Looking for monitor advice

[tempestmir]

Hey all,

I've been using a Vizio 32" 1080 HDTV as a monitor for ages, and while it works well enough I would really prefer a 27" legit monitor. This would be for (non-fps/non-rts) gaming. Mostly WoW, occasionally Sims (don't judge me!).

System is Win 8.1 - i5-3570K - 16gb RAM - with a GeForce GTX 660 (Gigabyte) (not Ti).

So my initial question would be: what would be the best monitor for the above specs in the <300 range?

From older threads I've seen suggestions for this Acer and either this or this Asus.

Was also considering this BenQ

Thoughts? Other options?

My secondary inquiry would be: should I be buying a monitor for the above specs or is it time to consider a GPU upgrade?

I haven't had any issues with the 660 (that I'm aware of), and I don't have any other upgrade plans (mobo, cpu) in the near future, but I figure it's always worth getting opinions. There's usually no shortage of those.

I did notice, looking at the 3/2015 GPU hierarchy, that the non-Ti version of the 660 isn't really even on the radar, so that alone may answer my question.

Thanks for the help!

 

[yeskay]

Hey all,

I've been using a Vizio 32" 1080 HDTV as a monitor for ages, and while it works well enough I would really prefer a 27" legit monitor. This would be for (non-fps/non-rts) gaming. Mostly WoW, occasionally Sims (don't judge me!).

System is Win 8.1 - i5-3570K - 16gb RAM - with a GeForce GTX 660 (Gigabyte) (not Ti).

So my initial question would be: what would be the best monitor for the above specs in the <300 range?

From older threads I've seen suggestions for this Acer and either this or this Asus.

Was also considering this BenQ

Thoughts? Other options?

My secondary inquiry would be: should I be buying a monitor for the above specs or is it time to consider a GPU upgrade?

I haven't had any issues with the 660 (that I'm aware of), and I don't have any other upgrade plans (mobo, cpu) in the near future, but I figure it's always worth getting opinions. There's usually no shortage of those.

I did notice, looking at the 3/2015 GPU hierarchy, that the non-Ti version of the 660 isn't really even on the radar, so that alone may answer my question.

Thanks for the help!

That's monitor is a good choice. But I would recommend this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Monitor: BenQ RL2755HM 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($264.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $264.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-21 09:56 EDT-0400

Why RL2755HM?

D-sub / DVI / Dual HDMI / TN 1080p / 1ms gtg refresh rate / Accessories: HDMI & Audio Cable included.

- Ultra-Fast 1ms GTG Response Time.
- The Black eQualizer Gives You Razor-Sharp Visibility.
- Fighting Mode to Sharpen Your Focus.
- Low Blue Light as Eye Safety Precautionary Measure.
- Gaming-comfort Flicker-free Technology - lessens eye fatigue, great for longer gaming sessions.
- Customize Your Individual Viewing Preference. [See image below]

- Eco friendly, Windows 8/8.1 Compatible for Versatility.

Since you're playing only WoW and Sims, I would say stick to 660. If you really have the upgrade in your mind, I would suggest that you wait 50 days. Why?:

AMD reiterates plans to introduce New Radeon R9 300 Series GPUs in June 2015.

Source: KitGuru.Net - Read this full article with approximate R9 300 GPU Prices.

The AMD's new R9 300 Series, are expected to use High Band Width Memory (HBM) that will consume less power yet offer superior performance than GDDR5 technology.

Cheers!