Today I have the awesome Dell 2209WA 22inch IPS screen. Recently got a bigger desk so now the screen looks a little small... Been looking around today for something bigger and think 27 would be the right choice for me. Have looked at: Dell U2711, because it's the natural step-up compared to what I already have, never and bigger but more of the same. or Samsung S27A950D, wich is obviously a LOT better looking, just worried if a TN panel of todays standart can match my 3year old 2209WA IPS?? I'm using an Mac Mini Server mid-2010, so if I end up with the Dell U2711, then there should be no worries in utilizing the insane 2560x1440 resolution trough DisplayPort, right? I'm not into playing games or watching in 3D, but I do care about color quality in stills and picture quality in movies, as Im doing quite a lot of photo work and watch many movies.
+1 to the dell, the Samsung is nice, but the Dell just beats it hand's down, and yes you should have no problems running the U2711 through Display port on the Mac mini at the U2711's full resolution If you care about colour quality/accurate reproduction etc for photo editing (I presume?), Go with the Dell! TN panel's have come on strong in the last few year's, but for your need's the IPS is still better and if my argument hasn't convinced you to get the Dell, Just wait for goodbyte's to come along, and everyone else probably ;D
My old 4:3 Dell LCD used a TN panel and it was a HUGE lift to change it to the 2209 I now have... But were ever I read about the Samsung they all seem to say that its very good for an TN panel, so just wondering - how good is that actually, as good as my now 3 years old IPS or still worse than that? Im not really seeking a better monitor, just a bigger one.
Opinion is strongly divided here regarding TN vs IPS, and the difference is often overhyped. At the end of the day, the U2711 will have much better viewing angles than the Samsung and of course the much higher resolution is a bonus too. I really couldn't pay £500 for a TN display... can you?
As long as its the BEST TN display, on level with my good old 2209WA, then yes... Now when I see that you have the bigger Dell U3011, what can you say about that one?
It's amazing but like any other display there are pros and cons - the biggest (and only, IMO) disadvantage with large IPS panels is "black glow", which is similar to the colour shift of TN panels: blacks look increasingly gray when viewed off centre. It gets annoying, but for me the 2560x1600 resolution is why I bought the U3011 in the first place and it rocks. Here's my U3011 from the side, showing the black glow: I have no experience with the U2711 but I'd imagine black glow is also obvious with it too. Given the choice between colour shift (TN) and black glow (IPS) when working with photos, I'd choose black glow every time!
3 questions: 1. why are you looking at anything lower than 2560x resolution for this sized monitor? 2. why would you pay that much for TN? may be the best, it is still TN, you'll still regret as soon as you go slightly off angle, and that's more often than you'd think because of the vast size. (24inch 1920x1200 is still slightly too tall for TN) and 3. why bother? this thread will end with overwhelming support of Dell. im sure of it. yes, Displayport will support vast resolution.
Seeing as you dont play alot of games or care about 3D, 120hz is pointless for you. Easily get the 2711 for the miles better resolution, or better still save more for the 3011
The best TN panels provides the same image quality as an entry level IPS. You end up pying more for the best TN panel, and you still have it's downsides (backlight bleeding on all colors and blacks, short view angle, etc.) No it's not similar AT ALL. TN view limit shifts all colors, making what you see impossible to see properly. IPS glow effect on black is minimal, and only affects pure black, and won't be visible when you a black web site like bit-tech.net, or when playing wide screen movies, or games. Plus from what I can see, the brightness of that screen is super high. The Dell U2410/U2711/U3011 is SUPER bright, I have mine set at 0%, OR the camera is amplifying the effect. This is a minor effect. And TN panels, you have full back light bleeding visible. which is even worse: Example: This is visible even on the best of the best TN panels. (the above case, is that the monitor uses LED's backlight, so the back light is visible at the bottom, where all the lights are. For me, absolutely not, as I don't have the issue. Ok well I do, when brightness is set at 100%, which illuminates more my room, and makes me blind then anything.
Here is the difference between the Samsung and The Dell: Samsung screen is: - only 1920x1080 for a 27inch display. A 23inch resolution on a 27inch screen. - Non adjustable stand - Glossy - Base too large, PLUS the diplay plug that will stick out and be visible. PLUS you have a power adapter. Nothing is embedded in the screen, to achieve this thickness. (that's the magic trick, that is why all "thin" panel theses days are all B.S.) - It is 120Hz 3D TV, using it's own technology. So I guess it's cool. But if the glasses breaks, I don't know where you can get extra ones. - Inputs is DVI, HDMI, and Display Port - I have no read 1 good story (plus my experience) of Samsung RMA/warranty service. - White LED backlight - TN panel.. no specs, but I believe, like TN panels, they are 6-bit panel with FRC (Frame Rate Control, which I explain what it is in my guide) While the Dell screen: - Full matte screen and monitor - Fully adjustable stand (without rotation (can't change from landscape to portrait mode) - Metal stand arm, metal mechanical system. The stand is NOT going to move, it's very heavy, and very solid. - 60Hz, so not 3D ready - Comes with Adobe RGB and sRGB pre-calibrated color profiles, with report. Not the best calibration of the world (it's not a professional grade screen), but really good none the less, and better than nothing. - 2x DVI, 1x VGA, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x Composite, 1x Component. So it's almost a TV (No TV Tuner), so you can plug anything. - Picture-in-Picture, and side-by-side-picture-in-picture - High Grade CFL back light - 2560 x 1440 - Media Card reader - Smaller stand (I even think it will consume less space on your desk, as you don't need room for the plugs) - Powered USB hub with 4 ports (2x on the side and 2x on the back) - 10-bit IPS panel - 10-bit Look Up Table - Color processor, for assuring better colors.
IPS glow effect can be very bad, and it affects all dark colours... Bottom corner of my screen, very clearly a range of dark colours viewed front on: Here is the same corner/same exposure settings but looking down and across this time, and now all these different colours have become a block of light gray. Lowering the brightness makes no difference, nor does raising it (it's at 20). And yes, that's the bit-tech window in my screen.
Samsung also now do PLS monitors. Which is the same technology they use in their tablet. It is mean't to be just as good or even better than IPS panel.
Dont know much about monitors, but cant fault my u2711. It was a lot of cash but I guess you get what you pay for
Yea..ok, no one watches their screen like that, unless you are licking your screen or something. And I still think your camera amplifies the effect, because you can clearly see that your room is super dark.
Here is a review of the Samsung PLS. http://www.fcenter.ru/online.shtml?articles/hardware/monitors/31166 .
The bigger the screen, the more likely you view the corners at an angle, the worse the black glow. So no screen-licking going on here - just making a point. Well, you obviously don't undestand how exposure works. The room appears super dark because, for the camera, the screen is super bright by comparison. To expose the screen correctly, the room has to be underexposed - even when dim, the screen is still a source of light. So no, the camera doesn't "amplify" anything; the pictures accurately convey exactly what I see by way of black glow.
if you are so bothered by it, why didn't you buy a VA panel monitor like Pookey did? out of those two in OP, it's foolish to choose anything other than a U2711. simple.
IPS black glow is a definite issue and I have seen it myself when I had the U2311 sat side by side with my Benqs. It does affect all dark colours and, to an extent, has a similar effect of TN colour shift, because when you view it off angle the glow comes into perspective and distorts the colours. Is it worse than having a TN vertical colour shift? No, but its still an issue and will be noticeable to most people. Backlight bleed is not as bad as colour shift or IPS glow, imo. The only time when it is annoying is if I watch movies with black borders. Every other time - on the desktop, playing games, etc - I dont notice it atall. With regard to which monitor the OP should buy though, it should be a no-brainer because he will get sick of 1080p very quickly. When given a choice between 1920x1080 or 2560x1440, I know which I would pick everytime. Also, unless you view your display in a super light managed environment, glossy screens will display a shed load of reflections that you just wont see on a matte screen.
