Best LCD for gaming / eye strain

[RussianCarl]

I am sure this has been answered before but through searching and browsing this forum I haven't come up with a satisfactory response.

I am currently using a 17" CRT monitor that is dying. I've avoided LCD's all these years because everyone I have used has given me headaches and eye strain. I have used crappy ones they had at my old work, my parents have 2 lower end Dells, and my brother has a Dell too. I can't stand staring at either of them for very long... the colors look odd and I can start to feel my eyes hurting.

I am not sure where to go or what to try now. Maybe I should try to find a non-TN LCD monitor? Maybe try an IPS? 120hz? LED back lighting?

If I knew for sure it was brightness or ghosting that killed my head it would seem easy to fix... but the fact is I just don't. I'm also prone to migraines and sensitive to fluorescent lights in stores so price isn't nearly as important to me as comfort. Still, something in the $200-300 range would be best.

Thanks guys.

 

[wassja]

I would recommend LEDs with S-PVA, P-MVA, or IPS panels, because they have no dithering, which is similar to flicker.

 

[jaguarskx]

I would recommend LEDs with S-PVA, P-MVA, or IPS panels, because they have no dithering, which is similar to flicker.

All current monitors that have LED backlight only use TN panels (to the best of my knowledge).


TN panels and only truly create 256k colors. To bring that number up to about 16.7m colors TN panels use temporal dithering to create colors it cannot normally produce on it's own. Temporal dithering flashes quickly between two colors to fool the brain it is seeing a 3rd color.

For example, let's say a TN panel cannot create purple on it own. Using temporal dithering, the TN panel will quickly flash between red and blue so that your brain thinks it is seeing solid purple.

 

[wassja]

I didn't know that.

 

[Guest]

The BenQ EW2420 is a VA LED backlit panel.


as to the brightness adjustment, monitor controls should allow you to edit the RGB levels, just decrease those to change the 'brightness' the actual brightness adjustment only determines how bright the backlight is, changing the RGB to be lower blocks more of the light from getting out therefore lowering brightness .


120hz wo'n't help with eyestrain, the backlight is what would strain your eyes from flickering, due to the persitance of pixels in LCDs the image is just like looking at paper its the backlight that will strain the eyes which is normally at 200hz,
i'd assume therefore that LED backlit displays use higher frequency LEDs, i'd recommend you check with the manafacturer what the actual frequency is unless you can find some specs somewhere on the web.

You may also want to check the anti-glare coating as well, they do mess with some peoples eyes (some are rather grainy and attract the eyes meaning your eyes are constantly flicking between the anti-glare coating and the image, may also have the same problem with reflections, best the eliminate the possibility of glare and get rid of the coating really)


Personally i have a dell u2410 with anti-glare removed and all sources of light being direct away from the monitor.
first LCD monitor i've felt is less fatiguing to use than the sony GDM FW900 CRT

 

[jaguarskx]

The BenQ EW2420 is a VA LED backlit panel.

Ahh.. So it is.

And here's a review: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/benq_ew2420.htm

However, it isn't the best for gaming since there is a decent amount of ghosting; more than on the Dell U2410.

 

[wassja]

LCDs with flicker-free backlights haven't caused me headaches or eye problems to my knowledge yet.

 

[dzver]

Hi there I have problem with my new LED from BENQ, wassja you have any idea about some settings with the graphic card, I tried some but it doesn't looks well... and should i search for anti-glare ? tnx to everyone

 

[wassja]

I don't think I can help you dzver with the LCD you have. If I needed an LCD that wouldn't cause me health problems I would go for one that has a flicker-free backlight. I would probably try the GW2760HS or the BL2411PT from Benq. But I don't guarantee they will help or that they are suitable for gaming.