Thinking of buying the NEC 20WMGX2 but its pretty expensive. Would this monitor be good and is it as good as my 19 inch NEC CRT monitor ? Is the LG L226WTX better than the NEC 20WMGX2 ?
NEC 20WMGX2 - Thinking of getting a Sony GMD-FW900 instead maybe.
- Thread starter pcslookout
- Start date
Would it be as good as your CRT? Probably not when it comes to black level, but it might appear pretty darned close to your eyes. That's a subjective thing. I might still prefer a CRT for gaming purposes but this LCD does the job very well.
I've compared the LG L226WT (same panel as X) side by side with the 20WMGX2. Here is the full post:
P.S. Is your 19" CRT NEC a DiamondTron or aperture grille? What's the model number?
Trinitron and DiamondTron CRTs have their pixels aligned in vertical stripes and offer higher brightness. They have two or three damper/alignment wires lying across the screen horizontally. It's fairly common knowledge that these are the best for gaming, so if that's all you do I don't honestly see a reason to change to an LCD, unless your CRT is dying or is somehow infeasible (e.g. it is heavy, or causes eye strain). In my use of the 20WMGX2 alongside a couple CRTs, I've preferred the CRTs actually for gaming but the LCD proved itself more than acceptable. The LCD's text quality and clarity pretty much blew them away, although both of the CRTs had some slight convergence problems and they were both shadow mask, not aperture grille, CRTs. Colors seemed to be clearer, less pixelated, and less muddy in a lot of the cases. The pixel triads on the CRTs were more easily visible especially in darker colors, while the NEC's glossy coating drastically helped hide the LCD's pixel array and made any color come alive. The CRT's gray seemed a lot more neutral and natural, even after the LCD had been calibrated. Wolfenstein on the LCD had a pinkish sky while on the CRT it was dark and gray like it should have been.
I'll be happy to answer any other questions that you may have about the L226WT and 20WMGX2's performance.
I've compared the LG L226WT (same panel as X) side by side with the 20WMGX2. Here is the full post:
P.S. Is your 19" CRT NEC a DiamondTron or aperture grille? What's the model number?
Trinitron and DiamondTron CRTs have their pixels aligned in vertical stripes and offer higher brightness. They have two or three damper/alignment wires lying across the screen horizontally. It's fairly common knowledge that these are the best for gaming, so if that's all you do I don't honestly see a reason to change to an LCD, unless your CRT is dying or is somehow infeasible (e.g. it is heavy, or causes eye strain). In my use of the 20WMGX2 alongside a couple CRTs, I've preferred the CRTs actually for gaming but the LCD proved itself more than acceptable. The LCD's text quality and clarity pretty much blew them away, although both of the CRTs had some slight convergence problems and they were both shadow mask, not aperture grille, CRTs. Colors seemed to be clearer, less pixelated, and less muddy in a lot of the cases. The pixel triads on the CRTs were more easily visible especially in darker colors, while the NEC's glossy coating drastically helped hide the LCD's pixel array and made any color come alive. The CRT's gray seemed a lot more neutral and natural, even after the LCD had been calibrated. Wolfenstein on the LCD had a pinkish sky while on the CRT it was dark and gray like it should have been.
I'll be happy to answer any other questions that you may have about the L226WT and 20WMGX2's performance.
Its a Blank NEC MultiSync FE950+ CRT Monitor is that good ?
Does 1680x1050 resolution supported by all games or at least most games sense thats the resolution you must use for those 20" lcds ? I hate having to to do this with lcds. Well you need to use that resolution to get the best image quality
Not sure if the CRT is dying is not. All I know is it is close to 5 years old and a few weeks ago it had a cricket like said coming from it. It finally went away after hitting the top of the monitor lightly several times a day. Also the VGA cable in the back when moved a certain way, the cable itself, the picture quality goes really crazy it a like a greenish color if I remember right but if I keep moving it I can finally fix the problem and make the colors go back to normal. Is the CRT monitor on its way out?
Does 1680x1050 resolution supported by all games or at least most games sense thats the resolution you must use for those 20" lcds ? I hate having to to do this with lcds. Well you need to use that resolution to get the best image quality
Not sure if the CRT is dying is not. All I know is it is close to 5 years old and a few weeks ago it had a cricket like said coming from it. It finally went away after hitting the top of the monitor lightly several times a day. Also the VGA cable in the back when moved a certain way, the cable itself, the picture quality goes really crazy it a like a greenish color if I remember right but if I keep moving it I can finally fix the problem and make the colors go back to normal. Is the CRT monitor on its way out?
The FE950 is an aperture grille monitor, so yes, it's a pretty decent one.
The monitor goes green or purple/etc when you move the VGA cable, because of some of the color pins not making contact. That's not a monitor problem, rather an adapter or cable one. About the cricket sounds...who knows. Sure there aren't any crickets in there?
I'd like to say most games today support widescreen either natively, or via a viable hack. That means there are still a few that don't. The best site for these and related widescreen issues is the Widescreen Gaming Forum. They have a list of games and hacks for each game.
The monitor goes green or purple/etc when you move the VGA cable, because of some of the color pins not making contact. That's not a monitor problem, rather an adapter or cable one. About the cricket sounds...who knows. Sure there aren't any crickets in there?
I'd like to say most games today support widescreen either natively, or via a viable hack. That means there are still a few that don't. The best site for these and related widescreen issues is the Widescreen Gaming Forum. They have a list of games and hacks for each game.
Would going to the NEC 20WMGX2 LCD be worth it over my 19 inch NEC CRT monitor ? I have a Geforce 8800 GTS 320 MB video card right now? Or would it be better spending the same amount of money on a 21 to 24 inch monitor instead for larger real estate space for gaming?
Would the NEC 20WMGX2 LCD be very close to the same quality as my 19 inch NEC CRT or not nearly as good ?
Would the NEC 20WMGX2 LCD be very close to the same quality as my 19 inch NEC CRT or not nearly as good ?
You're mainly a gamer I take it?
I would actually get the 20WMGX2 as, as far as I know, they are planning to phase it out and replace it with the 20WMGX2 Pro which is the exact same thing with a higher price tag (don't ask, it's some tactic I guess). There's a great deal on the 20WMGX2 at Newegg. Well, it used to cost $700 and even then I thought it was worth it. $470 AR now: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824002319
I think it would be very close in many aspects, but not response time or black level. A lot of people love it because it's stunningly clear (OptiClear glossy panel and digital interface), it's perfectly flat, it's brighter and more uniform, and it's still almost as good in other aspects for gaming. Many prefer it for gaming: they think the clarity and brightness is more important than response time.
I think the 20WMGX2 is a wise investment now, as it is one of the few truly decent LCDs left and it's selling for a good price now. When your CRT dies, you're going to want something to fall on to. So you might consider using them in dual mode until the CRT fails. Or, maybe you will decide to get rid of the CRT after you see the 20WMGX2 anyway. I would still prefer a CRT for gaming because of response time, but that option is not feasible for me because CRTs cause me eye strain.
I would actually get the 20WMGX2 as, as far as I know, they are planning to phase it out and replace it with the 20WMGX2 Pro which is the exact same thing with a higher price tag (don't ask, it's some tactic I guess). There's a great deal on the 20WMGX2 at Newegg. Well, it used to cost $700 and even then I thought it was worth it. $470 AR now: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824002319
I think it would be very close in many aspects, but not response time or black level. A lot of people love it because it's stunningly clear (OptiClear glossy panel and digital interface), it's perfectly flat, it's brighter and more uniform, and it's still almost as good in other aspects for gaming. Many prefer it for gaming: they think the clarity and brightness is more important than response time.
I think the 20WMGX2 is a wise investment now, as it is one of the few truly decent LCDs left and it's selling for a good price now. When your CRT dies, you're going to want something to fall on to. So you might consider using them in dual mode until the CRT fails. Or, maybe you will decide to get rid of the CRT after you see the 20WMGX2 anyway. I would still prefer a CRT for gaming because of response time, but that option is not feasible for me because CRTs cause me eye strain.
Thanks. Yes I am a gamer I would say for the most part a lot. I do watch movies as well but on my projector not on my monitor anymore like I did when i didn't have a projector. The only thing I am worried about is the 1680x1050 native (recommenced) resolution. i wish it was 1600x1200 not 1680x1050. Anything but a odd resolution. I rather a standard resolution that I know all games will support for sure. This is the only thing I hate about lcds. You must use their recommended resolution or else the picture quality won't look as good. Why is this and is 1680x1050 really that good of a resolution ?
If I change the resolution on the NEC LCD monitor would it hurt the image quality a lot still on this LCD ? If not what resolutions can you change it to without hurting the image quality please? Do you think it will get cheaper than $470 and is it worth spending the extra money on it when you could get a 22 inch for around the same price or cheaper or a even cheaper 21 or 20 inch ? Does NEC sell a LCD that is a 19 inch that is as good as the 20 inch one or no?
Why is this and is 1680x1050 really that good of a resolution ? If I change the resolution on the NEC LCD monitor would it hurt the image quality a lot still on this LCD ? If not what resolutions can you change it to without hurting the image quality please? Do you think it will get cheaper than $470 and is it worth spending the extra money on it when you could get a 22 inch for around the same price or cheaper or a even cheaper 21 or 20 inch ? Does NEC sell a LCD that is a 19 inch that is as good as the 20 inch one or no?
You must use 1680x1050 because that is physically the number of pixels on the LCD matrix array. There is no 800x600 on this LCD. What there is, is 800x600 attempted to be converted into 1680x1050 through digital means of interpolation (stretching the picture). Or centered mode, or aspect ratio scaling...please Google or search forums RE: that stuff.
I like it as a resolution. It's wider than my old 1280x1024 19" LCD... Still less screen area than 1600x1200 overall. I think it works just dandy for games, at least the ones that support it. 1680x1050 is actually a very common resolution. Probably the most common resolution of LCDs today (20.1", 21.0", 21.6", 22.0" all use it).
I don't think the scaling on this LCD is good enough that I'd be able to use it on a daily basis. It looks OK but it causes eye strain as it's blurry.
You can get a 22" for a lot cheaper than that, but this is about quality not quantity. NEC has the 90GX2 which has a glossy coating but isn't nearly as good as the 20WMGX2 with regards to picture quality. It has a slightly better response time, but that's it. Poor contrast, viewing angle, etc...
You could consider the HP w2207. It's glossy, fast, and vibrant. Good price too and bigger size.
Again I can't tell you if you'll like an LCD better than the CRT or not. It's more than likely you'll be won over by the brightness and clarity like most people but there are still those who stick to CRTs for various reasons like response time. You should be able to get some kind of rough idea by looking at the LCDs at the store. The ones hooked up to PCs are usually set up the best. I've seen plenty at native resolution by default there. But the fact they aren't at native res isn't going to affect their color and contrast or response time/viewing angle.
Problem is, the 20WMGX2 may look drastically better to you than those LCDs, and they often only have the cheaper TN panels without glossy coatings on display.
What I can tell you is that out of everyone who has tried the 20WMGX2, very few have gone back to CRTs. It may be worth it to you to order it and in the rare case you dislike it, to eat the restocking fee. If you think it's not as good as your CRT for gaming, then just keep it around until your CRT dies and use it for everything but gaming.
Read some other reviews about the LCD20WGX2 (or 20WMGX2) online. It's easily the best all-around LCD out there, but it's still not as good as a DiamondTron in some cases (though some have claimed that it was preferable to their DiamondTron).
The TV/PIP functions on the 20WMGX2 are awesome though. I just watch tennis in a small window in the bottom right-hand corner while I'm working.
I like it as a resolution. It's wider than my old 1280x1024 19" LCD... Still less screen area than 1600x1200 overall. I think it works just dandy for games, at least the ones that support it. 1680x1050 is actually a very common resolution. Probably the most common resolution of LCDs today (20.1", 21.0", 21.6", 22.0" all use it).
I don't think the scaling on this LCD is good enough that I'd be able to use it on a daily basis. It looks OK but it causes eye strain as it's blurry.
You can get a 22" for a lot cheaper than that, but this is about quality not quantity. NEC has the 90GX2 which has a glossy coating but isn't nearly as good as the 20WMGX2 with regards to picture quality. It has a slightly better response time, but that's it. Poor contrast, viewing angle, etc...
You could consider the HP w2207. It's glossy, fast, and vibrant. Good price too and bigger size.
Again I can't tell you if you'll like an LCD better than the CRT or not. It's more than likely you'll be won over by the brightness and clarity like most people but there are still those who stick to CRTs for various reasons like response time. You should be able to get some kind of rough idea by looking at the LCDs at the store. The ones hooked up to PCs are usually set up the best. I've seen plenty at native resolution by default there. But the fact they aren't at native res isn't going to affect their color and contrast or response time/viewing angle.
Problem is, the 20WMGX2 may look drastically better to you than those LCDs, and they often only have the cheaper TN panels without glossy coatings on display.
What I can tell you is that out of everyone who has tried the 20WMGX2, very few have gone back to CRTs. It may be worth it to you to order it and in the rare case you dislike it, to eat the restocking fee. If you think it's not as good as your CRT for gaming, then just keep it around until your CRT dies and use it for everything but gaming.
Read some other reviews about the LCD20WGX2 (or 20WMGX2) online. It's easily the best all-around LCD out there, but it's still not as good as a DiamondTron in some cases (though some have claimed that it was preferable to their DiamondTron).
The TV/PIP functions on the 20WMGX2 are awesome though. I just watch tennis in a small window in the bottom right-hand corner while I'm working.
Newegg lets you return monitors as long as you pay a restocking fee? I thought the policy was no returns at all for any monitors ? Inless they had 8 dead pixels or more.
Why can't you get the NEC 20WMGX2 without the tv tuner and speakers? Who needs those extra features anyway ? I already have a tv tuner card and speakers. I bet it would make the price a little cheaper.
RussianSensation
Elite Member
- Sep 5, 2003
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I had a 19 inch viewsonic G90F CRT since 2001. None of the 20 inch models looked impressive to me at the store. They are just not that much bigger. The next step up is 22-24. I wouldn't consider anything below 22 inches from 19in.
My 19 inch CRT is really only 18 inch viewable. I wouldn't mine a NEC 22 inch but I don't think the have one that looks as good as the NEC 20 inch yet. HP 22 inch is ok but it only has a 1 year warranty and not sure if you can even get a extended warranty. I don't know if I want anything bigger than a 20 inch for my desktop machine because anything bigger than 20 inches may be to big I think. I rather have a awesome great quality 20 inch than a ok or pretty good 22 inch. Not sure if thats the difference between the 20 inch NEC and the HP 22 inch but it may be.
Didn't best buy use to sell NEC monitors ? Why don't they anymore? Its the only place I was able to go look at them in person. Does any other place sell them locally? If they do i bet I don't have one. Dare you best buy.
The other thing that I hate is why doesn't NEC make a 22 inch like the NEC 20WMGX2 yet ? What gives? Why does the NEC 20WMGX2 black version have to have a silver border? Doesn't a black border bring out the picture a lot better on lcd monitors ?
The FE950+ isn't terrible, but there are plenty of other 19" aperture grilles that were better. Judging from the specs, it looks like a mid-range CRT.
As for using the 20WMGX2 for gaming, I guess it'd really depend on how picky you are. As far as LCDs go, it's much better than most at that. There is probably no other S-IPS panel that's capable of delivering near CRT-like image quality with as little ghosting and input lag as the 20WMGX2 has, but it still doesn't compare to a good CRT for gaming in my opinion. For desktop work, I'd have to give the nod to the 20WMGX2, or basically any other decent LCD these days.
I bought one about three months ago because I felt that my 19" Sony G420 was on its way out, and ultimately ended up returning it and going back to a CRT. It probably came closer than any other LCD would have to satisfying me, but still wasn't enough. I mostly disliked the glossy coating, being stuck with a 60Hz refresh rate in games and a single resolution, and the high price (I paid $600 for mine since I bought it from a brick and mortar store so I could return it if it didn't work out).
I'm probably a bit more picky than most when it comes to monitors, so it's entirely possible that none of the things I found wrong with the 20WMGX2 would bother you at all. If you think you can return it from whatever store you end up buying it from, I'd say go for it if you want to. If any of that does bother you however, it is still possible to find good (even better than what you have, really) CRTs these days.
As for using the 20WMGX2 for gaming, I guess it'd really depend on how picky you are. As far as LCDs go, it's much better than most at that. There is probably no other S-IPS panel that's capable of delivering near CRT-like image quality with as little ghosting and input lag as the 20WMGX2 has, but it still doesn't compare to a good CRT for gaming in my opinion. For desktop work, I'd have to give the nod to the 20WMGX2, or basically any other decent LCD these days.
I bought one about three months ago because I felt that my 19" Sony G420 was on its way out, and ultimately ended up returning it and going back to a CRT. It probably came closer than any other LCD would have to satisfying me, but still wasn't enough. I mostly disliked the glossy coating, being stuck with a 60Hz refresh rate in games and a single resolution, and the high price (I paid $600 for mine since I bought it from a brick and mortar store so I could return it if it didn't work out).
I'm probably a bit more picky than most when it comes to monitors, so it's entirely possible that none of the things I found wrong with the 20WMGX2 would bother you at all. If you think you can return it from whatever store you end up buying it from, I'd say go for it if you want to. If any of that does bother you however, it is still possible to find good (even better than what you have, really) CRTs these days.
Thanks. I am thinking about getting a GFW900 but not sure if my desk can handle it. Is the GFW900 CRT monitor worth it even though you can't buy it new anymore I don't think ? That the only problem I see because it could die soon because CRT monitors I don't think last as long as LCDs.
Hmm. I don't know -- if you really want to try an FW900 you could I guess, but you definitely won't find any new ones. I'd bet that a lot of the FW900s being sold now are so old that they've developed the classic Trinitron brightness problem and will probably look very bright and washed out. You don't want your new monitor to look like this displaying a black screen if you can help it. Given my experience with used and refurbished CRTs, it'd be hard for me to recommend one.
In my experience, CRTs do tend to degrade image-quality wise much faster and more often than LCDs do, though you can find many that will at least continue working for 10 years or longer sometimes.
If you think there's even a possibility that you might be satisfied by the 20WMGX2 and you can return it, it might be a good idea to give it a shot. Like xtknight said, it looks like it might be being phased out, and it is definitely one of the few high quality LCDs left. You wouldn't want to be kicking yourself later for not trying it once it's gone and only cheap TN panels are left.
If you want another CRT though, you can still find some completely new 19" and 21" Trinitrons or Diamondtrons, and I would take one of those over a used FW900, especially if you're concerned about the longevity of your monitor. For 21" Trinitrons, I'd probably go for a Sony CPD-G520 or G520P, Dell or HP P1130, IBM P275, or SGI G520K. For a 19", the Sony CPD-G420, or Dell P992 would probably be at the top of the list. Any of those monitors should be great if you can find a new one, and they are all based on the same Sony chassis. The only major differences between them are the quality of the electronics and the on screen display and controls.
I'm not as familiar with Diamondtrons (I believe your FE950+ is one), but the Mitsubishi DiamondPro 2070SB, the NEC FP2141SB, or the HP P1230 are probably the best ones you can find (they're all the same, basically). AccurateIT.com is selling a new overstock P1230 right now, I believe. If you want to stick with a 19" monitor, the DiamondPro 930SB is definitely the best, but probably very hard to find. I think that the HP P930 is also a rebranded DP 930SB, and I saw an eBay auction selling about 40 of those new in box for $30 a few days ago. It does have a much more limited OSD than the DiamondPro, though.
In my experience, CRTs do tend to degrade image-quality wise much faster and more often than LCDs do, though you can find many that will at least continue working for 10 years or longer sometimes.
If you think there's even a possibility that you might be satisfied by the 20WMGX2 and you can return it, it might be a good idea to give it a shot. Like xtknight said, it looks like it might be being phased out, and it is definitely one of the few high quality LCDs left. You wouldn't want to be kicking yourself later for not trying it once it's gone and only cheap TN panels are left.
If you want another CRT though, you can still find some completely new 19" and 21" Trinitrons or Diamondtrons, and I would take one of those over a used FW900, especially if you're concerned about the longevity of your monitor. For 21" Trinitrons, I'd probably go for a Sony CPD-G520 or G520P, Dell or HP P1130, IBM P275, or SGI G520K. For a 19", the Sony CPD-G420, or Dell P992 would probably be at the top of the list. Any of those monitors should be great if you can find a new one, and they are all based on the same Sony chassis. The only major differences between them are the quality of the electronics and the on screen display and controls.
I'm not as familiar with Diamondtrons (I believe your FE950+ is one), but the Mitsubishi DiamondPro 2070SB, the NEC FP2141SB, or the HP P1230 are probably the best ones you can find (they're all the same, basically). AccurateIT.com is selling a new overstock P1230 right now, I believe. If you want to stick with a 19" monitor, the DiamondPro 930SB is definitely the best, but probably very hard to find. I think that the HP P930 is also a rebranded DP 930SB, and I saw an eBay auction selling about 40 of those new in box for $30 a few days ago. It does have a much more limited OSD than the DiamondPro, though.
Thanks I may try the NEC 20WMGX2 but I am afaird I won't be able to return it to newegg because they have a strict policy on monitors and I don't know any other good online stores to buy the NEC 20WMGX2 at for the same price after mail in rebate that has a really good lcd monitor return policy and dead pixel policy. Any suggestions ?
I wouldn't give up my NEC FE2111SB for any LCD. Games look incredible and it can go 1600x1200 at a nice refresh rate. Sure it's big and heavy, but so worth it. I'll reconsider when the new OLED displays show up. Now those are BLACK.
What about the Sony GMD-FW900 is this better than the other Sony CRT I was talking about before? I changed it in the topic because I think it may be.
I was actually thinking about putting my Mitsubishi 2070sb 22" on FS/FT. Like Tasiin said above, it is arguably one of the best CRTs ever made. Shipping this beast can be a pain though. Where are you located?
How much viewable space does it have though ? Is it any better than the Sony GMD-FW900 or about the same quality ? How much are you going to be selling it for?
It's not widescreen, so the 24" Sony would have more viewable space (well, if viewing widescreen content, otherwise, in 4:3, the 22" would be larger... I know, it can be confusing).
Comparing the 2 as far as picture quality is more difficult. I prefer the Diamondtron's picture. They both have a 4-port USB hub, both are capable of high resolutions with good refresh rates (I used 1600x1200 @ 100hz mainly). The Mitsu will be lighter... but when you're talking about monitors this size, a few pounds here and there won't make much of a difference. The Mitsu also has 2 Superbright modes. These are good for playing games and watching movies. One-touch buttons that make the picture brighter and more vibrant.
I was thinking about putting it on craigslist to avoid shipping it and hand it off locally for $200-250. Because shipping is going to be expensive.
Comparing the 2 as far as picture quality is more difficult. I prefer the Diamondtron's picture. They both have a 4-port USB hub, both are capable of high resolutions with good refresh rates (I used 1600x1200 @ 100hz mainly). The Mitsu will be lighter... but when you're talking about monitors this size, a few pounds here and there won't make much of a difference. The Mitsu also has 2 Superbright modes. These are good for playing games and watching movies. One-touch buttons that make the picture brighter and more vibrant.
I was thinking about putting it on craigslist to avoid shipping it and hand it off locally for $200-250. Because shipping is going to be expensive.
Yeah shipping will be expensive. $100 or more alone. If not more if you want to charge for a really good box and packaging to make double sure it doesn't get damaged. So maybe more like $150. I rather pay more for shipping for the peace of mind if it meant better packaging for the monitor. How old is the monitor ?
i've got a 20wmgx2 and honestly its worth it compared to any TN panel.
all 22" panels and most of the newer 24" value monitors are TN. i had a 24" TN acer and it was horrible. the "move your head and it changes color dramatically" problem is especially bad on bigger monitors (since you'll probably be moving your head more on a 24" since its large.
all 22" panels and most of the newer 24" value monitors are TN. i had a 24" TN acer and it was horrible. the "move your head and it changes color dramatically" problem is especially bad on bigger monitors (since you'll probably be moving your head more on a 24" since its large.
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