LCD or CRT vs. New Video Card

[Wariogiant]

For Christmas this year I can't decide on whether to get a new LCD or a CRT, the LCD would be the Samsung 150N-Black 15" TFT LCD Monitor Retail. I am mainly going to be playing games and I want an LCD that shows a brilliant picture and pretty decent refresh rates. I was mainly concentrated on upgrading my Radeon 8500 LE 64 mb, but my old Compaq MV520 monitor is just so ugly that I desperately want a new picture. But, on the other hand, I want a bigger size than my current 15 inch one and I want better refresh rates to. My maxium price allowance is up to 340 bucks just to inform you all. So the CRT I am considering getting is the Samsung 955DF-T/T 19" DynaFlat CRT Monitor Retail, which looks pretty good to me in picture and refresh rates; plus the price is better than the LCD. If you have any other good CRT monitors for around this price feel free to tell me.

Now I am also faced with the descision of upgrading my video card. I have been dead on set on upgrading my old battered Radeon 8500 LE 64 mb, since it was performing well until recent games started coming out like Halo. The video card I am looking at however, is the Ati Radeon 9700 Pro. Is the 9800 Pro really worth the extra bucks that I have to spend? I know the performance gain would probably be worth it, but I am also wary on the amount of money I would like to spend.

So the Ultimate descision is what should I get this Christmas, to have a Happy Christmas?

 

[Matthias99]

I know you can get a decent ViewSonic 19" flat CRT for about $200, and a RADEON 9600Pro for under $150... maybe you can get both? If you can save a little more (or wait a month or two for the video card; the 8500 is really pretty decent), the GeForceFX 5900 Non-Ultra is only about $190-200, and is almost as good as a 9700Pro.

The 9800Pro is a great card, but it would eat up your whole budget, and you're not going to get the full benefit of it on a crappy 15" monitor. That's my opinion, anyway.

 

[yhelothar]

i would go with a CRT unless you really need more space... and need something compact.
it's pretty hard to find an LCD that has a brilliant picture, only one I have seen that has one is NEC, the rest is just completely dull.

I'd get the viewsonic A90f or the P90f

 

[nRollo]

Mathias is right, your monitor and video card are both ready for the scrap heap.
A $200 19" and a 9600Pro is the way to go for you.

 

[Schadenfroh]

crt

 

[modedepe]

Originally posted by: Rollo
Mathias is right, your monitor and video card are both ready for the scrap heap.
A $200 19" and a 9600Pro is the way to go for you.

Whoa, Rollo recommending a "feeble" 9600 pro?!

Anyways, I agree on getting a crt you like and then spending the rest on a new video card. Even with a 9600 pro though, halo probably won't run all the great.

 

[Robor]

I'm a CRT fan as well. To me nothing touches the sharpness and color of a CRT. I use a 22" Compaq P1220 (Mitsubishi Diamondtron tube) at home and love it. I've seen some of the VIP's expensive Dell LCD's at work and I wouldn't trade my 17" KDS Trinitron for one of them. On top of that the CRT's are a much better value.

 

[nRollo]

Whoa, Rollo recommending a "feeble" 9600 pro?!

Yep, given his current setup and budget, that's the way I'd go. The 9600Pro is the best $150 card, I just don't like people saying it's better than a 5900 due to the Gaber Day results.