New monitor time, looking for cheap ~24"

[Yuriman]

My wife's Soyo Topaz is finally starting to crap out and I'm looking to replace it with something of similar size and resolution, unless I can find a great deal on a 27" IPS panel to replace my BenQ FP241W. I haven't bought a monitor in around 5 years but last time I was shopping, TN wasn't an option for me. I don't know the current state of viewing angles and color reproduction but it's for my wife so a TN might now be an option. I personally prefer 16:10 but for her I think it's a non-issue.

What are some cost effective options available?

 

[TY-1]

If you are looking for something that is well below the $200 mark I would suggest the ASUS VE248H. It starts at $179.99 but has a $20 mail in rebate at Newegg, dropping it down to $159.99 which is a pretty good deal considering this monitor is loaded with great features like LED Backlighting, 2ms response time, HDMI hookup, Energy Star 5.0, and a 3 year warranty.

 

[Essence_of_War]

What does "cheap" look like relative to your budget?

If you're looking in the ~300 USD range, the dell 2412 is a 1920x1200 (16:10) 24in IPS. I just switched to that and I'm VERY pleased. It's my first IPS and I don't think you could pay me to go back to TN

If you're looking in the <200 USD range, the monitor TY-1 suggested looks like a pretty solid pick.

 

[drebo]

What does "cheap" look like relative to your budget?

If you're looking in the ~300 USD range, the dell 2412 is a 1920x1200 (16:10) 24in IPS. I just switched to that and I'm VERY pleased. It's my first IPS and I don't think you could pay me to go back to TN

If you're looking in the <200 USD range, the monitor TY-1 suggested looks like a pretty solid pick.

I have the Dell 2412 and it is fantastic. It's not a 10-bit panel, so it doesn't ahve quite the color depth that some of the higher-end 24" or 27" monitors have, but it's perfectly fine for most everyone's needs.

If you want to wait a little bit, you could go for a 27" from Monoprice: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?p_id=9579&seq=1&format=2. These are very basic monitors, but they're the same panel as the Apple displays...they might be slightly lower quality, usually a non-visible defect. You can find these on ebay, too, maybe for a little bit less. Just search "27 inch IPS". The reason I'd spend a bit more from Monoprice is the warranty.

 

[Yuriman]

$390 is out of my budget so it looks like I'll just be replacing her screen with something of similar size. Are there any other recommendable IPS panels cheaper than the 2412? Response time is just about the last thing I'm worried about. I'm leaning toward the Asus that TY-1 linked unless I can get a fairly decent VA or IPS for only a little more.

 

[Remobz]

If you are looking for something that is well below the $200 mark I would suggest the ASUS VE248H. It starts at $179.99 but has a $20 mail in rebate at Newegg, dropping it down to $159.99 which is a pretty good deal considering this monitor is loaded with great features like LED Backlighting, 2ms response time, HDMI hookup, Energy Star 5.0, and a 3 year warranty.

THis......^^^

 

[Yuriman]

Thoughts on this screen? Upon consideration I think I'd be alright with 1920x1080 on a 27" as a replacement for my BenQ (and pass that one on to her). The price looks right.

 

[TY-1]

Thoughts on this screen? Upon consideration I think I'd be alright with 1920x1080 on a 27" as a replacement for my BenQ (and pass that one on to her). The price looks right.

It's a decent monitor, though personally I would want something with a better response time than 7ms (GTG).

If you are looking for yourself, with the plan to give her your BenQ, what exactly are you looking for in a monitor, what you would use it most for, and what is your price range? There are a few really good 27" monitors between the $200-$350 price bracket that I can suggest, but knowing a few more specifics from you would help narrow it down from a dozen to a hand-full.

 

[Yuriman]

$300 upper limit. I game regularly but I don't typically play games that require twitch response - MMO's and strategy mostly. My monitor also serves as our "tv" (we don't watch a ton) and is very often used for productivity.

I value color accuracy and like my current MVA panel a lot. Size takes precedence over resolution since we don't have a tv and resolution takes precedence over response time . I like 16:10 but it's not make or break.

 

[TY-1]

Okay, so you are looking more for a quality media monitor to fit your needs (light gaming, media viewing, general productivity). I stuck to the 27" size, as anything bigger is going to be way off your $300 price point, and tried to get you the best features I could find for what you are going to be using the monitor for. I've listed them in order of price (lowest to highest).

Acer G276HLbd - A good all around monitor. though it lacks an HMDI port. We have about 9-12 of these in multiple roles at the place I work and they are generally well liked.

ViewSonic VX2770Smhd - You mentioned this monitor earlier and it is a good choice for an IPS monitor. I've never used or seen the monitor in use personally, but I can't really find all that many negative notes about it that are consistent (no major problems that everyone reports). If you buy from Newegg before 4/8/13 you can use a promo code to get an extra 10% off which makes it close to the lowest price for a new unit from Amazon.

Acer S275HL - This is another good monitor from Acer. We have two at work and they are very nice. The only real complaint is that while it has a slim bezel there is a slight non-physical bezel around the perimeter (black boxing). One of the users at work finds this annoying, as he wants his display going right to the edge of the physical bezel. Also, there are no DVI ports on this monitor but rather 2 HDMI ports and 1 D-Sub port.

Dell S2740L - This is right at the upper limit of your stated budget and normally I wouldn't recommend anything from Dell, but their monitors are the one exception (3-year warranty is great). Normally this monitor is between $320 and $350, but I found it on Amazon for $300 w/free shipping. This is an excellent monitor and I have seen a fair number of them in use personally. A very clear picture with great color, the only real complaint I have ever heard or seen about this monitor is the fact that it has a rather glossy screen; almost mirror like when not in use and in use depending upon how you have room lighting set. However, if you set the monitor up with room lighting set properly you should not have any real issue with reflections.

Those are my current recommendations for you. If you want any more help, advice, recommendations, etc. just leave a note and I'll see what I can do.

 

[Yuriman]

Thanks much! The Dell is very tempting but I think I'm going to pull the trigger on the Viewsonic. Thanks for your help!

 

[TY-1]

No problem, let us know how it works out.