Well, the two most practical ways to go that I know of if you're worried about dead pixels:
1) Just research the actual screens. Certain brands and certain models have dead pixels half the time when they show up. Certain ones have about 100+ reviews on NewEgg with maybe one guy complaining about a single dead pixel. The ViewSonic 1912 has 6 out of 294 ppl complaining about dead pixels. That's 2%, which seems pretty reasonable (and many more people will write to complain than write to say they have no dead pixels, so it's probably closer to 1%).
2) If you're really concerned, you're just not going to be able to find a substitute to going to the store. Just find a Best Buy or wherever. Even if you have to drive two hours and pay $200 extra. You're paying for being able to return it. And you should probably just find the manager and tell them you're going to buy it but you want to plug it into one of their display computers right there.
3) Get one of the ViewEras with a no dead pixel guarantee.
Those are essentially your options. Unless there's some holy grail of online LCD vendors, there's nothing else you can do. I just don't know of anybody with a better return policy than NewEgg, and I doubt you would ever find a place that wasn't charging a disproportionately higher price relative to the 1-2% chance that you'll actually get a dead pixel.
Of course, maybe there is an online vendor out there. I suppose that's why you made this thread.
🙂
edit: and I usually buy half my stuff from ZZF, but NewEgg is $4.50 cheaper on this one.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116373
