What makes a good monitor?

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letsrelax

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Jun 3, 2013
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I have been looking at monitors and there are a lot of different numbers to look at that mean a lot of different things.

I want to buy one monitor now and in the future buy 2 more to do 3 screens since I will be doing sli with 780s

I know for sure the lower response time is optimal for gaming

So here is a list of different monitors I'm interested in, but I want to get something the best for my buck and nothing overkill. I want to run very high quality games. I am NOT doing any 3d gaming so I do not need anything special for that. Any advice is appreciated.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236313

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236153

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236305

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236175
 
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You're welcome - glad I could help :) And I guess what I'd say there is that if you could get 120Hz IPS/PLS, it would be a good thing to buy. People speak highly of 120Hz and I can see it working quite nicely with v-sync. As it is though, 120Hz means having buy TN, and that's a huge compromise. Personally, it's not a compromise I'd make when IPS/PLS image quality is so much better.

Remember every TFT monitor is about compromise - there is no perfect monitor that will get top scores in every department, because the panel technology simply doesn't exist. Manufacturers can only work with what they have, which are the panels coming out of LG, Samsung, Chi Mei Innolux and AU Optronics. Until AMOLED monitors are affordable, the closest...
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sam_p_lay

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Mar 26, 2010
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Some people prioritise speed above all else. For those who prioritise quality, panel type is the most important factor. You want IPS or PLS. Forget the specs - other than size and resolution, they're mostly a load of crap. Contrast ratio is important but don't take the manufacturer's numbers - get on a professional monitor review site like tftcentral.co.uk and check out the measured values for yourself. My recommendations:

Speed: ASUS VG278HE

Quality and speed:
ASUS ML229H
ASUS ML239H
ASUS PA238Q
ASUS PB238Q
ASUS PA248Q
ASUS VG23AH
ASUS MX239H
ASUS MX279H
ASUS PB278Q
Iiyama ProLite X2377HDS
Iiyama ProLite XB2380HS
Iiyama ProLite X2485WS
Iiyama ProLite XB2485WSU

I'd recommend the ASUSs above all.
 
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letsrelax

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Jun 3, 2013
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Is there going to be a noticeable difference between 5ms vs 2ms? that is probably my biggest worry since all the monitors I have listed are 2ms or lower

I know that for faster response time usually the resolution is lower and slower response times usually has higher resolution.
 
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sam_p_lay

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Mar 26, 2010
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The resolution thing is slightly true, but there are very fast 27"ers. Forget that response time crap though - refer to actual measured speed (reviews, not manf specs) and high-speed photography. To illustrate:

A 6ms IPS panel:

philips_273e3qhsb.jpg


Now see how another 6ms IPS panel performs:

dell_u2410.jpg


And an 8ms IPS panel so you can see just how much that counts for :)

nec_p232w.jpg


Most TN panels are slower than the fastest IPS/PLS, though the fastest TNs of all are the fastest monitors (VG278QE for example). The right side by the way is worst-case-scenario and even the VG278QE shows a little trail there. Left side is best-case-scenario and very few monitors are as good as the 2nd and 3rd there, not even TNs.
 
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sam_p_lay

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Absolutely. Provided you have a good RTC overdrive on it (like Asus Trace Free, NEC Response Improve, HP Video Overdrive or to a slightly lesser extent Iiyama Over Drive) then you'll be able to get excellent response without having to sacrifice image quality.
 
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letsrelax

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One last question what is the difference from 60hz to 120hz? Is this a big importance when buying a monitor especially since I want to game frequently on it?

Thank You for all of your help and the clear cut answers it helps tremendously
 
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sam_p_lay

Splendid
Mar 26, 2010
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You're welcome - glad I could help :) And I guess what I'd say there is that if you could get 120Hz IPS/PLS, it would be a good thing to buy. People speak highly of 120Hz and I can see it working quite nicely with v-sync. As it is though, 120Hz means having buy TN, and that's a huge compromise. Personally, it's not a compromise I'd make when IPS/PLS image quality is so much better.

Remember every TFT monitor is about compromise - there is no perfect monitor that will get top scores in every department, because the panel technology simply doesn't exist. Manufacturers can only work with what they have, which are the panels coming out of LG, Samsung, Chi Mei Innolux and AU Optronics. Until AMOLED monitors are affordable, the closest thing to a perfect allrounder is an IPS/PLS with excellent RTC overdrive.
 
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GObonzo

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i have a 24" 1080p 60hz 5ms and a 27" 1080p 144hz 2ms and there is a big difference in the amount of ghosting you may notice on certain games. the 2ms response time works much better if you're playing at higher frame rates.
also i researched about buying an IPS monitor for about 6 months. and every demo i checked in every store i passed they looked really nice when running hi-res photos or tailor made demo videos. the only thing was they didn't look as great when running hi-res games. blacks always seemed strangely colored and their seemed to be a halo effect around most of the lighter brighter colors.
 
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