24in 1920x1200 Sub $350 Monitor

[madscientist24]

I just recently built a new PC and was considering getting a new monitor. I currently have a Dell UltraSharp 2007FP 20in, which I think is a S-PVA and has a 16ms response time, not sure though. I've had it for about 3 years and haven't really had any technical problems with it. However, with my new PC and the crazy graphics from modern games, I feel its time I got myself a 24in monitor (24in-27in actually).

My budget for a monitor is somewhere below $350. Any higher than that and I start thinking that perhaps it would be better to get an LCD TV. My problem is figuring out what type of monitor is best for me. I mostly use my computer for gaming, but sometimes I mess around with photos, though not a lot. Since my current monitor is an S-PVA, I'm thinking that if I was to get a TN monitor, I might notice the color difference and not like it. However, a TN panel is all I can afford so... Its not like I got a choice. A TN panel also has a lower response time so I might do better in some online games I play (since I'm pretty decent already on my current monitor, which has 16 ms response time). I'm thinking that I can partly offset the color problem with a high color gamut to make it look vibrant, not exactly sure if that's exactly what color gamut does though.

So, can anybody recommend a good, cheap monitor with a 1920x1200 native resolution and a high color gamut (cant ever find color gamut in the specifications...)?

Currently, I'm considering the Samsung 2433BW-1, priced at about $330. I don't know what color gamut it has though.
SAMSUNG 2433BW-1 High Glossy Black 24" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 20000:1(1000:1)

 

[jaguarskx]

I'm thinking that I can partly offset the color problem with a high color gamut to make it look vibrant, not exactly sure if that's exactly what color gamut does though.

It doesn't work that way. TN panel's shortcomings come from the fact that they cannot truly reproduce 16.7m colors; they can only produce 256k colors. Using dithering technique to blend colors roughly 16.7m colors can be created. Color accuracy is good enough for the average person, for professional graphic artists TN panels should be avoided at all possible cost unless you don't mind being ridiculed and ultimately fired for handing in shoddy work.

Color gamut basically affects the hue of colors. Your Dell 2007FP is a normal color gamut monitor so you are used to seeing colors at a certain hue. Wide color gamut monitors tends to have a bit of green over saturation because the color gamut range is extended in the green hues. Normal color gamut is basically uses for graphics works to be displayed on a computer screen. Wide color gamut works best for printed materials because it better imitates colors which comes out of a good / high quality color printer. Printers uses 4 colors to create the entire spectrum of colors; Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, Black. Monitors uses 3 colors; Red, Green, Blue. Why is wide color gamut monitors more common than normal gamut? Don't know, probably advertising; if you saw one monitor advertised as "Normal Color Gamut" and another advertised as "Wide Color Gamut" what's your natural conclusion gonna be without any other knowledge?

The biggest limitation with TN panels are viewing angles. The more off-center you are from the monitor, the more the colors fade. Even sitting directly in front of the monitor and looking at that edges of the monitor you may notice the color variations. All LCD monitors suffers from viewing angles, but it is most pronounced in TN panels. If a TN panel monitor is all that you can afford, then that's that.

Also don't pay any attention to Dynamic Contrast (DC); it is another advertising ploy. The true measure to look at is Static Contrast which typical ranges from 700:1 to 1000:1.


I can't really help in your search for a TN panel monitor 'cause I only bought one and it is used very little; I think I turned it on a couple of times in March. Here's a review to my Asus VK246H 1920 x 1080 if you wish to read it. Rather long...

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/54250-3-asus-vk246h-review-final-update


Here's a link to a site with a lot of monitor reviews which can help you narrow your search. The Asus VK246H is reviewed by them.

http://www.prad.de/en/monitore/reviews.html

 

[madscientist24]

I already new about half of that, but thanks for the other half. Especially the info on the color gamuts which I didn't really know squat about. However, isn't color gamut rated as a percentage? What your suggesting, then, is that I have to consider whether I would prefer a wide color gamut or a normal color gamut (most likely I would go with normal since my PC isn't connected to a printer), as well as the percentage. Now what exactly does a high NTSC percentage or a low NTSC percentage mean for color gamuts? And when applied, what does it mean for my eyes (i.e., what am I seeing when I have a low or high NTSC percent color gamut?)

Thanks for that website too, I was looking for a good site where I could see monitor reviews. That seems to have very well made reviews with lots of info.

 

[jaguarskx]

Many / most monitors produced today are wide color gamut. My old 19" Planar PX191 from 2002 is normal gamut (72% - 74%). In 2007 I upgraded to the 26" NEC LCD2690WUXi which uses wide color gamut (94%) it took a little bit to get used to.

Wide gamut means the range of colors is extended, but it tends to be extended more in green than red or blue. Below is a link to a Fallout 3 wallpaper...

http://www.wallpapers10.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Fallout_3.jpg

On a normal gamut monitor the armor and everything else will have a grayish look. On a wide gamut monitor everything will look greenish-blue. That is an extreme example, the difference between normal color gamut and wide color gamut has never really bothered me until I set that as my wallpaper. I needed to manually tweak my monitor to get something somewhat acceptable. Other than a couple of Fallout 3 wallpapers (it's a grayish world) I'm pretty happy with my NEC.

 

[madscientist24]

Ok, I think I got it now. Interesting bit of info you've given there. Thanks for that.

It seems, then, that if most monitors today have a wide color gamut, and that I can only afford a TN panel which will have just about the the same viewing angles and color accuracy as any other TN monitor, then most monitors will be the same. So the final monitor I choose is almost entirely subjective. Especially since most TN monitors have a response time below 5ms and a contrast ratio of 1000:1. (Of course, not considering connections, features, and and other non inmage related things...)

Edit: Anyone know if these monitors are any good (cant find a review for these or the Samsung 2433bw-1...)?
HP LA2405wg Black / Silver 24" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 3000:1(1000:1)

ASUS VW266H 25.5in Widescreen LCD Monitor 2ms 300 cd/m2 Glossy Black Retail

 

[madscientist24]

Best answer selected by madscientist24.

 

[chaponius]

I just bought the new HP ZR24W, it uses standard gamut, H-IPS panel. Great reviews from what I've seen and it just got released last month. Should be arriving tomorrow. Cost me 400$ shipped, so if you can shell out the extra 50 I think its more than worth it. If you need more advice I would check out [H]ard forum as it is much more of an active forum when it comes to Displays and they have a ton of info(80 pages deep on the ZR24W). Tom's is my forum of choice otherwise. Hope this helps.
-Dave

Oh almost forgot to mention- the native res is 1920x1200 so this display should fit your needs.