Trying to decide my next monitor

[Commander19]

Hello fellow members of the Nexus.

 

I've been shopping around for a monitor as my current monitor is functional and all, but I kind of want to get a new monitor for a slightly higher resolution and also due to the monitor's age, it could go kaputz at any moment. I've found a few that have peaked my interest however, none of them have been the ideal monitor as well... it is very difficult to find any sort of combination I am looking for. Although I am willing to compromise, the dilemma I have been having is exactly what to compromise on.

 

My Ideal Monitor:

• 16:10 Aspect Ratio (1440x900, 1920x1200, or 2560x1600)
• VA, IPS, or PLS panel; I've heard TN panels have not-so-great colors.
• At least 75Hz Refresh rate (preferably 120Hz)
• 6ms Response time or less.
• LED Backlight

Now obviously after reading that, it sounds like I am a bit particular and I am. I can't really afford to get two separate high-end monitors to serve both purposes. I do a variety of different things such as gaming (one of my prime), video rendering, occassionally CAD, and programming.

 

My System specifications are:

• NZXT Phantom Full Tower Case
• ASUS Crosshair IV Formula Motherboard
• AMD Phenom II X6 1100T @ 3.3GHz Idle; 3.8GHz Turbo
• 8GB G.SKILL Sniper Low Voltage Series DDR3 1600 RAM
• EVGA GeForce GTX 580
• 2TB HGST Deskstar 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD
• 250GB Samsung SSD

If there is absolutely one thing I have zero interest in compromise in is the panel type as I've just heard way too much negativity towards the color reproduction is terrible and if there is one thing especially as a gamer that I am very picky about is color.

 

Some monitors that have peaked my interest:

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16824116530

 

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16824236294

 

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16824260020

 

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16824236049

 

 

I have considered just getting a high-end monitor like this one by ASUS, but again the lifespan of my current 16:10 monitor is probably going to be coming to an end soon since I've had it for 5+ years and any monitor is better than no monitor at all.

 

Any suggestions? Thanks for the help in advance. http://forums.nexusmods.com/public/style_emoticons/dark/smile.gif

[FMod]

If there is absolutely one thing I have zero interest in compromise in is the panel type as I've just heard way too much negativity towards the color reproduction is terrible and if there is one thing especially as a gamer that I am very picky about is color.

? But all of the monitors you've listed, including the "high-end" (hardly) one, have TN panels. Except for two (one IPS dell and one PLS asus).

 

Do you really need 75 Hz? Almost everything out there is 60Hz. It's not like there is a real difference except for 3D (which is 120+), since it isn't like CRT refresh rates. Though there is one Korean 120Hz IPS monitor, and even there 120Hz is a firmware glitch; IPS panels are simply too slow.

 

Response time in "ms" don't matter. That number is assigned completely at maker's whim. A monitor with real 8ms response time would have zero ghosting even at 120 Hz; for zero ghosting at 75Hz threshold would be 12ms. The numbers used to be faked with rigged tests, now they don't even bother with that. Generally a maker will assign them in such an order that faster panels will be rated as faster, but even that isn't always the case.

[kalikka]

If you want 120hz TN, take XL2420T or similar (im using S23A700D).

If you want 60hz IPS, U2412HM or similar.

My S23A700D is glossy, so it has better colors than normal TN. (glossy=acts like a mirror with bad lighting as it has 0 anti-glare coating)

 

IPS has better colors and viewing angles, TN has 120hz.

Only 120hz IPS I know are korean monitors (catleap/etc.) that have been overclocked.

Edited December 21, 2012 by kalikka

[hoofhearted4]

i currently have This monitor cant say anything bad about it.

 

then there is its 16:10 big brother. i didnt get that because i didnt want 16:10.

 

i cant say if IPS monitors have 75Hz versions available, but i can tell you they Do Not have 120Hz ones available.

[Erik005]

I bought the Dell UltraSharp U2713HM last week, and was blown away by it, the colours are just stunning and skyrim has never looked so good.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of both the monitor itself and the software.

 

So one of the monitors hoofhearted4 linked to would be a very good option.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260111

 

It might be a little expensive but it is just :woot:

Edited December 21, 2012 by Erik005

[FMod]

Hmm. Speaking of it, actually, I think the Samsung PLS panel is fast enough for 75Hz support and so Asus with it seems to have 75Hz:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236294

 

Can not confirm 100%.

I'm not sure if you can get any officially 2560x1440x120Hz display because of link width restrictions. Which have been improved, but makers wouldn't want them to work on some PCs and not on others (with iGPU, low-end cards, etc).

[Thor.]

Speaking of monitors, I'm hoping for a really good bargain for boxing day. Lol especially one with that resolution http://forums.nexusmods.com/public/style_emoticons/dark/thumbsup.gif I'm on the hunt to. Edited December 22, 2012 by Thor.

[Erik005]

Hmm. Speaking of it, actually, I think the Samsung PLS panel is fast enough for 75Hz support and so Asus with it seems to have 75Hz:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236294

 

Can not confirm 100%.

I'm not sure if you can get any officially 2560x1440x120Hz display because of link width restrictions. Which have been improved, but makers wouldn't want them to work on some PCs and not on others (with iGPU, low-end cards, etc).

 

You need display port or dual link dvi to get 2560x1440 to work anyway.

 

There aren't any monitors available with both 120hz and 2560x1440 but some Korean monitors can be over clocked to 120hz.

[FMod]

You need display port or dual link dvi to get 2560x1440 to work anyway.

Yes. But DL-DVI is only specced to a maximum bandwidth of 8 GT/s. While 2560*1440*120*24 is 9.9 GT/s, actually more with blanking.

 

Fortunately there isn't an artificial limit, so DL-DVI can sometimes be clocked higher. But neither video cards nor cables nor displays are actually tested to or specced to deliver this bandwidth.

 

DisplayPort, being a superior interface, is specced to approx. "quad link DVI" and could officially support this.

 

 

There aren't any monitors available with both 120hz and 2560x1440 but some Korean monitors can be over clocked to 120hz.

Yeah, I've mentioned these. Not reliable though, neither clocking nor displays themselves.

[Erik005]

I am currently using display port and haven't got any issues, but I have read that there can be problems with the physical connection when you use cheap cables.

 

The korean monitors are only for people who know what they are doing and even then there is no guarantee that they will work at 120hz, they use the same 27 inch LG panels as dell and asus but I would imagine they lack in overall build quality.

 

I chose the dell over the asus because the dell was a little faster in games BTW.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Erik005