How much does viewing angle matter?

[bobwhoops]

I'm thinking of purchasing my first real quality monitor, and it'll probably be a TN panel. I've heard that the viewing angle is one of the major disadvantages to them. How much does this actually matter? Most of the time I'll be sitting directly in front of it, but sometimes I'll want to watch a movie either by myself or with friends. Would the viewing angle significantly limit where we can sit? Does it only matter for extreme viewing angles or does it affect what people would think of as a reasonable viewing angle?

Edit: Bonus question. Here are some that I'm looking at. Do these seem like reasonable purchases?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001309
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009125
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&sku=320-7339&redirect=1

 

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

With the bigger screens you can easily see a difference in contrast between the center and the top for example. It completely sucks and I wonder why people keep buying that TN crap.

 

[GonzoP]

The displays you linked would all be fine viewed from moderately extreme left and right angles if the eye level was consistent. TN's really suck when you are above or below the proper eye level. So if you sit directly in front most of the time that's totally fine. If you get four friends together and sit next to each other that's fine too. What you don't want is someone laying on the floor and someone up on a barstool, one or both of them won't see well or at all. In your pricepoint those are decent displays

 

[strat4812]

I just got two 24" Gateway FHD2400 like 2 days ago, and I will be returning them due to horrible viewing angles and stuck pixels, unless you've had a 24" before I highly suggest buying it in the store so that you can easily return it. If you buy a 24" with a TN panel you will be very disappointed, the viewing angle is atrocious. With saying that, I am stepping down to two 22" Samsung T220's. 24" are way to expensive (for a good panel).

 

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

The displays you linked would all be fine viewed from moderately extreme left and right angles if the eye level was consistent. TN's really suck when you are above or below the proper eye level. So if you sit directly in front most of the time that's totally fine. If you get four friends together and sit next to each other that's fine too. What you don't want is someone laying on the floor and someone up on a barstool, one or both of them won't see well or at all. In your pricepoint those are decent displays

And sine a TFT is a | shape and not ( you simply can't see every part under the same viewing angle.

 

[HardwareGuru]

Check your T220 Samsungs as these tend to have noticeable backlight bleeding. I totally agree that you buy at a local store as certain models you grab vary. Stuck pixels, Dead Pixels, Backlight Bleeding.

I just got two 24" Gateway FHD2400 like 2 days ago, and I will be returning them due to horrible viewing angles and stuck pixels, unless you've had a 24" before I highly suggest buying it in the store so that you can easily return it. If you buy a 24" with a TN panel you will be very disappointed, the viewing angle is atrocious. With saying that, I am stepping down to two 22" Samsung T220's. 24" are way to expensive (for a good panel).