Best Large Monitor for Gaming/School work?

[kaimbanks]

Hey guys,

I'm currently running a pair of 21.5" 1680x1050 cheap-o Dell monitors as my main displays in my room at home. After seeing a friend's 28" Hanns-G monitor and my dad's Thunderbolt display, I've decided I'd like to upgrade my monitors ASAP because I'm missing out.

That said, I'm looking for a reasonably-priced single large monitor for my desk at home. I haven't yet determined a budget, but have about $400 in cash at the moment (I'm 16).

What's the best monitor for that price? I think I'm going to stay away from the smaller 23-24" monitors just because they're only a little bigger than my current monitors. I've been looking at the Hanns-G 28" monitor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254052

for $270, with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. Would this be my best bet for a new monitor? Would it be worth saving up for a while to get a nice 2560x1440/1600 monitor? If so, can you recommend a well-priced 2560 monitor? I'd like it to be compatible with both my PC and my 2011 MacBook Pro, if possible!

Thanks a lot for your help!

My Build:
i5 2500K @ 4.5 GHz
Gigabyte UD3H-B3 MOBO
Sapphire Radeon 6870 1GB
OCZ Solid III 120GB SSD
Corsair H80 Water Cooler
NZXT Phantom
Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 16GB RAM

Cyborg MMO7 Gaming Mouse
Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard

 

[kmaster224]

Try these: http://www.squidoo.com/gaming-monitors

 

[kaimbanks]

Hmm, interesting - they seem to like the ASUS VE278Q, which does have good reviews, but is only 1920x1080. Would you recommend the VE278Q over something like the Hanns-G?

 

[kmaster224]

In my opinion I would have to choose the Hanns-G over the Asus. But the ViewSonic is a good deal also-->http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=24-116-483

If you are looking for 1920x1200 than the Hanns-G is good for that price, but for an LED at 1920x1080 the ViewSonic is also very good. Is there a particular reason you want 1920x1200?

 

[kaimbanks]

I'm planning on using the monitor for schoolwork and miscellaneous internet research as well, and I've heard horror stories about how bad 1080 looks on a huge 27" screen... I figured the extra 120 pixels would make a difference in the overall sharpness of the image, is this correct?

 

[kmaster224]

Well, I don't have experience with 27" monitors myself since I have not decided on which to get. But my friend has a 37" 1920x1080 LCD TV that looks perfectly fine. You just dont want to sit to close otherwise any monitor will be distorted.

 

[kaimbanks]

Alright, thanks for the info. Does he use the TV with his PC??

 

[Trist_58]

If you are prepared to spend the cash, I would personally recommend the Samsung S27A850 PLS monitor. It's a 27" LED 2560x1440, has decent colour, and decent (for it's class) response time. A crystal clear display.

The other contender for 1440p would be the Dell U2711. It's contrast ratio is superior to the Samsung's but many have complained that the aggressive anti-glare coating makes it hard to read black text on a white back ground. This might be a deal breaker if you will use your new monitor for school work etc.

Either way, both of these exceed your current budget but it would be worth the wait until you have the cash, IMO.

Good luck with your choice.