<< I've considered a 17" flat panel, but I keep hearing bad things about ghosting and tearing in games.
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Sounds like you really could do with a TFT but alas looks like you have been misinformed to a certain degree?
Cheap TFT's with slow pixel refresh will do the above but if you get one with 25ms pixel refresh you wont notice any ghosting IMO FWIW.
Im currently using a NEC 1550M and it has 25ms pixel refresh, 300cd/m2 brightness and 450:1 contrast.
Its only got a DSub input, but im so impressed i would bet my pants i could not find any CRT with a picture that looks as good as this 🙂
Games look stunning, no tearing or ghosting and 2D is so much better than you will ever get with CRT IMO.
Best of all my eyes dont get fatigued like they did with CRT 🙂
If you do go TFT just remember you get what you pay for. If you buy a reasonably priced 17"er and then find your not satisfied you'll know why if you get a chance to see a really good TFT.
Only ldown side to a decent 17" TFT is that you really need to be looking at spending at least twice as much as you would on a really good 19" CRT if not more 🙁