Serious monitor indecision...please help with ideas?

[SirFelixCat]

Hey y'all. I'm come to you all for help in the past and you have not let me down. So I come to you with my toughest choice/decision yet...

I'm going to be building a monster rig for poker/gaming/everyday use and I'm really lost as to the best monitor setup for me.

The new rig is going to be a hoss...at least a e6600 dual core (possibly quad cores) w/ 1 (maybe a 2nd) 8800GTX, 4Gig ram etc. Long story short, a beast.

But what I come to you fellas for is monitor advice. I have narrowed this down to 3 general choices and I haven't a clue as to which would be better for me:

1- a single 30" monitor (Apple, Dell, or Samsung...tbd later). Res: 2560x1600 Price: $1300

2 - Dual 24" monitors (Samsung or Dell or ??? TBD) Res: 1920x1200 Price: $1200-$1400

3 - Triple 22" monitors (hooked up with a Triple Head 2 Go ) Res: 1680x1050 Price: $900ish

Now, this monster rig will be used for my poker, gaming, as well as day-to-day use. No video editing etc. Just everyday kinds of things. Now, I assume most of you don't play poker online, but I do, daily and it is what is paying for this beast. Now with that said, multitabling is essential to me. I currently have a 24" Sony widescreen CRT that is dying and I can play 4 tables at a time w/o overlap (1920x1200). I need more desktop space, for sure. So the better the resolution the better. But dual 24's would be sufficient as I'd have enough room to 8 table. But I would only be able to game on one, since the "split" between the monitors would be a serious PITA. That's where the idea of the TH2G came from. I'm all ears on that one as well.

Now, price-wise, all 3 options are comparable. The price really isn't a big issue for me. I just want a quality, high-end system that I will be able to multitable with as well as have a fantastic gaming experience as well.

What say you and, please, if you don't mind, the reason for why you'd go with one setup vs another.

Thanks fellas!

 

[n7]

One 30" (2560x1600) + as many 20" in portrait mode (1200x1600) on the sides as you want to add video cards for

Like my setup: http://www.imageannex.com/out.php/i2506_IMG1689Copy.JPG

Though mine is actually just the 30" & 20" off the main system.

 

[Lonyo]

The TripleHead2Go only supports a maximum of 1280x1024 per monitor if you are using 3 monitors with it.
Might as well get a DualHead2Go Digital Edition since that will do 2x 1920x1200, and then you can hook the other monitor to your other DVI output.
Or you could use 2 graphics cards (such as an 8800 in your primary PCE-E slot, and then something like a 7200 in your secondary slot) to allow you to use 3 monitors.

 

[SirFelixCat]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
The TripleHead2Go only supports a maximum of 1280x1024 per monitor if you are using 3 monitors with it.
Might as well get a DualHead2Go Digital Edition since that will do 2x 1920x1200, and then you can hook the other monitor to your other DVI output.
Or you could use 2 graphics cards (such as an 8800 in your primary PCE-E slot, and then something like a 7200 in your secondary slot) to allow you to use 3 monitors.

The TH2G option is definitely out, due to the limiting resolution per monitor. I did not know that, so thats for the heads up.

It seems that both you and n7 are leaning towards the 30" and maybe a couple of smaller ones on either side of it. If I were to do that direction, which are the better "side" monitors? 20"? 22"? 24"? Also, widescreen or not?

 

[dawza]

A 30" would be preferable for the long-haul, as you can always add in 20" 1600x1200 screens as needed, as mentioned by n7. In my limited multitabling experience, a single 24" with an accompanying 20" (16x12) is more than sufficient (poker on the 24" and misc apps on the second). However, if you have the funds to do so, a 30" would be a huge step up both in resolution, as well as in image quality (S-IPS in the 3007 vs. S-PVA in most 24" models). Multi-table poker would be best served with multiple screens, as it allows you to better separate poker and non-poker applications; 2x24" would be great, but a 30" would allow your 8800GTX to really shine. I abhor TN panels, and am not a big fan of 20-22" 1680x1050 widescreens (too squashed), particularly when running multiple screens.

Whether you go with a 24" or 30", if you want a 20" flanking monitor, go with a 4:3 1600x1200 model. For a 24" 1920x1200 monitor, the 16x12 20" will be identical resolution-wise in standard (landscape) configuration. For a 30" monitor, simply rotate the 20" into portrait mode to match the 1600 pixels of the 30". The dot-pitch will be slightly different whether you combine the 20" with a 30" or 24", but it is negligible for the most part.

Your 8800GTX can drive any two monitors you choose due to the two dual-link DVI outputs. If you want a third monitor, you could add an nvidia PCI (or PCIe x16 if you have an SLI-capable board) card that supports DVI-out (a single-link would be OK here, assuming you put the 30" on the 8800). I currently run a 2405 + 2007FP off my 7800GT, and an LG2000C + LCD TV off my 6200 PCI.

Optional but highly, highly recommended: Ultramon. Best $50 you can spend if you run multiple monitors.

One last note- if you do not already have one, get a nice mouse capable of at least 1600DPI- your average 800DPI mouse will feel sluggish on a higher-resolution panel.

 

[SirFelixCat]

dawza,

Thanks a ton for such a great response. The help will be invaluable.


2 quick questions:

1 - So you advise against widescreen 20" flanking monitors... why exactly? I wasn't clear on that part


2 - And what does Ultramon do exactly? I went to the site, but was underwhelmed. Can you give me some first hand experience as to how it helps?


And if I go this route (sure leaning that way), the 8800GTX will JUST run the 30" and then the 2nd vid card will run the other two smaller monitors.

And I have a G5 mouse, so I think I'm ok there. As for the poker aspect, my 24" isn't big enough currently, as I can play 6 tables, but with some overlap and that's unacceptable to me. I'm making enough now so that I can justify this rig

Thanks again. Anxiously awaiting your response.

 

[n7]

WS 20"ers are usually TN panels.

You can research more (or go into stores to look at them), but TNs suffer from poor color accuracy & terrible vertical viewing angles, which makes them virtually useless if used in portrait mode, not to mention extremely hard on the eyes (due to the horrifying obvious color shifting in portrait mode).

Anyway, if you were doing a bunch of 20/22" WS in landscape, even if TNs, it's not so bad if you're not picky, since most people don't notice the viewing angles issues as much.

Ultramon is an awesome multi-display management program.

Allows for taskbars in every display, quick switching of windows between displays via hotkeys, & all kinds of stuff i don't even need.

Download the trial & mess with it for a while.

 

[dawza]

20" widescreens (and all 22" LCDs as well) are all 1680x1050. 20" "standard" aspect ratio monitors (4:3) are 1600x1200. The 1600x1200 resolution at 20" is far more versatile, as you can match the vertical resolution of a 24" monitor (1200) in normal/landscape mode (due to the 1200 pixel vertical resolution), and you can also match the vertical resolution of a 30" monitor (1600) by rotating the 20" 1600x1200 into portrait mode.

With a 1680x1050 "widescreen" LCD, you obviously cannot match any of the pixel dimensions of a 24" or 30" monitor; even worse, if you were to purchase a 22" widescreen, you would have a much larger disparity in pixel pitch, as the 22" LCDs have the same number of pixels as the 20" widescreens (1680x1050), but a larger surface area.

You may still be able to find S-IPS 20" widescreens if Dell is still doing their panel lottery with the 2007FPW. The older 2005FWP were S-IPS. For 1600x1200 20" monitors, your choices are much more limited, as widescreen has taken over the market. I know that the earlier 2007FP was S-IPS, and most 2001FP revisions were IPS. The LG2000C also came in an S-IPS configuration (at least some of them). I can't think of any others off the top of my head, although I am sure there are some.

S-IPS is nice, but certainly not essential. It would be quite a setup to have a 30" S-IPS panel flanked by two 20" S-IPSs, though.

Your 8800GTX can run TWO 30" monitors, if you so desired That is the beauty of having two dual-link DVI outputs. Some of the older generation cards only had one dual-link along with one single-link DVI- even older cards have only one single-link DVI-out, often combined with a VGA-out (analog). You can easily pick up an inexpensive 6-or-7-series passively cooled card that has two DVI outlets for the 20" monitors- single/dual-link would not be an issue in this case (single-link is OK for up to 1920x1200).

n7 answered your question regarding Ultramon- the website is not all that impressive, but the program is sheer loveliness. Try the Windows or nVidia control for multiple monitors, and then give Ultramon a whirl- this should resolve any remaining questions/doubts.

Concerning poker- I never got to the point of more than four tables at once, much less six; if I had that kind of skill, though, I would not even think twice about moving my 2405 into lab, and picking up a 3007 to go with my 20-inchers! Congrats on the success, and let us know which path you choose monitor-wise.

Here is a link to a thread that contains some pictures of my setup, if you are interested. You will have to excuse my incompetence with respect to photography.

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...022057&highlight_key=y

 

[SirFelixCat]

n7 and dawza...


THANK YOU!!!


Two last questions then:

- Can someone suggest/tell me if the Samsung 204B-BK would be ideal for the 20" monitors to flank the 30" monster I will be getting?


- I REALLY liked what I read on the 30" 305 Samsung, up until I read that it's not HDCP compatible. If I'm dropping $1200+ on a monitor, I will not accept that. So, with that said, which 30" would you fellas suggest? The Dell is decent, but the Samsung is superior (from all that I've read) save for the one HDCP detail. Now, granted I have a 65" Mitsubishi WD-65831 1080p Diamond TV for almost all of my movie watching, but damn if I don't want the option, you know?

After reading some more, everyone seems pretty impressed with the HP LP3065...thoughts? And would it be ideal to stay w/i the same company for all 3 monitors?


Thanks again for all the info fellas and I knew I could come here for quailty help/advice!

 

[dawza]

The 204B has a TN panel, which you may or may not mind. TN technology has come a long way in the past few years, but in general, I intensely dislike the restricted vertical viewing angles, poor color reproduction, and mediocre blacks. I should say here that I would not even consider myself to be picky when it comes to these things- there are people who abhor the 2405 due to its PVA panel, which results in a bit of grayscale shifting on the horizontal plane (more noticeable with a larger monitor, obviously), while I cannot detect any difference at all; what is apparent, though, when I use either of my S-IPS 20" monitors alongside the 2405, is that the S-IPS models are clearly superior with respect to color reproduction and quality. So do keep in mind that you may not notice anything wrong with a lower-quality panel when using it in isolation. However, when you run a high-quality screen right next to a panel of lesser quality, the deficiencies of the latter will become much more apparent.

One final thing about a TN 1600x1200 panel is that while the limited vertical viewing angles may not be a factor in landscape mode, it may be more noticeable when you rotate into portrait. I have no firsthand experience with the 204B, though, so I cannot provide further advice there.

I wish I could advise on a 30" panel, but I have not had the pleasure of working with any first-hand. I do like what I have read about the HP- the extra input options would push it over the Dell, for me. Dell's return policy is excellent, though- no experience with HP returns.

As far as sticking with the same manufacturer, I would not bother. If you really want the monitors to match as closely as possible, it would help to try and get the same type of panel. Even then, you would have slightly different dot pitches between the 20" and 30", as well as subtle differences in backlighting and OSD settings (the latter two could probably be taken care of with proper calibration). This (panel type matching and calibration, that is) can be especially useful if you plan on spanning any windows across monitors. It can be a bit annoying to have two or three slightly different shades of white when spanning a spreadsheet over two or three monitors.

Last pointer- as you may know, you can easily hook your PC to your HDTV, assuming the TV has a DVI input (VGA might work too, but at 1920x1080 it would be iffy). Using Ultramon, it is a relatively simple click-and-switch to play multimedia files from the PC to the TV. A 30" LCD, flanked by two 20" LCDs, all linked to a 65" 1080P TV, would be quite the setup!

 

[n7]

I have the Samsung 204B.

Let's just put it this way: there's no way i'll ever buy another TN.

I use the 204B in portrait on my secondary PC (it's the third display in the pic i posted earlier).

In landscape, the poor viewing angles are tolerable, like with any other TN.

In portrait, no way.

You really need a S-PVA or S-IPS 20" 1600x1200 if want to flank the 30" in portrait mode with them, as the color shifting & distortion on the 204B (or any TN) in portrait is simply not tolerable.

 

[n7]

As for which 30"?

Don't spent that much money & get an S-PVA panel.

There are reasons IPS tech is considered the best overall.

Review on the 305T vs. 3007WFP-HC.
http://www.behardware.com/arti...-dell-and-samsung.html
Default color is calibrated well on the Samsung (Dell isn't apparently).
But in every other regard, i'd say the 3007WFP-HC is superior.

The HP LP3065 is extremely good as well & features 3 DVI inputs, rather nice if you want to hook up another PC to it.

IOW, my pick would likely be either the Dell or the HP.

HP pros: three DVI, USB hub
Dell pros: USB hub & card reader, lower price than the HP (AFAIK)
Both use the same or very similar panel, so you shouldn't see much quality difference at least.

As for 20", it's going to be hard to find a decently priced VA/IPS panel 20", since they're largely a thing of the past.

I have the Samsung 204T, which i've found to be excellent (it's S-PVA).

A couple other good candidates for 20"ers (non TNs):
HP LP2065
Dell 2007FP

 

[Arkaign]

No, no, no, and no.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Toshiba-57...VWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

57" DLP 1080p FTW.

The big bonus is getting a giant screen for movies/football/whatever. The color accuracy of DLP is also exceptional, and with HDMI, it's razor sharp.

1920x1080

Grab an extra 22" to put on the side, that way you can watch satellite while you work if necessary.

 

[SirFelixCat]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
No, no, no, and no.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Toshiba-57...VWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

57" DLP 1080p FTW.

The big bonus is getting a giant screen for movies/football/whatever. The color accuracy of DLP is also exceptional, and with HDMI, it's razor sharp.

1920x1080

Grab an extra 22" to put on the side, that way you can watch satellite while you work if necessary.

Thanks but I have the Westinghouse 37" LCD for my other rig and while my GF loves it, it's no better than the 24" I use right now (1920x1200), so the 30" is how I'm going. I also have my 65" Mits DLP for all that you mention. Both are 1080p, so this is going to be strictly a monitor. TY for the suggestion though!

As for n7 and dawza...thanks again fellas. You guys have been invaluable.

 

[n7]

Make sure you update us with your decision & then pics of the setup!

 

[SirFelixCat]

For sure...but it will be a few weeks, but I surely will. Bank on it! :thumbup:

 

[SirFelixCat]

Originally posted by: n7
As for which 30"?

Don't spent that much money & get an S-PVA panel.

There are reasons IPS tech is considered the best overall.

Review on the 305T vs. 3007WFP-HC.
http://www.behardware.com/arti...-dell-and-samsung.html
Default color is calibrated well on the Samsung (Dell isn't apparently).
But in every other regard, i'd say the 3007WFP-HC is superior.

The HP LP3065 is extremely good as well & features 3 DVI inputs, rather nice if you want to hook up another PC to it.

IOW, my pick would likely be either the Dell or the HP.

HP pros: three DVI, USB hub
Dell pros: USB hub & card reader, lower price than the HP (AFAIK)
Both use the same or very similar panel, so you shouldn't see much quality difference at least.

As for 20", it's going to be hard to find a decently priced VA/IPS panel 20", since they're largely a thing of the past.

I have the Samsung 204T, which i've found to be excellent (it's S-PVA).

A couple other good candidates for 20"ers (non TNs):
HP LP2065
Dell 2007FP

Holy crap...$400+ for a tiny ass 20" monitor? Each of the 3 you list are in that price range? Is it due to the panel itself?

I can't see spending that much for each of those small monitors. Other options to couple with my 30" HP?

 

[guitarizt]

LOL, hey felix, I'm from 2+2 by the same name. I just wanted to say that the responses you got on this thread were 100x better than on 2+2. I just started reading about some monitors on here, and the people here offer informed opinions that are a million times better than what I've seen on 2+2. I wish I decided to lurk here a long time ago.

 

[dawza]

The 1600x1200 S-IPS/S-PVA monitors are, unfortunately, expensive across the board unless you can pick up something used. The low demand/low supply works against you in the retail market, but you can find some pretty decent used models for cheap, as almost everyone is going WS and/or larger.

You can find excellent-condition 2001FPs on eBay for $200-250 shipped. These are S-IPS, and I feel that their image quality is every bit as good as that of the 2007FP; this was my first really high-quality monitor, and it served me well until I donated it to a friend who could make better use of it than I could at the time. The 2001FP will not let you down.

If you are patient and lucky, you should be able to find a used 2007FP for ~$300 in the FS/T forums. To give you an example, I purchased my LG2000C (essentially the 2007FP in a different casing and under the LG brand) for <$250 shipped- the monitor had been offered for some time, and the price kept going down due to lack of interest.

The majority of people simply do not have any real use for the 4:3 20" monitors anymore, or if they do, they are not willing to shell out the $$$ needed to purchase a non-TN panel.

 

[SirFelixCat]

Guitarizt: Sup bro...I've been building my own rigs now for 2+ years and have come here since the beginning to learn how. These guys are the kings of info/help and just good people in general when it comes to helping you out with all your computer needs. I just thought I'd cross ref. the forums to try and cover all my bases.


dawza: I think that's the route I will go. Once again, invaluable. You and n7 have taught me a ton about this the last week and I greatly appreciate it!

 

[boglwe]

I really dont care about bells and whistles that are attached to the monitor. I want to know abotu lag responce while playing FPS games. Anyone have either the Dell or Samsung or HP 30 inchers and play fast games? What is your experience?