Which 20.1" LCD?

[roemer21]

I have been seeing the prices go down on LCD monitors so much lately. I have had a CRT for as long as I have had a computer, and I think that it is about time to switch to LCD since they are getting so much cheaper and better and better as far as performance. So, I have a few questions to ask you all as a future buyer. At most I would spend $350 (realistically speaking). I would like a widescreen, unless there is just an awesome monitor out there for an extremely awesome price or whatever that any of you know of. I would also like it to have a DVI connection. The main purposes that I will be using this monitor for include the following in order of importance:

1. Gaming (all genre's, and doing a lot of it)
2. Video Editing (not too much of this, but enough for it to be a concern)
3. Some Photo Editing

Ok, so here are some questions I have:

1. Is there a huge difference in the viewable size of 20.1" and 19" widescreen monitors? (I have only seen a 20.1 in person, so I am just wondering if there is a noticeable difference in the two)

2. Which is a better value of the following...

-The Acer ET.L5209.005 19" Widescreen found here on newegg for $182.99 today:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009073

-The AG Neovo AGM CW 19" Widescreen on newegg for $179.99 AR:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824163130

-The BenQ FP202W Black 20.1" Widescreen on newegg for $299.99:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824014105

-The ViewSonic VX2025WM Black-Silver 20.1" on newegg for $329.99:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116381

or

-The Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP 20.1" Widescreen @ dell for $367.20:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/prod...spx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-4688

(I know this is a lot to consider, but just looking at the specs of them all, performance level, screen size, value, extra options (like s-video and composite etc.) and prestige of company with monitors)

3. Which monitor do you think would last the longest (warranty included) so that I can get the most out of the life and usability of my future monitor? (I want to be able to use this thing in 5 years and for it to still be a pretty decent monitor)

4. Would you buy one now, June 26, or let's just say in about 3-6 months from now? Why? (With the prices continueing to come down and with new models coming out, would it be worth it to wait a few more months? I don't need one today, necessarily)

And, lastly:

5. What would you guys buy if you were in my shoes?

I know this is a lot guys, but some input on this would really be appreciated greatly!!!!! Recommendations can be made as well for other monitors you guys might know of or that I might be more interested in. I would really like to keep my price range of $350 or below and I will only buy from an online vendor that is well known and has been around for a while (like buy.com, newegg, etc.), so keep that in mind with recommendations.

Thanks again guys!

S.R.

 

[Aenslead]

Keep your CRT if it still shows crispy images.

 

[ForumMaster]

i'd get either the dell or the viewsonic. acer makes cheap lcd mostly. i've never heard of Neovo and BenQ is not something to brag about. getting the 20.1" get's you higher rez which is worth the extra dough imo. a lot of ppl here really like that viewsonic and the dell is considered very good too. i'd get the viewsonic since i heard that the dell has some problems.

as for you question regarding lifetime of the lcd, remember all lcd's have a backlight cold flurescent lamp. and like all bulbs, they eventually die. turn of your lcd whenever you're not using and it will prolong the life of the lcd.

 

[corkyg]

Agree with F/M about Dell and Viewsonic - however - I would suggest going to a store that has then and look at them side by side. Direct judgment is often better than opinions which might reflect slight owner bias.

Many gamers prefer CRTs for their quicker response time, but I consider energy savings important in two areas.

1. LCDs give off much less heat, and thus my computer room is cooler, and requires less A/C.

2. LCDs themselves use less electricity than CRTs.

 

[tjpark1111]

add the VX1912wb to the 19" Widescreen Monitors list. That should be your only choice in the 19" category, then the dell/viewsonic in the 20" list.

 

[Squidward]

LCD's aren't quite at that level that they offer image quality as good as a CRT but they are gaining ground fast. Screen size between 19" and 20.1" is hardly discernable, however as another poster said, the 20.1' usually have higher resolutions. I wouldn't want to go less than 1600 by 1200 res nowadays, especially if you game. Widescreen can be nice but keep in mind that many games don't support wide screen resolutions so you wind up having the image stretched or black bars on the side areas. I personally have a 20.1 inch 1600 x 1200 Dell LCD monitor and I never want to go back to CRT again.

 

[bamacre]

The biggest difference between 19in and 20in is the native resolution. If you game at 1600x1200, or would like widescreen of 1680x1050, go with a 20in with that particular resolution.

I held out a while before going to LCD because I had a 17in Trinitron and gamed at 16x12, and had to wait for prices to fall a bit. I ended up with a Dell 2001FP, and have been enjoying it for well over a year now.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I have the viewsonic VX2025wm and I love it. OK there is *slight* motion blur (emphasis on the slight part) but the display quality beats my brother's Sony Trinitron 19" CRT. Weighs alot less too

Screen size for you is all about the resolution you want. The VX2025wm is 1680x1050 which is just about perfect for me. If you want 1440x900, get the 19" screen.

I don't know from personal experience but before I bought this LCD I did alot of research between this viewsonic and the dell 20.1" screen. I read alot over at hardforums and people who had both said that while the dell had a height adjustment and rotated - something the viewsonic can't do - the viewsonic's color, viewing angles, and response time was alot better, and the backlight bleeding that the dells have is almost non-existent with the viewsonic. There is a faint light X pattern when looking at a black screen I noticed, but very faint and not noticeable at all unless you like staring at a totally black screen all the time Dark games don't show it. Mine has no dead pixels either

My friend has a dell 19" LCD (not widescreen) and while it is a bit unfair to compare mine with his since they aren't the same size I did see that mine had better color, response time, and viewing angles. Maybe the 2007FPW is better than that, I don't know.

 

[Ike0069]

The only two I would consider off your list is the Viewsonic and the Dell.

It seems that now Dell has the color banding problem fixed on the 2xx7 LCD's so that is not an issue.

The 2007 WFP Dell uses an S-IPS panel (the 2007FP does not) which is superior in general to the VX2025 panel. The Dell also has height adjustability and more inputs than the 2025, plus Dell offers excellent support with paid shipping both ways for RMA's, and a 21-day no question return policy.

I think the two are very similar in speed in color reproduction, so for me it comes down to price and service. Right now the Viewsonic is $80 cheaper after tax. I personally think the Dell is the better choice, but I would still go with the Viewsonic if the $80 difference is an issue.

 

[R3MF]

there is a good samsung 19", 420BW or some such, only £180.

 

[cubalis]

Having used both 19 and 20.1 widescreen displays I found there to be a great difference in them, with the 20.1" being much more enjoyable. Mostly due to the resolution I imagine, but it just seemed like it was a lot more monitor.

 

[Skeeedunt]

Originally posted by: roemer21
-The ViewSonic VX2025WM Black-Silver 20.1" on newegg for $329.99:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116381

or

-The Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP 20.1" Widescreen @ dell for $367.20:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/prod...spx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-4688

 

[roemer21]

Thanks for responses to my thread everyone! What I am getting from all this is that I need to stick with Viewsonic and Dell, maybe Samsung (however, they tend to be more expensive unless I can find a nice sale). I think I've decided to go with a 20.1", because I do want a better screen resolution for gaming and so on. So, I think I've narrowed it down to the VX2025 and the 2007FPW. Here's my response on them:

Dell 2007FPW-
I think it looks really nice and I do like the multiple inputs and the usb is nice! It is pricier even though it's on sale. I have a friend with the 2005 and he loves it. Dell is known for having great service and policies on such. I currently have a Dell 19" Flat CRT (not near my home comp now so I don't know the model), and I have been pretty impressed with it. Dell is up there in my book for good monitor vendors. Last of all, I really like the adjustability of this monitor, and the s-video might come in handy in the future.

Viewsonic VX2025-
I really like the viewing angle and this vendor holds a lot of prestige when it comes to monitors for me. I had a 17" CRT for about a year, and I was very impressed with its' performance. This doesn't have as many imports or the adjustability of the dell, however, I have heard that it is a very nice monitor with crisp colors and good variations. I also have not heard of any problems with this monitor (fixed or not).

I'm no novice by any means, but I also don't know nearly everything on LCD's. Is there anything I'm missing here guys, or is this all I need to consider? Thanks again for the input!

(I looked up that Samsung 420BW, and it looks really nice! I don't think it's what I'm looking for though, but thanks R3MF)

 

[chef24]

That Dell shows up at $459, what am I missing?

 

[Makaveli]

Take a look at this monitor aswell

Samsung 19" LCD Monitor (960BF)

heard good things about it. From what i've read from the two choices your looking at so far
Dell vs Viewsonic. I've heard the Viewsonic has less issues, but then the dell has much more options and connections. So I agree with what everyone has posted so far.

 

[ItsAlive]

I have been looking to upgrade as well and I think i have settled on this monitor.

Might want to check it out.

Its an 8bit panel, 5ms response time, 1600x1200 resolution, Analog and Digital input, height, pivot, and tilt adjustments, and 3 year parts/labor/backlight warrenty.

Price is a lil more than the viewsonic, but I think its worth it.

EDIT: Sorry I skimmed past your $350 price limit. You can get it at chiefvalue for right at $350 shipped...after $20 Independance day promo, which is instant savings.