A question about Monitor Specs.

Well the difference between 2ms CAN be huge, or it can be nonexistent. You answered your question in part with your second question, the advertised response rate is GTG or gray to gray, which is NOT representative of the probability of ghosting. Ghosting occurs mostly with low CTC and BTW, or color to color and black to white respectively. These response rates are not measured because the number are usually between 5-15ms for BTW and 10-20ms for CTC, which does not look quite as impressive as 2ms GTG even though GTG means nothing. It is all a marketing tool. As long as the rated GTG is 5ms or below for a 6-bit panel, or TN panel, (you can tell if the viewing angles are 160/160, 170/170, 160/170, 170/160, or 176/176 degrees) or below 8ms for an 8-bit panel, like S-IPS or P-MVA, (178/178 degree viewing angles).

An 8-bit panel has much more accurate colors, 16.7 million true colors instead of the 252,000 true colors the 6-bit panels use. If you are wondering why some monitors with 160/160 viewing angles are listed as using 16.2 or 16.7 million colors it is because the modern day TN panels use dithering which mixes the 252,000 colors and produces close representatives of the other 16.5 million colors. This creates light black levels and slightly off colors. This is not all that noticeable and is acceptable for most, but putting a 6-bit panel monitor next to an 8-bit panel monitor or an HDTV, which uses a 10-bit panel, the difference will be quite noticeable especially in the black levels.

Okay, I understand what the GTG means... I was thinking that it WAS a marketting tool. Thanks for the confirmation.

Like most people, I think I'm trying to skim out by buying a cheaper monitor, when I can easily afford a little bit more. How am I able to tell which of these models truly uses 16.7 million colors and if the 5ms is not GTG and is actually better than a 2ms(GTG)?

Before I asked this, I had a monitor in mind. More on the cheaper end:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824236033

The main reason I would be buying a new monitor is to replace an HDTV I use, it's 32", but as I said I believe it's response time would be slower and it only supports up to 1280 x 720.. at least when I'm using it with my PC.

Being reasonable price wise, but not being cheap, is there a monitor in the 23" - 24" range that you would suggest? Such as one that truly uses 16.7 million colors and has a very fast response time?

Thanks

-Riley

Yes, I've owned the HDTV for the primary use of being my computer screen for the past two years about. I do use it to play games, and I can't say with any certainty that its response time is slow. I think it's response time is great, I just might not know any better. However, the maximum dimension it will run is horrible and it also has a problem with image sticking. It was a lower end HDTV... about $600 2 years ago. It's an Insignia, Best Buy brand.

Do you think it is worth the money to jump from a 6-bit to an 8-bit panel and how will I know if a panel is 6-bit or 8-bit when looking at them on say... Newegg? They don't seem to mention anything about that.

My apologies, I looked back and saw that after I had posted. I actually like the one you posted. Very sleek design. Very good price. I'm usually okay with refurbished, but they have no return policy at all it appears on refurbished, which bothers me slightly.

Is there a non-refurbished price I could refer too? I'm sure it is quite a bit more.

Also, what would you suggest for a good 6-bit monitor?

Thanks

-Riley

I recommend this 6-bit panel:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824014173

It is the same as mine with a slightly faster response time. It is one of the best looking 6-bit panels that I have seen and I really like it.