Should I switch over to widescreen right now?

[archcommus]

I currently have a 19" 5:4 Samsung 930B that I am very happy with. I don't game much or watch movies on my computer at all while at school, but I will do both a lot over the summer and would actually probably do it more just to make use of a new widescreen monitor. If I got one I would possibly get the Samsung 205BW, 20", 6 ms reponse time, $289.

My one concern is the 6-bit panel. My current 930B uses a 6-bit panel, and I am absolutely fine with its colors and image, but I'm thinking, if I'm going to upgrade, perhaps I should insist on 8-bit. My other concern is vertical height. I'm thinking it'll appear too small so maybe I shouldn't go widescreen until I can afford a 24". I also don't know if every game I play (mostly shooters) will support 1680x1050, AND I don't know if my current rig (A64 3200+, 1 gig of RAM, X800 XL) will be enough to power all my games at that res (I don't feel like upgrading right now).

So those are just some concerns and questions. I would appreciate input.

 

[Dkcode]

Its something your gonna have to decide yourself on this one im afraid as the widescreen thing is down to personal prefrence, and becuase your upgrading from a 19", like you said yourself; the hight will be slightly smaller (a 20" widescreen is like a 17" panel with extra bits stuck on the side). I do belive one member here upgraded from a 19" panel to a 20" widescreen, the VX2025WM to be precise, and seemed to be very happy with his upgrade.

Anyway I would reccomend the upgrade to a 8bit panel if you can, some say you wont notice the difference but if you get a good quality IPS panel such as the NEC WGX2 you most definitely will. Speaking of the latter, i would reccomend that over the current panel you have in mind. Becuase for a bit more, you will get a much higher quality monitor that will make you feel like you have upgraded and not just swapped around the shape of your screen.

 

[archcommus]

Thanks! That post alone helped clear some things up. 20" widescreen really may be a bit small in the height department, I'm not sure. And even though I am very satisifed with the image and colors of my 930B, I should try to move to 8-bit if I'm going to be spending this money. When I decide to do this, if Samsung does not have any affordable 8-bit panels on the market, perhaps I will look at that NEC you mentioned or even the new Dell that is coming out next month. Or maybe try and go to 24". Maybe that'd be overkill?

 

[archcommus]

Whoa, were you talking about this monitor? That's a LOT more money, heh. If all 8-bit panels are that much, maybe I SHOULD consider sticking with 6-bit even when I move to widescreen.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: archcommus
Whoa, were you talking about this monitor? That's a LOT more money, heh. If all 8-bit panels are that much, maybe I SHOULD consider sticking with 6-bit even when I move to widescreen.

I have the silver model. GREAT monitor. Accurate color/blacks. TEH BEST.
Just get it if you have the money. Josh and Zebo have it so you can get that too.

 

[Matt2]

Widescreen is a big plus.

1680x1050 is a perfect resolution for a 20" WS display and isnt extremely GPU intensive like say a 24" monitor with 1920x1200.

The biggest plus for me is that gaming on widescreen is much more immersive and offers a much more natural viewing angle.

I just played CSS on my brother's 19" CRT and I'll never again buy or play games on a non-widescreen monitor.

Everything felt scrunched together and was overall, not a pleasant experience.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Check the hot deals section on the 215tw, for the price its selling at its hard to pass up.

 

[TheRyuu]

If you don't want to upgrade your rig then you should be able to run it at 1680x1050.

First off, go ahead and read the sticky (if you havn't already).

I have a Viewsonic VX2025wm. It's a 20.1in and I love it.
You won't find it in the buyers guide though. (too many problems??? pfft ). But it does have a lot of issues (in general, I have none). Theres the gamma problem, DVI port problem, scaling problem, etc.....

The best 20.1in is the NEC but thats nearing the price of a 24in. WS
The next best would be the Dell 2007fpw. Thats probably the one to look at. If you want a 21in. then your only good option is the Samsung as all the other 21/22in 1680x1050 WS monitors are crappy T&N models.

 

[Dkcode]

Originally posted by: archcommus
Thanks! That post alone helped clear some things up. 20" widescreen really may be a bit small in the height department, I'm not sure. And even though I am very satisifed with the image and colors of my 930B, I should try to move to 8-bit if I'm going to be spending this money. When I decide to do this, if Samsung does not have any affordable 8-bit panels on the market, perhaps I will look at that NEC you mentioned or even the new Dell that is coming out next month. Or maybe try and go to 24". Maybe that'd be overkill?

If you have the $$$ for a 24" widescreen i would go for it but its gonna cost a shitload. You will need a new video card for sure, and maybe a upgrade every year. Not very economical!

I didnt realise that NEC cost that much more, i live in the UK and its about £300, i didnt bother to convert so maybe thats why. As you already know; Dell are releasing a new monitor for a very good price. Under $300 i belive so if this turns out to be 8bit then maybe its worth considering.

Your best bet now is to go to a store and find a 20" widescreen model on display, even if its crap model and compare the viewable area to what you use now. Then you can make up your own mind on the matter. Remember if you do take the plunge; you can use both monitors as a dual setup.

 

[xtknight]

I went from a VP930b to a 20WMGX2. I was breathless. Trust me, you'll notice: a much more uniform screen, deeper blacks, more saturated colors, wider viewing angles, better response time control, and a less annoying OSD. If you're willing to spend the amount of money a 24" costs, I say: why not get yourself one of the best quality 20" LCDs? Not only will you save on video card upgrades but you'll also be more impressed with the picture quality. I wouldn't replace this thing with a 2407 even if it was free. For movies/HTPC, perhaps the Dell would best it, but certainly not for gaming.

 

[BuckNaked]

I recently went from a Dell 1800FP to the Samsung 215TW, and find the wideangle a MUCH more natural fit for the way your eyes view things... I go back to a 4;3 aspect and it seems very cramped. Hard to explain in a short summary, but not only does the new screen perform better than my old screen, but things are just more accommodating when viewing them on the widescreen.

 

[archcommus]

Thanks for all the replies! Lots of info to sort through. You are definitely helping me make some decisions though.

From reading some replies, I've decided against a 24", just because I don't want to have to keep up with those resolutions, and I'd have to spend more money for a worse monitor. I've also decided for sure that I do want widescreen, because so many of you say it feels so much more natural for gaming, and it'd be a bit nicer for all the movies I watch all summer.

With that said, I'm just left to decide if a 6-bit panel is okay as an upgrade or not, and if I want to do this right now, and if I need/want HDCP support. Like I said, I am FINE with the colors on my current 6-bit panel, but if I'm going to be upgrading anyway perhaps I should insist on 8-bit. That qualification alone would rule out a lot of displays. And how important is HDCP support? I mean, true, not having it will disable me from playing hi-def content in the future, but with a 1680x1050 display I can't display true 1080i/p content anyway. So is it really a big deal for a display of 20" or smaller?

Thanks for the input, keep it coming, it's great I can come here with such a general question and get such awesome feedback.

 

[archcommus]

Bump.

So let's say I demanded 8-bit and HDCP support, and wanted an ~20" display. Then obviously a good choice would be the Dell 2007WFP. With the current 15% discount and free S&H discount, I could get the monitor for $362 shipped including tax right now. Is that something you would jump on currently? Or could I get a better deal? Or are we expecting that price to drop once the new $289 monitor comes out next month? Or, are there better options completely that include an 8-bit panel and HDCP?

And of course I still have the question of whether having HDCP support even really matters or not with a display that can't show true 1080p content anyway.

 

[xtknight]

The Dell 2007WFP sounds like a perfect deal to me.

 

[CaiNaM]

i upgraded from a 19" to a 20.1" and haven't looked back. love it.

would get an 8-bit tho.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: xtknight
The Dell 2007WFP sounds like a perfect deal to me.

Yeah I'm pretty sure I want 8-bit after reading your opinion from switching to the NEC you have now. And I can't see myself wanting a bigger or different display anytime soon, so I think I want something I can keep for 3+ years easily. That Dell sounds like a good deal I'm just really hesitant right now because we still don't KNOW for sure what panel that new E207 will include.

Also, for gaming, are you sure I wouldn't prefer a faster 6-bit panel over an 8 ms/16 ms 8-bit?

I appreciate all the help! Big decision here heh.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: xtknight
The Dell 2007WFP sounds like a perfect deal to me.

Yeah I'm pretty sure I want 8-bit after reading your opinion from switching to the NEC you have now. And I can't see myself wanting a bigger or different display anytime soon, so I think I want something I can keep for 3+ years easily. That Dell sounds like a good deal I'm just really hesitant right now because we still don't KNOW for sure what panel that new E207 will include.

The e207WFP is supposedly to be available "immediately" (which probably means a week in marketing speak) so then we will know for sure. Dell would have to be selling at a loss for this to include an S-PVA at this price. It's simply unfeasible, and if the 5 ms response time rating has anything to it, it has to be a TN because there are no S-PVA or S-IPS panels rated under 6 ms. Not to mention, all of their e series contain TNs to my knowledge.

Also, for gaming, are you sure I wouldn't prefer a faster 6-bit panel over an 8 ms/16 ms 8-bit?

I appreciate all the help! Big decision here heh.

I don't know. Maybe you would but I value colors over speed. I haven't had a chance to play with the fastest TNs but I can't say if they'd be noticeably faster than the fastest S-IPS ones. Hardware review sites have measured a faster time on the TNs (7 ms actual vs ~14 for S-IPS) so..maybe. I have my doubts about how fast the e207WFP will be. Many 20" TNs have very unimpressive speed and I'm hoping the e207WFP will change that. I just don't know.

 

[archcommus]

Thanks a lot. Considering what you said I'm sure you're absolutely right that the E207WFP will have a TN panel. I'm just not sure about making the conversion to a slower 8-bit panel yet. My current display is 8 ms typical and these 8-bit displays are 8 ms GTG and 16 ms typical. While I'm sure you're right that once I see a good 8-bit display I will love the color reproduction, the fact still is that I am happy with the colors of my 6-bit and do not want to see a noticeable speed degradation after UPGRADING my monitor from what I use now. Still nothing definitive yet, though.

 

[archcommus]

Then again, so many people on here own and love the older 2005FPW, and it has a 16 ms response time and I never heard of complaints much.

 

[archcommus]

I have to say, I'm also tempted by the Acer AL2216Wbd. I like that it's 22" so I won't be losing so much physical vertical height, it's only $329 plus shipping, 3-year warranty, 5 ms response time and brightness and contrast ratios equal to my current monitor, and even though the response time is low so I'm sure it is a TN 6-bit panel, the specs claim 16.7 million colors capable, so perhaps it's equipped with very good dithering? Either way it's hard to ignore this choice entirely.

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: archcommus
Bump.

So let's say I demanded 8-bit and HDCP support, and wanted an ~20" display. Then obviously a good choice would be the Dell 2007WFP. With the current 15% discount and free S&H discount, I could get the monitor for $362 shipped including tax right now. Is that something you would jump on currently? Or could I get a better deal? Or are we expecting that price to drop once the new $289 monitor comes out next month? Or, are there better options completely that include an 8-bit panel and HDCP?

And of course I still have the question of whether having HDCP support even really matters or not with a display that can't show true 1080p content anyway.

well you could buy a 20wmgx2! for $600!

haha i did that.


also if you dont want it to look "small" buy a 22" 1680x1050 like the acer or samsung ones . the samsung AND acer and probably the 22" sceptre that is super cheap right now are all TN i believe.

 

[Dkcode]

Originally posted by: archcommus
Thanks a lot. Considering what you said I'm sure you're absolutely right that the E207WFP will have a TN panel. I'm just not sure about making the conversion to a slower 8-bit panel yet. My current display is 8 ms typical and these 8-bit displays are 8 ms GTG and 16 ms typical. While I'm sure you're right that once I see a good 8-bit display I will love the color reproduction, the fact still is that I am happy with the colors of my 6-bit and do not want to see a noticeable speed degradation after UPGRADING my monitor from what I use now. Still nothing definitive yet, though.

I posted a video of my 20" NEC LCD2090UXi playing CS:Source for some user who never PM'd me back. Anyway the video quality is not great but it gives you an idea of the performance of the monitor. My monitor uses a 8 bit 8ms GTG / 16ms Typ A-TW-IPS panel. This should give you an idea of how the monitor will perform if you decide to buy a 8bit panel.

The video is here. Hope this helps.

 

[RampantAndroid]

I've got a Viewsonic VX2025...I don't think its small...I love it (it is 8-bit, looks pretty good once you adjust its settings)

I'd say if you want widescreen, and you're going to upgrade, get WS. The only real issues with the 2025 - washed out looking (I set the digital vibrance up through the nVidia drivers, looks great now), and a lack of scaling. I really don't think that the NEC WS models are worth the premium when this one costs over $200 less and looks just as good.

An other note - It depends what games you play if you can handle it. My 7800GT can run most games at 1680x1050 on high settings without issues....but that's now. It will probably be destroyed in months to come.

 

[dawza]

Monitors I have owned/used:

19" LG1981Q- 6-bit TN with dithering
20" Dell 2001FP- 8-bit S-IPS
20" Dell 2007FP- 8-bit S-IPS
20" Dell 2007WFP- 8-bit - need to check panel type
24" Dell 2405 FPW- 8-bit PVA

The LG had the lowest rated response time- it was also horrible in terms of viewing angles, black levels, and overall color reproduction. The poor color quality combined with the restricted viewing angles meant that in dark games (Doom 3), items lying on the floor were muddied/hidden at times. Unless TN technology has improved drastically in the last year or so, I would stay away from these panels.

All of the Dells have been great- no issues with ghosting even with fast FPS games (i.e. UT2004). The 2001FP was/is a great monitor; the 2007s both have banding when viewing gradients, but during normal 2D and 3D use, I can detect nothing awry. I would send them in for a firmware update, but the 2007WFP belongs to my girlfriend who, like most "average" users does not really care about grayscale bands, response time, or panel technology (although I would bet good money that anyone would notice a distinction between a TN and an S-IPS or S-PVA panel). The 2007FP is mine, and I would rather deal with banding which for all practical purposes does not exist, than risk getting an S-PVA-based 2007FP in return.

The 2405 is my primary display, and despite having a plain old PVA panel, I do not notice any dramatic color shifting from side-to-side. Black levels and overall color quality are not quite as good as the 2001/2007FP, but still dramatically improved over the 1981Q. The enhanced immersion of 24" largely makes for this. If there is any ghosting or input lag, I have not noticed it.

I have the 2007FP and the 2405 running simultaneously, and while the 2007FP does maintain its color better over a wider range of angles, as well as appear a bit more vibrant (for lack of a better term), I still prefer the sheer size of the 2405 for work, browsing, reading, and movies; games are a bit of a toss-up between the enhanced immersion of the 24" monitor vs. the better colors and black levels of the 2007FP. I tend to favor the 2405 most of the time.

I would rather own an S-IPS or S-PVA 20" monitor, than a 22" TN-based LCD. I dare say that even if the TN were 24", I would still go for the the smaller, higher-quality display.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: xtknight
I went from a VP930b to a 20WMGX2. I was breathless. Trust me, you'll notice: a much more uniform screen, deeper blacks, more saturated colors, wider viewing angles, better response time control, and a less annoying OSD. If you're willing to spend the amount of money a 24" costs, I say: why not get yourself one of the best quality 20" LCDs? Not only will you save on video card upgrades but you'll also be more impressed with the picture quality. I wouldn't replace this thing with a 2407 even if it was free. For movies/HTPC, perhaps the Dell would best it, but certainly not for gaming.

are all these monitors gonna be OK for use with Vista?

i know there were some issues with copywrited material and playback on older monitors

for me, i believe the 'natural' cost-effective upgrade from a 19" CRT to a WS LCD would be 20" . . . 24" is very expensive