Monitor Recommendation Request

[JoeBaD]

Sorry to be a bother but I'm shopping for a new monitor and looking for advise.

I've got 2 sons, 8 & 10. Not big PC users yet. My wife and I are not on the computer alot but hopefully will be after my mile long list of house projects gets completed someday.

I like games (but don't have time) and I presume my kids will get into them eventually since they're big into Playstation & Gameboy.

What should I get for our second, main PC? Our current Celery 500 has an Optiquest 17" V75, which I don't mind. The 17" seems big enough but I've been told and have read to go with a 19".

17" or 19"? What do you think for my age of family?

Also, what would you recommend sub $450? I'd like quality but don't want to spend an arm & leg.

Sorry for the verbosity but would appreciate your input.
Many thanks.

 

[Gosharkss]

Joe

You can easily find a 19" monitor these days well under your $450 budget. First be advised that I work for Cornerstone and I am biased. With that said, I would like to point you to a link that has a monitor selector tool that I developed (see the following link) it may help you find the right monitor.

http://www.monitorsdirect.com/shopping_tools/monitorselector.html

Given the choice I would go for a 19" over a 17". I do not play games, I use my computer for business applications word processors, excel etc. In these applications I like more real-estate, saves on panning and scrolling. For these types of applications I would recommend a conventional shadow mask CRT. If games or color graphics are what you will use an Aperture grill CRT may be better however remember all aperture grill monitors have the two horizontal lines across the screen. Most people do not notice them.

Good Luck

 

[siroutbak]

i also, am in the market for a monitor, and even though your biased Gosharkss, the monitor guide helped me out alot, sorry to say though, i dont think i'd buy it from monitorsdirect being that the price inc ground shipping is with $1 of outpost.com which includes overnight shipping and also with $3 of buy.com with ground shipping. anyhow, thanks

 

[Gosharkss]

siroutbak

If you found a better deal somewhere else, great you should go for it. Your input on my monitor selector is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[duragezic]

Try running a search for 19" threads especially. $450 can buy you a good quality 19". I'd say for got a 19" because you will likely keep a monitor over several computer upgrades.

If you can't seem to find much from searching (though you should narrow down some choices at least) then post back here.

 

[networkman]

I don't work for any monitor companies, but I do have an affinity for NEC brand monitors; traditionally, NEC has not been the most economical choice in monitor selection, though the quality is reknowned as the right up there at the Top!

Currently, my main system uses an NEC AccuSync 90: it has an 18" viewable, .26 dot pitch and a 3-year warranty. I've had it for quite a while and really like it for all aspects of computer use, as it's very easy on the eyes.

Price-wise, it's in the $300 to $350 range; not the cheapest out there, but a good monitor all-around.

 

[darker]

I would go with a KDS 19" AV-195TF, they are great and give good specs for the dollar. A quick search turned up this place at just over 450. But you may find a deal with a coupon and maybe free shipping if your lucky.

http://www.computers4sure.com/product.asp?productid=80486&affid=2163&adid=2163

 

[gychang]

I got KDS 17" trinitron/flat screen from office depot for $199 and using it for one day The monitor is simply SUPER!, get it.

GYC

 

[syf3r]

since you've already got an optiquest and say you like the quality, why not go with a 19" viewsonic? optiquest monitors are made by viewsonic, viewsonic being the higher-level monitors. anyone here who owns a viewsonic will have to agree they are excellent monitors. you can get the e790 for about $331 from mwave.com (can get the e790b (black case, very sharp looking and unobtrusive) for probably about $20 more)... the e790 is a flat screen monitor, and as with all viewsonics in that spec range, they have *very* sharp image and nice saturated colors... if you want to come closer to your budget limit, go with the PF790 which is a .25 resolution monitor... it's true that aperture grille monitors have the two horizontal lines on the screen (made by the shadow cast by the wires holding the grille) but they are really only visible on pure white backgrounds and then only when you're looking right at them... they're barely visible on my viewsonic pt775 at all... anyway, good luck in whatever you choose.

(i listed mwave.com as a good rough estimate of what the monitor goes for, it was the only site i checked for price. you might well be able to find a better price elsewhere)

-syf3r.

 

[novice]

I agree with the previous recommendations for both viewsonic and KDS trinitron monitors. Although I only have the 17" models, I can vouch for the viewsonic A70, and the KDS AV7-T and KDS AV7-TF. Nice monitors for the money. There may be many that are nicer, but I don't think they can be that much nicer and if they are, they are probably a LOT more money.
Chuck