Suggest a larger monitor [27"+] for office work. 95% time spent reading text.

Quickstrike

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 25, 2009
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71
Hello,

I would like to order a new monitor that is easy on the eyes. ~95% of the time I will be using it to display text [Internet Browsing, MS Office Suite].
The other ~5% of the time it will be used for playing the odd video clip.

I bought one of those Korean 27" IPS monitors last year and was forced to immediately sell it due to eye strain.
I'm pretty sure it was caused by the PWM back lighting + reflective screen surface.

Max budget is $1200 USD.




Thanks.
 
Monitors with Plasma Deposition Coating offer the clearest picture and least reflections, and are ideal for your uses.

The single-input First FS270YF and Wasabi Mango QHD277 look really nice and are 350$, but if you want a multi-input option then Crossovers (review links here) are the only decent option since the name brand versions from iiyama and Planar are overpriced and have a very high minimum brightness.

The IPS Korean monitors are PWM free except for some of the new Achieva's, but they suck anyway. The Qnix/X-Stars use panels with and without PWM.
 
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I'm looking to get the AOC U3477PQU as soon as it is released in the states (any day now I hope). It's comparable to the LG 34" Ultra Wide Screen but much more affordable. I do mostly work on my machine as well (lots of Remote Desktop sessions, etc.) and I'm trying to move from a dual monitor setup back to single. This should do the trick.
 
OP: I spend most of my time reading, and I've had 1440 27" Semi-gloss, gloss, and PDC..

PDC was one of the best decisions I've ever made. However, if you read with a white/near white background - it won't make much difference.
I use a lot of dark pages. If you use dark pages, get a multi-input so you can control the brightness and contrast; otherwise, the monitor may not get dark enough.
 
funny seeing how people suggest even 21:9 monitors .. for reading text@OP :). Or that was meant with custom stand to allow pivot & portrait mode? :D
 
Monitors with Plasma Deposition Coating offer the clearest picture and least reflections and are ideal for your uses.

The single-input First FS270YF and Wasabi Mango QHD277 look really nice and are 350$, but if you want a multi-input option then Crossovers (review links here) are the only decent option since they name brand versions from iiyama and Planar are overpriced and have a very high minimum brightness.

The IPS Korean monitors are PWM free except for some of the new Achieva's, but they suck anyway. The Qnix/X-Stars use panels with and without PWM.

OP: I spend most of my time reading, and I've had 1440 27" Semi-gloss, gloss, and PDC..

PDC was one of the best decisions I've ever made. However, if you read with a white/near white background - it won't make much difference.
I use a lot of dark pages. If you use dark pages, get a multi-input so you can control the brightness and contrast; otherwise, the monitor may not get dark enough.

Ugh. It is tough for me to even consider buying another Korean monitor, after my horrible experience with the Yamakasi Catleap 2703 -- instant eye strain.
I guess PWM free + PDC could be the night and day difference I am looking for.


funny seeing how people suggest even 21:9 monitors .. for reading text@OP :). Or that was meant with custom stand to allow pivot & portrait mode? :D

Well, I did say I was willing to spend up to $1200 :p.




Thanks for the suggestions.
 
The 21:9 34" are overpriced and re-sizing windows might get annoying vs. using dual 27" 1440p monitors which can be purchased for <800$ vs. 1000$ for the the 34" LG which offers less screen real-estate and uses a grainier matte coating than the matte (semi-glossy) 27" 1440p monitors.
 
I say one 27 to 32 inch 1440 in middle flanked by smaller sized monitors as vertical mode on the side. A VA type monitor 27-32 inch preferably like BenQ BL2710PT or 3200PT. Size depends on how particular you are about uniformity. vertical screen would be for mainly looking at websites that have a lot of text vertically and the middle 27-32 inch for the main viewing with odd video 5% use.
 
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Imho extra vertical height vs ultra wide ones for _text_ (web/work in common apps) is important enough to strike out later ones. My current favourite (also price wise) for most generic allrounder uses for average common users is benq BL3200PT 32" 1440p with VA panel. But i notice that i suggested it as often, as some others did 24" crt FW900 or 34" 21:9 LG, so i kept out of suggesting it right away in first post, to not push my favourite onto anyone w/o any care of fitting it to OP stated requirements. Screen area estate/price wise multimonitors are nice .. except those damn bezels dividing picture personally i couldn't live with. :/
 
The 21:9 34" are overpriced and re-sizing windows might get annoying vs. using dual 27" 1440p monitors which can be purchased for <800$ vs. 1000$ for the the 34" LG which offers less screen real-estate and uses a grainier matte coating than the matte (semi-glossy) 27" 1440p monitors.

You have no idea what you are talking about. The 34um95 has a cross between matte and glossy and as somebody who personally loathes matte, I am very pleased with the matte/glossy cross on this panel.

I have run 2x1, 3x1, 5x1, 3x1+1 display setups and the 34UM95 is much more enjoyable due to lack of bezels, excellent color reproduction, maximum use of minimal desk space, and cool factor :cool:

The 1440p 21:9 displays are awesome for work productivity, web surfing and light gaming.
 
TFT Central said:
The screen coating on the 34UM95 is a light anti-glare (AG) offering. It isn't a semi-glossy coating, but it is light as seen on other modern IPS type panels.
TFT Central

PRAD said:
The LG UltraWide 34UM95-P has a dull Matt surface with visible indentations to the diffusion.
PRAD

Neither PRAD nor TFT Central classify the coating as semi-glossy and the rest of the frame-less AH-IPS, including the 34UM65 use the same coating which is definitely not semi-glossy or as light as the coating the 27" 1440p monitors use. PDC is far clearer than semi-glossy coatings anyway, and the 34UM95 is not only a rip off, but offers less screen real-estate vs. 2x1440p monitors.
 
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You have no idea what you are talking about. The 34um95 has a cross between matte and glossy and as somebody who personally loathes matte, I am very pleased with the matte/glossy cross on this panel.

I have run 2x1, 3x1, 5x1, 3x1+1 display setups and the 34UM95 is much more enjoyable due to lack of bezels, excellent color reproduction, maximum use of minimal desk space, and cool factor :cool:

The 1440p 21:9 displays are awesome for work productivity, web surfing and light gaming.

I agree. I also came from a 3x1 setup and I bought a 34UM95 this weekend. It is just stunning. The panel is a cross between matte and glossy. I dunno how it's possible though. I prefer matte panels so this is fine with me. I really thought there would be more ghosting but I honestly don't see it. It's a good balance.
 
I'm a programmer, and my company just invested in a Asus PB278Q for me, and I absolutely frickin love it. It's the perfect size and resolution for working on VS projects that run in 1080p, it's got great default colors, and it's very easily readable. It's also got a matte screen which makes it very comfortable to look at for hours on end in a fluorescent lit office.
 
I'm a programmer, and my company just invested in a Asus PB278Q for me, and I absolutely frickin love it. It's the perfect size and resolution for working on VS projects that run in 1080p, it's got great default colors, and it's very easily readable. It's also got a matte screen which makes it very comfortable to look at for hours on end in a fluorescent lit office.

Oh, the horror. :eek:
 
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