Help me pick a new monitor for games

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Looks like it doesn't have a tv tuner either. I don't know a tv tuner is something you want?

Aren't there supposed to be some 32" ips panel hdtv's out there? Seems like I've read a few threads about em but never paid attention.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1549152
This might interest you.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Looks like it doesn't have a tv tuner either. I don't know a tv tuner is something you want?

Aren't there supposed to be some 32" ips panel hdtv's out there? Seems like I've read a few threads about em but never paid attention.

The TV tuner really doesnt matter to me, but the extra inputs might come in handy once in a while.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1549152
This might interest you.

I wouldnt want to buy a HDTV because while I'm doing 90% of my gaming on it, I will probably be using it as my computer monitor about 80% of the time.

I think right now for me it comes down to is an extra 30 bucks worth going from 50,000:1 to 70,000:1 and the response time from 5ms to 1ms

 

[Athadeus]

Both of the specs you are comparing are bogus marketing specs now. Just get the cheaper one.

Also, the problem you described originally has much more to do with viewing angle than contrast ratio, and an IPS might serve you better because of its better viewing angles and color.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Both of the specs you are comparing are bogus marketing specs now. Just get the cheaper one.

Also, the problem you described originally has much more to do with viewing angle than contrast ratio, and an IPS might serve you better because of its better viewing angles and color.

ayeeeee alright I think im finally gonna pull the trigger then.

I see that everyone is recommending the 310 dollar one on here, so it makes me think theres something I'm not seeing.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[Concillian]

Yeah, anytime you see a contrast ratio of like 2000:1 or higher, they're talking about dynamic contrast. This means that when the screen is dark, they'll dim the backlight, and when it's bright, they'll make the backlight brighter.

In reality, adjusting the backlight dimming takes SECONDS, and anyone who actually uses this feature either immediately wonders how the hell to turn that crap off or is completely oblivious and wouldn't notice if the difference between a 100:1 CR monitor and an 800:1 CR monitor.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Just got my monitor in, and im sad to say its getting shipped back. This is the one i got for 290: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824001392

The first thing I noticed when I hooked it up to my PC was that it looked kind of fuzzy. I thought at first that I just needed to get used to a higher DPI, and after some adjustments, it looked a little better, but not what I'd expect from a 300 dollar monitor.

So next i hooked my 360 up to it via HDMI, and it looked absolutely horrible. I thought maybe it was the settings, but everything was perfect. The picture looked like a photo saved in monochrome format. I played one level of zombies and the contrast level made it unplayabe - not exaggerating.

Next I tried hooking it up by the PC cable I have, and that make it look much better - but still nothing great. When I tried to auto adjust the picture, it ended up centering it so i could not see about 40% of the screen. I had to mess with it to get it at least where I think it should be, but not sure if its right.

From a few reviews I read it seems that the HDMI port is shit. Other reviewers left comments like - "my pc looked terrible through HDMI, but better when i hooked it up through DVI" I am not ok what that as I need a functioning HDMI port, and expect one on a 300 dollar monitor.

The problem with this monitor I think is this: Its a 27" TV, not a computer monitor. If you have every hooked a PC up to a 50" plasma or LCD TV, you know that it just doesn't look as clear as a pc monitor. That is the case here.

Also, the stand is horrible, and the monitor is shaking as a type this post. For a 27" screen, having a twig for a stand might not be the best idea.

Pretty sad right now, and I hate having to go through the return process.

Maybe I'll give this one a shot: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824001431 (the one that was recommended here) but i am worried because the one i bought and that one look pretty similar, and the stand also looks pretty crappy. EDIT: Also this one looks decent and its made by LG http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...+-+LCD+Flat+Panel-_-LG+ELECTRONICS-_-24005142

It comes down to those two, which should i get?

Also on a side note: what makes the mac monitors look so good? I dont think I'd drop that much on a monitor, but they have the best picture I've seen by far.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

heres some pics to show what I mean with the 360:

The ones on the left are connected through HDMI, the right is a PC connection.

The PC connection looks DECENT after messing around with it a whole bunch, but I kept getting this everytime i tried to auto adjust:

Very dissappointed.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

update:

Searched around and apparently you have to name the HDMI input "PC" for it to work right, awesome.

It looks significantly better now on HDMI, and i was able to adjust the settings further so it looks pretty good through DVI.

Issues I still have are:
-stand is awful, but i could put supports on either side of the monitor to stop it from shaking.
-Its more like a TV than a monitor. switching between inputs sucks, and the settings and interface are really weird. (Should there be a sharpness adjustment on a DVI connection?)
- i have to cycle through cable and PC inputs even though theres nothing there everytime.

So now it comes down to if i should keep it or get a different monitor. I may give the other Samsung a try since it seems to have more reccomendations and postive reviews. Or maybe the LG i linked.

I think an IPS display is out of my price range unless I want to go smaller, and i really had my heart set on at least a 27" screen.

I'm willing to spend up to $500 for an awesome monitor.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

thinking about this 24" Dell IPS U2410

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ELL-_-24260020

My concerns are:
will blacks be any better or worse? what about contrast?
How is IPS for gaming?
How will the 1920*1200 display look on a 360? Will I have black bars or will it be stretched out?

I know its about double the price of the monitor I currently have, but if its that much better im willing to pay for it.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I run dell ultra sharps and they are great for gaming or pretty much anything else. I would highly recommend them.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Why do you even game on a xbox? The graphics look horrendous. You can use your 360 controller on the pc.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Why do you even game on a xbox? The graphics look horrendous. You can use your 360 controller on the pc.

better overall experience. Xbox live and no fussing.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

I run dell ultra sharps and they are great for gaming or pretty much anything else. I would highly recommend them.

how would you compare the ultra sharps to an iMac monitor? I'm currently on a 24" iMac core2duo 3.06, and it looks awesome. Not entirely sure how i feel about the glossy screen, it does make the blacks look deeper though.

And What happens when you attach an xbox to a 1920x1200 monitor? I can deal with a black bar 60 pixels on top and bottom, but would not be ok with a stretched image.