Recommend sub-$1000 displays for eyefinity.

U

Undercover_Man

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Hello. I have been looking around at other ppl's multi monitor setup and the majority I seem to see the average screen be between 21"-24" with a few 30"'s scattered around. I also see the average cost per monitor be about $200-399 each.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for an eyefinity setup. I said sub $1000 in the title but if it could be below $750 then that would be even better. If between $750-$1000 gets me more of what I am looking for, then I may make an exception.

I don't know much about todays display screens. back when I built my computer, LCD's were in their infancy. The main drawback was worrying about ghosting and dead pixels and the return policy when it came to dead pixels. I think, at the time, dead pixels were starting to become a thing of the past for the most part. Same with ghosting. But it still kept a lot of people sticking to their CRT monitors which I am still using. :eek: How are these doing nowadays? Non-existent?

It's time to upgrade. I don't know much about displays and I will create a different thread asking people to school me and catch me up, but I think I can provide enough info to get you started.

I'd like 24"-30" screen size unless my budget will allow for something better. But then wouldn't that suck up a bit too much GPU power?
Choice between portrait and landscape
Thinnest bezel you can find (maybe my increased budget will help)
Sexy :p

What else should I consider? Any suggestions so far?

THANX
~ Undercover_Man
 
Wait for the Samsung eyefinity setups. The 3 LCD version will run about $1200, probably a little less on the net.

They should be available in the coming months.
 
kmrivers said:
Wait for the Samsung eyefinity setups. The 3 LCD version will run about $1200, probably a little less on the net.

They should be available in the coming months.
Click to expand...

No, the Samsung is $1899 for 3 and it is unlikely to be had for much cheaper because it is a niche product only being sold through e-tailers.
 
Hmm. I guess the information I have is out of date. $1899 is pushing toward the price for the 6-display setup, based on what I had read.

Do you have a link for your information? Just so I can catch up. Thanks.
 
I think in that price range it comes down to screen size vs image quality/panel. I have debating on either going with 2209wa IPS but it's a 16:10 aspect ratio or those HP panels mentioned above. I have even considered doing hanns g 28 lcds in eyefinity, p2310h and the p2210h. In the end I choose image quality vs screen size and went with the 2209wa.
 
Zepharus said:
You couldnt even touch 1 30" display for your budget fyi.
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refurb Dell 3007's can hit into the $800-$900 range from time to time, but thats for a single monitor

as far as monitors the OP should take a look at, you could get a trio of Hanns-G 28" (ok, 27.5", whatever) displays for around $900, can get three of these for $600, they come with DP too:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&sku=320-8103

would also suggest at look at Samsung's 2343BWX, I've been nothing but impressed with mine, just not sure how three of them would handle Eyefinity (it'd be fairly large on the desk, and they have glossy bezels, which means external light is reflected by the bezel of the monitor (I have the amBX system, and I've had to play around with positioning quite a bit to defeat said glare))


as far as the issues of LCD vs CRT, I used CRT monitors until 2008 when space restrictions forced me to change, currently I'm using a 2343 and a 19" Hannspree as an auxiliary (I don't game on both at once), and honestly can say that I like it just as much, neither arrived with dead/stuck pixels (and none of the customer builds I've done over the last few years have had dead pixels on their monitors), ghosting/smearing isn't really a problem, black looks good enough for me (no, it can't hold a candle to a nice Trinitron) grab three decent monitors and you'll be blown away by the resolution and gaming experience, probably won't even notice any minor differences
 
Ok, here's a list of monitors I am looking at so far. Can someone check them out and see if the list can be shortened any?

Belinea 2485 S1W
HP LP2465
Dell U2410
Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP
Dell 2709W
ASUS VW266H
Samsung SyncMaster T220HD
Samsung T260HD
NEC MultiSync LCD2690UXi
NEC MultiSync LCD2690WUXi
LG L246WP-BN
HP LP2475W
Samsung SyncMaster XL24
HP w2408h
Dell S2409W
Acer G24

Here's what I know I want so far:

  • Primary use is for gaming first then photo/video editing
  • Will use in an eyefinity setup so viewing angles are important. Prolly TN monitors are out, huh?
  • Don't care about minor complaints ppl make like confusing menu or sensitive buttons or wobbly stand. If it's minor and/or fixable then ignore it.
  • 24" or higher
  • $1000 or less budget
  • Widescreen
  • Portrait mode
Any ideas?
 
portrait mode is possible with all monitors, isn't some special feature
TN isn't necessarily out, quite a bit of whining over nothing imho
from that list, lot of good options, make a choice
 
I'd get the u2410s and call it a day. IPS, display port, thin bezel, good stand, no hassle exchange (dell is actually really good when it comes to new monitors) and since it's dell prob one of the better values.
 
obobski said:
portrait mode is possible with all monitors, isn't some special feature
Click to expand...

Not every lcd can physically twist sideways into portrait mode

Yes you can change the resolution of any monitor into portrait mode but if it cant physically turn then whats the point?
 
Alright, I found a neat little tool online so I used it to filter the list I made above to 8 choices. Looking and comparing all those displays would have been confusing and hard work so I took an easier route hoping I wouldn't cast out one that was great as well.

Anyways, I used this tool and came up with these results:
(Couldn't link because of the use of brackets in the link. Highlight/copy/paste to see the results.)
Code: 
[URL]http://www.prad.de/en/guide/ergebnis_auswahl_stat.html?pradid=9461bd0475bff27e6ba038e58fe5adc1&manufacturer[/URL][]=no+specific+feature+selected&price1=&erfdatum=01.01.2000&1[]=A-MVA&1[]=AS-IPS&1[]=E-IPS&1[]=H-IPS&1[]=MVA&1[]=P-MVA&1[]=S-IPS&1[]=S-MVA&1[]=S-PVA&28[]=0&43[]=2&2[]=%3E+24&31[]=no+specific+feature+selected&3[]=no+specific+feature+selected&8[]=no+specific+feature+selected&36[]=%3C+10&10[]=0&4[]=no+specific+feature+selected&5[]=no+specific+feature+selected&39[]=no+specific+feature+selected&6[]=no+specific+feature+selected&7[]=no+specific+feature+selected&37[]=no+specific+feature+selected&38[]=no+specific+feature+selected&11[]=no+specific+feature+selected&13[]=0&9[]=DisplayPort+%28digital%29&35[]=no+specific+feature+selected&44[]=2&30[]=2&14[]=2&15[]=2&16[]=1&17[]=2&18[]=2&19[]=2&20[]=no+specific+feature+selected&21[]=0&22[]=2&23[]=2&24[]=0&33[]=0&40[]=no+specific+feature+selected&32[]=Widescreen&25[]=0&order_by=1&order_order=asc&Submit=find+displays&p=2&p=1&p=2&p=1&p=2&p=1


HP LP2475w - I like. Saw it compared to Dell 2408 and this was chosen over it.
Eizo CG243W - For graphic/photo/video editing. Expensive.
Dell U2410 - Like the Eizo, this is mostly for editing and is rather expensive.
Dell 3008WFP - Nope. Out of price range.
HP LP2480zx - :eek: Too Expensive :eek:
Dell 2408WFP - Very high input lag. Very bad for a fast paced gamer which is too bad because everything else about this monitor was perfect.
Dell 2709W - Has a high-ish input lag. Will have to compare to any other monitor I end up considering as this is the only drawback.
Eizo CG242W - For editing. Expensive.

I was happy to see some of the most praised monitors I've seen ppl recommend and in lots of reviews as well as some ones I haven't yet reviewed.

There's a 30" in there so I can cast that one out since it'd be out of my budget.Yay, only 7 to pick through. I'm keeping the 27" as they are still within my price range. I'll research the remaining monitors and post back with some questions and an updated list I have to chose from if I still have more than one monitor I'm trying to decide on.

:D

EDIT: Gotta go to work. Be back around 11p-midnight CST to finish looking at reviews and update this list. Green means it's a definite choice, yellow means maybe, red means cast out. BBL
 
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The Dell 2408WFP and 2709W can both be thrown out unless you are not bothered by input lag. For me it is not a big deal, but for many others arround here it is.

Don't let anybody tell you that some of these cannot be rotated 90 deg. Some of the stands will not do that, but you would probubly be better off with a triple arm anyway. They go for about $300.

Dave
 
Or you can go with three desk mounts from monoprice for $60. More setup, but it saves $240...
 
Well, it appears that I am left with two monitors: HP LP2475w and Dell 2709W.

The Dell is 27"'s so that tempts me to overlook the input lag just a bit. I have never played a game on an LCD monitor before so I don't know how sensitive I will be to it. Normally, if I am annoyed by something, I tend to develop a thing where I don't notice it nearly as much or at all over time. I grow into it I guess. This will be my very first LCD monitor.

I'll try to do a side-by-side comparison:

HP LP2475w | Dell 2709W
Side-by-Side:
PHP: 
http://www.prad.de/en/guide/ergebnis_vergleich.html?pradid=9461bd0475bff27e6ba038e58fe5adc1&7[]=0&8[]=0&10[]=0&12[]=0&13[]=0&14[]=0&15[]=0&16[]=0&17[]=0&18[]=0&19[]=0&20[]=0&21[]=0&22[]=0&23[]=0&24[]=4590&25[]=0&26[]=0&27[]=4551&28[]=0&29[]=0&30[]=0&32[]=0&37[]=0&38[]=0&40[]=0&42[]=0&45[]=0&46[]=0&47[]=0&50[]=0&52[]=0&55[]=0&56[]=0&57[]=0&65[]=0&70[]=0&82[]=0&108[]=0&order_by=price&order_order=asc&Submit=compare
Screen size:
24" | 27" - +1
Panel Type:
H-IPS | S-PVA
Response Time:
6 ms | 6 ms
Contrast Ratio:
1000:1 | 1300:1
Color Depth:
16.7Mil. (8-bit) | 1.07 Bil.
Pixel Pitch:
0.270 mm | 0.303 mm


Other stuff are the same like Native Resolution, Brightness, and Viewing Angle. I plan on either buying a stand or building my own to hold 3 of these monitors so I can eyefinity them. I will have to do this if I choose the Dell 27" since it does not rotate on its own.

They both have 6 ms response time which, from what I'm told, can bother some hardcore ppl and others not as much while even others not at all. Knowing this and looking at the numbers and reviews, I would think the 27" Dell wins the competition for the best LCD for me.

Also, I won't be buying this LCD for a few months. Why? Because it will be one of the last things I buy. I am just wrapping up putting together a list of parts for my new killer gaming rig and monitors and video cards are the last thing I will buy. This will allow more time for newer products to come up and compete with the monitor/gpu I pick today.

Is there any reason I should pick the HP over Dell? I kinda feel that I was really trying to root for the 27" to win, towards the end, since it was the only 27" in the list of monitors and, well, 27 is bigger than 24. :rolleyes: I just hope I didn't overlook something.
 
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doyoumaking said:
if you are interested in hanns g 28 lcds , you can check that :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254043
Click to expand...

I was *wondering* what was up with the super low price compared to the 27" Dell. It's a TN panel type, lower contrast, and no display port. Actually, it being a TN prolly knocked a good chunk off the price. I could not find any reviews on it. And their German(?) site seems to have I think 1 or 2 more 28" screens that look similar and I can't find any reviews on them either. I do like their response time tho. Any reviews around?
 
I have the 2475w and personally I think the bezel is too thick for a multi-monitor gaming setup.
 
I don't understand why the u2410 was eliminated if the 2709 Is still under consideration.
 
dook43 said:
I don't understand why the u2410 was eliminated if the 2709 Is still under consideration.
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:confused: Crap, I guess I typed the comment above next to the u2410 for the wrong monitor. I stated that it was expensive and made for photo/video editing pros. Maybe I meant to type that for one of the Eizo's. Now I'll have to take another look at the u2410. Thanks for pointing it out.




EDIT: Wow, checked out reviews and a thread dedicated to the u2410 and it seems that even though ppl are totally in love with the monitior, it suffers from tint uniformity issues, lit/dead pixels, and lower black levels than the other two monitors I chose. However, it seems that with the first two issues, it is a random thing. It seems that there are some that don't suffer from those and ppl like the monitor so much that going through the frustration of exchanging for another from Dell is worth the trouble.

Does anyone know if the Dell 2709W suffers from the same issues as the u2410? I hear a new 27" is coming out from them. It'll prolly be out by the time it's time to actually buy the monitors.
 
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I have a U2410 A00 sitting here (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1486474&highlight=u2410) next to a 2407wfp-hc and I don't notice tint issues until I switch the theme to "High Contrast White" or open a large explorer window between the two monitors. There is a slight greenish tint. Otherwise, I don't notice it. It certainly isn't worth the hassle to return it, especially since it blows away the pva screen at everything else.
 
If you don't mind waiting for a few weeks, 3 x HP ZR24w.

It definitely has the potential of being a winner (24", S-IPS, standard gamut, reasonable price), just gotta wait for some reviews of it.
 
dook43 said:
I have a U2410 A00 sitting here...and I don't notice tint issues until I switch the theme to "High Contrast White" or open a large explorer window between the two monitors. There is a slight greenish tint. Otherwise, I don't notice it. It certainly isn't worth the hassle to return it, especially since it blows away the pva screen at everything else.
Click to expand...
Yeah, for the gaming part of me it wouldn't make too much of a difference. But then there's the photo/video editing part of me. Video iting wouldn't cause too much problems with tint issues, but when you're into in-depth photo editing then it can start to bother ppl.People ask what purpose will you be using the monitor for when you are searching for one and I'm pretty much all of the above. Gaming, web browsing, photo, and video editing. So I have to make sure I get as little lag as I can for my gaming and really good, reliable colors for my editing.

I kinda have to find which monitor would be better and I think of the 3 that I chose, the 27" one would be nice since, of the 3, each ones problem areas pretty much even out over one another. The 27" really stands out and I haven't heard as many problems except I'm wondering, since they're both Dell's, if the 27" has the same or similar problems with the 24" I mentioned. Haven't found an answer to that as of yet.

I have until I buy the last computer component until I have to make a final decision and that won't be for prolly 2-3 months if not longer. So there's some room for more competition to pop up when I take another look at monitors when the time comes to pick one out.

BTW, what is gamut? Why are ppl frustrated with wide gamut over standard? Doesn't wide give you more colors or something. I haven't researched it at all so I don't know. Just thought I'd ask.
 
I don't think there's a solution that costs under 1000 to your problem. I'd probably use my PVA screen for photo editing and u2410 for gaming...
 
^^^
Yeah, I'm not a hardcore, hardcore photo editor. But I'm not pro enough that I need a $2-4k+ professional photo editing type monitor. These should be good enough for my editing needs.
 
Undercover_Man said:
^^^
Yeah, I'm not a hardcore, hardcore photo editor. But I'm not pro enough that I need a $2-4k+ professional photo editing type monitor. These should be good enough for my editing needs.
Click to expand...

you really won't have an issue with the inexpensive options listed here, unless you get yourself so worked up over it that you have a breakdown or something :eek:

you seem to discredit a monitor because one user reports one dead pixel or one user reports an issue with the backlight, if its bad enough to be a problem you can get it replaced (and if you whine enough, you can probably get it replaced even if it isn't that bad)

no product has a 0% failure rate, nothing is "perfect", either accept reality or don't live in it

you've also managed to reduce a lot of products to a single word, again, not really accurate

seems that you like the HP 24", get that
 
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