Does this seem like a good deal to you?

[cycopl]

This is my first post on AT forums, but I've been lurking for about a week now looking for a good 20" budget widescreen LCD.

I've narrowed my choices down to the Viewsonic VX2025WM (which seems to be the forum favorite when it comes to 20" ws LCD's), and the BenQ FP202W.

The main reason I am considering the BenQ is not only the price ($300 seems like a steal, I'm still using my 19" CRT that I got for $300 about four years ago), but also because Newegg.com is offering a combo deal where you can get an ATI X1800XT 512mb for 75 dollars off the normal price. Also, they're having a one day sale today on the ATI card which probably lowered the price even more below normal.

So that's $300 for the monitor, and $250 for the video card (If I go with the BenQ).

The real question is, do you think this combo deal is worth jumping onto? I understand that the Viewsonic is a better monitor because it isn't TN like the BenQ monitor. But is TN really that bad? I'm going to be the only one using my monitor and I'm going to be sitting directly in front of it, so viewing angle isn't really a huge concern to me. My current video card is an nvidia 6600gt, and while it's no slouch, it likes to choke up on the newer games like Fear, GRAW, Oblivion, some others... I would like to have something that can run games flawlessly (or at least significantly better than my 6600) in 1680x1050 resolution. Basically, I want my eyes to have an orgasm when I plug in this new monitor, and I think a new video card could help make that happen.

Links (for convenience):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116381 (viewsonic)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824014105 (benQ)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102624 (video card)

 

[Cabages]

You can currently get the Viewsonic for $300 at office max after a $50 rebate.

I would suggest the viewsonic. Most everone agrees it is better than the BenQ, and if your going to be spending that much money, you might as well spend a little more and get the best in the price range.

 

[cycopl]

Thanks for the input, it would probably be a better idea to just go with the monitor for now and then probably get a video card later on when the prices are a little lower. Of course, I could always say that because the prices are just going to keep getting lower and new cards are going to keep coming out.

The closest officemax store to me is 100 miles away, so I checked their site to see if I could order one, and I can, but...

http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/...OID=-536906915&prodBlockOID=1611418217

The monitor is $350 after the rebate, unless there's another rebate afterwards that I can get through viewsonic or something.

 

[foosa]

What kind of video card do you have now? Be sure to check and see that it can run a widescreen at the recommended resolution.

 

[cycopl]

I'm using a geforce 6600GT 128mb right now, I'm pretty sure it will support 1680x1050 but I'm not positive.

 

[CCityInstaller]

Originally posted by: cycopl
I'm using a geforce 6600GT 128mb right now, I'm pretty sure it will support 1680x1050 but I'm not positive.

It will support a widescreen resolution just fine.

 

[hans007]

costco has the benq for the same price as newegg as well. costco.com anyway.

the video card for $250 is not even that great a deal.

 

[Running]

Originally posted by: hans007
costco has the benq for the same price as newegg as well. costco.com anyway.

the video card for $250 is not even that great a deal.

last time i check i saw x1800xt's going for around 350? its not a bad deal

 

[Nextman916]

That is a very good deal with the X1800XT 512mb, not the best ever but youre very unlikely to see a better deal ever again OP. The X1800XT's have seized in production some time ago, thats why prices have sky rocketed from the low >$250 to around the $300+ range. If you want a 20.1 widescreen monitor, the FP202W isnt a bad buy for $300. To go with the viewsonic right now would cost alot more as well, if you didnt go with the combo deal the monitor itself is around $350+$320 for the X1800XT separate coming to a total $670. The BenQ combo deal is around $570 shipped, an 100 dollar differential, if you can sacrifice that much at a later date, i would just get a X1900xt, however if you can settle for the 256mb version of the X1800xt the price may become even. Thats what i would choose.

 

[Cabages]

Originally posted by: hans007
costco has the benq for the same price as newegg as well. costco.com anyway.

the video card for $250 is not even that great a deal.

I payed $300 for my X1800XT with 512MB, and its the Sapphire version. The ATI version usually runs $30-$50 more.