Budget Season: LCD(s) vs 2x 22inch CRTS

[Winchester]

I currently have 2 gateway 22" CRT flat screen monitors. Due to desk space I am wanting to put in for either a widescreen or 2 normal LCD monitors. I love the real estate I have to deal with now and have had dual monitors for 3+ years so I am addicted.

Should I go for 1 widescreen LCD (21") or 2 normal LCD monitors (19") . I really like having 2 programs maximized at the same time etc and 2x22" is a lot of real estate at 1600x1200 each.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Is 1280X1024 per screen enough resolution for you? Do you game a lot?

If the res is adequate and you dont' game much, I think two 19" screens would be by far the better solution. It kills a single screen in terms of Windows productivity.

But if movies/gaming/etc is your thing, a single 1680X1050 widescreen LCD would probably give you more enjoyment.

Personally I'm not much of a PC gamer and I'm using a 19" and a 17" LCD (downgraded from a 2005fpw and a 17"), and I find this solution to be very handy 🙂 .

 

[Heartbreaker]

20 - 20" 4:3 LCD's will give you the exact same screen size (20" viewable) and same resolution 1600x1200 each, you have now.

Before you even consider getting 2 x 19" monitors, drop both your CRT's into that resolution(1280x1024) and see if you can stand the loss of real estate.

21" widescreen is only 1680 x 1050 and that is a truly tiny amount of real estate compared to what you have now.

If you can't afford 2 20", get one and keep one CRT.

I use 1600x1200 on CRT and would not consider giving up a single pixel of real estate.

 

[Winchester]

This is for work. No gaming involved.

 

[Viper GTS]

I'm currently running two 21" CRT's and am facing a similar dilemma.

I've made the promise to myself that I won't replace them until I can get at least that many pixels (4MP or better) in a single, LED backlit LCD.

Needless to say I plan to wait a while.

If you must do it now the 3007WFP and 30" Cinema Display will give you slightly more pixel space (negligible, really, but it is more) in a single display.

BTW the link in my signature might be of some use to you right now. A 30" 16:10 display will give you both more physical space and pixel space, I really wouldn't settle for anything less.

Viper GTS

 

[Winchester]

Im on a local government budget. 😉

If I put $2200 down for a monitor I will get laughed out followed by security leading me out.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Winchester
Im on a local government budget. 😉

If I put $2200 down for a monitor I will get laughed out followed by security leading me out.

Well you can actually do more like $1500 for a 3007WFP (if you're patient), or you can even grab one on ebay for far less than $2200.

2001FP's would be my next suggestion, since they've been replaced by the 2007's they should be nice & cheap.

You really do not want to go to anything lower in resolution or size, if your budget is really that tight I would recommend a bigger desk.

Viper GTS

 

[Heartbreaker]

If this is productivity, then two monitors all the way. For productivity I can't imagine how you could give up 2 monitors or 1600x1200 size.

Two 20" LCDs are your only choice. What is wrong with the CRT's?

 

[Winchester]

Im currently the project analyst. We have grown so much that I volunteered to take office mate since I had the 2nd biggest office so a bigger desk is not an option. Budget will probably be around $500-700ish.

The CRTs are HUGE and take up a lot of desk space.

 

[lifeguard1999]

Originally posted by: Winchester
Im on a local government budget. 😉

If I put $2200 down for a monitor I will get laughed out followed by security leading me out.

Im on a federal government budget.

If I put $2200 down for a monitor no one will notice and security will still be playing solitiare.

($2200 is a rounding error.)

 

[Winchester]

Originally posted by: lifeguard1999

Originally posted by: Winchester
Im on a local government budget. 😉

If I put $2200 down for a monitor I will get laughed out followed by security leading me out.

Im on a federal government budget.

If I put $2200 down for a monitor no one will notice and security will still be playing solitiare.

($2200 is a rounding error.)

That is the difference between federal and local. You have money. 😉

 

[mrzed]

I'm using dual 20's at work now. For productivity, I would WAY rather have 2 seperate physical monitors than one big wide one. I find that just moving a window to one monitor and maximizing is easier than managing window sizes on the same desktop.

I'd say see if you can stretch the budget to 2*20. Depends on what you do at work, but for what I do, the finer dot pitch and resolution of the 20's makes an enormous difference.