Looking for a gaming monitor for about 300-400$. Is 120hz worth it?

G

Grizz

n00b
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
5
From what I understand, 120hz is the new standard for gaming. I'm 100% gamer, so low input lag and refresh time is priority I guess. My thoughts are Planar SA2311W, Asus VG236H, LG W2363D, or the Acer GD235HZ.
Any thoughts? Should I just go for a good TN monitor? or maybe an IPS like the u2311h/u2412M?
I know this is a subject that's probably been churned from all directions, but all threads I've seen about this are 4-5 months old or even more.
Thanks for the help hardforum, I truly hope you can help me with this, knowing and reading some threads here helped alot.
 
For me, no. But you may be different as some people have sensitive enough eyesight that they can tell the difference.

I cant see much difference in anything over 60 Hz.

If you can afford the price difference, you might as well get it. Cant hurt and may make some things look a little smoother to you. If youre on a budget though, Id skip it in favor of a better video card or processor or something like that.
 
120 hz is worth it if you must have an LCD, I own a LG W2363D and it is better than the 3 60hz LCDs I have to compare to. However in the end it still cannot touch a good CRT monitor so pick your poison, I Went and bought 2 FW900s and if you currently have a CRT my advice would be to stick with that and buy an LCD for reading to put on the side.

BTW if you want to buy the LG from me I am all ears lol.
 
That's what I figured. I don't have a CRT, and I want an LCD. Question is, will the new Dell ips monitor be ok for gaming(no ghosting etc) or should I go for a 120hz screen?
 
im also curious what is a good gaming monitor now for like 23 inches? Budget around $300.
 
I have a AW2310 (23" 120hz TN) and a PA246Q (24" IPS) for my home setup. The 120hz display replaces a 22" CRT.

I really enjoy gaming on the 120hz screen. Even just using the desktop is a joy with the higher refresh rate and shorter feedback cycle. If you are a FPS gamer, I can't recommend it enough, make sure you do your research on enabling 120hz in games that support it. I've been playing black ops for a while now, but I went back to some of the source games after a while like LFD2 & CSS. Even Portal 2 is more enjoyable.

I got my AW2310 during a sale, from what I've read, some of the other 23" 120hz screens are good deals too.
 
This thread seems to have some good info on the relatively subtle improvements 120hz gives due to the nature of LCD panel's sample-and-hold tech and real response times (not just the grey-2-grey spec quotes).
...
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1620939
...
Basically the consensus in that thread is that the screen still blurs on fast motion, but perhaps half as much. Some people love that their mouse "trail" and dragging windows around in circles don't blur as much in desktop use too. To me that probably isn't worth the drop from the beauty of an IPS display, nor the inflated cost on a TN panel for 120hz (especially a 27" one that I would have been interested in ~ $650+ I think). The LCD panel itself can't change fast enough even when sent 120frames a second, so it still blurs. Another thing to note is that you will have to *maintain* 120fps vs the 120hz in order to get the benefit of the 120hz monitor... on some high end games this might require a major tradeoff in graphics bells and whistles being turned off/down even on a single monitor system with considerable gpu horsepower... let alone people who use three monitors for eyefinity/nvidia surround gaming. This is a major consideration for me.
...
If I were you I'd try one out from a local place with a good return policy like BB so you can return it if it's not worth the subtle improvment. I may do that next year on a 27" 120hz just to see for myself, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm not going to be waving my mouse and windows around in circles, or standing up close at a chainlink fence in a game waving my FoV around fast while staring to see that it is perhaps half as blurry trying to justify the subtlety.
 
elvn said:
This thread seems to have some good info on the relatively subtle improvements 120hz gives due to the nature of LCD panel's sample-and-hold tech and real response times (not just the grey-2-grey spec quotes).
...
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1620939
...
Basically the consensus in that thread is that the screen still blurs on fast motion, but perhaps half as much. Some people love that their mouse "trail" and dragging windows around in circles don't blur as much in desktop use too. To me that probably isn't worth the drop from the beauty of an IPS display, nor the inflated cost on a TN panel for 120hz (especially a 27" one that I would have been interested in ~ $650+ I think). The LCD panel itself can't change fast enough even when sent 120frames a second, so it still blurs. Another thing to note is that you will have to *maintain* 120fps vs the 120hz in order to get the benefit of the 120hz monitor... on some high end games this might require a major tradeoff in graphics bells and whistles being turned off/down even on a single monitor system with considerable gpu horsepower... let alone people who use three monitors for eyefinity/nvidia surround gaming. This is a major consideration for me.
...
If I were you I'd try one out from a local place with a good return policy like BB so you can return it if it's not worth the subtle improvment. I may do that next year on a 27" 120hz just to see for myself, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm not going to be waving my mouse and windows around in circles, or standing up close at a chainlink fence in a game waving my FoV around fast while staring to see that it is perhaps half as blurry trying to justify the subtlety.
Click to expand...

Ok I see what you're saying. The main question for me now is, whether or not gaming with an ips monitor is painful or not. I might wait a bit for the new Dell ips reviews to come out. What would your recommendation for a gaming monitor be?
 
YamahaAlex37 said:
Why are you looking at 23" monitors if your budget is $3-400? :confused: For $300 I picked this up and used a $15 monoprice wall mount: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001392

Something about Samsung's lcd makes it really on the eyes and anti glare, really high quality.
Click to expand...

A little too big for me :) I have a 55" lcd/led tv I use to watch shows and movies. I mainly want a 23-25" screen for games. I really dont know if I should go for an ips or a quality TN monitor. :(
 
Grizz said:
A little too big for me :) I have a 55" lcd/led tv I use to watch shows and movies. I mainly want a 23-25" screen for games. I really dont know if I should go for an ips or a quality TN monitor. :(
Click to expand...

I am one of those people that don't think quality and TN go in the same sentence. Granted I have only owned one TN panel monitor many years ago and hated it. I had a Samsung 204b, shortly after trying it they came out with the 215tw which I exchanged it for. Then I got my Benq FP241W, and now my ZR24W. Pretty much the TN viewing angles is what I hated. The perfect LCD does not seem to exist, when you factor everything.
 
Grizz said:
A little too big for me :) I have a 55" lcd/led tv I use to watch shows and movies. I mainly want a 23-25" screen for games. I really dont know if I should go for an ips or a quality TN monitor. :(
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone has ever thought they're 27" screen was "too big", ESPECIALLY for gaming, but I can guarantee tons of people have thought the 23" or 25" was too small after a while. Trust me, it's not to big, if i want to go back a few feet to play Xbox or something, it's almost too small, for a computer monitor, it's just perfect.
 
Grizz said:
Ok I see what you're saying. The main question for me now is, whether or not gaming with an ips monitor is painful or not. I might wait a bit for the new Dell ips reviews to come out. What would your recommendation for a gaming monitor be?
Click to expand...

As someone using an IPS and an TN 120hz side-by-side, I can say that it will probably not be painful to use an IPS. I have played plenty of games on this IPS and on several IPS monitors before this. I think a point a lot of people miss without first hand experience, is that the difference is not about the blur, it is not the sharpness, etc. The difference is the extra information conveyed at 120 discrete frames per second, and the shorter end to end feedback cycle.

It is not just the monitor causing this, it is the game engine that is now processing every input, processing, output in 8ms instead of 16ms. In the end the technical explanations mean nothing. Also, if you see a 120hz monitor at a store, chances are they have not adjusted the game to run at 120hz. You need to try it at a friends place, etc. If you play a game running at 120hz on a 120hz monitor for a few minutes and then go back to a game running at 60hz on a 60hz monitor, it hits you like a ton of bricks. 5 minutes later, however, you will have fully adjusted back, and you will probably be fine with the 60hz again. Is the 120hz better? Yes. Can you be happy with 60hz? Absolutely.

I'm lucky, I don't have to choose one or the other I have IPS and 120hz TN side by side - honestly, since I do more web browsing, reading, writing and watching than I do gaming nowadays, I'd probably pick the IPS if I had to choose just one.

If I was interested primarily for gaming purposes only, I'd pick the 120hz TN in a heartbeat, knowing what I know now. BTW, I am a big IPS fan, as my post history here proves. I have calibrated my monitors with a colorimeter, I have a deep appreciation of what makes a good monitor. But for the same reason that I wouldn't recommend a Mercedes S class to a race car driver, or a Ferrari to a grandmother, I have to say it's horses for courses. It would be nice if there was a best of both worlds out there, but honestly, there isn't just yet.
 
rudy said:
However in the end it still cannot touch a good CRT monitor so pick your poison, I Went and bought 2 FW900s and if you currently have a CRT my advice would be to stick with that and buy an LCD for reading to put on the side.
Click to expand...

Can anyone tell me why CRT's are better? I use a 21" NEC CRT at work (1024x768 85 hertz/Nvidia Quadro card) to do design work. I try to do work at home sometimes on my 19" Samsung LCD/Nvidia Geforce card and I would much rather be in front of the CRT at work.
 
I think the pixel pitch is what turns some people off from 27" 1920x1080 screens. I know I can tell the difference between the ~.28 of my LG 227wtg at home and the .25 of my 2007fp at work.
 
If 1920x1200 displays disappear, I will be sad the next time its time to buy a new monitor.
 
plunger said:
Can anyone tell me why CRT's are better? I use a 21" NEC CRT at work (1024x768 85 hertz/Nvidia Quadro card) to do design work. I try to do work at home sometimes on my 19" Samsung LCD/Nvidia Geforce card and I would much rather be in front of the CRT at work.
Click to expand...
Less/no input lag, and less/no pixel response time.
 
WaTaGuMp said:
If 1920x1200 displays disappear, I will be sad the next time its time to buy a new monitor.
Click to expand...
.
You could always move up to a 2560 x (?) monitor, but it would cost you more like $750 - $1k currently... I went with a 2560x1440 (16:9) on a 12month no interest deal. I like the 27" size and pixel density. Its a lot more rez than the 1920x1200 I upgraded from, and the jump to IPS was awesome. (I did use a fw900 24" widescreen "graphics professional" crt for several years alongside the 1920x1200 TN though as well).
..
.. Just fyi, LG is going to release some "Quad full HD" panels in the next year (or two).. so you could possibly have a 3840x2160 27" 16:9 option eventually that could swallow current resolutions whole 16:10 or not... :p
..
.. 1920 vs 2560x
..
.. 1920 vs 2560 ~> +320 left, +320 right (+640 wider)
...1200 vs 1440 ~> +120 top, +120 bottom (+240 taller)
...1200 vs 1600 ~> +200 top, +200 bottom (+400 taller)
...1080 vs 1440 ~> +180 top, +180 bottom (+360 taller)
...1080 vs 1600 ~> +260 top, +260 bottom (+520 taller)


.. "block of four 1080p resolutions ~ Quad Full HD 3840x2160"

.. 1920 vs 3840 ~> +960 left, +960 right (+1920 wider)
.. 1200 vs 2160 ~> +480 top, + 480 bottom(+960 taller)
...1080 vs 2160 ~> +540 top, +540 bottom (+1080 taller)

.. 2560 vs 3840 ~> +640 px left , +640px right.. (+1280 wider)
...1600 vs 2160 ~> +280 px top, +280px bottom (+560 taller)
...1440 vs 2160 ~> +360 px top , +360px bottom (+720 taller)
..
..
 
elvn said:
.
You could always move up to a 2560 x (?) monitor, but it would cost you more like $750 - $1k currently... I went with a 2560x1440 (16:9) on a 12month no interest deal. I like the 27" size and pixel density. Its a lot more rez than the 1920x1200 I upgraded from, and the jump to IPS was awesome. (I did use a fw900 24" widescreen "graphics professional" crt for several years alongside the 1920x1200 TN though as well).
..
.. Just fyi, LG is going to release some "Quad full HD" panels in the next year (or two).. so you could possibly have a 3840x2160 27" 16:9 option eventually that could swallow current resolutions whole 16:10 or not... :p
..
.. 1920 vs 2560x
..
.. 1920 vs 2560 ~> +320 left, +320 right (+640 wider)
...1200 vs 1440 ~> +120 top, +120 bottom (+240 taller)
...1200 vs 1600 ~> +200 top, +200 bottom (+400 taller)
...1080 vs 1440 ~> +180 top, +180 bottom (+360 taller)
...1080 vs 1600 ~> +260 top, +260 bottom (+520 taller)


.. "block of four 1080p resolutions ~ Quad Full HD 3840x2160"

.. 1920 vs 3840 ~> +960 left, +960 right (+1920 wider)
.. 1200 vs 2160 ~> +480 top, + 480 bottom(+960 taller)
...1080 vs 2160 ~> +540 top, +540 bottom (+1080 taller)

.. 2560 vs 3840 ~> +640 px left , +640px right.. (+1280 wider)
...1600 vs 2160 ~> +280 px top, +280px bottom (+560 taller)
...1440 vs 2160 ~> +360 px top , +360px bottom (+720 taller)
..
..
Click to expand...

Well I shouldn't have to make that decision any time soon, knock on wood. I don't do much gaming like I use to, but there was a time where going even higher then 1920 meant too much video card upgrading. Factor in the price of monitors and for me that's just not something I would spend the money on.
 
It depends what you are doing.. if you aren't doing demanding games a single 6950 (unlockable to 6970 , at least originally).. would do ok without costing a ton. The monitors themselves are a bit expensive but not if you compare them to TV's - and to me a good monitor is at least as important as having a good tv, probably more. That said, I think 23" and 24"monitors are fine too - even at 1080p - and should be considerably less expensive - though I'd prefer at least a dual monitor setup personally. I mentioned the higher rez panels because of the decrying of +60px top/+60px bottom ~120pixels of screen height on a 1080 vs 1200. 1200 may be going away but taller resolutions aren't, and in fact they are going to be much taller resolution wise.
 
elvn said:
It depends what you are doing.. if you aren't doing demanding games a single 6950 (unlockable to 6970 , at least originally).. would do ok without costing a ton. The monitors themselves are a bit expensive but not if you compare them to TV's - and to me a good monitor is at least as important as having a good tv, probably more. That said, I think 23" and 24"monitors are fine too - even at 1080p - and should be considerably less expensive - though I'd prefer at least a dual monitor setup personally. I mentioned the higher rez panels because of the decrying of +60px top/+60px bottom ~120pixels of screen height on a 1080 vs 1200. 1200 may be going away but taller resolutions aren't, and in fact they are going to be much taller resolution wise.
Click to expand...

I was going to xfire my 6850, but the lack of gaming really hasn't made me have to do it. Only new game I have is Portal 2. It didn't task my card what so ever.
 
WaTaGuMp said:
I was going to xfire my 6850, but the lack of gaming really hasn't made me have to do it. Only new game I have is Portal 2. It didn't task my card what so ever.
Click to expand...

Dang, I've gotta play some more Portal 2... Cant wait for Star Wars Old Republic!. Even though you probably won't need a crossfire setup for that either.
 
pakman134 said:
Dang, I've gotta play some more Portal 2... Cant wait for Star Wars Old Republic!. Even though you probably won't need a crossfire setup for that either.
Click to expand...

Portal 2 is a fantastic game, I have played through it numerous times. For the last week or so, its been Angry Birds. :D
 
sethk said:
As someone using an IPS and an TN 120hz side-by-side, I can say that it will probably not be painful to use an IPS. I have played plenty of games on this IPS and on several IPS monitors before this. I think a point a lot of people miss without first hand experience, is that the difference is not about the blur, it is not the sharpness, etc. The difference is the extra information conveyed at 120 discrete frames per second, and the shorter end to end feedback cycle.

It is not just the monitor causing this, it is the game engine that is now processing every input, processing, output in 8ms instead of 16ms. In the end the technical explanations mean nothing. Also, if you see a 120hz monitor at a store, chances are they have not adjusted the game to run at 120hz. You need to try it at a friends place, etc. If you play a game running at 120hz on a 120hz monitor for a few minutes and then go back to a game running at 60hz on a 60hz monitor, it hits you like a ton of bricks. 5 minutes later, however, you will have fully adjusted back, and you will probably be fine with the 60hz again. Is the 120hz better? Yes. Can you be happy with 60hz? Absolutely.

I'm lucky, I don't have to choose one or the other I have IPS and 120hz TN side by side - honestly, since I do more web browsing, reading, writing and watching than I do gaming nowadays, I'd probably pick the IPS if I had to choose just one.

If I was interested primarily for gaming purposes only, I'd pick the 120hz TN in a heartbeat, knowing what I know now. BTW, I am a big IPS fan, as my post history here proves. I have calibrated my monitors with a colorimeter, I have a deep appreciation of what makes a good monitor. But for the same reason that I wouldn't recommend a Mercedes S class to a race car driver, or a Ferrari to a grandmother, I have to say it's horses for courses. It would be nice if there was a best of both worlds out there, but honestly, there isn't just yet.
Click to expand...
..
.. Good post thanks. I have to disagree with the isinuation that IPS/60hz is for grandma though, and calling a TN a ferrari is way out of bounds aesthetically lol. But I get what you were trying to say.
....
... The 120 screen updates make the action appear smoother on 120hz even if you are running 60fps for example, which would be almost like frame doubling. However this would not be more precise/up-to-date action. Against some targets the smoothness might help aiming/flow , but the target information would sometimes be outdated vs someone running 120fps+ vs the 120hz of screen updates for a new action frame displayed every 1hz (8.3ms). In order to get the "most" out of your 120hz screen you would need to run 120fps+ , which would require some serious graphics tradeoffs on the most demanding games, even with considerable gpu power in your machine.. not to mention if you wanted 3x 120hz for eyefinity. So 120hz would feel smoother and have slightly less blurring. You'd have a difference in "flow" of the action to your perception, but would not be seeing quicker/more up-to-date action unless you were running considerably higher than 60fps, preferably 120fps+. Maybe the feeling is like a ton of bricks, but unless its a very high fps.. it might just be a feeling for the most part. Perhaps a bit more accuracy even at 60fps in certain conditions where the blurring is reduced around half though.
..
.. Considering
-the response times can barely keep up with 8.3ms screen updates at 120fps (blurring/losing info)
-LCD backlights causing retinal retention blur regardless
-120fps+ to get the most up-to-date/most acute action gaming experience (resulting in major eye candy tradeoffs on some titles
-TN

-high price for 27", again TN
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top