Starting new monitor research: Why not just get a LCD TV?

[Patrick Wolf]

(probably quite a bit less input lag than my S-PVA)

While I can't speak for your older LED, input lag on my LCD is a non-issue.

LED sets are still too expensive for what they offer. They're getting better and 2010 models are more affordable. Need some reviews though.

 

[Genx87]

Been using my 67" LED DLP for months like this. In fact the next machine I build will go on that relegating my current gaming machine to just a lowly work computer. Right now my Dell Precision laptop is on the 67". There is some slight blurring on the edges in Win7 but the gaming experience is ridiculous.

 

[RussianSensation]

I think it would have more "ghosting" more than a regular LCD. Maybe someone else can elaborate.

I think the tv will also have different resolutions that might look stretched if using as a monitor.

Ghosting is subjective depending on how sensitive a person is to it. But I would imagine the best LCDs are better than LCD TVs in this regard. I personally don't notice any ghosting on my Westy. Either way, today there are LCD TVs with 2.7ms response time such as the LG 42 inch for $600: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1964194

As has been mentioned in this thread, the cheaper $500 LCD TVs pale in comparison in black levels to a plasma (say even a $600 Panasonic Plasma TV). It is only the most expensive LED TVs that come close to Plasma black levels. However, you just can't use a Plasma for a computer monitor or you'll burn in the icons. So unfortunately this isn't a viable option.

As has been mentioned, the resolution is a factor we well. A 2560x1600 30 inch monitor is a sexy beast (but then again it costs 2x more). Every time I go to the Apple store, it's about the only thing (and the iPhone) that still amazes me. But it's $2,100 CDN (yikes!).

Even with all these factors, a 37-42 inch PC monitor is what I would take over any PC monitor other than the 2560x1600 30 inch panels. The resolution disadvantage is not such a big deal since I tend to sit farther than when in front of a 24 inch monitor. Therefore, 1920x1080 is actually plenty for a 37 inch monitor. Honestly, a person would probably have a very tough time reading a website or do office work if they had a 2560x1600 37 inch monitor and sat 3-4+ feet away. It certainly does create unnecessary eye strain at farther distances.

On the positive side, you get a large screen that's also good for movies. At the end, its' a tradeoff between higher resolution vs. larger screen. I would pick 1920x1080 37 inch screen for games+movies over a 24 inch 2560x1600 screen any day though. I can say that the Westy in my cig is rather old and its color accuracy and black levels leave much to be desired. At least it's not a TN panel

Overall, I would say 2 screens or more are best for productivity, a 30 inch panel is the best compromise for movies and games if budget is no issue. If you tend to lean more towards best bang for the buck and watch movies just as much as game, I would get a $500-600 37+ inch LCD TV. Each market has its target.

One thing to keep in mind, you can always cheat resolution in a game or a movie by sitting farther away. But you cannot cheat size

 

[konakona]

Text is fine on my 32'' about 3.5 feet away from the screen.
The size of the screen feels "just right", at least this site seems to agree with my subjective findings.

I have never had a pleasure of owning a 2560x1600 monitor, so I can't comment on that. Between the 32'' monitor and a 24'' monitor (P-MVA soyo), there is no contest. I do not notice any ill from supposed lower pixel pitch and everything is better on the TV.

People seem to prefer IPS-Alpha to H-IPS / S-IPS, and I know of no monitor built with an IPS-Alpha panel. Then there is the whole thing about the cost of ownership. I got this awesome TV for $365 shipped, at what price do 30'' H-IPS monitors start again? A single 5850 should be fine for some time for 1080p, whereas with a 2560 rez you will definitely need another one on top of that.

So in the end, you are looking at over 100% premium for some improvement in pixel pitch, for a panel that is arguably less favored. For a budget minded gamer / movie lover I think the choice is clear.

 

[JoshGuru7]

I recommend at least checking out a 2560x1600 display in store before you go with a 1080p HDTV. It's been one of the better pickups I've made for both gaming and just general computer usage. If the price differences between a 24" monitor and a 32" TV don't matter to you then the difference between a 32" TV and a 30" monitor probably won't matter either.

2560x1600 is particularly excellent in games with complicated user interfaces (MMOs, RPGs, or RTS). It's probably the least helpful in FPS games but can still be a nice improvement there if you can lower the DPI of your mouse on the fly for sniping purposes. Overall graphics look really great but require a lot more horsepower to run on high quality settings.

 

[konakona]

If the price differences between a 24" monitor and a 32" TV don't matter to you then the difference between a 32" TV and a 30" monitor probably won't matter either.

Provided you are comparing apples to apples (nice IPS panels) and get good deals on both, price difference in the former comparison is almost nil. The latter though, easily x3 and more.

 

[daddy-o]

I went through this a while back, and I'm still in the middle of figuring out what to do. I did some research and found a 26" Vizio that was 1080P and IPS, I figured it was the holy grail. It was impossible to find at a store, but one day I found one at the local BJ's.

For gaming, it was awesome, but it had a real issue with colored text on a dark background, to the point of being unreadable. I had to take it back.

My next try was an eyefinity setup of 3 20" 16:9 IPS screens (Dell 2007wfp, very wide screens). The landscape was too wide for practical reasons, and the portrait was dominated by bezels because of how wide the screens are. The real estate was awesome, but I felt the bezels killed immersion.

I sold the panels off, and now I'm back in the market for a good 32" TV. I think if you get the right panel, you can really make out well.

Of course a 30" monitor is better than a 32" TV, it's also 2X the price. duh.

 

[chucky2]

Holy Lordy, I never expected that much of a response!

Sorry for the late reply, I've been in and out sick so I did read some responses, I just didn't feel well enough to post.

I'll just make some general comments:

1.) Right now he's using 790GX video, so no way is that going to drive 19xx let alone 2560. He knows he'll have to get a new video card, but, he wants to keep the price down as much as possible. I'm thinking either a 5850 or 5870...probably wait a bit (at max a month) to see if the prices come down.

2.) Unless 30" LCD prices come down by a very large amount in the next month, I don't see these being an option. At the most, I don't think he'll be wanting to spend more than $600 on a display, $200 or so on a video card; maybe I'll help him out a little there, but I'm not going to help him out a large amount. Given both of these $$$ amounts, I think it's really a debate between 24" LCD monitor and something in the 32"-42" LCD TV range. But, #3...

3.) The comments on viewing distance from a large display are good ones, and something I'll have to check on once he gets up for work tonight. That didn't even cross my mind when I started this, but, it's probably the most important factor. Given the room he has to work with, how his bedroom is arranged is basically the only way it can be arranged. So the distance he sits now is going to be the distance he sits with the new display. I'll have to take a measure on that. The good news is that I myself own a 32" LCD TV (old 720p though), so I can measure that, put it on a piece of cardboard, and he can get a rough idea if that is going to be too much for him. Because of distance to display, he may be limited to a 24" LCD monitor despite even wanting a TV.

Thanks All for your comments, they were all greatly appreciated! :thumbsup:

Chuck

 

[konakona]

It should be noted that if he (or you? ) ever decide to go with an LCD TV, do some research on panel types and input lags. I did mine and concluded there are not that many viable options if gaming is your priority. That's how I settled with my panasonic, very happy that I did so.

 

[Childs]

When I upgrade my living room TV I used my old 40" 1080p Samsung as my PC monitor. I have a big desk, and sat about 3' away. It was too big and too bright for me. A 32" 1080p set might have been alright, but if you are going to be sitting at your desk a regular PC monitor would not only look better at 24", but cost significantly less. Samsung has a 23" 1080p PC monitor/HDTV. I chipped in on one for a friend's bday, and it was a pretty good compromise. Was like $240.