Pro quality (or near) LCD panels??

[augiem]

I need a good quality LCD screen suitable for graphics work. It doesn't have to be UBER professional like Eizo, but it needs to be not total CR@* like the Samsung 226BW I just wasted $320 on. (Pretty cheap for the size)

I am using an older Dell 2405FPW on my main computer and love it. I was using an older Acer AL1912 19" on my 2nd machine, but it just died, so I went out and bought the Samsung 226BW 22" widescreen. I realize this monitor has very very bad color and an utterly terrible vertical viewing angle. Even with lengthy color adjusting, it just can't cut it. And because of the vertical angle problem, you get different color tones across the screen regardless of what angle you're viewing from. (imagine trying to calibrate gamma when colors shift by moving your head up and down 1"!!!) This is just unusable for graphics work. Surprisingly, the trusty old Acer was better at GFX than this Samsung.

I'm looking for a 19-20" square (20 better), or 22+" widescreen with a GOOD viewing angle that doesn't trash the color reproduction. Price is a concern, but $400 would be kinda high, MIGHT spend $500 if need be.

I'm pretty confused about the options out there because of the whole "This monitor uses company-X panels", etc. So if anyone can give me a good resource to find out which panels are the best quality for graphics work, that would be great. Then I could compare brands that use the same panels.

Thanks everyone!

Augie

 

[mushroom3]

go to the video section and check out xtknight's guide
you should probably look at that nec that is in his first spot

 

[augiem]

Ahh, amazing guide! Thank you!
There are a lot of forums here, aren't there.

🙂

Augie

 

[Immortal1]

look at the samsung 215tw
I just got one and haven't any problems with color or viewing angle.
Oh and the screen rotates which is pretty cool.
And is a recommended for graphics/multimedia in the xknight thread.

 

[n7]

NEC 20WMGX2.

Seriously.

IPS + godly glossy finish = sharpest contrast you'll ever see, with ridiculously rich accurate colors.

 

[augiem]

I would go for that NEC, but alas it's 20" widescreen ! 🙁 20" widescreen is too small vertically for my liking, which is why I went for the 22" Samsung before. If it came down to it, I'd get a 20" square over a 20" wide. Too bad the NEC isn't square.

On another note, Looking at the vertical viewing angle ratings on the Samsung 225bw and 226bw, they're both supposedly 160/160 degree viewing angles. However, Newegg reviewers mention vertical viewing angle probs on both monitors. (And I definitely confirm that on the 226BW). I guess those manufacturer ratings cannot be trusted.

Edit:
After doing some research in xtknight's guide, it looks like I want an S-IPS or AS-IPS panel for the best color/viewing angle combo. The NEC LCD2070NX-BK is a 20" square and seems to be S-IPS.

Augie

 

[mercanucaribe]

I didn't know they made any glossy desktop monitors. Is there a 24" glossy screen?

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
I didn't know they made any glossy desktop monitors. Is there a 24" glossy screen?

Not yet.

NEC has one that is supposed to come out sometime before Christmas afaik.

 

[augiem]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
I didn't know they made any glossy desktop monitors. Is there a 24" glossy screen?

Is there a reason someone would even want a glossy screen? It seems to be impossible to get a laptop without one these days... Glossy makes it so much harder to see with all those reflections! I really hope that doesn't become the standard for desktops too. 😛

Lifer: When you said the NEC 20WMGX2 had a "godly glossy finish", do you mean the case (border) or the actual screen?