Picking a 1080p VA panel

[Streuwinkel]

I'm looking for a monitor coming from an aging BenQ FP93G X (1280x1024@75Hz TN) and 32" Toshiba TV (1366x768@60Hz VA). Having seen both technologies I hoped that "nowadays" there was a jack of all trades, but a reality check made me fluctuate between IPS and VA and ultimately settle on VA if only for the contrast. So my criteria ended up being:

• 200 € / 220 $US (ballpark figure)
• VA panel for atmospheric gaming (RPG, horror, ...)
• FullHD (a notch up from what I have now, easy on the power bill, 1080p video unscaled)
• 1440p alternatively (more desktop space, crisper textures)
• >70Hz refresh rate (connected feel notably better than 60Hz)
• Good sRGB mode (games in particular don't use color management; I lack a colorimeter)
• 27" would be great, though I've heard that 24" is the best size for FullHD
  
• tolerable speakers nice to have (using headphones otherwise)

The only monitor that fits the bill is the 2017 BenQ EW277HDR as far as I can tell and it's only about 145 € (160 $US). The Philips 278E8 is also an option although the blue primary seems to be off, but maybe a lower wavelength is healthier after all. Anyways there is still some room in the budget and I'm wondering if it could be spent well on higher quality or resolution without compromising on anything else. Or maybe someone has first hand experience with any of the two models.

 

[DWD1961]

I'm looking for a monitor coming from an aging BenQ FP93G X (1280x1024@75Hz TN) and 32" Toshiba TV (1366x768@60Hz VA). Having seen both technologies I hoped that "nowadays" there was a jack of all trades, but a reality check made me fluctuate between IPS and VA and ultimately settle on VA if only for the contrast. So my criteria ended up being:

• 200 € / 220 $US (ballpark figure)
• VA panel for atmospheric gaming (RPG, horror, ...)
• FullHD (a notch up from what I have now, easy on the power bill, 1080p video unscaled)
• 1440p alternatively (more desktop space, crisper textures)
• >70Hz refresh rate (connected feel notably better than 60Hz)
• Good sRGB mode (games in particular don't use color management; I lack a colorimeter)
• 27" would be great, though I've heard that 24" is the best size for FullHD
  
• tolerable speakers nice to have (using headphones otherwise)

The only monitor that fits the bill is the 2017 BenQ EW277HDR as far as I can tell and it's only about 145 € (160 $US). The Philips 278E8 is also an option although the blue primary seems to be off, but maybe a lower wavelength is healthier after all. Anyways there is still some room in the budget and I'm wondering if it could be spent well on higher quality or resolution without compromising on anything else. Or maybe someone has first hand experience with any of the two models.

I'm in the same boat as you. My last monitor was the ASUS VW266 25.5" at 1920x1200. It is still fine and fast enough, but it was in a garage for 6 years,and now has what looks like mold growing under the screen--lol.

I'm looking t this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QPBXVBQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

• 27 Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen VA Display with AMD Radeon FreeSync Technology

• 75Hertz Refresh Rate Using HDMI Port

• Response Time: 4 millisecond (G to G)

Best part: $129.00

 

[Streuwinkel]

Seems like a great option if you want to stay below $150. Without display port, adaptive-sync wont work on NVIDIA cards, which could be a minus. Don't rely on G2G too much as it varies between vendors and VA panels in particular have a weakness in transition from black to dark shades with the result that shadow detail gets lost (or much darker) during motion.
Scroll down a bit here, to see the horrible pixel response times for a 1250€ VA panel: https://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/lenovo_legion_y44w-10.htm#response_times
In Lenovo's defense, they have 0 overshoot which some people may obsess about, but I'd gladly trade some overshoot for better response times. This other monitor shows that you can theoretically bring those 36 ms down to 5 with an aggressive overdrive: https://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/asus_rog_strix_xg438q.htm#response_times
The first table is for the lax overdrive setting '4' and the second table with overdrive on '5'. The one remaining 10ms measurement - which is still fine - is from pitch black to white, which is rare in movies and games anyways unless there is a strobe effect going on.

 

[DWD1961]

Seems like a great option if you want to stay below $150. Without display port, adaptive-sync wont work on NVIDIA cards, which could be a minus.

Doesn't the monitor itself have to support Adaptive Sync, not just have a display port? You know in all of the time I have gamed using 60Hz and 1080 I have never suffered tearing.

Don't remeber if you were following my old rig necro thread, but my old rig with a i7 920 and a Power Color AMD card from 2012 just posted! It's been sitting in a garage in a horrible environment (humid) for 6 years. I'm pretty excited she posted. Battery is dead, but she posted!

Here is the Acer but with AMD's FeerSync. 154.00
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-CB272-bmiprx-FreeSync-Technology/dp/B07WMTLW2R/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=computer+monitors+144hz&qid=1575446899&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin:3547807011,p_n_feature_fourteen_browse-bin:17751792011,p_n_feature_eleven_browse-bin:17726577011|17726580011|17726581011&rnid=17726572011&s=pc&sr=1-5

 

[Streuwinkel]

Doesn't the monitor itself have to support Adaptive Sync, not just have a display port? You know in all of the time I have gamed using 60Hz and 1080 I have never suffered tearing.

Yes, the monitor has to support Adaptive Sync, but AMD gfx cards can use it via HDMI and DP while NVIDIA cards are limited to DP.
As you perhaps know, tearing can only happen when VSync is off in the game. This is independent of Adaptive Sync and in fact VSync on or off still matters when you reach 144fps: With VSync the fps get locked to 144, without you get higher fps with tearing while the monitor stays at 144 Hz. If you always played with VSync, then Adaptive Sync just removes the slight stuttering you get when FPS fall below display refresh. I guess with a 75 Hz display, if I can't reach 75 fps I'd just play in 70 or 60 Hz and call it a day. No need for Adaptive Sync really.

I'm pretty excited she posted. Battery is dead, but she posted!

Lol.