• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

24" monitor - Samsung 245BW vs. Dell E248WFP

Q

qbfx

Senior member
Hey guys, I'm in the market for a rather entry level 24" monitor (due to a limited budget - 400$), which will be mostly used for 3D, CAD, non-color-critical Photoshop work and last but not least watching movies. I plan to plug it in my laptop's Ati X1400 via VGA. I know it will be better to purchase a PVA or MVA monitor but again my budget is very tight so I guess I'll have to satisfy with a TN panel.
I noticed there is a new 24" Dell model - the E248WFP which obviously uses a TN panel. It doesn't have fancy stuff like HDMI, usb ports or a card reader but has HDCP however. It's pros would be the wide gamut (92% NTSC) backlighting. I like the design of the unit and could live with it's non-adjustable stand since I'll use it at home and wont be necessary to rotate it all the time. I searched for reviews or opinions on this monitor but didn't find any (apart a few on dell.com almost all of which are positive).
The other choice would be the Samsung 245BW - a nicely designed unit, one of the first 24" monitors with a TN panel, which again doesn't have any additional connectivity options (only VGA and DVI) but also has HDCP. The good thing about it is the adjustable stand and sexy design. I read some reviews on it and they're mostly positive.
So, please people, tell me which one of the two will be the best choice and of course why? I would also appreciate some advanced info like what are the advantages of the dell's wide gamut in terms of color reproduction since it uses a 6-bit panel probably with FRC like the samsung. Also does anyone know if the two monitors use the same Samsung panel (like the 2407-HC and the 245T) ?
Thanks
 
Can you save another week or two to buy a PVA/MVA panel? The LG L246WP is a VA panel if I'm not mistaken, it's only ~$600 online if you look around a bit. It's $200 over your stated $400 but the difference would be worth it for your work which will require better color than a TN offers. If you were a serious gamer and casual word processing user etc then a TN would be ok because of the typically faster response time, but I'd still try to go for a VA style panel of some sort.

Now if you need a super fast response time then the Samsung 245BW is one of the best in that regard. It's a quality monitor and I used one for a couple days before returning it for the 244T (needed better color representation).

As for direct comparisons, the Samsung typically has a better response time than the Dell. Less lag etc.
 
Yeah, I bought the Samsung 245BW that you are referring to. I love it. I'm sorry, but I can't provide any advanced technical feedback on it. That's not one of my strong areas, but like I said, I love it. I upgraded from my Dell 19" UltraSharp and it was a huge improvement! I had a XFX 8800 GTS 640MB card and I gave it to my little bro and bought an eVGA 8800 Ultra for $450. The Ultra does great on that monitor. The GTS was giving little hiccups when I'd play more recent games.

I haven't looked at the other choice, but I definitely like the Samsung!!
 
Originally posted by: terencek
Yeah, I bought the Samsung 245BW that you are referring to. I love it. I'm sorry, but I can't provide any advanced technical feedback on it. That's not one of my strong areas, but like I said, I love it. I upgraded from my Dell 19" UltraSharp and it was a huge improvement! I had a XFX 8800 GTS 640MB card and I gave it to my little bro and bought an eVGA 8800 Ultra for $450. The Ultra does great on that monitor. The GTS was giving little hiccups when I'd play more recent games.

I haven't looked at the other choice, but I definitely like the Samsung!!
Click to expand...

This is a perspective comming from someone who is a gamer I guess. It's excellent in that regard. I just feel that if you need to have accurate colors (WYSIWYG) etc then a VA style panel would be better for you. Don't get me wrong, as I said the 245BW is excellent. I would just personally look for something better catered to doing work that requires more quality in the screen. TN monitors also have viewing angle issues. When I say issues, you get a lower viewing angle than the PVA/MVA panels.
 
LG L246WP has been onsale at best buy for $449 a few times (it was 2 weeks ago anyway)


if you are going to go TN you might a s well just pick up a acer for $300... or the VA based soyo one (i am not so sure about soyo as a company though as i've heard they are more or less close to being broke and you'll probably never get your full warranty).


the 92% color gamut i dont think you will notice. its mainly something that has to do with the backlights. i dontt hink its actually something you can see as CRTs even only show 70%.
 
Thanks for your advice about VA panels, I'm sure there's quite a difference between a TN and a VA especially for 24" in terms of viewing angles and color accuracy. However the LG currently sells for 599$ and that's quite a big number for me .. The other thing is, while I need good colors I'm not wiling to spend that much more, since my work doesn't depend primarily on them, compared to say photo editing and such. Also, I think faster response times would be nice not only for gaming but also for movie watching (which I plan to do even more on my future monitor) so I think I'm going to stick with the TN. Thanks
 
Originally posted by: hans007
if you are going to go TN you might a s well just pick up a acer for $300... or the VA based soyo one (i am not so sure about soyo as a company though as i've heard they are more or less close to being broke and you'll probably never get your full warranty).
Click to expand...

Well I want a TN but a good one and I've seen some Acer models which weren't the best, even the model with 4000:1 DC and 2ms, so I prefer to not risk and stick with Samsung or Dell.

the 92% color gamut i dont think you will notice. its mainly something that has to do with the backlights. i dontt hink its actually something you can see as CRTs even only show 70%.
Click to expand...

I guess you're right about the gamut, especially since the panel isn't capable to represent more than 262K real colors ...

Thanks

 
Thanks for your reply man, I too lean towards the sammy - it has good contrast and response and has the adjustable stand which can come in handy sometimes.
 
TN's depend on the person. I have owned both a 19" LCD TN and a 24" LCD A-MVA.

The MVA has better colors, blacks are decent, and viewing angles. Better for movies and other things IMO.
The TN has horrible viewing angles, colors are washed out a bit more.

The response times for gaming is subjective. I don't notice a difference on lag at all with UT2004 or my other games like WC3 with the MVA. Works just as good on the new 24".

I think the biggest problem with a screen like 24" is that, it's so big, the viewing angles will really affect you more. TN panels have decent horizontal viewing angles and atrocious vertical angles. So height adjustments might be something to take into account in these cases.

The Sammy has good reviews as a gaming monitor, so if you are pressed on cash, just go with that.
 
Originally posted by: n7
Hi, welcome to the forums.

It'd really help if you state where you're from...but i'll assume US/Canada.

There's no need to be torturing the eyes with TN panels when there are MVAs for cheap!

Westinghouse has you covered w/ a cheap MVA:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824255001

Or if you're Canadian, Best Buy has that one for only $330 for Boxing Day sale, today & tomorrow:
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/...FS10090158&catid=22559
Click to expand...

didn't know that was a MVA. It's sort of hard to find what panels are MVA which are TN and which are PVA. I did simple searches and didn't find anything concrete when i was looking. When I have to give up this 244T to my dad once he gets his new system at work, I'll probably be looking at that Westinghouse.
 
Originally posted by: n7
Hi, welcome to the forums.

It'd really help if you state where you're from...but i'll assume US/Canada.

There's no need to be torturing the eyes with TN panels when there are MVAs for cheap!

Westinghouse has you covered w/ a cheap MVA:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824255001

Or if you're Canadian, Best Buy has that one for only $330 for Boxing Day sale, today & tomorrow:
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/...FS10090158&catid=22559
Click to expand...

I'm currently in France but my brother lives in the US so he will ship it to FR for me (here a 24" costs about 500 euro). I've looked at that westinghouse but didn't know it uses a MVA panel 😀 However there is this 8ms that worries me about it since I'll watch movies on it. While the 8ms is a bit much, sometimes specs could be misleading, do you know if there are ghosting issues with the westy in reality ? And do these Boxing Day sales also happen in the US ?
 
Originally posted by: vhx
TN's depend on the person. I have owned both a 19" LCD TN and a 24" LCD A-MVA.

The MVA has better colors, blacks aren't that great, and viewing angles. Better for movies and other things IMO.
The TN has horrible viewing angles, colors are washed out a bit more, but better blacks.

The response times for gaming is subjective. I don't notice a difference on lag at all with UT2004 or my other games like WC3 with the MVA. Works just as good on the new 24".

I think the biggest problem with a screen like 24" is that, it's so big, the viewing angles will really affect you more. TN panels have decent horizontal viewing angles and atrocious vertical angles. So height adjustments might be something to take into account in these cases.

The Sammy has good reviews as a gaming monitor, so if you are pressed on cash, just go with that.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think the viewing angle problem of the TN wont bother me that much because I'm already used to position myself at 90 degrees to the monitor with my current 17" Philips and especially with my laptop's 15,4". The thing that I'd probably appreciate the most with VA panels is the better color accuracy since most VA panels still are 8-bit and I suppose that means it's less likely to have banding problems which could be really annoying when watching movies and sometimes with 3D. I'll probably wait to see if there are any sales after NY to see if any VA panel prices come down to about 450$. Thanks
 
Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
Can you save another week or two to buy a PVA/MVA panel? The LG L246WP is a VA panel if I'm not mistaken, it's only ~$600 online if you look around a bit. It's $200 over your stated $400 but the difference would be worth it for your work which will require better color than a TN offers. If you were a serious gamer and casual word processing user etc then a TN would be ok because of the typically faster response time, but I'd still try to go for a VA style panel of some sort.

Now if you need a super fast response time then the Samsung 245BW is one of the best in that regard. It's a quality monitor and I used one for a couple days before returning it for the 244T (needed better color representation).

As for direct comparisons, the Samsung typically has a better response time than the Dell. Less lag etc.
Click to expand...

I recently went through the same thing and compared panels and ended up getting the lg. When I got mine bb had them at $500 if you bought online and I picked it up in the store. Keep checking bb's website for sales as they might mark it back down again. I think it looks much better than the other 24" units I compared it to including that samsung.
 
I recently went through the same thing and compared panels and ended up getting the lg. When I got mine bb had them at $500 if you bought online and I picked it up in the store. Keep checking bb's website for sales as they might mark it back down again. I think it looks much better than the other 24" units I compared it to including that samsung.
Click to expand...

I guess you're right but even 500$ are a bit much, I know the 100 bucks will pay off and it's worth it but numbers are numbers and I hate em. Eventually if it drops to 450$ like it did a few times according to hans007, I'll be more than happy to "steal" it because I know it's a great monitor.

Also does anyone have some experience with the DoubleSight DS-245W, it costs 439$ at the moment and it uses the same Samsung S-PVA that's in the 2407, 244T, as well as some models from NEC and Eizo! It also has fully adjustable stand with portrait mode which can come in handy with a PVA panel. The only thing is the brand .. I never heard of DoubleSight, so if anyone has some insights on their quality please let me know.

Also I noticed none has talked about the Dell E248WFP .. Did anyone actually buy this thing ?

 
I just saw a too-good-to-be-true offer at onSale.com - the ViewSonic Optiquest Q241WB for 358$. Actually the viewing angles 178/178 which most certainly means it's using a VA panel ... Thing is, it's way too cheap to spot a VA, but I checked it at ViewSonic.com and it seems that it's true .. Does anyone know something about this model ?
 
I have been following this thread quite closely. I currently contemplating:

1. Samsung 245BW (TN)
2. Dell E248WFP (TN)
3. Viewsonic Q241wb (TN?)
4. Westinghouse L2410NM (VA)

Both the Dell and Viewsonics are very new so there aren't a lot of reviews on them. I'd like to use the monitors primarily for gaming but also some word editing, web browsing etc... Any thoughts on what would be best?

thanks
 
Originally posted by: qbfx
I just saw a too-good-to-be-true offer at onSale.com - the ViewSonic Optiquest Q241WB for 358$. Actually the viewing angles 178/178 which most certainly means it's using a VA panel ... Thing is, it's way too cheap to spot a VA, but I checked it at ViewSonic.com and it seems that it's true .. Does anyone know something about this model ?
Click to expand...

Did some looking at my normal haunts, but nothing on it sadly.

It certainly does appear to be a P-MVA though, & the 6ms (not 5 or 2) is just like the response time other *VAs get rated as.

I'd assume it's an MVA, but for absolute certainty i'd want to see it myself or hear from someone who has...
 
Originally posted by: achillez
I have been following this thread quite closely. I currently contemplating:

1. Samsung 245BW (TN)
2. Dell E248WFP (TN)
3. Viewsonic Q241wb (TN?)
4. Westinghouse L2410NM (VA)

Both the Dell and Viewsonics are very new so there aren't a lot of reviews on them. I'd like to use the monitors primarily for gaming but also some word editing, web browsing etc... Any thoughts on what would be best?

thanks
Click to expand...

I think you already know.

There is no such thing as a good TN, which means the Viewsonic or Westy would be my picks (assuming the Viewsonic is actually an MVA like it seems to be).

 
Did some looking at my normal haunts, but nothing on it sadly.

It certainly does appear to be a P-MVA though, & the 6ms (not 5 or 2) is just like the response time other *VAs get rated as.

I'd assume it's an MVA, but for absolute certainty i'd want to see it myself or hear from someone who has...
Click to expand...

Yeah my logic is the same about the specs - I hope they're correct 🙂 I even e-mailed ViewSonic and asked them if it's a VA or TN, 6 or 8 bit etc ... I'm hoping for a positive answer though the design of the unit sucks with the thick besel with it's even thicker bottom and ugly stand :frown:

 
I'm also in the market for a 24" LCD. I don't want to spend more than $400. I use my computer primarily for audio production and e-mail/web. Sometimes I'll watch movies and play video games.

So you guys definitely think the Viewsonic is better than Samsung?

 
The OfficeMax Soyo for 24" is an excellent choice for the budget minded if HDCP isn't an issue. Check out the hot deals forum for more info.

From a purely subjective standpoint I much prefer the colors and gaming experience on my Soyo 24" (6-8ms) to that of my Samsung 22" (2ms). I don't notice any ghosting on the Soyo. I use Vsync - ON for both displays. I'll actually be selling the Samsung soon to get another Soyo.
 
I am looking for a gaming 24" inch LCD also. Ive been looking at that Doublesight DS-245W. I can't seem to find any reviews. I want a good gaming experience and I hope the better color/black levels of this display will be good while keeping gaming possible. I don't want major lag.

 
I recently purchased a 24" monitor, primarily for gaming. I researched here (great LCD thread) and also at Hard OCP. What alot of people are forgetting to take into account here is where to purchase. I ended up grabbing the Samsung 245BW for several reasons (mostly my twitch gaming), but another reason I chose it was because I found it at Costco for $400. I have had too many LCD's from online retailers come with a "few" dead/stuck pixels. It gave me great peace of mind to know I could exchange/return my new monitor even if there were less than 6-8 bad pixels.

BTW, I love this monitor. You will have to calibrate it out of the box (default brightness is way too high, minor gamma tweaks). But I'm getting excellent color reproduction now. The response time is incredible. It's hard to describe. With a High DPI mouse, my gaming has never felt so smooth on any previous LCD. The only thing about this monitor that you have to be careful of is the hight adjustment. You need your eye level to be at or slightly above the top of the screen. Otherwise, you will get color variation due to the limited viewing angle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top