2560x1600 30" LCD vs. 2560x1440 27" LCD

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nitromullet

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I posted a similar post on Anandtech, but decided that I'd see what the [H] community thought as well. I'm considering the 30" vs 27" debate right now.

My main contenders include:

Dell U3011 - 2560x1600
Dell U2177 - 2560x1440
NEC PA271W-BK - 2650x1440
NEC LCD3090WQXi (refurb) - 2560x1600

The price spread between the two 30" screens and NEC 27" is ~$100, with the Dell 27" being about $200-300 cheaper.

I can certainly get behind the argument that there is no replacement for displacement. A 2560x1600 screen is bigger than a 2560x1440 screen, period. No argument from me there. My main concern is that by going the bigger screen route does one exchange quality for quantity?

I've been researching this quite a bit lately, and I've seen a few pro reviewers actually say they prefer the 27" screens.

Anand from his Apple 27" review:
The problem with the 30 is that it’s just huge. It’s got an awesome resolution but I find that it’s more of a pain while gaming, particularly in first person shooters. I end up sitting too close and the display is almost too big.

Moving to the 27-inch panel I noticed several things. The display is much more compact. It doesn’t feel too small, and it doesn’t feel too big. Dare I say it’s just right. The change in aspect ratio is strange but not a deal breaker. Admittedly I wasn’t doing too much with the extra 140 lines of resolution I had on the 30” display.

The display feels a bit sharper than my old 30.
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Brian Klug (in the comments on his U3011 review):
Honestly I'm a bit partial to the U2711 because of it's lower pixel pitch/higher PPI (I'm a fan of insanely high PPI). That can also be a downside if you have a hard time reading text without scaling.
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Eric Franklin from cnet's review of the U3011:
The U2711 is still the best overall large-screen monitor, but if 27 inches just isn't enough, the U3011 is a fully capable alternative.
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He also subsequently reviewed the NEC PA271W-BK, and indicated it has even better image quality than the U2711, but comes with less features and costs a whole lot more.

I was actually surprised to read this from these reviewers because I personally was of the opinion that 2560x1600 was always better than 2560x1440.

Anyway, I wanted to list the pros/cons of my above options as well. Maybe get some feedback. All of my options have similar input lag numbers which aren't fantastic, but are what one would expect from an IPS screen with an OSD. The HP 30" LP3065 and ZR30w both have less input lag because of the lack of an OSD, but that is another debate entirely.

Dell U3011
Pro:
  • Reasonably priced 30"
  • Very good color/IQ
  • Lots of input options
Con:
  • Color/IQ not as good as U2711
  • Custom color settings have a known issue that cause the screen to either display incorrect colors or a blank screen after resuming from sleep which has not been fixed (or even acknowledged) by Dell yet. The discussion on this starts on page 61 of this thread. The Dell thread on this issue. edit: This appears to have been acknowledged just today, and a firmware fix is in the works (no ETA)

Dell U2711
Pro:
  • Reasonably priced 27"
  • Very good color/IQ, better than U3011
  • Lots of input options
Con:
  • Not much cheaper than a U3011 for less real estate
  • Less availability than U3011 and PA271W-BK, so not as many deals available, still cheaper though.

NEC PA271W-BK
Pro:
  • Excellent Color/IQ
  • Includes dual port KVM switch capabilities built in. (PDF) Note: a dual link DVI KVM is generally ~$150.
  • Can purchase a fully compatible hardware calibrator for ~$300
  • Longest standard warranty - 4yrs parts/labor inc. back light.
Con:
  • 27" screen for the price of a 30"

NEC LCD3090WQXi (refurb)
Pro:
  • Very Good Color/IQ
  • Decent price for a 30"
Con:
  • It's a refurb. Although, customers seem to be happy them.
  • No refunds from NEC (only replacement)
  • Short warranty (1 yr).
  • Reportedly weird HDCP that only supports up to 1920x1080, and requires a reboot if running 2560x1600.

This post turned out to be pretty long. However, I think the 27" vs 30" debate is going to be ongoing for a bit though as more manufacturers come out with 2560x1440 displays. Interested in opinions as well as any other monitor suggestions, although please no TN, 1920x1200, or 1920x1080 panels.
 
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We hardly know anything what PLS is going to be like but yeah that's what I'd do. I don't really agree with 2560x1440 being better than 2560x1600 though. Pixel pitch on those 27" screens is TINY. That might be a good or bad thing, depending on what you want. That was the main reason I went with a 24" 1920x1200 monitor. I couldn't afford a 30" and I liked everything about the Dell U2711 except that the pixel pitch was too small for me. Windows 7 DPI scaling still sucks IMO.
 
nitromullet said:
I posted a similar post on Anandtech, but decided that I'd see what the [H] community thought as well. I'm considering the 30" vs 27" debate right now.
Click to expand...

We've talked about these options so many times here. It's so sorry that you don't use search function before starting a new thread.

In a few words.
No comparison.
27" 2560x1440 is a dwarf next to 30" 2560x1600.
The only specific option is glossy 27" Apple if you like glossy screens and can live with some connectivity issues.
 
Yeah, I know about the SA850 as well. It's a little dicey though, considering all we have is marketing info, no solid ETA, and no pricing info. I also see that it will be a wide gamut display, generally how good is Samsung with emulation modes for sRGB?
 
albovin said:
We've talked about these options so many times here. It's so sorry that you don't use search function before starting a new thread.

In a few words.
No comparison.
27" 2560x1440 is a dwarf next to 30" 2560x1600.
The only specific option is glossy 27" Apple if you like glossy screens and can live with some connectivity issues.
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I did search actually, and I've read most of the threads about all these screens. If you had actually read my post, this would have been apparent by the fact that I linked to a few of them. I also read your review on the 3090WQXi. Nicely done, and much appreciated.

The physical size issue has been talked about, and quite frankly it is obvious, but that isn't really what I'm talking about. My question really boils down to is one of exchanging quality for quantity by going from 27 to 30". Is the increase in screen size worth it? How great is the difference in quality?
 
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Well, in terms of pixel density there isn't much difference between a 27" and 30". That being said, keep in mind that all 30" panels are manufactured by LG. And screw those reviews by Eric Franklin, imho they are horrible. The AG coating is extremely aggressive and light colors look very muddy. This issue has been discusses on dozens of threads here at [H]. That being said, the Samsung 27" will be the first high resolution display (excluding old PVA types) to not use LGs controversial panels. For this reason alone, imho 30" is absolutely not worth it.
 
The Apple 27" is not a realistic option for me. The required Atlona AT-DP400 to make it work with DVI appears to have issues with AMD cards. I don't have a Radeon at the moment, but I may want to run one in the future. I dig my MBP, but I'm not enough of an Apple fanboy to deal with with the shortcomings of the Apple 27". Shame too because it's a nice looking screen.
 
Ashok0 said:
Well, in terms of pixel density there isn't much difference between a 27" and 30". That being said, keep in mind that all 30" panels are manufactured by LG. And screw those reviews by Eric Franklin, imho they are horrible. The AG coating is extremely aggressive and light colors look very muddy. This issue has been discusses on dozens of threads here at [H]. That being said, the Samsung 27" will be the first high resolution display (excluding old PVA types) to not use LGs controversial panels. For this reason alone, imho 30" is absolutely not worth it.
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Yeah, I know about the AG coating as well. I haven't seen any of these screens in person, so I don't have an opinion on that. Maybe I'll just have to wait for the Samsung.
 
I dont see why some people make such a fuss about the AG coating. It certainly does not make light colors look "muddy". I hardly notice it, at least on my ZR30w. Can't comment on other models. I just think this issue is way overblown. The positives of a 30" 1600p monitor outweigh this by far IMO.
 
Ashok0 said:
Honestly, my advice would be none of the above.

I would wait for the future Samsung 27" PLS 2560x1440 SA850. The Sammy is seriously looking to be THE display to beat. Also, technically 2560x1440 is better than 2560x1600. 1440p has a pixel density of 108ppi versus 1600p which is only 100ppi.
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1297675111
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Only better in terms of dot pitch, but being lower resolution and smaller in overall size are disadvantages for most applications.

I don't see how the SA850 can be the one to beat considering there's really no information available. It might be great, and it might end up being horribly reviewed, and you'll end up waiting forever for the next best sale price or next best technology.

Using a THX viewing distance calculator, a 30" screen is not too large for an average desk viewing distance, and in fact you can go up to about 37", and while a 27" is by no means small, it sure looks so next to a 30" screen and size does matter.

Ultimately, I went through the same decision process and decided on the Dell U3011 even though I am a fan of 16:9 aspect ratios, as all other considerations were so equal that it boiled down to whether or not the price difference was worth the increase in size, and I felt it was. Disregard comments about the "harsh AG", as it is blown far out of proportion, to the point I was almost frightened out of picking up the Dell, only to find it a non-issue in person.
 
1600 lines of horizontal resolution. Easier to get more shit done quicker. 30" for me. Long live 16:10

I'm really loving my u3011 so far. Just a fabulous monitor. I really don't think there's a bad choice here. For all the money lots of people around here spend on performance PC's, going cheap on display(s) makes very little sense. The u3011 is by far the most transformative upgrade upgrade my setep has recieved in a long, long time.
 
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Low Roller said:
1600 lines of horizontal vertical resolution. Easier to get more shit done quicker. 30" for me. Long live 16:10

I'm really loving my u3011 so far. Just a fabulous monitor. I really don't think there's a bad choice here. For all the money lots of people around here spend on performance PC's, going cheap on display(s) makes very little sense. The u3011 is by far the most transformative upgrade upgrade my setep has recieved in a long, long time.
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Agreee 100%
Working in the office (on 2x19") instead of home on my 3011 make it seem like time warp 10 years into the past.... Gotta' convince my boss to get me 2x3011 in the office and I'll be a happy camper again...
 
geobernd said:
Gotta' convince my boss to get me 2x3011 in the office and I'll be a happy camper again...
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Perhaps you should try to convince him you need 3 of them to run in eyefinity and a pair of 6990's in quadfire... because it will make you a much more productive worker! :D
 
Ducman69 said:
I don't see how the SA850 can be the one to beat considering there's really no information available. It might be great, and it might end up being horribly reviewed, and you'll end up waiting forever for the next best sale price or next best technology.
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Normally I would agree with this, but according to pcmonitors.org, the SA850 is shipping this Spring. There's no telling how it will be reviewed, but if PLS really is around the corner, buying an IPS in February/March might be a tad hasty, unless the OP needs something immediately.
 
Low Roller said:
1600 lines of horizontal resolution. Easier to get more shit done quicker. 30" for me. Long live 16:10

I'm really loving my u3011 so far. Just a fabulous monitor. I really don't think there's a bad choice here. For all the money lots of people around here spend on performance PC's, going cheap on display(s) makes very little sense. The u3011 is by far the most transformative upgrade upgrade my setep has recieved in a long, long time.
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I agree with this idea. I actually decided to do the monitor upgrade when I got my first GTX 580 and stepped up a GTX 470 to a second GTX 580. I was running a 1920x1200 LCD at the time and was thinking that instead of over powering my screen with graphics card muscle, I really needed a bigger screen to enjoy and actually take advantage of my video card(s). I sold the second GTX 580, banked the money, and started researching 30" screens. A 27" wasn't really even an option at first, but they seemed to be getting good reviews and most U2711 owners seem to like their screens. So, here I am trying to decide between a 27 or 30".

Ashok0 said:
Normally I would agree with this, but according to pcmonitors.org, the SA850 is shipping this Spring. There's no telling how it will be reviewed, but if PLS really is around the corner, buying an IPS in February/March might be a tad hasty, unless the OP needs something immediately.
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No, I can certainly wait. I've been planning this purchase for quite some time, and I just recently sold my Eizo SX2461W in anticipation of this purchase. It was a terrific PVA panel that I ended up picking up after going through two Dell 2408WFP screens, which IMO were simply unusable. Since this experience I have been a little reluctant to go with a Dell again, but from the research I've done the '08 wide gamut screens from Dell were some of the worst offenders for inaccurate/over saturated color.

I'm fine using my trusty little 2005FPW in the mean time. It's small, but is has a decent picture.
 
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I wouldn't think twice to get a 3090WQXi for a similar price as the U3010. The reason I don't even consider this screen is its price, around $2500 in Switzerland, whilst the 2690WUXi2 is priced similarly to U3010 at $1300. Being the 2690WUXi2 a 16:10 screen, it's taller than 27"s, I would consider it as an option to the 27"s you listed, if you dont need extensive hardware calibration that the PA271W allows you to. This one would have the best picture quality of all four, as it is a professional display.
 
I'd skip the 27" screens. For most applications having more vertical space is useful. If you can live with the HDCP problems (which could have been fixed in a later revision) then the 30" NEC sounds like the best deal.
 
Ashok0 said:
Normally I would agree with this, but according to pcmonitors.org, the SA850 is shipping this Spring. There's no telling how it will be reviewed, but if PLS really is around the corner, buying an IPS in February/March might be a tad hasty, unless the OP needs something immediately.
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I remember everyone saying the same thing about holding off on the old-school CCFLs w/ LED displays right around the corner... we all know how that went. :p
 
Suppersonic said:
I wouldn't think twice to get a 3090WQXi for a similar price as the U3010. The reason I don't even consider this screen is its price, around $2500 in Switzerland, whilst the 2690WUXi2 is priced similarly to U3010 at $1300. Being the 2690WUXi2 a 16:10 screen, it's taller than 27"s, I would consider it as an option to the 27"s you listed, if you dont need extensive hardware calibration that the PA271W allows you to. This one would have the best picture quality of all four, as it is a professional display.
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kasakka said:
I'd skip the 27" screens. For most applications having more vertical space is useful. If you can live with the HDCP problems (which could have been fixed in a later revision) then the 30" NEC sounds like the best deal.
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The main concern with the 3090WQXi is that it's a refurbished unit directly from NEC. It has a pretty short warranty of only 1 year, and NEC only does exchanges on the refurbs. I think it is the best deal in my list of options, but it's also the most risky. I'm not sure if I'm willing to gamble $1300 (after tax/shipping) on a refurb. The brand new ones are over my budget.

Right now, I'm leaning towards either waiting to see how the Samsung SA850 looks or until the U3011 goes on sale for 25% off directly from Dell again. Dell has a terrific 30 day return policy so there really is no risk in doing this, but I do have to wait for the deal to come back. I just missed the deal earlier this month...
 
nitromullet, I know what you're saying. Actually, I was just investigating Nec's german website to find a refurb section but didn't manage to find it. Try to find out which guarantees does Nec give you, if they assure you'll receive a working monitor I'd say go for it (that's what I'd do). You would receive a monitor worth double its price and maybe worth the intrinsic risk depending on your opinion. If I had this type of discount I would go for Necs instead of HPs which are my favourite to the moment - Necs are about double the price of HPs, which seem to have better colours than Dells (I only have Dells in my office, haven't tried HP's ZR series yet). As I'm planning to go either for a 30" or 3x24" that's a lot of difference in price.
 
Any smaller than the dot pitch of a 30 incher would be too small for me personally, especially when one considers you might want to pick up another display in the future once prices have come down.

Having said that, the savings on a 27" U2711 vs. a Dell U3011 are considerable. I suppose it boils down to what you plan on using the panel for.

General work and everyday use: 30" will be more comfortable.
Photo editing and graphic design: Smaller dot pitch may produce a sharper image
 
I got the NEC 20WMGX2 refurbish from NEC over 1 year now it works beautifully and I believed NEC customer service is also very good, so if I were you I would go for the NEC 30" monitor for the best quality. Some of the refurbish actually quite new like total of 30hours of usage, it is a gamble but at the end you paid much less for good quality.

You can always exchange the refurbish item within 30 days I believed.
 
nitromullet said:
My question really boils down to is one of exchanging quality for quantity by going from 27 to 30". Is the increase in screen size worth it? How great is the difference in quality?
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This is a highly subjective question.
Only yourself will be able to answer if you sit in front of both and work for a while.
Then you will realize things, that are important to you, that cannot be conveyed through other peoples opinions.
Personally the 30" is King. Yes it is big, yes the panels are wide gamut, and usually suffer more from uniformity issues.
but with one big one you're done. Add a second 20'er in pivot if you need more space
and can ask for nothing more.

On the other, though, the Dell U2711 is priced VERY competitively and if "lotsa pixels on a budget" is something high in priority, it a no-brainer. Connectivity, ergonomic, pixel dense, cheap.
Yet if money doesn't matter, Nec is better.

The trouble with the 27' ers is their physical size compared to their pixel density.
Unless you have it positioned very close to you and have eagle eyesight, it can become tiring to work on those after some hours.
But this is something very personal. In fact I would prefer the old 26'ers with lower pixel density, as the let you work at a greater distance.
 
nitromullet said:
The main concern with the 3090WQXi is that it's a refurbished unit directly from NEC. It has a pretty short warranty of only 1 year, and NEC only does exchanges on the refurbs. I think it is the best deal in my list of options, but it's also the most risky. I'm not sure if I'm willing to gamble $1300 (after tax/shipping) on a refurb. The brand new ones are over my budget.
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I think with any manufacturer you get refurbs if you have to exchange the display. At one point I had a Viewsonic model that kept failing (no picture or picture totally messed up) about 3-6 months after purchase, got a new one and that would break too, asked for a different model which didn't fail but there was no way to get accurate colors on it. Finally had them give me their top of the line model at the time and that is probably still working somewhere. While this operation took time, they always delivered to my front door and took the non-working display with them.

So it's not really all that big a hassle to exchange the display unless you have to exchange it for dead pixels (how many you need to have depends on the manufacturer's policy). I have a few on my Dell 3008WFP but they are pretty unnoticeable (one dead and one red on white background).
 
The only thing I will say here is that the Anand reviewer who finds the 30" to be "too big" is probably alone in his opinion. 30" is nice and big, which makes it more immersive. There is no such thing as "too big", unless you lack the intelligence to sit at a proper distance.

I have a 30" for gaming and a 24"+27"+24" for Eyefinity gaming. If 30" was "too big" then who would ever buy Eyefinity?

Unless you actually *need* the tiny dpi of a 27" for some reason, I can see no reason to spend so much only to end up with second best.
 
...I've read up a bunch on most of the popular 27" and 30" ips lately and have come to my own conclusions based on my own setup and taste.
...
...
Over-agressive AG and Scalers
...I did look into getting the hp zr30w. , but after reading many reviews and complaints about the AG coating I decided against it. I had a viewsonic with aggressive AG on it once and can't stand it. In fact my that rules out almost all of the current crop of 27" and 30" ips. With the dell's using a scaler , thus introducing input lag.. they are completely crossed of my list for my purposes on top of that.
...Although I don't demand it in a monitor - I am a fan of glossy screens, designing my lighting environment around the screen rather than the other way around. I have a 46" samsung LED-edgelit 1080p tv, and a 17" (glossy) asus g73jh DTR/notebook.
...
Screen size, rez, distance
...I keep my 27.5" viewable 1920x1200 hannspree around 3.5' away as part of a multi monitor setup. I have a 19" 1440x900 LED backlit asus TN in portrait mode next to it right now, so I have a very good idea of the height 1440 is on a desktop, and the text size vs distance. I may move it closer to 3' later though (see below), all on 'ergo' arms.
....
...Its all relative. I'm planning on going from a 27.5" viewable 1900x1200 high to a 27" viewable 2560x1440 high, which is still more desktop real estate, better pixel pitch, and ips from tn. I am going to be able to use a lot of 1440high horizontal space (4360 across specifically) eventually when I will have several monitors going for PLP. I dont feel I will miss the 80top/80bottom. Its well worth the tradeoff vs other issues.
...
The link below gives some perspective on screen sizes and resolutions I gathered from various sites. It really helps to visualize.
http://3dalchemist.com/hardware-info/screen-sizes.htm
...
...As for physical size, I've used a 37" westinghouse 1080p several years ago which I ended up having to move back onto a pillar for awhile before I finally sold it. I use a tiny ppc-phone, an 8.4" netbook, 17" laptop, 22" and 23" destop monitors, and my main desk's 27.5" 1200p. I've found personally that 22" to 27" is the perfect size for me anywhere up to 3' +/- at a desk, especially as part of a multi-monitor setup of any kind. Regardless of what people say, in my opinion screens can be too big for at a desk. 30" is fine too but pushing the limit.
...
...Too big vs what about eyefinity? --> that argument has to realize that the side monitors in eyefinity gaming are for peripheral vison, not regular use - so imo it is quite possible that they could be too big of an array from that perspective, depending how far away they are during gaming vs desktop use. Personally I will re-investigate eyefinity late next year, looking at 27" 120hz LED backlit TN reviews and pricing late in the year.
....
27" ACD
... As you may have surmised, or already know from other posts of mine, I have decided on a 27" apple 2560x1440 LED backlit, glossy cinema display. I've seen one in person several times now. I haven't been able to game on it but I've seen high rez digital photos and web browsed on it. I think it looks incredible and very rich, with no waxy/crystal coating-- almost a 3d effect. It also lacks a scaler, which to me is a good thing for gaming. I don't think it is second best compared to the 30" 2560x1600 ips screens at all, considering the issues I already stated:
-- Looks incredibly rich with glossy screen
-- No over-aggressive ag coating
---No scaler introduced input lag,
---LED backlit = a big plus to me (I know~~ its not rgb led. the ccfl color gamut is slightly better but it looks awesome)
---Size. Sized well (perhaps better) for a desk, and will fit in nicer with 27" screens I aim to buy next yr. for 3x 120hz 27" LED backlit eyefinity. Also pairs with 1440x900 LED backlit screens in portrait that I plan to do, rather than out of production/refurb 1600x1200 20" non-LED screens.
--18 mo no interest :p

ACD connections
... You do have to set up around the ACD's connection if you don't have a very modern card with a minidp output. I'm well aware of that. The higher end 6000 and 5000 series have no problems, and have minidp outputs so you dont need an adapter for it. In my case, the side dvi monitors would do fine since a 6950/6970 has two dvi outputs in addition to the two minidp. I'd actually have one mini dp output left over for now.
.... You start needing adapters when you are converting minidp to DVI, usually when people have an eyefinity 6 card (5000series) with 6 minidp outputs. The non-powered 1920x1200max mindp to dvi adapters are around $30 each. The powered ones you need for over 19200x1200, or if you need to drive more than two dvi monitors off mindp to dvi.adapters, are currently $86 each. (The ati cards can only drive two non-powered minidp to dvi adapters since they only have two internal clocks for them. Any more and you need the $86 powered ones - of course only if your monitors don't have dp)
...The other config is when people have an older card that has no compatible minidp port to drive the cinema display. Those people have to buy a $180 powered dvi to minidp converter. But that is a pretty dumb move when you could put that money twd a 5870 ($200 after mir lately) or a 6950 ($230 - $245 after mir lately), unlockable to 6970.
 
Oh one more thing... coming out soon usually = 6 - mo to 1 yr later, so I'm not waiting on buying my monitor. I've been waiting a few months to see if amd and nvidia drop a new video card already.. its always "next month" :rolleyes:
 
I'm not an expert but I have seen a lot of 30"...
This is a really difficult dimensions, 30" enlarges the problems seen in smaller sizes so ColorComp should be mandatory on that sizes.

I will choose PA271W or the new Eizo SX2762W only for ColorComp/DUE since on that panel's size it matter.
 
elvn said:
...The other config is when people have an older card that has no compatible minidp port to drive the cinema display. Those people have to buy a $180 powered dvi to minidp converter. But that is a pretty dumb move when you could put that money twd a 5870 ($200 after mir lately) or a 6950 ($230 - $245 after mir lately), unlockable to 6970.
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It has nothing to do with the card being older. I actually own a better card than a 5870, 6950, or 6970; so any of these would be a downgrade for me. NVIDIA reference cards do not have a DisplayPort - they have dual DVI and a mini HDMI. $1000 is just too much to spend on a screen that may or may not work properly with a PC.

Plus, I currently have an IOGear single link DVI KVM that I use with two PCs, an Xbox 360, and my MBP; and it works flawlessly with the cheap HDMI-to-DVI and mDP-to-DVI adapters I use for the Xbox and the MBP. I plan in replacing the the single link DVI KVM with IOGear's new dual link DVI KVM after I purchase the larger screen.

This means that for the screen to really work for me it needs to be compatible with any dual/single link DVI source, have an OSD to allow adjustments at the hardware level, and have a scaler to support 1080p (hopefully the next gen consoles will actually have games that run at 1080p native). I am very skeptical that any mDP-to-DVI adapter I use for the Apple 27" will work with the myriad of input sources I may throw at it, and I am positive that it won't run at 1080p since it lacks a scaler.

I think the Apple 27" is worth discussing in the context of 30" vs. 27", but it is not a realistic option for me.
 
sblantipodi said:
I'm not an expert but I have seen a lot of 30"...
This is a really difficult dimensions, 30" enlarges the problems seen in smaller sizes so ColorComp should be mandatory on that sizes.

I will choose PA271W or the new Eizo SX2762W only for ColorComp/DUE since on that panel's size it matter.
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This is really sort of more what I was trying to get into with this thread. I'm curious about what sort of differences there are in internals of a screen like the PA271W and similarly priced U3011, and does this justify the size difference in terms of image quality to a non-pro user?

The SX2762W looks appealing as well, and I have only good things to say about my previous SX2461W (which was actually a refurb direct from Eizo). However, it is not available yet and there is no pricing info, although we all know it's not going to be cheap.
 
Ah I see. Definitely need to pick whats right for your setup and not anyone else's for sure.

I'd just buy a panasonic viera 1080p tv and throw it in the mix if I wanted to play consoles and watch hd movies fullscreen at my pc. All of the panasonic viera's are ips panels and are said to have very low input lag for a tv.. even the 32" and 37" ones which can be had for $400 (maybe less).
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1495704
The TC-L32S1 uses an IPS-Pro/IPS-Alpha panel. Panasonic never switched this model to PVA or MVA.

Input lag is nonexistent coming from a 2ms TN Hanns-G. Just make sure to turn all picture processing functions of (A.I. Picture, Sharpness, et cetera).

It is amazing as a gaming monitor. I run 4xAA-8xAA depending on the game and it looks beautiful, no jaggies whatsoever. I sit about two and a half feet away from the screen so the pixel pitch doesn't bother me at all, even at the desktop. During desktop use be aware that the display oversaturates red fonts, making some of them look fuzzy
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I keep my ps3 and movies to my living room tv. Its a much better setup for it, and forces me to get away from my pc to watch movies lol. :p And most of the ps3 games I play are room oriented.. like rock band and ps3 move titles like "The Fight: lights out".

I personally don't want a scaler in my monitor.. it makes the input lag much worse. Thats why I only had the hp zr30w and the ACD amongst my choices since the start. These reviews show slightly varying input lag numbers but you can tell the general trend and see which ones are much worse.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2711.htm
input_lag.jpg


http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u3011.htm
input_lag1.jpg

"average input lag of the U3011 was a fairly moderate 24.4ms. Maximum ranged up to 30ms "

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3946/apple-27inch-led-cinema-display-review/7
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I didnt mean to say a high end nvidia card is old just because it wont drive a minidp monitor. Output types aside, Nvidia not supporting more than two monitor setups off one card does bother me though, and is a major reason I'm going with amd this time, amongst a few other considerations like the display I want to get ;)
 
No worries. I appreciate the input.

I actually decided to check out the ACD 27 at a local Best Buy to get an idea of the pixel pitch for a 27", and I have to say that if the ACD 27 would work for me I'd jump on it in a heartbeat. The size is fine and the image looks great.

I could actually live without the scaler, since Xbox usage is a very secondary concern (and no games are rendered at 1080p anyway). I wonder if this box from Gefen will fix the compatibility issues? http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=9898 IIRC, the issue with the DP400 is the EDID (and thus native res) not getting sent properly to the card. The Gefen box has 3 EDID modes: 2560x1600, 2560x1440, or pass-through. Granted between that box and a KVM, I'd be spending ~$500 just for monitor accessories, which does seem a little outlandish to me.

Suppersonic said:
nitromullet, I know what you're saying. Actually, I was just investigating Nec's german website to find a refurb section but didn't manage to find it. Try to find out which guarantees does Nec give you, if they assure you'll receive a working monitor I'd say go for it (that's what I'd do). You would receive a monitor worth double its price and maybe worth the intrinsic risk depending on your opinion. If I had this type of discount I would go for Necs instead of HPs which are my favourite to the moment - Necs are about double the price of HPs, which seem to have better colours than Dells (I only have Dells in my office, haven't tried HP's ZR series yet). As I'm planning to go either for a 30" or 3x24" that's a lot of difference in price.
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I've actually given this some thought, and I wonder if perhaps the stricter warranty laws prevent NEC from selling 1 year warranty refurbs in Europe. You do make a compelling argument for considering the refurbed 3090WQXi though.
 
Just curious, why are these so expensive?
The jump from 1080 is 700$ or so for 27 inches...
 
Vorret said:
Just curious, why are these so expensive?
The jump from 1080 is 700$ or so for 27 inches...
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I think it's because 2560x1440 displays all use IPS panels (expensive), where 1920x1080p displays are TN.
 
just be warned that the hazro in that review has a scaler and that review says 26.3 ms average input lag, max 40. Thanks for the link but I'd have no interest in that input lag. Maybe the OP would idk.
 
I have both the U3011 and the U2711. The black level is not as good on the U3011 as on the U2711. The 30" takes a long time to warm up the CCFL lamps which is very noticeable. This has been a big issue for me. Image quality wise, U2711 is better hands down. I've owned 23 U3011 monitors and 9 U2711 to give you a sample size.
 
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