Cheap good-enough 23"-ish IPS

[Ken g6]

Let me start by saying this is the monitor I have now. 17", 1280x1024, probably TN, matte, 8ms. I've never noticed any motion blur being bad, so I guess I don't mind motion blur? It's good; the main problem I'm finding is that it's not as wide as most monitors nowadays.

So, basically, I'm looking for a cheap, wide monitor. I would like it to be IPS since I do work with video and occasionally graphics, but I'm open to TN if it's at least as good as my current monitor. It will also be used for gaming. It shouldn't be too high-pixel-density, since I'm using Linux and that doesn't do scaling. Input should be digital, preferably HDMI since I have a cable for that. The new monitor doesn't have to be too bright - I turned down the brightness on this one - but I have a window behind me so it should be matte and/or strongly anti-reflective. An efficient LED backlight would be nice. Speakers might be nice, but I really don't care.

I'd like to put this monitor next to that monitor. If I'm going to do that, desk space limits the new monitor to about 20" wide. (Bevel included!) Is that 22" or 23"? I think 24" would be too tight. At 1080p, I figure 23" gives approximately the same pixel density as my current monitor.

Budget is as high as it needs to be but as low as possible. Let's just say that saying I need a monitor over $200 might lead to my being infracted for personal insults. (But if you convinced me I could go that high.)

Monitors I've looked at:
- This LG stood out at $120, but Amazon says it would ship in 2-5 weeks. I'd like it within a week or two at most.
- I also looked at this Dell for ~$144. Again, 1 to 2 months to ship, plus it's not an UltraSharp (which runs over $200), so I really have no idea if the brand is worth the price.
- This $140 Acer looks really nice, except that the screen's probably too reflective.

If it matters I do have a Micro Center within 100 miles, but if I went there I'd put together a whole new desktop too!

So, what do you suggest?

 

[chubbyfatazn]

This Asus 23" for $145 after $10 MIR
This AOC 23" for $150
This Viewsonic 23" for $154
Another AOC 23" for $140 (either this or the other one is probably glossy)

Haven't checked Newegg for comparable prices.

Ultrasharps generally take the cake for their quality, their OSDs, their standard stands (pivot/tilt/rotate/height; most others only offer tilt), and their warranties especially. But all that stuff obviously comes at a price premium. You can usually find plenty on Craigslist if you're near a large metro area (got my 30" U3011 for $450 and a 20" 2007FP for $25, both are working great).

The usual suspects for the 23" to 24" Ultrasharps include: U2311H, U2312HM, U2410, U2412M, U2413, U2414H. Might have missed a few. Not all of them are LED-backlit.

Edit: removed links, amazon is misleading

Edit edit: this LG 24" for $158

I know this "HP-debranded" 27" 1080p one was going for $140 after $30 MIR last week. Maybe it'll come around again.

If you're OK with MVA panels and can ditch the 17" then I know Microcenter sells a 27" 1080p Samsung refurb for $200.

 

[VirtualLarry]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/aoc-23-6...&skuId=5704037

This was $99.99 yesterday. $119.99 today. Doesn't mention IPS, so it's not. No speakers either. But it's cheap, and available at BB B&M.

 

[Essence_of_War]

- This $140 Acer looks really nice, except that the screen's probably too reflective.

I have two of those acer's in my group's office.

I didn't find them to be overly reflective, but I also have no natural glare sources (just a bunch of overhead moderate fluorescent lights), I'm suspicious of them if you're putting them into direct sunlight. More annoyingly, external power brick, and all of the inputs are perpendicular to the plane of the display.

Overall, I'm happy, big upgrade to the 19'' 1440x900s we were using before. We use them mostly for Ubuntu, and I find Ubuntu's UI to look pretty good on 16:9 monitors.

 

[Ken g6]

This Asus 23" for $145 after $10 MIR
This AOC 23" for $150

These both look good. Both AOCs are matte, but this one has HDMI while the other doesn't. I should have mentioned I don't do mail-in rebates (complications of only getting USPS mail at the post office). But the ASUS comes with a cable probably worth $5, so that's probably the one to get.

Except I discovered the Ctrl-minus function in Firefox, so that solves my immediate monitor size issue. So I can't quite bring myself to push the buy button now. :$ But thanks for the advice, and I'll probably get that ASUS...someday. Maybe even soon.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

These both look good. Both AOCs are matte, but this one has HDMI while the other doesn't. I should have mentioned I don't do mail-in rebates (complications of only getting USPS mail at the post office). But the ASUS comes with a cable probably worth $5, so that's probably the one to get.

Except I discovered the Ctrl-minus function in Firefox, so that solves my immediate monitor size issue. So I can't quite bring myself to push the buy button now. :$ But thanks for the advice, and I'll probably get that ASUS...someday. Maybe even soon.

I don't do them either in that I don't expect them to come back. I won't buy something if it's cheaper solely based on the MIR, but if the price is competitive and there's a MIR in there then I'll do it on the off-chance I actually get it back.

$10 is a sufficiently small amount that I wouldn't really care. Just eat in one night or skip a few coffees at Starbucks.

I feel like monitors are one of those "once you go black you don't go back" kind of things... I used to be content with a 26" 1366x768 TN panel, and now look where I am. lol. It's well worth it, though, considering the monitor is the one thing you really need to do anything with your computer (excepting mouse and keyboard).

You don't go dropping a Ferrari engine into a Corolla, that's for sure.

 

[Ken g6]

Well, I finally did order that monitor. Shrinking stuff on this monitor sort-of works, but there are real disadvantages to not having a monitor that's big enough.

Thanks again for the advice!