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30" monitor vs 27" monitor

S

stipalgl

Member
Hey guys,

I have a chance to get either a brand new LG 27EA83R for $700, or a used but in excellent condition Dell U3011 for $700 as well.

The LG is a 27" monitor @ 2560 x 1440. The Dell is a 30" monitor @ 2560 x 1600.

I'd just like to hear what people think would be the better choice given their similar prices in this case. I do moderate gaming (nothing hardcore or online really), watch movies, etc.

The monitors would be powered by a GTX 760.

Thanks.
 
The 27" has a nice little DPI advantage-- about 9% more. I'd get that. All else being equal, it'll give you the better picture. It's just on the border of being unnoticeable, though.
 
I'd get the Dell, I've used their 30" range for a long time. Mainly I prefer 16:10 aspect ratio over 16:9, the bigger resolution gives you slightly more desktop space, and of course it's larger, 30" monitors are truly epic to use.

The 27" has a slightly higher pixel density due to being smaller, and the smaller resolution will get better performance although your video card should be good for most modern games at max settings anyway.
 
Last year I went from a 24" (Samsung) to a 27" (Asus). I always thought that screens can not be big enough. But when I got the 27", I realized I finally got a screen big enough. I don't need anything bigger. So for me personally, 27" versus 30" would not be a deal-maker.

I am a sucker for 16x10 monitors. My old Samsung was a 16x10, the new Asus is 16x9. When you are a gamer, less pixels is not always a disadvantage. Because less pixels means higher framerates. (I benchmarked it, and indeed, my frames went up ~10% when I went from 1920x1200 to 1920x1080). 16x9 is good for most games. But for MMOs, I prefer 16x10. Also on the desktop, a 16x10 is better, imho.

So it's not an easy choice. I think size and resolution are less important. I assume both are IPS monitors ? If you can look at them in real-life, I'd go for the one with the nicest picture and colors.
 
U3011 easily. The extra vertical resolution does wonders for productivity. And the size difference is very noticeable (I have them side by side).
 
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I have four 27" 2560x1440 displays and one 30" 2560x1600 and use the 30" as my main. If I were you I would get the 30" U3011 . Why? Games are more immersive on a larger display and 30" is considerably larger than 27". Theres a lot more space with 16:10 aspect ratio. Also I prefer the matte coating especially during the day.

Ive shared this pic before but notice how much larger the 30" display is compared to the three 27"s on the right, you might even notice I was playing Skyrim at the time I took that pic.

Hope this is helpful in your decision making 🙂
 
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Not a single person who has actually used a 30" would answer 27". The 30" really is HUGE in comparison to a 27" and is much more immersive, you have to use it to appreciate it.

Get the 30". You'll thank yourself later, especially if you ever use a 27 and realize how puny it is in comparison.
 
Always thought my 27" screen was enough but after watching a few movies on it, I wouldnt mind going for a 30".
 
I have a 27inch and would recommend getting the 30 inch. I went from a 16:10 to a 16:9 and not liking it so much. Text is much easier to read on a 16:10

my 2 cents.
 
30 inch. My friend has one and it's epic, I am jealous.

Also, if you are dead-set on 16:9 aspect ratio, just run the 30" in letter-boxed mode with black bars on the top and bottom.
 
I've had both and to be honest, I prefer my current 27 incher to my previous Samsung 305T Plus 30 inch.

But it has nothing to do with size. Those 30 inch LCD monitors put out some serious heat and use a lot of power. Mine used up to 130w if I remember correctly. I remember how hot my game room got after a gaming session with it.

The 27 inch LED monitors run nice and cool in comparison. Also, depending on your personal tastes, you may prefer like I do, a glossy panel because it makes the colors more vibrant.
 
I can understand that point of view, but it should warrant mention that 2013 model 30 inch panels are different and use far less power. I know the old Dell 30s from 2007 put out a ton of heat, but having used the u3014 - it uses way less power than of the prior models.

I agree with what you're saying being true with older 1600p's - but that has really been fixed with the newer 30 inch 1600 panels. I know the 3008WFP felt like a space heater and actually increased room temperatures by a LOT, whereas the u3014 doesn't really increase ambient temps at all, really. IPS panels have really become more efficient over the years as have GPUs. 🙂

The u3011 mentioned by the OP actually does get quite warm, though. It is definitely not as efficient as the u3014...
 
can that 30 inch screen run 2560x1440 without issues? if so then I would maybe change my vote for that. I just dont like 16:10 for gaming as even 16:9 feels cramped in some games. 16:10 is great for work but my pc is only for games, movies and porn. 😀
 
I have a dell 3008wfp which I really like due to the screen size. However, for gaming it seems a bit slow. What's the best 30inch on the market at this time?
3014 or something else?
 
If you can get it still and don't mind the super aggressive AR coating, I prefer the 3011. It has more uniform lighting, but it gets super hot.
 
I'm not going to knock the U3011 at all, it's what I'm using now, but: does/did it come with any sort of warranty at all versus the LG? Not that Dell makes crap monitors, but that can be a consideration...
 
toyota said:
can that 30 inch screen run 2560x1440 without issues? if so then I would maybe change my vote for that. I just dont like 16:10 for gaming as even 16:9 feels cramped in some games. 16:10 is great for work but my pc is only for games, movies and porn. 😀
Click to expand...

Biggest issue for me is blackbars when i watch widescreen movies on my 16:10....changing the desktop resolution doesn't solve this so i guess its a thing i just have to deal with.

Thinking about it,the industry standard of 1080p is pure caca poo poo,1200p isn't that much higher then 1080p but media is skipping right over to 4k from 1080p unless resolutions like 900p and 1200p become budget resolutions for budget televisions?

The blackbars i get is a reminder my desktops resolution is at a higher standard then the damn industry standard resolution currently.
 
Changing resolution of course won't change the original aspect ratio of the video. But the 30" is still wider than the 27" (though not by much) so you're not "losing" anything size wise when watching videos on the 30".
 
skipsneeky2 said:
Biggest issue for me is blackbars when i watch widescreen movies on my 16:10....changing the desktop resolution doesn't solve this so i guess its a thing i just have to deal with.

Thinking about it,the industry standard of 1080p is pure caca poo poo,1200p isn't that much higher then 1080p but media is skipping right over to 4k from 1080p unless resolutions like 900p and 1200p become budget resolutions for budget televisions?

The blackbars i get is a reminder my desktops resolution is at a higher standard then the damn industry standard resolution currently.
Click to expand...

Please keep in mind that even with a 16:9 1080p display, you'd *still* get black bars on several movies (e.g., Prometheus, Lawrence of Arabia, etc. etc.).

So if you are totally focused on replacing your 16:10 to replace black bars, you will be in store for a rude awakening when you watch movies.

Ultimately, you'd have to have a collection of several displays that you switch between, if you want to avoid black bars.

Next time you are in a movie theater, pay attention to the curtains. When they change the screen aspect ratio, you'll see the curtains get moved back and forth to change the shape of the visible portion of the projector screen. I'm OK with seeing black bars, but maybe you can install a little privacy curtain around your monitor that will cover over the black bars ehheheh.
 
skipsneeky2 said:
Biggest issue for me is blackbars when i watch widescreen movies on my 16:10....changing the desktop resolution doesn't solve this so i guess its a thing i just have to deal with.

Thinking about it,the industry standard of 1080p is pure caca poo poo,1200p isn't that much higher then 1080p but media is skipping right over to 4k from 1080p unless resolutions like 900p and 1200p become budget resolutions for budget televisions?

The blackbars i get is a reminder my desktops resolution is at a higher standard then the damn industry standard resolution currently.
Click to expand...

What in the world do you watch movies with? I just use VLC , maximize it, sit 5-6 feet away and enjoy movie. No black bars, it is scaled and you can't really notice it in VLC.
 
I hear the electricity use REALLY jumps going from 27" to the massive 30"... (can anyone confirm?)


...I want one, but I don't want my landlord pissed at the electric bill!
 
Thanks for all the replies, guys.

Piklar, thanks for posting the pic. It really puts into perspective the difference going from 27" to 30". By the way, you have a very sweet set-up.

Based on the responses, it seems I'm leaning more towards the U3011, but now the only hesitance is coming from some people commenting on its massive heat output. Is it really that bad? My monitor usually tends to be on a lot, what with me constantly writing and all. Just something I have to get the full scoop on.

Thanks.
 
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