Monitor advice

[Patters]

So seeing as I'm moving back to Manchester in a few weeks, I'm going to need a monitor for my PC and 360. So I'll likely use DVI and HDMI. Any size is OK. I don't want to spend over £150. I'd prefer a widescreen aspect ratio, though that apparently is fine now.

Which brands have you guys had decent monitors with and which should I avoid?

[toblix]

I don't know which brands to avoid, but I've been very happy with all the NEC monitors I've been in contact with. As for widescreen, my impression is you'll have to be Indiana Jones to dig up a 4:3 monitor at this point.

[dpp]

I paid about US$ 270 on an Asus VW266H, which I use for computing and xboxing (it has HDMI and DVI ports), plus it has an audio out jack so you can use headphones when playing the 360. Also, it has the option of mapping the pixels 1:1, so that it doesn't stretch the 1080p signal from the 360 to the 1200 pixels available in the screen (which happens in another 24" monitor I have).

[elmuerte]

screw brands.

go for a PVA or MVA panel, avoid TN panels if possible

[Moelman]

Brands I have had good luck with: Samsung, ASUS, Hans-G (the last one is particularly affordable usually)

[Armchair General]

I still have the 2232BW Samsung and it's probably the best monitor I have had in terms of build quality and style.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-134-SA&groupid=17&catid=1425&subcat=

Get the best resolution you can afford I reckon, my 1900x1200 Iiyama makes everything look amazing. The above is 1900x1080.

[toblix]

1900x1080.

Really, Armchair?

[Patters]

I still have the 2232BW Samsung and it's probably the best monitor I have had in terms of build quality and style.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-134-SA&groupid=17&catid=1425&subcat=

Get the best resolution you can afford I reckon, my 1900x1200 Iiyama makes everything look amazing. The above is 1900x1080.

1080p is good for the 360 aspect, I prefer 16:9 to 16:10.

[Armchair General]

Really, Armchair?

Sorry, 1920x 1080.

[toblix]

You're an embarrassment to the computer display community.

[Murdoc]

I got back to Vancouver to dig my two monitors out of storage, no hdmi on either of them(bleh)

So in the same boat Patters. I have a samsung right now and I'm really unimpressed with the colour on it. Its sharp, bright, and looks nice. But whenever I go to do anything in photoshop or the like I really see where it fails.

That might not go for all samsung monitors, but theres something off about the colour and contrast ration no matter how much I adjust it. I really like Dell monitors but the goods ones are like $600+

[Patters]

I got back to Vancouver to dig my two monitors out of storage, no hdmi on either of them(bleh)

So in the same boat Patters. I have a samsung right now and I'm really unimpressed with the colour on it. Its sharp, bright, and looks nice. But whenever I go to do anything in photoshop or the like I really see where it fails.

That might not go for all samsung monitors, but theres something off about the colour and contrast ration no matter how much I adjust it. I really like Dell monitors but the goods ones are like $600+

Yeah, Dell are too expensive for me, I've been thinking LG (my dad has been using a Flatron for over 6 years. 22" is ideal, I am thinking of going for this.

[Jayel]

Dell ultrasharps over 24" are expensive, but 23" isn't! (only $230 here in canada)

Avoid TN panels like the plague, and go for IPS or better

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2311h.htm

[Patters]

Dell ultrasharps over 24" are expensive, but 23" isn't! (only $230 here in canada)

Avoid TN panels like the plague, and go for IPS or better

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2311h.htm

No HDMI.

[Jayel]

No HDMI.

True, but you could always use VGA for the PC and use HDMI-to-DVI adapter for your console. Unless your video card sucks, the visual differences are undetectable on VGA. You might lose HDCP but I don't know if that's important to you.

I don't recommend LG anymore... I used to be a big fan of their monitors because only 5~6 years ago the colour reproduction and viewing angles were unparalleled (at least in the price range), but looking at their latest monitors, they've regressed into using very lowquality TN panels it seems.

Maybe they decided to split their product line into premium and consumer models like Dell - I have no idea.

[Patters]

True, but you could always use VGA for the PC and use HDMI-to-DVI adapter for your console. Unless your video card sucks, the visual differences are undetectable on VGA. You might lose HDCP but I don't know if that's important to you.

I don't recommend LG anymore... I used to be a big fan of their monitors because only 5~6 years ago the colour reproduction and viewing angles were unparalleled (at least in the price range), but looking at their latest monitors, they've regressed into using very lowquality TN panels it seems.

Maybe they decided to split their product line into premium and consumer models like Dell - I have no idea.

Or, you know my 360, I have no qualms with any display ports, but I really just want to stick with HDMI for my 360, it just works.

[Jayel]

Or, you know my 360, I have no qualms with any display ports, but I really just want to stick with HDMI for my 360, it just works.

HDMI and DVI-D carry exact same signal sans audio stream... but looking at the dell uk site 23" ultrasharp isn't even available so it's all moot :\

I'd recommend HP ZR22 or something instead but it doesn't have HDMI either. A lot of modern monitors seem to be abandoning HDMI in favour of DisplayPort it looks like.

[Patters]

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/19612 Seems to be a good bet. The 21.5inch one in particular.