Widescreen VS Regular

[nydennis]

I'm in the market for a LCD monitor in the 21-24 inch range. I'm either waiting on the newer Dells to come out early next year ( or whenever) or going with the Samsung 214t or 244t. I mainly play games. If I watch one movie a year on my monitor that will be a lot.

Whats best for gaming. UT2007, Quake 4 type games? Will near future games all be in widescreen format? I've read the LCD Guide that was written in these forums. This will be my first LCD and I want to make sure I get the best.

My Video card is a 7800gtx if that helps any.

Thanks

 

[RobertR1]

I have a Dell 2405. While it's awesome to play at 1920x1200, you have to commit yourself to upgrading to the lastest ultra high end card from either company about once a year. That high of a res. is quite taxing on a card and as more demanding games come out, your card starts aging quickly.

For example: my x800xt PE was great a year ago for playing HL2 and FarCry but now I've had to get a x1800xt to play the newer games at that resolution. Next time this year, I'll have a R600/G80 because I'll be in the same boat again. Just my experiences......

 

[Ackmed]

IMO the Widescreen "boom" was the best visual improvement in the last 18 months or so. With games that support WS, you get more game, and a more natural look. I would get a WS over standard every time.

More and more games every year are supporting WS, and most out of the box. Almost all can be made to run in WS, only a few do not. Biggest is probably BF2 which REALLY annoys me.

I do agree 1920x1200 can be a double-edged sword. It has made me upgrade my X850XT/PE to a 7800GTX, then to adding another GTX for SLI. Because F.E.A.R. and CoD2 wouldnt run well enough for me on a single GTX.

Few HL2 shots between a 2001FP, and a 2005FPW. 1600x1200 to 1680x1050.

Pic one;
http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/2005FPW/FS-1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/2005FPW/WS-1.jpg

Pic two:

http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/2005FPW/FS-2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/2005FPW/WS-2.jpg

Pick three;

http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/2005FPW/FS-3.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/2005FPW/WS-3.jpg

As you can see, WS gives you more game, in a game that supports it. Which is getting more and more all the time.

 

[Zebo]

Ackmed you sell aquacomputer?.. noticed in link..

 

[Ackmed]

No, I used to have a dual loop watercooled Aqua-Computer/Swiftech/Innovatek/D-tek PC-70. Just called the directory aquacomputer. I did help snt-systems get off the ground though. They were the first place to sell AC gear this side of the Atlantic.

Few pics of it;
http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/Aqua/175.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~aquacomputer/Aqua/157.JPG

 

[fstime]

Once you go widescreen, you don't go back.

/thread

 

[VERTIGGO]

I play on a 12x10 monitor, and I still use 12x7 for a lot of games just because widescreen just feels better, and its definately the future.

 

[Zebo]

I actually prefer less than normal (4:3) and choose 5:4 -- almost a square!!.. To each his own.

But it makes more sense to my eyes.. less drift from center of screen and same distances from center. Disliked my 2005 since day 1.. I currently use a dell1905 for text and DaimondPro 2070 while game until they fiqure how to make LCD's w/o motion blur ...

Ackmed YGPM


BTW nydennis - you should never take a monitor, speakers, keybaord or mouse recommendation blindly.. Always check them out yourself and compare and contrast since their is wild quality and subjective differences.

 

[wpeng]

As CRTs are slowly being phased out in the TV market, I think widescreen will dominate. I'm not sure about the computer market though.

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

Try a 26" Syntax LCD tv...most can be had for about 500ish shipped. This is an AWESOME monitor. I am pretty picky and have the 27" which is older and slower and I love it. Is it perfect...nah...but really darn cool and I have had mine for a year now. Watch Syntax on the rebates...keep all your stuff...you will need it.

 

[kmmatney]

I use a Samsung 213T everyday at work. To me, the Samsung 213T "feels" like a widescreen, especially after only using 5:4 ratio LCDs in other places at work and at home. The thing is huge.

I just bought a widescreen LCD for home, and am still getting used to it. In my case it was a 19" widescreen (ViewSonic), and I only have 900 pixels in the vertical direction, and I really miss the extra 164 pixels from my 5:4 LCD. Movies are stunning, but so far games have been a struggle. Too many games I play do not support widescreen, so it feels like I'm constantly fighting my new LCD. What really sucks is that my monitor is not scaling properly, so everything is stretched full screen! Very frustrating.

I paid $560 for my Samsung 213T at work. Right now, the 214T is well over $700, which is too high. If you can get the Dell 24" for less than $900, then I think its the best deal. You can always run it with proportional scaling at 1600 x 1200 if the card cannot handle full resolution, or you are playing a game not meant for widescreen.

 

[SonicIce]

Originally posted by: Zebo
I actually prefer less than normal (4:3) and choose 5:4 -- almost a square!!.. To each his own.

But it makes more sense to my eyes.. less drift from center of screen and same distances from center. Disliked my 2005 since day 1.. I currently use a dell1905 for text and DaimondPro 2070 while game until they fiqure how to make LCD's w/o motion blur ...

Ackmed YGPM


BTW nydennis - you should never take a monitor, speakers, keybaord or mouse recommendation blindly.. Always check them out yourself and compare and contrast since their is wild quality and subjective differences.

Where/when did u get the beautiful 2070 ?

 

[wpeng]

Originally posted by: kmmatney
I just bought a widescreen LCD for home, and am still getting used to it. In my case it was a 19" widescreen (ViewSonic), and I only have 900 pixels in the vertical direction, and I really miss the extra 164 pixels from my 5:4 LCD. Movies are stunning, but so far games have been a struggle. Too many games I play do not support widescreen, so it feels like I'm constantly fighting my new LCD. What really sucks is that my monitor is not scaling properly, so everything is stretched full screen! Very frustrating.

You mean Dell monitors are the only ones that allow the option of 1:1 or proportional scaling or stretched?

 

[w00t]

its just a more real feel to the game and everything else you eyes naturally see wide so when you have a widescreen monitor it helps to see better. I think its the future and it will take over regular 4:3, 5:4.

I am waiting for the new 2007FPW

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: Zebo
I actually prefer less than normal (4:3) and choose 5:4 -- almost a square!!.. To each his own.

But it makes more sense to my eyes.. less drift from center of screen and same distances from center. Disliked my 2005 since day 1.. I currently use a dell1905 for text and DaimondPro 2070 while game until they fiqure how to make LCD's w/o motion blur ...

Ackmed YGPM


BTW nydennis - you should never take a monitor, speakers, keybaord or mouse recommendation blindly.. Always check them out yourself and compare and contrast since their is wild quality and subjective differences.

Where/when did u get the beautiful 2070 ?

From Dell!!.. Over a year ago they had it for $499 shipped with a 20% off deal. I had a 930SB at the time but heard Unx diamondtrons being phased out last xmas so i jumped on it. Wish i had gotten 3 of them for storage but was'nt sure about longevity of capacitors etc over the next 10-15 years.. plus I think LCD should catch up by then, right?

 

[toyota]

people keep saying widescreen is the future but it seems like less of the newer games actually support it. FEAR for example doesnt.

 

[jiffylube1024]

FEAR is a backwards game in that respect. All Xbox360 games are required to run in 16:9 widescreen with 720p (or at least have that mode available). The PS3 has a similar requirement I believe; last I heard PS3 games needed to support 720p with 1080p as optional.

Widescreen is definitely the future on consoles. Its integration in the PC market is slower, and less certain, but the improvements are quite tangible for the games that do support it.

I'm using a 2005fpw and love it . My friend's 19" LCD seems so boxy and limiting in comparison (5:4 aspect ration).

Although widescreen doesn't really help much for text/surfing. It is nice having extra room for toolbars and stuff in programs such as Photoshop.

 

[w00t]

Originally posted by: toyota
people keep saying widescreen is the future but it seems like less of the newer games actually support it. FEAR for example doesnt.

toyota
Member

Posts: 54
Joined: 03/10/2005

not to be an ass but your still nub its okay we were all there.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: toyota
people keep saying widescreen is the future but it seems like less of the newer games actually support it. FEAR for example doesnt.

Actually, it does. And more and more games do support it. A lot more than this time last year.

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: w00t

Originally posted by: toyota
people keep saying widescreen is the future but it seems like less of the newer games actually support it. FEAR for example doesnt.

toyota
Member

Posts: 54
Joined: 03/10/2005

not to be an ass but your still nub its okay we were all there.

what the hell does that have to do with what i said? i am not here just to raise my post count. there are people in the forums with thousands of posts that dont seem to know what they are are talking about sometimes. what is the point of your post anyway since it doesnt contribute anything to the discussion?

 

[JRW]

Originally posted by: wpeng
As CRTs are slowly being phased out in the TV market, I think widescreen will dominate. I'm not sure about the computer market though.

You say that as if widescreen CRTs dont exist , im typing this on one right now (Link) and wouldnt trade it for any LCD on the market

But like someone mentioned above once you go widescreen I doubt you'll buy another 4:3 display.

 

[wpeng]

Yeah, I know (since I've been looking for a cheap WS CRT), but it seems to me they are getting fewer and fewer as LCDs get cheaper.

 

[SonicIce]

Originally posted by: Zebo

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: Zebo
I actually prefer less than normal (4:3) and choose 5:4 -- almost a square!!.. To each his own.

But it makes more sense to my eyes.. less drift from center of screen and same distances from center. Disliked my 2005 since day 1.. I currently use a dell1905 for text and DaimondPro 2070 while game until they fiqure how to make LCD's w/o motion blur ...

Ackmed YGPM


BTW nydennis - you should never take a monitor, speakers, keybaord or mouse recommendation blindly.. Always check them out yourself and compare and contrast since their is wild quality and subjective differences.

Where/when did u get the beautiful 2070 ?

From Dell!!.. Over a year ago they had it for $499 shipped with a 20% off deal. I had a 930SB at the time but heard Unx diamondtrons being phased out last xmas so i jumped on it. Wish i had gotten 3 of them for storage but was'nt sure about longevity of capacitors etc over the next 10-15 years.. plus I think LCD should catch up by then, right?

lol. man thats too bad who knew though. When you use 1280x1024 on a 4:3 monitor, do you make it so there are black bars on the left and right or do you just stretch the pixels? why don't 19" CRT's recommend 1280x960?

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
lol. man thats too bad who knew though. When you use 1280x1024 on a 4:3 monitor, do you make it so there are black bars on the left and right or do you just stretch the pixels? why don't 19" CRT's recommend 1280x960?

The pixels are stretched for any different resolution on a CRT as far as I know. At least that's what happened on my old 17 inchers. I guess no consumer has heard of 1280x960 at least relative to all the 1280x1024 LCDs on the market.

 

[nydennis]

Thanks for all the great responses and the screenshots of the differences in games. Like I said I've never had to really look at a LCD so I was out of hte loop on whats out there. I plan on either buying one local or from Dell as they seem to have the easiest return policies.

I'm going to wait for sure to see what is new from Dell in a month or so. I'm pretty much locked in on widescreen so that probably puts me into the Samsung 244t or the dell range of monitors.