Help choose a 24" monitor for a non-gamer

[logicalxm]

Hi,

I am planning to build a budget computer for my dad with the Rzyen 3 2200G APU.
I went with my dad to Staples and he decided that he would prefer a 24" monitor.
My budget is roughly $150-$200 for the monitor. My father is in his sixties and is wearing glasses. He will be sitting close to the screen and will use the computer mainly for watching Youtube and reading news online.

Would an IPS monitor be the best choice for his usage? I guess it has a better color representation so it would be perfect for non-gamers...
I don't want a monitor to cause too much eye strain and would want the monitor to be a good quality within the budget to an extent.
Are there any specific characteristics I should be looking for?

Thanks

 

[VirtualLarry]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-32-...SA-Ultra-Wide-178-178-Viewing-Angle/547634722

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-SE2...t-1-Year-Advanced-Exchange-Warranty/723635364


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-24-LED-Full-HD-1080p-Monitor-E248W-1920-Black/40718688

No offense, but unless you've got a "tasty" coupon, or have store credit or something, Staples is generally a poor place to buy a monitor. Unless you "need it now".

 

[whm1974]

I would buy mine at Newegg or Walmart before Staples:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...05&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=36

 

[logicalxm]

Thanks for replying guys.
I am not actually planning to buy my monitor in Staples. I just used it as a reference to show my dad what is out there.
I live in Canada and will most likely purchase my monitor from BestBuy, Newegg or Amazon during Black Friday with other PC components.

How does the following monitor by BenQ look? it received good reviews and its 24'. Its also IPS/FHD and supposed to be easy on the eyes, which is what I want.
https://www.amazon.com/BenQ-GW2480-Monitor-Flicker-free-Speakers/dp/B072XCZSSW

Theres also the popular BenQ GL2460HM. However, I really do not need a monitor with speakers and it is not IPS (which is something I should be looking for I guess).
https://www.amazon.com/BenQ-GL2460H.../B00IKDFL4O?ref_=w_bl_hsx_s_pa_web_2529025011

 

[kschendel]

I wouldn't worry about the panel technology for what he's doing. Focus on flicker-free backlight, appropriate anti-glare (not too much nor too little), and you might consider going a bit larger than 24". I'm in my 60's with glasses and spend all day in front of a monitor with the same pixel size as a 24" 1920x1080 (it's actually a 32" BenQ at 2560x1440) and I occasionally find myself wishing that things were just a tiny bit larger. I think you can find 25" 1920x1080 monitors at reasonable prices.

 

[VirtualLarry]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?reviews=all&Item=N82E16824160347

Thank me later.

 

[ElFenix]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?reviews=all&Item=N82E16824160347

Thank me later.

my thought is 27" as well. all the olds i know have 27"" FHD screens.

 

[logicalxm]

I wouldn't worry about the panel technology for what he's doing. Focus on flicker-free backlight, appropriate anti-glare (not too much nor too little), and you might consider going a bit larger than 24". I'm in my 60's with glasses and spend all day in front of a monitor with the same pixel size as a 24" 1920x1080 (it's actually a 32" BenQ at 2560x1440) and I occasionally find myself wishing that things were just a tiny bit larger. I think you can find 25" 1920x1080 monitors at reasonable prices.

Thank you for the relevant advice. My dad actually thought that a 27" monitor looked large. However, looking at it at the store and at home might provide for a different experience.
I would actually consider buying a 25". Isn't 27' too large for a non-gaming monitor for a person who will be sitting close to the screen?

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?reviews=all&Item=N82E16824160347

Thank me later.

Thanks for the link! Good reviews and price is super affordable. Forgot to mention I'm in Canada though . I will be checking Newegg.ca website Thursday night, that is for sure. lol

 

[logicalxm]

my thought is 27" as well. all the olds i know have 27"" FHD screens.

Thank you for the feedback.
Would you say that a 27" is good for someone sitting right in front of the monitor? I know that gamers usually opt out for 32" monitor and go with the "bigger is better" rule.
Will a 27" size monitor cause too much eye strain? Will text looks washed out compared to a 24" for instance?

 

[ElFenix]

Would you say that a 27" is good for someone sitting right in front of the monitor? I know that gamers usually opt out for 32" monitor and go with the "bigger is better" rule.
Will a 27' size monitor cause too much eye strain?

my dad sits with his nose almost touching the screen (he has terrible vision). a 27" is going to have larger text, icons, etc., without scaling (and thereby losing real estate) compared to a 24". that means less eye strain afaik.

 

[logicalxm]

my dad sits with his nose almost touching the screen (he has terrible vision). a 27" is going to have larger text, icons, etc., without scaling (and thereby losing real estate) compared to a 24". that means less eye strain afaik.

Thank you for the pertinent information.
I will be going with 27" then. Don't expect my dad to complain that the monitor is too big.
Glad I was helped and able to come to a decision before the sales start

 

[VirtualLarry]

Thanks for the link! Good reviews and price is super affordable. Forgot to mention I'm in Canada though . I will be checking Newegg.ca website Thursday night, that is for sure. lol

You're welcome. I didn't realize that you were in Canada. Is that monitor also available, and on sale, on their .ca site? And please, one thing that I've learned over the years, with Newegg's Black November sales, and Black Friday sales... if you see a good deal, or a great deal, don't wait until the "actual" Black Friday to buy it. 1) It may sellout, and 2) Like their Memorial Day sales, they tend to actually mark certain prices UP on Black Friday, because they know that "the masses" have been trained to shop on that particular day. Whereas, the true bargain-hunters like myself, know that they can snag some really super deals, here and there, the whole month, if you keep your eyes open.

There's also this AOC 27" LED LCD monitor, which is a REFURB, for $89.99 USD.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod..._-LCDLEDMonitors-_-24160366-S2A6A&ignorebbr=1

 

[kschendel]

As for 27" being too large, I sit in front of a 32" monitor doing text work, non-gaming, and it's fine. Granted that's at a higher resolution than we're talking about, but just in terms of monitor size it's not an issue. (I wouldn't want to go larger without a curved screen, though.) With a 27" monitor at 1920x1080 he ought to be able to sit back a bit farther than he would with a 24"; it should work out nicely.

 

[logicalxm]

You're welcome. I didn't realize that you were in Canada. Is that monitor also available, and on sale, on their .ca site? And please, one thing that I've learned over the years, with Newegg's Black November sales, and Black Friday sales... if you see a good deal, or a great deal, don't wait until the "actual" Black Friday to buy it. 1) It may sellout, and 2) Like their Memorial Day sales, they tend to actually mark certain prices UP on Black Friday, because they know that "the masses" have been trained to shop on that particular day. Whereas, the true bargain-hunters like myself, know that they can snag some really super deals, here and there, the whole month, if you keep your eyes open.

There's also this AOC 27" LED LCD monitor, which is a REFURB, for $89.99 USD.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod..._-LCDLEDMonitors-_-24160366-S2A6A&ignorebbr=1

Thank you for the info. The Canadian website does carry some AOC monitors, but prices are not advantageous. I totally agree with you for the Black Friday marketing and jacking up prices.I was interested in getting the GIGABYTE GA-AB350M-DS3H mobo for the Ryzen 2200G, and the price just went up by $10 today lol
In terms of current prices, I'm not that impressed and saw better deals earlier as you have mentioned as well. I might wait for Cyber Monday if won't find any significant discounts..

As for 27" being too large, I sit in front of a 32" monitor doing text work, non-gaming, and it's fine. Granted that's at a higher resolution than we're talking about, but just in terms of monitor size it's not an issue. (I wouldn't want to go larger without a curved screen, though.) With a 27" monitor at 1920x1080 he ought to be able to sit back a bit farther than he would with a 24"; it should work out nicely.

Thank you for the suggestion and confirming the advantage of a 27" monitors

 

[Seba]

A 27" (16:9) monitor is not too large, but the 1920x1080 resolution is too small for that screen size (when used as a desktop monitor). Look for 2560 x 1440 if you want a 27" 16:9 monitor. If necessary, you can use UI scaling.

Regarding the panel type - for sure go for an IPS.

 

[whm1974]

A 27" (16:9) monitor is not too large, but the 1920x1080 resolution is too small for that screen size (when used as a desktop monitor). Look for 2560 x 1440 if you want a 27" 16:9 monitor. If necessary, you can use UI scaling.

Regarding the panel type - for sure go for an IPS.

Well his dad can alway set the resolution to 1080p if needed.

 

[Seba]

Well his dad can alway set the resolution to 1080p if needed.

That would be bad. LCDs should only be used at the native resolution (the resolution of the panel). Use UI scaling, zoom in web pages, etc., but never set an LCD at a lower resolution than its native resolution. Otherwise you have a bad image quality. One acceptable exception would be to play games at 1920x1080 on a 3840x2160 display (but even then, only for games).

 

[whm1974]

That would be bad. LCDs should only be used at the native resolution (the resolution of the panel). Use UI scaling, zoom in web pages, etc., but never set an LCD at a lower resolution than its native resolution. Otherwise you have a bad image quality. One acceptable exception would be to play games at 1920x1080 on a 3840x2160 display (but even then, only for games).

I was thinking of his dad's poor eyesight. Note I have a 30" 1600p display and I love it.