My Dilemma

[modex20]

Hello all,

I'm new here and did some searching/lurking before deciding to post.

As you all know, a 24" monitor has a native resolution of 1920x1200. A 22" monitor has a native resolution of 1680x1050.

Here's the dilemma.

On LCDs, your image quality goes to shit if you don't run at the native resolution. So on any game I play, I have to crank the resolution up to 1920x1200 on a 24" LCD if I want a nice crisp image. I don't like jacking up the resolution at the cost of frames. I'd rather run at a lower res with maybe some anti aliasing for a better frame rate.

Thus, if I got the 22" LCD, I could play at a nice easy 1680x1050 resolution and have a nice crisp image since it is the native resolution. But then my ecock won't be as big.

My system has 2.6GHz Conroe (Intel Core 2 Duo) CPU and my viddy card is a GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB. It's got 2 gigs or DDR2533 running in dual channel mode. WinXP with the SP3 pre-release candidate. A fairly modest system, but not terrible.

How will most games on this system (CoD4, BF2142, MMOs etc.) fare at 1920x1200 compared to 1680x1050? I'm so used to playing all games at 1024x768 on a CRT as I never owned an LCD before. Does anyone have a similar setup? How bad will the image look on a 24" LCD at a lower than native resolution?

I was considering a few different monitors:
Dell E248WFP
Dell 2408WFP
BenQ G2400W
LG L227WT but I hate glossy monitors
Asus VW222u

I don't know of any good fast 22" monitors that are of the VA type. I think Eizo makes some and Samsung has the 2263PW but I know nothing about them.

I will be using this system 99% of the time for games. The other 1% for pr0n. Help this indecisive noob pick the right monitor

Thanks!
-Paul

 

[Jax Omen]

First thing to consider is that LCDs, while they look bad scaling lower-than-native up to their native... any decent one can also display 1:1 pixel mapping, with black around the sides. Essentially, you could run any game you can run smoothly at 1920x1200, and drop down to 1680x1050 if the game bogs down.

I know on my 8800GTS (320MB) I can run ANYTHING I have tried on high settings at 1600x1200 (big CRT ), except for Crysis and Lost Planet (snow areas).

That being said, if you're going from 1024x768, you won't care as much if it's 1920x1200 or 1680x1050 because they're both a huge jump over what you've got. Save some money and get a high-quality 22".

 

[modex20]

Jax,

Thanks for the reply. What would you consider as a hi quality 22"?

 

[Jax Omen]

I honestly don't know, as I've been spoiled by the 1600x1200 of my CRT and just ordered a 25.5" monitor because I *refuse* to go smaller than 1600x1200 now

I'd check the LCD thread sticky up at the top of this forum for some gaming recommendations. It's got a pile of them in the second post.

 

[BassBomb]

Use flat panel scaling options in NV CP that way you can utilize black bars for smaller resolutions if you cannot handle them

 

[modex20]

is a TN based panel really that bad if all you do is sit in front of the screen and play games?

 

[Jax Omen]

In my personal experience, no, TN panels are just fine AS LONG as you are directly in front of them. Their colors aren't AS good as VA/IPS, but they're decent enough for gaming, certainly.

I just ordered an IPS panel because my girlfriend and I watch a lot of DVDs on my computer from our bed, and vertical viewing angle is an issue in that situation.

 

[redlinez33]

TNs do have issues at 24" in size sitting right in front of it. At 22" they dont have problems though..... TNs are low quality, most have decent amount of backlight bleeding and there colors arent very good, especially in dark areas. Running games at 1680x1050 on a 24" monitor looks fine, though running text at that resolution it depends on the built in scalar of the unit. If you can spend $680, you can get the best value on the planet, the Doublesight DS-263N. Avoid the Dell 2408WFP for gaming, input lag is pretty bad. If you cant afford the DS, get the G2400W, i hear its the best 24" TN panel out there.

 

[modex20]

yeah I heard about the dell 2408wfp having lag issues, but the guy in this thread actually bought one and claims that the input lag is not an issue at all. all i have to go by are what people write as i have never demoed any of these products.

i looked at the doublesight DS-263N and boy does it look sexy! i think i pooped a little when i read the specs . 680 isn't too bad, but i wonder if his cheaper 24" brother, the DS-243N, uses the same panel. i suspect it may be a TN because the viewable angle is only 160

i had my mind made up for the 2048 until i read your reply, now i have to rethink everything all over again dammit! =P

 

[redlinez33]

I had the 2408WFP, there is another issues BESIDES input lag that I didnt like. Color shifting. If you are in a game and viewing a dark area, you will notice the left side of the screen is brighter than the rest of the screen. Very distracting. THE DS243N is a TN panel....

 

[Lithan]

Well in my opinion 20" is plenty big for me... so 22" should be plenty too...

but...
ask me again in three years and see what I say then.

 

[modex20]

i just read the hard ocp post where toastyx did his testing and nearly skeeted in my shorts... i'm buying that DS i don't care how much it is! >orgasm<

EDIT: Thank you redlinez33 for showing me the light!! I WUB JOO!

 

[taltamir]

You could buy a 1920x1200 monitor and run it at 1680x1050 on intensive games. Lower intensity games will look better due to higher resolution. Higher intensity games get free anti aliasing (since anti aliasing is basically "blur", and you get just that from upscaling)

 

[scheibler1]

get the benq g2400w and enjoy 1920x1200! I have it and an 8800gt oc and can run crysis @ 1680x1050 and any other game @ 1920x1200

 

[modex20]

yeah redlinez suggested the benq g2400w but it's a TN panel.. if i'm going to spend this much money, it's go big or go home. i'm gonna get the DS i think.

if i were to get a TN panel it would only be because i'm going with a less expensive 22"

 

[Throckmorton]

I've never had a problem with 1920x1200. BF2 runs at like 70fps with an 8800GT. I don't think the difference in framerate is worth getting a 22" TN monitor.

 

[Throckmorton]

It's only 1,764,000 vs 2,304,000 pixels

 

[random2]

I have a PVA LG 24" and haven't had any problems running in various resolutions. I have a q6600 w/ 2GB ram, and a 1950 pro. Or in other words there's no way I can play COD4 or Crysis at 1920x1200.....damn. Anyhow, the monitor seems to handle other settings w/o much degradation of image at all.
I have a tendency to think it's a good idea to go larger. Even with my set up it's still great for gaming, and lets face it, we aren't gaming all the time.
I do spend a lot of time doing research, watching movies or hitting various hardware sites like AnandTech, and there's nothing quite like lots of space to work on.

 

[GundamF91]

You dont' want too high res for gaming, because the game characters or enemies will be too small to see or use. You'll do much better with FPS games if you run it at slightly lower res, such as 1680x or 1480x

 

[lyssword]

Originally posted by: GundamF91
You dont' want too high res for gaming, because the game characters or enemies will be too small to see or use. You'll do much better with FPS games if you run it at slightly lower res, such as 1680x or 1480x

I believe that only goes for menu interface or if the game is 2d. 3D game characters should scale at any resolution.

 

[BrownMofo]

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: GundamF91
You dont' want too high res for gaming, because the game characters or enemies will be too small to see or use. You'll do much better with FPS games if you run it at slightly lower res, such as 1680x or 1480x

I believe that only goes for menu interface or if the game is 2d. 3D game characters should scale at any resolution.

People believe that so they feel better about their PC's ;]

 

[Lithan]

I once had a 17" CRT that could handle a ridiculous reso like 2xxx by something. And it was true in that case, but on LCD's yeah default (max) res is best.

 

[BrownMofo]

I'm sort of having the same issue myself; I simply can't figure out if I want to buy a 16x or a 19x monitor. I've been leaning towards the ASUS VW222U.

 

[LumbergTech]

well...you will be able to play games at a playable rate on the 22 for longer...but the 24 is a lot nicer in my opinion...

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

I run 2560x1600 on my 30" LCD with a Q6600 and a 8800GT. I don't have problems playing GoW, Bioshock, LoTR:BME, Supreme Commander, CoD4 at all.

Don't have Crysis, no problems with anything else. So get the bigger LCD and get a 24", you won't regret it.