IPS Monitors - What to Choose From?

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albovin

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Current list of recommended monitors (November 2011)

30"
NEC PA301w
Overall best available monitor.
Cons: Not ideal for text work due to matte screen effect.

Dell U3011
Get it If 30" is necessary but there is no buget for NEC PA301w.
Cons: Color rendering related to wide color gamut; not ideal for text work due to matte screen effect.

27"
Apple Cinema
Cons: Limited connectivity, ergonomics, mechanics.
Samsung S27A850DW
Cons: Color rendering related to some sRGB color space mismatch.

24" (best models)
NEC P241w
Cons: Not ideal for text work due to matte screen effect.
NEC PA241w
Cons: Not ideal for text work due to matte screen effect.

24" (medium price)
Samsung S24A850DW
Cons: Color rendering related to some sRGB color space mismatch.

24" (budget)
Dell U2412
Cons: Not ideal for text work due to matte screen effect.


Comments.
Even best available monitors may have their cons.
As far as resolution and size are concerned my last choice would be 27" 2560x1440 format.
It's neither flesh nor meat.
For high resolution I would go with 30" full resolution.
However, if 2560x1440 is your choice - Apple Cinema and Samsung SA850 are the only two to choose from.
24" 1920x1200 is still a golden standard for LCD monitors (optimal size, resolution. dot pitch).
Most interesting models are usually found in this category:
- best available native sRGB monitor (NEC P241w)
- the only affordable LCD monitor to support wide color gamut properly (NEC PA241w)
- best solution for text work/internet browsing (Samsung SA850 24" )
- most affordable full resolution IPS (Dell U2412)

I would strongly recommend to think at least twice before buying anyting outside this list.
Ersatz formats (1920x1080 and lower) are below recommendations. These are strictly budget solutions.
 
I suggest adding backlight bleed to the cons for the samsung s27. Not everyone who has one here has encountered this, but myself and others have. It was bad enough that i returned it.
 
Yes, SA 850 statistics is not good in that regard.
But it's more likely manufacturing problem than a design flaw.
Linked reviews have substantial info on that problem.
 
Asus PA238Q, is the best all-around 23" IPS according to prad.de
it is better than U2312HM, but also more expensive.

How can u recommend the Samsung? It seems worse "over-all" compared to U2410, LP2475w.
Personally i am waiting for ZR2440w review, before i buy my next 24".
 
Last edited:
23"s are outsiders. They are uncountable and pretty much the same. PA238Q is not an exception.

HP 2475 is the first to exclude from shopping lists.
Dell U2410 has never been recommended.
Stay away from both.

zr2440 can be a candidate if it is a successful copy of U2412.
 
albovin said:
Current list of recommended monitors (November 2011)
Comments.
Even best available monitors may have their cons.
24" 1920x1200 is still a golden standard for LCD monitors (optimal size, resolution. dot pitch).
Most interesting models are usually found in this category:
- best available native sRGB monitor (NEC P241w)
- most affordable full resolution IPS (Dell U2412)

I would strongly recommend to think at least twice before buying anyting outside this list.
Ersatz formats (1920x1080 and lower) are below recommendations. These are strictly budget solutions.
Click to expand...

The NEC P241w is outside my budget (700+ Euro) but that's not the biggest issue, It's out of stock here in the netherlands and I don't expect the estores that still list it will ever be able to deliver it.
The Dell u2412hm is led backlit and I fear that's not going to work for me.

So here the situation:
I had a 20'' Apple Cinema Display on my desk for about a year or so that i borrowed from my uncle, But that had to go back.
At the moment I use an old 19'' LG TN panel that's giving me a headache, I also have a Glossy 22'' HP monitor but that 'POS' makes a rather annoying buzzing sound.

What I want is a screen thats just as good or better then the 20'' ACD i've used for over a year, As I've already said a led backlit screen isn't going to work for me. (Headaches.)

So I was wondering if you would be able to help me out,
What I need is a monitor that isn't too bright, As close to sRGB as possible (Doesn't have to be out of the box as I'm Planning on using a callibration tool.) as silent a can be (No annoing buzzig or beeping sounds.) within budget: 300/400,- Euro. (Maybe 500,- Max if it's really necessary.)
And most important of all, In stock and Available in my home country. (The Netherlands)
That last part might sound difficult but u could use this website to see wat a monitor costs and if it's available within my country: http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/cat/344/monitoren.html
It's in dutch but i don't think that will be a problem, There's a search box on the left and there are filter options beneat it.

I've been searching for about two months now and it's driving me mad that every good monitor that I find is either way too expensive or not for sale (any more) over here.
Not to mention the headache this 19'' is giving my every minute a spend looking at it. (I'ts colours are way of and I've never been able to correct that.)

Second hand market isn't bringing me any luck either, And at € 350,- for a second hand 20'' ACD I'd rather buy a brand new monitor. (Because being able to only turn the screen on or off and increase/decrease brightness is to minimal for me.)


Some last minute basic info: I'm okay with AG Coatings, I use the monitor for reading forums and sites (Using the magnification options in Chrome and Firefox for easy'er to read text), Viewing, Processing and Editting the photo's I make as an amateur photografer (Private use only so far, though that might change soon.) and some basic/simple games. (Most of my gaming is done on a plasma tv using a gamesconsole.)
So I don't really care about input lag.


Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Sato.
 
Yes, your requirements are quite restrictive: sRGB IPS for photos, no LED, not bright, must be from the list of locally available...
The HP ZR24w used to be in the list of recommended monitors as the only affordable sRGB IPS alternative to NECs.
Now there is a better option in the form of the Dell U2412. But you believe that LED causes headache(?)
So due to your very specific case the HP ZR24w can be considered but it's brightness cannot be set low.
Please refer to HP ZR24w thread.
Same for the Fujitsu Siemens P24W-6 IPS - another IPS model available in Europe. It's minimal brightness is reportedly less than on HP.
 
Personally, I think it's foolish to avoid the 27" SA850. Mine has no visible defects and it's a great panel. It is unique in that the alternatives feature full glossy, or grainy matte AG. The colors are close to RGB out of the box, virtually dead on after calibration or applying a profile.

It's a great gaming panel too, imo.

I think most users just pull their lcd out of it's box and they don't spend much time to obtain the best results. It's no secret that many lcds are super bright at factory defaults, which is the worse case scenario for blb.
 
IMO it would be useful to mention mention which monitors are sRGB only, WG only or WG with sRGB emulation. That may be a deal breaker for some people. Just a thought.

@albovin
I completely agree with you when you say that 27" is "neither flesh nor meat", but some people may like it. My advice would be: try it before you buy it. I once thought of buying a 27" and quit after having tried one.
 
I strongly prefer the 27" 2560x1440 form factor to anything else on the market. Some may find the finer dot pitch to be an asset rather than a liability.

The NEC PA271w monitor is an excellent performer on all fronts, and is even somewhat cost competitive.
 
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