys,

I'm gonna pick myself up a 19" LCD monitor sometime today or tonight, and Im having a hell of a time going through all the details.

I know i want 16ms response time, idealy 1600x1200, although i dont usaully run at that resolution (have three 0.21dp 21" Sony trintrons at home in Canada)... but the real kicker is im in Tokyo, so most of the models and what not you guys mention are not carried in the stores around here.

I guess all I need is a lil check list...

1) 19"
2) 16ms or lower refresh rate
3) contrast ratio should be what?
4) other numbers?
5) dual input, DVI/VGA suppport, USB controller etc.

I could go by price alone and guage "well this one is more expensive than the other so it must be better" route, but i dont want to do that.

There are alot of Iiyama, Eizo and Nanao screens on display, along with mitsubishi, those are the most that I see...

stuff like view sonic, dell 2001fp's etc, are non existent from the half dozen stores or so i have been to in Akihabara.

 

[jazzhound]

Hey, how's life in Tokyo? A canuck seems displaced there. Go watch Lost in Translation, you'll love it.

Well, the Iiyama screens get high marks for quality from what I've seen. I personally have two 19" samsungs and am happy with them. Typically the contrast 500:1 is good enough, but there are some that are 600:1 whcih of coarse is better if you can score one. I'm also of the understading that 16ms is the fastest you can get at the moment.

Have fun and try one of their gourmet hamburgers. I hear they have these premium beef that go for $100/lbs. Crazy!@

 

[ed21x]

Bic Camera at Takashimaya has always been a bit cheaper than most other places in Tokyo. It's fairly close to a JR station.
As fpr specs, the 600:1 contrast ratio, <25 ms response time, thin bezel, dvi, and a shiny filter are all I look for. good luck~ oh, and check for dead pixels before buying

 

[THELAIR]

seen lost in translation, i can relate with about everything in that movie, i even stayed in the same hotel they were filming in, and have been to the NYC bar at the top several times...

anywyas

There are several bic cameras, the one at Takashimaya square is by Shinjuku station which is massive.

while i didnt find anything tonight, while looking i did find a 17" monitor with a 12ms response time.

what about cd/m rating?
and the higher the number for contrast ratio the better?

 

[Dman877]

If you don't use 1600x1200, don't buy a LCD with 1600x1200 native res. LCD's don't look as good at their non-native rez (so you could use 1280x1024 on a 1600x1200 but it wouldn't look as good).

 

[THELAIR]

right, i understand the native res vs non native res, thanks