Which Dell Monitor To Get out of the 2????

[ethanz117]

-Hi guys. I need a monitor and have narrowed it down to the two:

-Dell S2330MX 23" Ultrathin LED 1920x1080p: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&sku=320-2748 @ $169.99
-Dell ST2420L 24" Full HD LED 1920x1080p: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&sku=320-9334 @ $179.99

-Which one would be better suited for gaming (Grand Theft Auto or similar w/ Geforce GT640), photo and video editing, and sometimes spreadsheets. DO NOT CHOSE THE 24" JUST BECAUSE I SAY I WORK WITH SPREADSHEETS. It is only 1", i don't care about that considering I'm currently doing the same things on a 19". The 23" is "ultrathin" at 1.19in thick, while the 24" is 2.35in. thick.

-The 23" is classified as "true" LED monitor, while the 24" is a "Full HD Monitor with LED Backlight". Both are TN,

-23" has .265 pixel pitch, 24" has .277 pixel pitch.
-23" is 2ms Gray to Gray Typical overdrive, 24" is 5mm typical
-23" gamut is 82% (CIE 1976) / 72% (CIE 1931), 24" gamut is 81% (CIE1976) / 68% (CIE1931).
-The 23" has a VGA and DVI-D but no HDMI; however it includes a HDMI-DVI dongle
-The 24" has a VGA, DVI-D and HDMI

For more info use the links above.

So again, which would be better suited for -Grand Theft Auto w. GT640 -Photo & Video Editing -Some Spreadsheets
Also, what should I use for connection? VGA, DVI-D, or HDMI?

 

[MauveCloud]

Comparing them at prad.de, the size is the only significant difference (the pixel pitch is a direct result of the size). Response times given by the manufacturers are marketing BS, not usable for comparison, and I don't understand how they could list different color gamuts, considering they both use the same panel and backlight technology. DVI-D and HDMI are tied for optimum connection, as they're both digital and highly compatible. HDMI also carries audio, but that's only a benefit if the monitor or tv you're connecting has speakers.

Basically, I think both would be equally suited for your usage. 24 inches would be a slightly bigger jump in size from 19 inches, but you'll have to decide for yourself whether that makes it better or worse.

 

[ethanz117]

Well I'm not sure they actually use the same backlight technology. The 24" seems to be LCD but lit with LED.....otherwords only LED backlight. Otherwise how can it be so much thicker than the 23"?

 

[MauveCloud]

I think there are only two types of LED backlights in use in monitors:
1. "White" LED (or W-LED), which is actually a blue LED with a yellow phosphor to simulate white. These are generally used for budget monitors (such as these two dells)
2. RGB LED, which are used in super-expensive monitors for graphics professionals, and allow wider color gamut.
There are variations like single-edge lighting, double-edge, all-around, and zone lighting, but I don't think those would affect the color gamut significantly.

As far as why the 24 inch is thicker, I think it's because it has the ports pointing downward (see the picture by "Choose your connection" on the Dell page for it you linked), so the housing has to extend further back to make room for them and the plastic around the cable-side connectors. The 23 inch has the ports pointing straight back, allowing the monitor to be thinner.

 

[ethanz117]

I talked to a dell agent and she said that the dells use RGB LED???? Also I will probably get the 23" as its thinner and has a better review off CNET....

 

[ethanz117]

Best answer selected by ethanz117.

 

[MauveCloud]

I talked to a dell agent and she said that the dells use RGB LED???? Also I will probably get the 23" as its thinner and has a better review off CNET....

RGB LED at those prices? The agent must have been mistaken. Even Dell's UltraSharp series only uses W-LEDs, and the ones you were looking at are budget models. I found 5 monitors that use RGB LED backlights based on TFT Central's Monitor Panel Part Database, and they're way more expensive:

Samsung XL20 (1600x1200), refurbished $1025.60
HP LP2480zx (1920x1200), new $1,761.00
LaCie 724 (1920x1200), new $1,753.34
Samsung XL30 (2560x1600), refurbished $3,703.57
LaCie 730 (2560x1600), new $3,499.00

Those are all VA and IPS panels, too. I don't think manufacturers would bother with the expense of an RGB-LED backlight to go with a TN panel monitor.