One IPS Display or Triple Monitor Setup?

[Steffwiz]

I'm in the market for a new display setup. I currently own an old HP 2709m 27" 1080p monitor. It's been great for the three years I've owned it, but I want something new.

So, my choices. I can either get one IPS display running at 2560x1440 or three LED LCD displays running at a combined resolution of 5760x1080. Both would be around the same price. $800 for a Dell U2711 and ~$800 for 3x Hanns-G 27" 1080p monitors.

So what to do? Productivity is important to me and I could easily use up the extra screen real estate for my programming duties. When I'm not programming I could definitely use the monitors for Nvidia Surround or Eyefinity (why I would be three of the same display and sell my current one). It would also be a great setup for movies or TV shows.

Both setups would give me an increase in resolution. The IPS display would give me better colors (which I've heard is fantastic) but at a loss in response time. The triple monitor setup would give me a larger display area, but my center monitor would remain unchanged where I would spend most of my time looking at. (in fact, it's a slight downgrade from my HP 2709m)

So anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? I currently own a brand new GTX 680, but I may be returning it to put off the cost of this setup. Eyefinity is more mature anyway, and I would probably wait until ATI's next generation and buy their flagship single-GPU card. Triple IPS displays is not an option. Even if I could afford it I can't justify that cost. Also, the cheap IPS panels that you can get from overseas aren't an option either. Anything but perfection is unacceptable.

Thanks!!

 

[Steffwiz]

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[swifty_morgan]

i have no doubt you can run 3 monitors but in order to run "eyefinity" or whatever, do the 3 monitors have to be the same ? just askin' ..................

 

[babernet_1]

I know you didn't want cheap overseas monitors since you want perfection. However, you can get "perfect pixel" monitors from overseas. That is, they are tested and no stuck or dead pixels are found. This link shows two massive 30 inch displays that are 2560x1600 that cost $719 and $987.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=&_osacat=80053&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=perfect+pixel+2560x1600&_sacat=80053&_from=R40


Of course you can get 27 inch "perfect pixel" 2560x1440 monitors for an astounding $340 and up.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Monitors-/80053/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=perfect%20pixel%202560x1440&_sop=15&_clu=2&_fcid=1&_localstpos=92025&_stpos=92025&gbr=1


The way this works is a follows. Apple will get a large batch of monitors from Korea. They take a statistical sample of the monitors and check for defects. Remember, they only sample some of the monitors. If the monitors they sample are good, they will take the entire bunch. But, if they find too many bad ones, they will reject the entire lot, that is, many untested, potentially perfect monitors are rejected if several of their "brothers" are bad. This is how these distributors can offer perfect monitors at cut rate prices, they are from rejected batches where not all the monitors are bad.

 

[bryonhowley]

I run 3x Asus 27" monitors in my Eyefinity and they are great. I was really concerned when I got them coming from high end CRT's for many years but I must say they have been great. As far as Eyefinity as far as I know they have to all be the same native resolution as far as I understand at any rate all my monitors are the same on my setup.

 

[geofelt]

Do you have room on your desk for three 27" monitors?
They will span about 6 feet.
And, if they do not have the 178/178 viewing angle of the ips displays, the side monitors may look a bit washed out

If you want perfection, look at a 30" 2560 x 1600 monitor.
It will have about 4 megapixels.
You can keep your 27" 1080P monitor as a side monitor, giving you 6m pixels of display space.
Eventually, you can add a second 305T.
That is what I did.
A 30" 2560 x 1600 monitor will go for about $1100.
But, you can buy factory refurbished Samsung 305T monitors for about $900.

If you want triple monitors, you can attach them with your GTX680. And, no, they do not need to be the same.

The smaller 2560 x 1440 displays have a different aspect ratio, and will have 3.6m pixels.
Keeping your old monitor, you will then have a total of 5.6m pixels.
That is not a bad option either.

One plus for three identical monitors is that you can drag windows across them seamlessly.
The colors will be the same, and sizes will not change. Either can be a distraction.

If you were playing games, then the triple option would be good. It would be distracting to see a bezel in the middle of your gun sights if you had only two.
But for productivity, I would pursue a plan to end up with two large displays.
Buy the best. If you don't buy what you want, you will forever be wondering.

 

[Steffwiz]

i have no doubt you can run 3 monitors but in order to run "eyefinity" or whatever, do the 3 monitors have to be the same ? just askin' ..................

For Eyefinity, no. Eyefinity has ways that can combine some different monitors. Nvidia Surround as it currently is MUST have 3 identical monitors.

 

[Steffwiz]

I know you didn't want cheap overseas monitors since you want perfection. However, you can get "perfect pixel" monitors from overseas. That is, they are tested and no stuck or dead pixels are found. This link shows two massive 30 inch displays that are 2560x1600 that cost $719 and $987.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=&_osacat=80053&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=perfect+pixel+2560x1600&_sacat=80053&_from=R40


Of course you can get 27 inch "perfect pixel" 2560x1440 monitors for an astounding $340 and up.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Monitors-/80053/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=perfect%20pixel%202560x1440&_sop=15&_clu=2&_fcid=1&_localstpos=92025&_stpos=92025&gbr=1


The way this works is a follows. Apple will get a large batch of monitors from Korea. They take a statistical sample of the monitors and check for defects. Remember, they only sample some of the monitors. If the monitors they sample are good, they will take the entire bunch. But, if they find too many bad ones, they will reject the entire lot, that is, many untested, potentially perfect monitors are rejected if several of their "brothers" are bad. This is how these distributors can offer perfect monitors at cut rate prices, they are from rejected batches where not all the monitors are bad.

But some are. If I get one with stuck pixels I'm out of luck. There's no returning it. Even the "perfect pixel" ones can have stuck pixels. Their "perfect pixel" guarantee also does not cover blacklight bleed or yellow tint. It's a huge risk.

Also, the good versions of those monitors that lack the AD board only accept DVI-D inputs. Unless I SLI'd two cards I would be unable to drive three monitors.

 

[Steffwiz]

Do you have room on your desk for three 27" monitors?
They will span about 6 feet.
And, if they do not have the 178/178 viewing angle of the ips displays, the side monitors may look a bit washed out

If you want perfection, look at a 30" 2560 x 1600 monitor.
It will have about 4 megapixels.
You can keep your 27" 1080P monitor as a side monitor, giving you 6m pixels of display space.
Eventually, you can add a second 305T.
That is what I did.
A 30" 2560 x 1600 monitor will go for about $1100.
But, you can buy factory refurbished Samsung 305T monitors for about $900.

If you want triple monitors, you can attach them with your GTX680. And, no, they do not need to be the same.

The smaller 2560 x 1440 displays have a different aspect ratio, and will have 3.6m pixels.
Keeping your old monitor, you will then have a total of 5.6m pixels.
That is not a bad option either.

One plus for three identical monitors is that you can drag windows across them seamlessly.
The colors will be the same, and sizes will not change. Either can be a distraction.

If you were playing games, then the triple option would be good. It would be distracting to see a bezel in the middle of your gun sights if you had only two.
But for productivity, I would pursue a plan to end up with two large displays.
Buy the best. If you don't buy what you want, you will forever be wondering.

For gaming the monitors must be identical. That is a limit with Nvidia Surround. I just don't think I can justify spending $800 on a monitor when I can buy two 1080p displays (with slightly more display area) for $300 cheaper.

 

[swifty_morgan]

For Eyefinity, no. Eyefinity has ways that can combine some different monitors. Nvidia Surround as it currently is MUST have 3 identical monitors.

that's why I put "eyefinity" in ( " " ). couldn't think of nvidia surround. but yes, that's what I thought. thanks for the input.

 

[swifty_morgan]

here, i knew i read it somewhere... compliments of nividia......

In 2D Surround, any combination of monitors that share common timings is perfectly acceptable, though each must have, at minimum, one DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort connector. Aesthetically, identical monitors are preferable, but not a requirement.
In 3D Vision Surround, each monitor must be an identical make and model, and you must use three matching digital connectors. We will go into detail below, but you may need additional adapters for this.
The Accessory Display, the forth monitor, does not have to be identical to the three Surround displays, but does require one of the three possible connectors.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geforce.com%2Foptimize%2Fguides%2Fhow-to-correctly-configure-geforce-gtx-680-surround&ei=9a6IUIP-K4XM0AHnxIDQAw&usg=AFQjCNEPQdKmKExlFWD-maXUkFUGG_i2DA&cad=rja

 

[geofelt]

For Eyefinity, no. Eyefinity has ways that can combine some different monitors. Nvidia Surround as it currently is MUST have 3 identical monitors.

Surround is for gaming, and I suppose identical monitors might be required.
I am no expert there.

But for normal desktop work, you can attach disparate montiors to yout GTX680, of to any other graphics card, and windows will use them to extend your desktop to the second. I do this all the time.

If you play a game with such a setup, the game will launch on just the primary monitor.

 

[Steffwiz]

Best answer selected by Steffwiz.