Question Monitor size and resolution?

[BoomerD]

Let me just start a new thread rather than crapping in other people's threads.

I'm seriously looking at replacing my 12 year old Dell 24" 1920 x 1080 TN panel monitor. it still works...but....damnit, I WANT a better monitor.

I'm somewhat torn between 27" and 32"...when I sit at my desk, my eyes are about 28-30" from the screen. a decent arm's length.
Physically, I can fit a good quality 32" monitor on the desk...depending on the stand, it MIGHT end up with a bit shorter eye-screen distance...or not.

QHD or 4K? I have an ASUS 2070-8Gb video card and intel I7-9700K CPU. It SHOULD run 2560 x 1440 with little to no problem...but MIGHT get a bit hotter when gaming.
I suspect a 4K monitor would tax the card's capability and I'd really have to turn down game quality in order to maintain a decent frame rate. I'm sure it would be fine for my other uses...just not for gaming.

Unfortunately, living way out past the outskirts of BFE, (about 75 miles to the closest Best Buy) I really don't have any place where I can go and physically see the different monitors and their resolutions.
(Walmart and a small Staples store are the only local places that have ANY monitors...and they're mostly crap...or not meant for gaming.)

Use for the monitor will be primarily FPS gaming, intarweb surfing...occasional Excel work, (nothing serious, just household crap) and occasional word processing.

I'll PROBABLY get another Dell...unless someone can convince me otherwise.
Currently, Dell has the following that I'm looking at:
32" S3222GDM for $299 with free shipping. (QHD, VA panel, up to165 hz refresh rate.

Dell 32 Inch Curved LCD Gaming Monitor - S3222DGM | Dell USA

View the Dell 32 Inch Curved LCD Gaming Monitor (S3222DGM), the curved gaming monitor with 165Hz refresh rate, or shop all Gaming Monitors at Dell.com.

www.dell.com

27" S2721DGF for $329 with free shipping (QHD, IPS panel, up to 165hz refresh rate)

Dell 27 Inch Gaming Monitor: S2721DGF | Dell USA

27" QHD gaming monitor with blazing-fast IPS technology, stunning color coverage and tear-free, stutter-free gameplay in a revamped bold design.

www.dell.com

both have the Dell 3 year replacement warranty

A couple of semi-local (Olympia-Tacoma) people have the Dell S3220DGF (QHD, VA panel, up to 165 hz refresh rate) for $300 or less...but being used, no warranty.

Dell S3220DGF Review

The Dell S3220DGF is an impressive 1440p gaming monitor. It has a curved design and it doesn't take up much room, even with the support stand attached. Gaming fe...

www.rtings.com

RTINGS.com rates is slightly better than the S3222GDM that replaced it)

Dell S3220DGF vs Dell S3222DGM Side-by-Side Monitor Comparison

The Dell S3220DGF is better than the Dell S3222DGM overall, but the differences might not matter to everyone. The S3220DGF supports HDR, it has better ergonomics, and it has better connectivity, with a built-in USB hub. For gaming, the S3222DGM is a better choice, as it has an optional black...

www.rtings.com

I'm trying to stay around $300 or less if possible.

Any info/opinions would be appreciated.

 

[OlyAR15]

On my Gaming PC, I have a Gigabyte M32Q 165Hz 1440p monitor. It sits about 30" away. On my work PC, I have a Dell 27" 4k display. It sits about 24" away (small desk). For text, it's no contest: the 4k monitor is better. For gaming, it is also no contest: the 1440p monitor. Even with my 3090, I'd rather run high refresh rates at 1440p than run 60Hz at 4k. Plus, good 4k gaming monitors are expensive.

32" 1440p is fine at that distance. I can, occasionally, tell that text and video is not as sharp, but it's mostly fine. 27" will also work well. I used to have an Asus PG278Q (original Gsync monitor). If you get a monitor arm, you can adjust the distance more easily. I will say that I'm very happy with the M32Q, although it's probably a bit higher than what you are aiming for. As long as you are aware of the benefits and drawbacks of VA vs IPS, then any of those monitors should work fine.

 

[BoomerD]

On my Gaming PC, I have a Gigabyte M32Q 165Hz 1440p monitor. It sits about 30" away. On my work PC, I have a Dell 27" 4k display. It sits about 24" away (small desk). For text, it's no contest: the 4k monitor is better. For gaming, it is also no contest: the 1440p monitor. Even with my 3090, I'd rather run high refresh rates at 1440p than run 60Hz at 4k. Plus, good 4k gaming monitors are expensive.

32" 1440p is fine at that distance. I can, occasionally, tell that text and video is not as sharp, but it's mostly fine. 27" will also work well. I used to have an Asus PG278Q (original Gsync monitor). If you get a monitor arm, you can adjust the distance more easily. I will say that I'm very happy with the M32Q, although it's probably a bit higher than what you are aiming for. As long as you are aware of the benefits and drawbacks of VA vs IPS, then any of those monitors should work fine.

Thanks...yeah, VA panels, not as good in brighter rooms, but with better contrast and worse viewing angles. IPS, better viewing angles, better able to deal with bright rooms, but not as great contrast, so blacks often look kind of washed out.
Thanks for the Gigabyte recommend. i'll look at it.

 

[OlyAR15]

VA monitors also tend to suffer from black level smearing. And whether you like curved monitors or can't stand them is a personal thing, but I can't stand them. That was the main reason I didn't get a Samsung G7.

 

[mnewsham]

I got used to my curved monitor in less than a week.
At this point i don't even notice it all, even though it's sitting right next to a non-curved panel.


For your hardware i'd recommend a high refresh rate 1440p panel. I wouldn't bother with 4k at those panel sizes, besides at your age I doubt you'd be able to see much benefit

 

[killster1]

Let me just start a new thread rather than crapping in other people's threads.

I'm seriously looking at replacing my 12 year old Dell 24" 1920 x 1080 TN panel monitor. it still works...but....damnit, I WANT a better monitor.

I'm somewhat torn between 27" and 32"...when I sit at my desk, my eyes are about 28-30" from the screen. a decent arm's length.
Physically, I can fit a good quality 32" monitor on the desk...depending on the stand, it MIGHT end up with a bit shorter eye-screen distance...or not.

QHD or 4K? I have an ASUS 2070-8Gb video card and intel I7-9700K CPU. It SHOULD run 2560 x 1440 with little to no problem...but MIGHT get a bit hotter when gaming.
I suspect a 4K monitor would tax the card's capability and I'd really have to turn down game quality in order to maintain a decent frame rate. I'm sure it would be fine for my other uses...just not for gaming.

Unfortunately, living way out past the outskirts of BFE, (about 75 miles to the closest Best Buy) I really don't have any place where I can go and physically see the different monitors and their resolutions.
(Walmart and a small Staples store are the only local places that have ANY monitors...and they're mostly crap...or not meant for gaming.)

Use for the monitor will be primarily FPS gaming, intarweb surfing...occasional Excel work, (nothing serious, just household crap) and occasional word processing.

I'll PROBABLY get another Dell...unless someone can convince me otherwise.
Currently, Dell has the following that I'm looking at:
32" S3222GDM for $299 with free shipping. (QHD, VA panel, up to165 hz refresh rate.

Dell 32 Inch Curved LCD Gaming Monitor - S3222DGM | Dell USA

View the Dell 32 Inch Curved LCD Gaming Monitor (S3222DGM), the curved gaming monitor with 165Hz refresh rate, or shop all Gaming Monitors at Dell.com.

www.dell.com

27" S2721DGF for $329 with free shipping (QHD, IPS panel, up to 165hz refresh rate)

Dell 27 Inch Gaming Monitor: S2721DGF | Dell USA

27" QHD gaming monitor with blazing-fast IPS technology, stunning color coverage and tear-free, stutter-free gameplay in a revamped bold design.

www.dell.com

both have the Dell 3 year replacement warranty

A couple of semi-local (Olympia-Tacoma) people have the Dell S3220DGF (QHD, VA panel, up to 165 hz refresh rate) for $300 or less...but being used, no warranty.

Dell S3220DGF Review

The Dell S3220DGF is an impressive 1440p gaming monitor. It has a curved design and it doesn't take up much room, even with the support stand attached. Gaming fe...

www.rtings.com

RTINGS.com rates is slightly better than the S3222GDM that replaced it)

Dell S3220DGF vs Dell S3222DGM Side-by-Side Monitor Comparison

The Dell S3220DGF is better than the Dell S3222DGM overall, but the differences might not matter to everyone. The S3220DGF supports HDR, it has better ergonomics, and it has better connectivity, with a built-in USB hub. For gaming, the S3222DGM is a better choice, as it has an optional black...

www.rtings.com

I'm trying to stay around $300 or less if possible.

Any info/opinions would be appreciated.

have you tried a oled for your monitor? the 42-44" would be perfect but i use a 55" cx oled i think it was 1200.

 

[BoomerD]

have you tried a oled for your monitor? the 42-44" would be perfect but i use a 55" cx oled i think it was 1200.

Too big. My desk has a hutch on it...I have around 20" of clearance. 27 or 32 is the biggest that will fit...and I don't like the ultrawides.

 

[BoomerD]

I got used to my curved monitor in less than a week.
At this point i don't even notice it all, even though it's sitting right next to a non-curved panel.


For your hardware i'd recommend a high refresh rate 1440p panel. I wouldn't bother with 4k at those panel sizes, besides at your age I doubt you'd be able to see much benefit

 

[killster1]

Too big. My desk has a hutch on it...I have around 20" of clearance. 27 or 32 is the biggest that will fit...and I don't like the ultrawides.

you revolve your life around limits!! ultrawide no.. just regular TV, wall mounted is what i choose or buy a new desk! maybe if you try one out first you would be able to decide with out a doubt.

 

[BoomerD]

you revolve your life around limits!! ultrawide no.. just regular TV, wall mounted is what i choose or buy a new desk! maybe if you try one out first you would be able to decide with out a doubt.

unfortunately, my wife and I share a "2 person" desk...no way she'd let me replace it.

 

[BoomerD]

So, I looked hard at the Gigabyte M32Q monitor. Wow...looks pretty decent...but at $459, it's a bit over my budget...so, I looked at the 27" variant, the M27Q. Nice enough unit. Also has the KVM switch which is a plus...but, for some odd reason, it has BGR orientation instead of RGB...which, apparently causes text to be not so clear. (yes, in many applications, Windows Clear Type will help...but not all)
Also something of a concern for me is Gigabyte's horrid customer service...and their recent problem with "exploding power supplies," a problem that they denied even existed for a long time.
As mnewsham "ever-so-kindly" pointed out...I'm getting hella old...my eyes just ain't what they once were. (even with my binoculars bifocals) Anyone else deal with monitors with the BGR sub-pixel orientation? How does the clear type fix work for you? I REALLY don't want to turn the monitor upside down to get the RGB orientation...even though it apparently fixes that...it causes other problems. (slower response time, disables G-sync, etc.)

 

[mnewsham]

Anyone else deal with monitors with the BGR sub-pixel orientation? How does the clear type fix work for you?

My 42.5" 4k is BGR sub-pixel layout, and it's not a huge problem, but I primarily use it for media consumption, not reading text. I prefer reading text on my smaller 27" 1440p that is RGB.

I believe the Gigabyte G27QC is RGB sub-pixel layout and meets the rest of the specs you're looking at (27" 165hz 1440p) though it is closer to the $400 price range.

According to R-tings at least, the highest quality text clarity for 1440p monitors comes from the Samsung Odyssey G7 monitors, and the Viewsonic Elite XG270QG. But they're both priced above $400-500.

BGR is far from unusable, but if you're doing a lot of reading you'll probably prefer RGB.

 

[BoomerD]

My 42.5" 4k is BGR sub-pixel layout, and it's not a huge problem, but I primarily use it for media consumption, not reading text. I prefer reading text on my smaller 27" 1440p that is RGB.

I believe the Gigabyte G27QC is RGB sub-pixel layout and meets the rest of the specs you're looking at (27" 165hz 1440p) though it is closer to the $400 price range.

According to R-tings at least, the highest quality text clarity for 1440p monitors comes from the Samsung Odyssey G7 monitors, and the Viewsonic Elite XG270QG. But they're both priced above $400-500.

BGR is far from unusable, but if you're doing a lot of reading you'll probably prefer RGB.

The majority of my reading on a screen isthe various forums and some news pages. I do a small amount of MS Word and Excel, but not a lot. (I'm retired...so no actual work) As I've mentioned, I don't live anywhere that I can actually see a monitor in person...so I'd have to play the "order one, try it, return if if I don't like it (and possibly pay a restocking fee) crap. Even in Olympia (75 miles away) or Tacoma (100 miles) about my only options are Best Buy or Costco...and neither store seems to have any of the ones I'm considering in stock.
Sounds like I might have to just bite the bullet and try.
I DID see a couple of the Dell S3220 DGF monitors (used) for $300 or less...but again, they're over in "civilization" so...a 3-4 hour trip...or longer.

 

[mindless1]

Supposedly in MS Cleartype, the first choice on the right is for BGR.

If the monitor is primarily for FPS gaming, definitely get the 1440p. I'd prefer the largest monitor that will fit in the space. If there's a hutch, cut and graft on an extension or just replace the wife with a newer model.

 

[BoomerD]

Supposedly in MS Cleartype, the first choice on the right is for BGR.

If the monitor is primarily for FPS gaming, definitely get the 1440p. I'd prefer the largest monitor that will fit in the space. If there's a hutch, cut and graft on an extension or just replace the wife with a newer model.

Damn dude...At my age, I don't know if I have it in me to train another one...

 

[BoomerD]

Next question...How important is G-Sync for gaming? None of the monitors in my price range come with it built in...and most aren't even on the nVidia "compatible" list.
I almost never play on-line...just single player FPS, either on Steam or Origin...with some Epic games. (Metro series)

 

[mnewsham]

Next question...How important is G-Sync for gaming? None of the monitors in my price range come with it built in...and most aren't even on the nVidia "compatible" list.
I almost never play on-line...just single player FPS, either on Steam or Origin...with some Epic games. (Metro series)

The compatible list is just ones that have been specifically tested as compatible.

My freesync monitor isn't listed as compatible, but I've never had any issues with it running in g-sync compatibility mode. Works great.



From my understanding it's fairly rare to have issues with freesync monitors running in Gsync compatibility mode especially on newer monitors.

 

[BoomerD]

The compatible list is just ones that have been specifically tested as compatible.

My freesync monitor isn't listed as compatible, but I've never had any issues with it running in g-sync compatibility mode. Works great.



From my understanding it's fairly rare to have issues with freesync monitors running in Gsync compatibility mode especially on newer monitors.

Cool...thanks.

 

[BoomerD]

On my Gaming PC, I have a Gigabyte M32Q 165Hz 1440p monitor. It sits about 30" away. On my work PC, I have a Dell 27" 4k display. It sits about 24" away (small desk). For text, it's no contest: the 4k monitor is better. For gaming, it is also no contest: the 1440p monitor. Even with my 3090, I'd rather run high refresh rates at 1440p than run 60Hz at 4k. Plus, good 4k gaming monitors are expensive.

32" 1440p is fine at that distance. I can, occasionally, tell that text and video is not as sharp, but it's mostly fine. 27" will also work well. I used to have an Asus PG278Q (original Gsync monitor). If you get a monitor arm, you can adjust the distance more easily. I will say that I'm very happy with the M32Q, although it's probably a bit higher than what you are aiming for. As long as you are aware of the benefits and drawbacks of VA vs IPS, then any of those monitors should work fine.

I need to ask..rtings says:

Unfortunately, the Gigabyte M32Q has bad black uniformity. There's a bit of cloudiness on the screen, but it's not too bad. The biggest issue is significant backlight bleed from the corners, which can be very distracting in a dark room.

I realize that being an IPS screen, blacks aren't going to be...robust, but the backlight bleed issue sounds more like a manufacturing defect than just the IPS screen. (or just IPS glow, but in the corners/edges, sounds like bleed.) How's yours perform?
I like a lot of things about this monitor...definitely one of the contenders.

 

[OlyAR15]

I haven't noticed any backlight bleed. Then again, I don't game in the dark, so any IPS glow / bleed is probably unnoticeable.

 

[BoomerD]

I haven't noticed any backlight bleed. Then again, I don't game in the dark, so any IPS glow / bleed is probably unnoticeable.

Good to know. I also don't game in the dark, but in the evenings, the room isn't all that bright. (kind of like me)
Have you noticed any...downsides or drawbacks to this monitor?
Looks like my ASUS 2070-8G card should push it just fine.

 

[OlyAR15]

Have you noticed any...downsides or drawbacks to this monitor?

I'm not a fan of the single joystick type controls. I prefer having a dedicated power button. Also, I can't get the USB-C input to work. Also, the sRGB mode isn't the best. However, I found a little program for the nvidia video cards that will clamp the gamut to sRGB even when it is in the normal wide gamut mode, so that isn't a big deal. Overall, though, I'm happy with it.

 

[BoomerD]

Hmmm...I feel by budget getting fragged...

Gigabyte Aorus FI32Q Review

Ultra-fast refresh freaks may want to look elsewhere, but for those on the hunt for the best-balanced all-around gaming monitor, the Aorus FI32Q nears perfection on every feature front.

www.pcmag.com

On sale for about $100 more than the M32Q...while it "looks" cooler with the groovy back case lights...that's not something that will ever be seen on my desk, but, SO FAR, it reviews nicely.
I'm adding it to my lost of possibles.

Never mind...sounds for the most part like it would just be spending more money for the purpose of spending more money. The few added features just don't ( for me) justify the extra cost.

The hunt continues.

 

[biostud]

Ultrawide baby, go 34" inch goodness.

Also

4K vs 1440p vs 1080p: What Monitor to Buy?

Let's talk about monitor formats. Are you ready to step up into the world of 4K gaming, or is a more traditional 1440p or even 1080p display...

www.techspot.com

 

[BoomerD]

Ultrawide baby, go 34" inch goodness.

Also

4K vs 1440p vs 1080p: What Monitor to Buy?

Let's talk about monitor formats. Are you ready to step up into the world of 4K gaming, or is a more traditional 1440p or even 1080p display...

www.techspot.com

Nah, I've looked at a couple of UW monitors. They just look odd to me.

That article pretty much says what I'm saying...for my video card, 1440 is about the max I can get away with...and between performance and visuals, it's the sweet spot for me.