Whats the best 19 inch monitor for around $400

[Mustanggt]

One more Question I have a Radeon 32 meg DDR and have seen posts with people have trouble with this video card and trinitron monitors???? that sony looks real nice

 

[ETPhHm]

I went to one of those regional computer vendor shows where over a 100 vendors come there to bargain (sorta like a flea market but everything is new) and they have all kinds of hardware and software for sale, including all kinds of monitors running that you can check out and compare. Well I saw the Sony G400, KDS Avitar AV-195TF and the ViewSonic PF790. Supposedly these three monitors have the same picture tube (CRT), so I thought. The Sony looked wonderful indeed but the price was on up there around $500.

The KDS was around $300. One thing about the KDS is it seemed dark, not as bright as the Sony or the Viewsonic. So I looked at several other booths that had the KDS running and all had the same dark looking problem. Then there was one that seemed a little brighter, so I looked at its brightness setting on that particular KDS and the vendor had it jacked all the way up. Then there was a Sony rep out there who said that there are several grades of that Sony made CRT that are ultra flat square tubes, but that KDS did not have the higher grade. The G400 anf the PF790 have the higher grade.

As for the Viewsonic PF790, it was a tad bit over $400 and so I bought it. (this was about 2 months ago). Man I love that monitor, the price was right, the focus and sharpness are very good, and you don't even see those structure wires much at all unless you squint (2 tiny black horizontal lines on all Sony tubes of this type). Compared to the Sony, it is very close in sharpness, purity, focus, and edge to edge consistency, but you need to have them side by side to really notice the difference. I decided that the difference was not worth $100.

 

[LarryJoe]

You can't go wrong by going with Sony. They have a great warranty and you should be able to find a trinitron model for around $400.

LJ

 

[Eug]

Preference in looks of SM vs AG is really personal thing. I definitely prefer shadow mask. Go and compare in the store, and judge for yourself.

I'd suggest the Samsung 950p and the Samsung 900NF side by side. They're both mid-range monitors, although the 900NF is more expensive (but usually less than a comparable Sony).

 

[LXi]

The Samsung 900NF is priced as a midrange($450), but its specs are better than the Sony G400. The 900NF is by far the best DiamondTron NF monitor in the market considering it superb price/performance ratio. As for shadow mask, I tend to like the DynaFlat 900IFT and Hitachi ErgoFlat.

 

[chiwawa626]

say no more KDS AV-195TF

 

[LXi]

Say no more to AV-195TF because 900NF is cheaper now.

 

[chiwawa626]

i still would rather buy the KDS AV-195TF

howmuch is the 900NF?

 

[LXi]

AV-195TF - $465
900NF - $444

 

[The Wildcard]

Hmm Sony might have a great warranty on paper but i have heard the contrary from other of people on this forum. Nevertheless, i am an owner of the Sony G400 myself and i like it alot, although i do notice that my friend's INVAR SHADOW MASK monitor is much brigther and it looks a little bit better, so don't count out those types of monitors.

 

[chiwawa626]

i used a coupon and got my KDS for 350 like 3-4 months ago, but still, the extra 21$$ is worth the KDS

 

[LXi]

<<i used a coupon and got my KDS for 350 like 3-4 months ago, but still, the extra 21$$ is worth the KDS>>

No... the Samsung supports higher res, higher refresh rate, higher video bandwidth, BNC, and USB hub. It's $444 which is a killer deal. Image quality wise they're very close.

 

[Mustanggt]

When I was shopping for a TV set about 6 months ago I heard all kinds of hype about the sony sets being the best picture ETC . anyways looked for 2 weeks and the sony sets were not that impresive at all to me. I ended up getting a Panasonic super flat 32 inch for $800 and this set blew away any sony you can buy for the same price. thats not opinion thats fact. to get a sony that looked better than this superflat i got would cost $600 more. opps forgot to metion that i got a deal on the panasonic superflat was regular $1000 so would of cost $400 more for sony that looked better if i paid full price.

 

[The Wildcard]

Panasonic has their own version? hmm quite interesting...gotta go check it out.

 

[scrubman]

i use the samsung syncmaster 900ift and it is THE best monitor in the whole stinking world!!! you get all the flatness and color of the ag tubes but no lines across your screen!!!!!

you will be pleased! i had 3 trinitrons at my house that i returned from different mfg including sony and they were not as good as this 900ift ESPECIALLY when you compare prices!!!

 

[Byte]

I would go for the flatest thing you can find as as the inches get bigger, the more the curve will become apparent.

 

[bluezebra1098]

hmmm....KDS more expensive than Samsung?
Pricewatch has the KDS AV-195TF for $395 plus $22 shipping.