LCD Upgrade: Old S-PVA vs. New TN?

[icanhascpu2]

So doing LCD reserch and I need actual people yelling at me as to what is what in 2010. My budget is about 220$.

What is absolutely needed:
- 1920 x 1080 or 1200

What I have found thus far I am having issues between, because I dont know how far TN 6-bit has come in the last 4 years.

#1. TN Display: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824236049
#2. S-PVA Display: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824176144

Pros:
Is that is it a S-PVA panel. Though I do not know how a 5 year old S-PVA display compares to a 1 year old TN display. The second advantage is that it is 1920x1200.
Cons:
It is a recertified monitor with a short warranty (3 months). And a minor con having no HDMI input.

TN pros are that is comes with a 3 year warranty and minor pro of having the HDMI port.
Cons is that it is 1920x1080 and a TN panel.

My old LCD was a Samsung 215TW. Ive discovered that the s-pva display is the same exact panel, except it is the 24" version while my 215TW was the 21inch version.

My main question is this: How much better has TN tech come these days? Will a new TN be closer to what a s-pva was 5 years ago? I just dont want banding issues. Im a light photoshop user, mostly games and net use, but things like input lag, and obvious color changes if I move slightly can bug me. Advice?

 

[CurseTheSky]

If you can get your budget up to $250-280ish, look for an NEC EA231WMi. It's an E-IPS panel (better input lag than PVA, and better colors than PVA / TN), though only 23" and 1920x1080. It doesn't have HDMI, but it does have DisplayPort (even better IMO) and DVI / VGA. The stand is also excellent.

For the price, nothing beats it.

 

[icanhascpu2]

I'll take a look but even 220 is pushing it.

Thanks!

I really wish it was 1920x1200 rather than 1080.

 

[CurseTheSky]

If even $220 is pushing it, I'd just go with a TN panel. The modern ones (except the REALLY crappy ones) aren't too bad in terms of color and viewing angles, but do go in with low expectations. An LED-backlit monitor would be even better, since you generally get a thinner monitor overall, and better brightness with lower power consumption.

Just stay away from Acer's low end offerings - we have two, and I'm not impressed. The ASUS that my brother has is fairly decent, though.

 

[EarthwormJim]

The HP is cheaper at geeks.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=LP2465-R

 

[icanhascpu2]

--forum fail. told me to wait till a mod looked at my post before it was shown here (wtf?) then later double posts it, smooth. --

 

[icanhascpu2]

If even $220 is pushing it, I'd just go with a TN panel. The modern ones (except the REALLY crappy ones) aren't too bad in terms of color and viewing angles, but do go in with low expectations. An LED-backlit monitor would be even better, since you generally get a thinner monitor overall, and better brightness with lower power consumption.

Just stay away from Acer's low end offerings - we have two, and I'm not impressed. The ASUS that my brother has is fairly decent, though.

Well 220 allows me to choose from either of the monitors I listed, so Im not limited to the TN here. Or are you saying between the two youd still go with the TN?

By the way what are the Asus models you have?

The HP is cheaper at geeks.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=LP2465-R

Sadly after everything the grand total difference is only $3.57 in favor of geeks.com even with the lowest shipping Geeks seems to hide costs that are already included in the Newegg cost. Probably to make it seem like they have better deal. Not the best first impression.

 

[MyLeftNut]

You could also for the dell 22 or 23" e-ips panels (they're both 1920x1080). When they're around the $200-$220 price when on sale.

 

[Narrlok]

You could also for the dell 22 or 23" e-ips panels (they're both 1920x1080). When they're around the $200-$220 price when on sale.

+1 on this one. The U2211H (1920*1080 21.5" IPS)should be pretty close to the $220 price range.

I've got the LP2465 and I'm pretty satisfied with it. Haven't noticed any problems when I'm playing shooters. I probably wouldn't spend that much money on an LCD that only has three months warranty though.

 

[icanhascpu2]

Thanks for the input!

Yeah on the Spva the warrente is a concern, but on the TN the 6bit is a concern, so I feel stuck. Ill take a look at those dells.

 

[icanhascpu2]

Well I didnt find the U2211H for <=220 (more like 250-70 on average). But I did find SP2309W, though a TN panel it looks better than the ASUS at least.

Oddly enough this review:http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/monitors/2010/01/23/dell-sp2309w-monitor-review/2 actually recommends the SP2309W as an alternative to the EA231WMi. Not sure why as as far as I know (as much?) the SP23 is some strange type of TN.

 

[smackababy]

Where did you guys find the NEC EA231WMi for around $250? It was more around $340 everywhere I looked.

 

[icanhascpu2]

One annoying thing im finding in reviews (maybe im looking at the wrong review sites) is the lack of images. I dont give a rats ass how the monitor looks without the screen on! Put up some images that show me how the thing handles a color gamut. Whats the point in telling me "it handles colors well" when they can just take a picture and show me so I can see things like gradients and the like, esp in this day and age

/peeve

 

[smackababy]

One annoying thing im finding in reviews (maybe im looking at the wrong review sites) is the lack of images. I dont give a rats ass how the monitor looks without the screen on! Put up some images that show me how the thing handles a color gamut. Whats the point in telling me "it handles colors well" when they can just take a picture and show me so I can see things like gradients and the like, esp in this day and age

/peeve

If my monitor was terrible and I looked at a picture of a good monitor's colors, you think it would look better? Any pictures concerning things like that will be limited by the monitor you're using to view the review... Seriously? This wasn't a real question was it?

 

[darkewaffle]

Sort of on topic, a great place to get NEC displays is through their online shop, huge selection of refurb/recertified monitors.

I had an excellent experience with the 20WMGX2 I ordered through them. Overall in great shape, does have two dead pixels but they're impossible to notice unless you're actually looking for them in this case.

 

[icanhascpu2]

If my monitor was terrible and I looked at a picture of a good monitor's colors, you think it would look better? Any pictures concerning things like that will be limited by the monitor you're using to view the review... Seriously? This wasn't a real question was it?

Obviously you wouldn't be using a shitty monitor to look at the review?

DURP

 

[icanhascpu2]

Sort of on topic, a great place to get NEC displays is through their online shop, huge selection of refurb/recertified monitors.

I had an excellent experience with the 20WMGX2 I ordered through them. Overall in great shape, does have two dead pixels but they're impossible to notice unless you're actually looking for them in this case.

Nice, I'll have a look.

 

[smackababy]

Obviously you wouldn't be using a shitty monitor to look at the review?

DURP

But all pictures would be limited to your monitor. So, unless it was inferior or equal, you would have a hard time telling. Not to mention any degradation caused by photographing the monitor itself.

 

[darkewaffle]

Nice, I'll have a look.

Link, since it's not exactly obvious where it is. You can't really get to it from the "NEC" site, it's only on the website for their displays.

 

[icanhascpu2]

But all pictures would be limited to your monitor. So, unless it was inferior or equal, you would have a hard time telling. Not to mention any degradation caused by photographing the monitor itself.

There are obvious things im looking for that I can clearly see simply borrowing a CRT. Since I have 2 CRTs sitting around already, this isnt an issue. I fully understand your logic but youre not going far enough with it.

#1. Actual viewing angle. Simply saying 160 means nothing to me. A picture or four in this case in place of meaningless number is invaluable, and I can clearly see it even on the most crappy TN.

#2. Gradient banding. As I said before youd have to be quite slow to use a already horribly banding monitor to research monitors.

Quite simply both can be achieved by making a full screen color wheel background image and snapping a few pictures at different angles. All i'm a bit annoyed about is most of the images I see when researching LCDs is images of the LCD turned off!

Of course being in a store and looking at it would be best, this would nullify the use of a review, and Id be looking at what users have to say as my only source of actual information (witch is what im having to resort to as most of these reviews are only good for the comment sections and not the half-ass review itself).

Maybe im just spoiled by the quality of anandtech reviews?

 

[icanhascpu2]

If anyone is looking for an amazing deal on a entry 1920X1080 display I dont think it gets more inexpensive than this: http://www.necdisplay.com/Products/Product/?product=f83677e9-b2a1-49c1-9fae-b00ec59d2f82

Though I think i may be getting that Dell. Seems the color quality is around the PVA levels, has a lot more going on with it than the ASUS, and a higher resolution that make the used Samsung look less attractive.

Anyone against: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...9&amp;sku=320-7641

Best i found so far @ 200. No DisplayPort, but at least a HDMI port, 3yr/w, oddly large res, black casing is good, it doesnt hurt that it isnt too bad to look at and has a mic/webcam and 4x USB ports but those are minor things. If I could trade those things for it being a genuine 8bit display I would but it seems to not be an issue to the majority of reviews.


Still looking for the next few days, so thanks for the input guys.

 

[icanhascpu2]

By the way does anyone know of anything I can get to cover the front of the display when moving it? Like a thin hard plastic protection or something? Or am I stuck making something out of the box the LCD comes in?

 

[EarthwormJim]

By the way does anyone know of anything I can get to cover the front of the display when moving it? Like a thin hard plastic protection or something? Or am I stuck making something out of the box the LCD comes in?

Cheap plywood from homedepot would work.

 

[icanhascpu2]

Cheap plywood from homedepot would work.

Haha probably, though I dont think I want to let that near a glossy screen. I'll probably make something out of that stiff cardboard/plastic stuff and put some sort of cloth on one side and something with rubber bands...


...my precioussss...

 

[Bill Brasky]

By the way does anyone know of anything I can get to cover the front of the display when moving it? Like a thin hard plastic protection or something? Or am I stuck making something out of the box the LCD comes in?

I've always moved my monitor in the original packing (styrofoam and all), and haven't had any issues.