Getting an LCD! Am I just kidding myself?

nuthinspecial

Junior Member
Feb 7, 2004
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I have been waffling on weather or not to get a LCD or a CRT for my new monitor. I do a lot of gaming and my wife does a lot of power point and word processing. Are LCDs the way to go here? I've narrowed my LCD choice down to the Viewsonic 171b because of the generally good reviews and opinions on the net. Or am I fooling myself thinking that the lighter and smaller LCD will make my gaming experince fulfilling or should I just stick with the big ass CRT, knowing I'll be happy with the overall visual quality? I just don't know what to do?
 

Mem

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
21,476
13
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You could buy the LCD from a good store that will allow you to return it if you`re not happy with it,LCDs are not heavy so that`ll be easy to carry.

CRT vs LCD is something only you can decide with your own eyes,so any good store should allow you to return it if you`re not completely happy.
 

PCTweaker5

Banned
Jun 5, 2003
2,810
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Viewsonic P95f+b is the way to go! Thats what I would get anyways and the high refresh rates will keep the eye strain away. $284 at newegg.
 

nuthinspecial

Junior Member
Feb 7, 2004
10
0
0
I have a 17" NEC FE700. I'm looking to order from newegg because they have better prices than any store of the stores in my area. I really haven't found a store or online vendor that doesn't have a restock fee for returns. I just don't want to make a $600 mistake.
 

VIAN

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2003
6,575
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Idk the v171b is one of the best LCDs out there. But it costs twice as much as the P95f+b.
 

Conky

Lifer
May 9, 2001
10,709
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I went with a 17" NEC 16ms response time LCD to replace my huge hot 19" Trinitron-tubed CRT and have been quite pleased with it for gaming. I am especially happy to get all that real estate of my desk back. The footprint of the CRT was gigantic compared to the LCD. The LCD is also very bright and very clear. The size difference is not that great either as the LCD's use a more honest way of measuring the size... 17" rated means 17" not 15.8" viewable with a CRT and all that nonsense. :p

The response time is the most important thing. The slower response LCD's are the ones that will give you blur. Mine being rated at 16ms gives me a theroritical max FPS of 62.5. (1sec = 1000ms, 1000ms/16ms=62.5) Framerates above 60 are supposedly undetectable to the eye. All I know is that I do not experience blur with my monitor. :)
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,230
701
126
I picked up an Hitachi 16ms model (forgot model number) when it first came out and was extremely pleased with it. I then picked up the Hot Deal Dell 20" model (16ms also) a little over a month ago and couldn't be more happy! :)

Beautiful color....and I can't detect ghosting at all. Only downside, if you can call it that, is that you're sorta stuck at the native resolution (or some multiple of it) on an LCD.

:)
 

Torghn

Platinum Member
Mar 21, 2001
2,171
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My opinion: Get an LCD if money is not an issue, if it is get a CRT. As far a picture quality goes, you will get a better picture for your money on a CRT then an LCD.
 

Ferocious

Diamond Member
Feb 16, 2000
4,584
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Most LCD's are 1280x1024.

Not ideal for gaming.

But I would never go back to a CRT.
 

McArra

Diamond Member
May 21, 2003
3,295
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I'm impresed how well my 17inch LCD looks @1024x768 when it's native is 1280x1024....
 

klah

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2002
7,070
1
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Originally posted by: McArra
I'm impresed how well my 17inch LCD looks @1024x768 when it's native is 1280x1024....
Which model do you have?
 

Tab

Lifer
Sep 15, 2002
12,145
0
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Originally posted by: Ferocious
Most LCD's are 1280x1024.

Not ideal for gaming.

But I would never go back to a CRT.

Thanks for contradicting what you just said. Most new games support that resolution. So what if it scales? Its not as bad as you think it is.
 

SilverTrine

Senior member
May 27, 2003
312
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The Hitachi CML174(16ms) looks good at 1024x768, the real test for this LCD was in Need For Speed Underground, even when the cars wreck theres 0 ghosting.
LCD's are so much better I used to get headaches all the time from computer use and now I get none, that was worth the price alone.
 

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Originally posted by: nuthinspecial
I have been waffling on weather or not to get a LCD or a CRT for my new monitor. I do a lot of gaming and my wife does a lot of power point and word processing. Are LCDs the way to go here? I've narrowed my LCD choice down to the Viewsonic 171b because of the generally good reviews and opinions on the net. Or am I fooling myself thinking that the lighter and smaller LCD will make my gaming experince fulfilling or should I just stick with the big ass CRT, knowing I'll be happy with the overall visual quality? I just don't know what to do?

I think you will be much happier with an LCD. About four months ago I bought a Samsung 213t monitor: Review1

The monitor is great 21.3" viewable (more viewing space than Dell's 20" and all 21" CRT's). Gaming is more than adequate even though the listed refresh rate is 25ms. A slight blur at some times with FPS but more than acceptable (and you get used to it). Best purchase I have ever made (not one dead pixel).
 

sodcha0s

Golden Member
Jan 7, 2001
1,116
0
0
You might be able to get the 171b a bit cheaper at Dell. I bought one last year and used an online coupon, plus free shipping. $465 shipped was all I paid, that monitor was going for at least $500 everywhere else.
 

Alptraum

Golden Member
Sep 18, 2002
1,078
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Yeah, thats total nonsense. My LCD is great for gaming. And there are others I hear are great as well.
 

BFG10K

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
22,709
2,997
126
Nonsense? No, what is nonsense is paying double the price to get a display device of the same size that can only run one resolution properly and has an inferior refresh rate as well (which is important for framerate based games).
 

Tab

Lifer
Sep 15, 2002
12,145
0
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Originally posted by: BFG10K
Nonsense? No, what is nonsense is paying double the price to get a display device of the same size that can only run one resolution properly and has an inferior refresh rate as well (which is important for framerate based games).

Okay, no one respond to BFG10k until he answer this.

1)So what if they cant run them properly? Its called scaling, whats wrong with that? It works and it looks good.
2)Explain to me this 'inferior' refresh rate? Why is this important for framerate based games.
 

BenSkywalker

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
9,140
67
91
I'll second what BFG has to stay on the matter, and add to it that latency compounds the problems of the low refresh rate in games that require a high framerate. I'll let him explain the why as you asked for it(I can assure you he knows what he is talking about and can give you sound reasoning and it has nothing to do with what laymen likely think reading his comment about RR).