Displays 22" LCD worthwhile upgrade from 17" LCD?

Hi all,

I am currently scrounging together parts for a new PC build and am currently think about a new monitor. I currently have a rather old 17" Hercules ProphetView! I'd like something bigger and with a higher resolution, but I don't want to break my budget or kill performance on my new rig before its even booted up!

I had been considering the 24" Samsung SM-245B for a while, but then I saw the figures for Crysis at 1900x1200! I'm hoping to get hold of a G92 GTS in December, but I doubt even that will run Crysis better than an 8800Ultra, which leaves grim prospects for the 24" monitor option.

I then thought about the 22" Samsung SM-226BW, but as good as it looks, its has only a fractionally higher resolution than my current monitor at just 1680x1050. Though I've yet to see a 22" side by side with a 17" (I will keep my eyes peeled next time I'm out shopping!), I don't think it will have a much larger screen area either. I know that I'd get better specs in terms of image quality over my old LCD, but at the moment upgrading from a 17" to a 22" just seems like a token gesture to the gods of capitalism, and not something I really need.

What do you think? Is a 22" significantly better than a 17"? Will the 24" be alright for Crysis after all?

Thanks very much.

 

Is a 22" better than a 17"? Heh, hell yeah!! lol.

It's like asking "is a 1998 Ford Escort better than a 2008 Ferrari 360 Modena"

 

I just stepped up from a 17" to a 22" a few weeks ago.

I can't even look at the old one, it seems so small.

Trust me, upgrade!

 

i have a 17" sitting next to a 22" on my desk right now. there is no comparing the two, the 22 is absolutely massive. get it, you'll love it.

 

Interestingly enough the actual screen height of the 17" TFT I have is exactly the same as that of my 22" Samsung 226BW but then the 22" is like having two 17"'s next to each other.

With the native resolution of 1680x1050 there a massive amount of screen real estate. Going from a 19" CRT (1600x1200 res for gaming) to the 22" widescreen is just soo much more immersive.

I considered the 24" but the massive price difference at the time was a major off putting issue. Thinking about it I wonder if the increased dot pitch as such (since the native resolution is still 1680x1050) would make things seem a little bit bigger than they should be and less detailed.

Upgrading to the 22" Samsung is one of the best things I've done. So much nicer surfing the net as well...everything just looks perfectly placed now.

 

Deffinately worth it. I've got a 24", a 17", and a 12", and my sister has just got a 22". The different between the 22" and the 24" isn't huge. The resolution does show, but for the price (22" widescreen was about £140!) it's a no brainer. The 17" looks stunted in comparison.

RwD

 

Thanks for the replies guys! Sounds like a 22" is bigger than I had thought. Perhaps I'll go for one of them... it would help my budget alot!

 

Crysis can run on 1920x1200 although you need to tune the settings a bit. Personally, I'd stretch for the 24" if you are considering a 22" screen. The extra bit of desktop space always come in handy (although that depends on what you use the screen for).

 

Another thumbs up for the 22". I upgraded from 17" a couple of months ago and don't regret it at all, the thing is HUGE by comparison.

I actually run a dual screen setup with a 17" next to it and you can see a massive difference.