Best display for the eyes

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Valeriy

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I have been using Dell 2709W (27" 1900x1200) for the last several years and am now looking for a new monitor to reduce eye strain. I originally bought the screen for its big pixels, upgrading from a 24" Dell screen of the same resolution. 2709W is rated at 400/450 cd/m2. It is just too bright on lowest brightness, even when I further reduce brightness via the graphics card driver - the darker details become quite hard to see like this, but the screen is still too bright for comfort in a dimly lit room. Also it buzzes.

My main criteria for the new screen:
- no flickering
- low brightness (auto brightness feature a good bonus)
- generally good on the eyes for long hours of use (browsing, reading, writing, gaming)

I am currently looking at Eizo EV2336W / EV2436W and BenQ BL2411PT. BenQ BL2411PT looks like pretty much a copy of Eizo screens in terms of eye-friendly features with an advantage of lower price. BL2411PT can't go below 87 cd/m2 while Eizo goes all the way down to 1 cd/m2, but from what I understood Eizo starts to flicker once it goes below around 80-100 cd/m2? If that's the case, Eizo's lower brightness is effectively useless.

How would you compare EV2336W, EV2436W and BL2411PT with eye comfort as the primary focus? Which is the best?

Are there any other displays that are better suited to these criteria?
 
Personally, I hate monitors that are too bright too. Hard AG coating annoys me to no end also. That is why I always steered away from Dell monitors. However, you do not seem to be bothered by Dell's aggressive AG coating.

After having looked at dozens of monitors I bought a Samsung S27A850T half a year ago and have never regretted it. PLS technology allows you to dim the display to low levels and the AG coating is very smooth. I use this monitor professionally on a daily basis and I can say it is very easy on the eyes. Samsung makes 24" monitors with this technology. Perhaps you should also check them out too.

I can't comment on the Eizos or Benqs since I never tried them.

In the meantime, you might want to check a software called "f.lux". It is free and might improve your eyestrain a bit until you get your new monitor. I've used it on my previous monitor and I did experience a bit of relief.

http://justgetflux.com/
 
TFTCentral has started a list of flicker-free monitors here that may be useful to you. They also test highest/lowest brightness in individual reviews.

Like katabatik I dislike trying to read text on displays with heavy AG coating, and now use glossy. If you are looking for large-pixel displays or have little control over lighting, AG may be less of a problem for you though.
 
Eizo 2436 has a heavy antiglare coating.

It looks like the BenQ has a somewhat in-between coating, based on photos of the pixels. It may be a bit sparkly to some people when compared to lighter panels.

The 24" Samsung PLS is another option, as mentioned by katabatik. Just be aware that many have backlight bleed, so if you get it, make sure it's from a place with easy returns.

The Eizo 2336 and 2736 are the PWM free models to look at from Eizo, I'd skip the 2436. The 2736 should be using a PLS panel, I believe. I wouldn't think the 20% thing would bother most people, as I wouldn't consider 80-100 cd/m2 too bright. There are other 27" 1440p panels that are PWM free too and may be more in your budget when compared to the 2736.
 
Thank you for your helpful replies.

I've ended up ordering Dell U2913WM. It was on special and cheaper than the 23" Eizo screen, perhaps around the same as BenQ BL2411PT would be from a questionable overseas retailer.

Aside from the price these things seem appealing:
- completely flicker-free according to reviews, also no major coating complaints in reviews.
- goes down to 50 cd/m2 which is dimmer than 3 screens I've been considering (Eizo go lower but flicker at low brightness).
- I very often use 2 windows side by side on 1920x1200 but the width is never quite enough. With this screen I will be able to run 2 windows side by side at full width.
- pixel size is about the same as 1920x1200 on 24" screen - not keen on having pixels that are any smaller.
- 2560 x 1080 is a tad easier on the graphics card for gaming than 2560 x 1440.
- Dell warranties, delivery and service.

I'll post an update once it is here and I've done the comparisons. Trying out f.lux in the meantime as well.
 
I've received my Dell U2913WM, but ended up returning it. The screen is sharp, colours are good, having two windows side by side is neat, but something about the quality of the white backlight was making my eyes hurt. Despite dimming the screen right down and making fonts larger in the evenings when I stepped away from the screen I felt like I could see less well in dimly lit environments.
Once I went back to the old dell screen my vision recovered. Now I'm wondering if this was something to do with that particular screen, or whether LED backlight is harsher than CFL backlight.

Is it true that LED gives a harsher white than CFL, or do I just need to compare different LED displays to find one that is easier on the eyes?

I've also come up with a way of dimming a screen below its minimum brightness - in the custom colour mode I reduce all three colour channels down and the screen can be made significantly dimmer (I leave slightly more red - seems easier to look at this way). Now the only gripe with my old Dell 2709W is the blurred pixels - likely from aggressive coating.
I also found an option built into Windows 8 of increasing the size of everything on screen by 25% - I found that this also helps my eyes relax more.
 
Valeriy said:
I've received my Dell U2913WM, but ended up returning it. The screen is sharp, colours are good, having two windows side by side is neat, but something about the quality of the white backlight was making my eyes hurt. Despite dimming the screen right down and making fonts larger in the evenings when I stepped away from the screen I felt like I could see less well in dimly lit environments.
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Excessive brightness is bad, but you did say you already dimmed your monitor to being as dim (or dimmer) than your old monitor, correct?

If so, then what you describe is a big clue in blue light sensitivity, if you don't get this problem with other monitors. The specific LED monitor you got, had an excessive amount of blue light, or excessive brightness.
-- Blue light is known to create more difficulties in adjusting to night vision
-- Blue light is known to disrupt the cicadian rhythm
-- The color spectrum is more likely to create headaches.

Workardounds can include calibrating monitor, using a warmer color temperature, dimming the screen, pushing monitor back, so that you have less vision coverage, etc.

Is it true that LED gives a harsher white than CFL, or do I just need to compare different LED displays to find one that is easier on the eyes?
Click to expand...
Generally, yes. Find one that uses LED's that emit a lot less blue light, and then additionally adjust the screen to a warmer color temperature. The amount of blue light varies a massive amount between different LED backlights. Calibration makes a big difference, but it doesn't always solve things. If your monitor blacks are very bluish, that's a huge clue on the excess blue spectrum. (dim all the way down to zero, display an all-black screen, is the black cold looking? That's a clue to excessively blue LED backlights.)

Disclaimer: I am no optometrist. However, I definitely know that some people who aren't PWM-sensitive are also instead more sensitive to the light spectrum (e.g. blue light) or motion blur, or brightness levels, etc. Humans exist with such "specific" symptoms, so you may be witnessing the same.
 
I use an NEC PA301W and it doesn't give me eyestrain. I spent 12+ hours a day in front of it.
 
I have same experience with IPS monitor regarding eye strain, especially burning eyes.
I bought HP Z24i which has no PWM, minimal brightness 60cd/m2 and soft AG coating. I tested it for two weeks and then I had to return it because of eye strain problem. Everything was ok, but the image was too sharp and bright for my eyes. It was difficult to read the text and concentrate to it. I tried several settings including brightness to 0, lower sharpness, warmer color settings. It was better but not ideal.
Did somebody found some "ideal" monitor which do not cause the eye strain? I mean who had such problem and found monitor which do not cause it to him.
It is hard and expensive to buy and return every problematic monitor.
 
my 37" Westinghouse gives me no eye strain, hell the letters are huge :) It's CCFL MVA Panel with great blacks.
 
I am studying this problem. The main cause can be strong backlight. BL2411PT has min 83cd/m2 which is for people with eyestrain problem too much.
A lot of people has problem with IPS and TN are ok.
 
I saw in another thread that the Dell 24" 4K monitor was very good for text.
 
Best display for the eyes
Click to expand...
A big one from a distance.
Focussing for a long time at short distance is tiring.

Consider the other points raised, but the distance from the screen is important too.
 
I had the opposite reaction to my westinghouse. The dot pitch is too low for a monitor of that size. I graduated from the Westy to a Dell 30" now on to the Seiki 39". It's kept my eyes sharp and the reading glasses in the drawer where they belong.
 
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