I spend ages doing the exact same thing, reading a review, getting enticed and then stumbling onto a negative review or a much better monitor for similar price and then going through the review conundrum all over again. In the end I got a DVI-D 24" monitor, which I kinda regret, because for £5 I could have bought the model with HDMI inputs, because I ended up spending around £20 more buying a switching device and cables to get my laptop and desktop to use the monitor interchangably,
If you are spending over £250 then go for the Dell Ultrasharp series. Can't really go wrong with those.
I got mine two days ago and so far it's great. Picture is smashing and it lots of ports and connectivity options. I like it so much I'm going to buy one more.
I was wondering if I may waylay you a little? You say LED's are basically to be avoided and I understand your reasoning. But if a person had say..£100 - £160 to spend the LED's screens in this price bracket actually seem to out-perform other 'cheap' monitors. Deeper blacks and the like, and while they often do have a blue or yellow tinge, this can be reduced to a reasonable level by altering the monitor settings. As you seem to know a lot on this subject I wondered if you had any more input on what I said above? I am genuinely interested in what you might have to say. If you feel this thread is not the place you are welcome to PM me.
They are A LOT of exceptions. For example, Samsung has a PVA (cPVA.. which I like to call crap-PVA) monitor that is utter pathetic compared to a TN panel in almost every way. We can stay all month talking about those. Information I provide are at a global general level. I mean look at my posts.. they are already SUPER long. Of course, I know that when I say "TN panel should be banned", it is not true. TN panel does consume much less power, in general, than IPS or PVA, making it an ideal screen for laptops. Same for LED back lights. What I do consider, is that as it IS Bit-tech.net, where most people have 1500-2000$ Canadian/U.S computers, I assume that they are not looking to buy a 30$ monitor. My Dad and Mom, both uses the ultra inexpensive non-glossy screen I could find. They don't need anything from it. As long as text and basic colors are displayed correctly.. that is fine. All they do is surf the web on it, and on absolute rare occasion, type a text in Word. When the budget is very low, and don't ask for the impossible, I usually avoid posting, because, they are so many TN based panel.. like they are coming out every hour.. it's impossible for me to track down. IPS and PVA models are few, and they are easy to track. Usually when a manufacture releases a better model, they discontinue the old one... For some reason, it doesn't seam to be the case for TN monitors (ok not really, of course, but you get what I mean. You go on Samsung site, you find like 20x TN 23inch models (exaggeration), and am I like.. OK... like what I supposed to do). And to make mater worse (for me), they are very few good monitor review site that reviews these. As usually, people who seek detail information about a screen, seek for something special about it, and actually good. So, they tend to review most of the time, higher end models, and not every TN panels that comes out. Heck they are even monitor that have been out for almost a year, and I can't even find 1 single review of any kind... not even a user review. Is it good or bad? I don't know. To answer your question, well I can't answer it. It depends on what you compare to. If you put any of these monitors next to a Dell U2410, let's say, they will all be pathetic. They might look OK on it's own... white might look white... but is it really white? Also, I can have GoodBytes Premium Monitor D256, TN panel, ultra glossy, literally orange LED back light, and 256 colors exact, 17inch, and sell it for 900$ just because it has "GoodBytes" branding on it. Brand price, basically. So there is that to consider as well. Than also, year of production. If HP releases a new IPS monitor with a new panel form LG (let's say), aimed at beating the U2410 by far... and sell for cheaper... than well.. it will be better. But you will never see a TN panel beat a IPS or PVA (other than the few exceptions like the Samsung I talk about) Also, what if the 'cheap' monitor you are talking about has a better stand, or better warranty service... do you consider that? What I am trying to say, and I know I am not answering your question directly, is that they are many factors that plays. Hence why I try to encourage people to check reviews, especially, that my downside can be insignificant for me, but important for someone else someone else, and vise-versa. They are many cases I recommend a monitor, and people end with someone different, for multiple reason, they still love it, and that is what counts the most., and they did follow some, or tried to followed all my advice and knowledge following their budget. Don't consider me the all knowing of monitors, and what I say is the only thing that exists. Example: they are these 2 monitors which I have an eye on, waiting for reviews: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/21/asus-24-1-inch-pa246q-p-ips-lcd-now-covering-98-percent-of-adob/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/02/eizos-27-inch-coloredge-cg275w-has-a-2560-x-1440-ips-panel-whi/ My suggestion are also highly influenced by feedback from you guys. When the U2311H, I was very hesitant in recommending.. I was suggestion it, I was worried about the back light uniformity.. but as more and more people picked it up, and PM me or replies how much they love it, I keep that in mind (including reviews, of course) and base my recommendations on that. And now, for example, the U2311H is praised by many on this forum, and on elsewhere, and more and more reviews show a good favor, and i know more about it's downsides and up, that I am confident calling an excellent entry level IPS monitor, where it won't be, not even close to a situation like that cPVA panel by Samsung.
I'm sure Goodbytes will be providing some excellent feedback shortly, but let me attempt to hold you over for the meantime If you are looking at the cheaper realm of TN panels, the only time you should really consider an LED backlight over a non-LED backlight display is if space and heat are a top priority. Say if you want to embed an LCD in a fixed installation or mount it flush against the wall. However, if that's not the priority, stick with the regular TN panels. (...waits for the arrival of Goodbytes...) Nevermind.. he beat me to it!
The NEC 232WM is also good; http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004G8QL1Y/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE Same as previous model, the 231, but LED back lit. IPS panel of course.
Oh to add something on my post... I think I can answer better the question: Note that, when I talked about CFL, I use "high grade" before it. I already encountered monitors that had a CFL lamp, where the light it produces is sooo wrong, it's unbelievable. They obviously used a crappy CFL lamp. Of course, a LED back light would be superior in such case, and hence why it picked up. Basically, my point was that if you can get a monitor with a high grade CFL lamp for a few dollar more.. GET IT, it will be superior than the LED one. In my post I tried to simply things. If your budget is 300$, and for 350$ you get a really good screen. I try to push for that in my posts. So many times, I recommended people to wait for a bit larger budget to be able to get it. And in most cases, they got it in any case without waiting... as they just pushed their budget. As the budget limit set, was more of a artificial limit, rather than "I seriously can't afford it". I also try and seek in finding something better than what they use to have (why only get a bigger screen.. get a better one as well), try to get them to get them the "WOW" factor to kick-in when they turn on the monitor for the first time. Talking about artificial budget limit, so many people here, including myself, and friends, goes "I am not spending more than 300$ (or wtv amount) on a 24inch screen". When I got the U2410 monitor, at 500$ compared to 750$ original price. NOT 1 SINGLE person I know, told it was a good deal. Everyone told me how much I got ripped off, and should return it to get my money back. My parents where totally shocked. And my friends where like "come come, we will do a little visit on the web and get a proper screen, that you won't be ripped off on", and some told me that there is probably a pricing error and got trapped. Well here comes my U2410, and now EVERYONE, desperately wants one, and now this "I got ripped-off monitor" turned to be "the best deal ever monitor". My 2 brother and 4 of my friends got it. Anyway, fun story. BTW, when I was comparing TN panels to my CRT (be buying an returning to my disgust with the image output, despite "good" reviews)... something I did when I was trying to find a monitor to replace my CRT as it was it's time. This is when I was ACTUALLY ready to buy an EIZO monitor. All i wanted was a monitor that can comes close to my CRT. I had over 2000$ ready to be spent on a single monitor. I was desperate, screw budget limits. This is when I started to do deep research on the LCD technologies and read a whole bunch of documentations, to understand why the EIZO screen where so dam expensive, and what will guarantee me great colors (especially that return shipping won't be free this time). Which turned my attention to LG IPS panels which were obviously far cheaper, which turned me to HP for the cheaper version, but exact same panel and same features, and to Dell to the ultimate model to my needs, the U2410. And I decided to get my first IPS panel U2410 which provided a bit better colors than my CRT.. but that is probably because my CRT got 5 years old, and lost it's colors since. Of course, I haven't stop there, and still looked into other monitor technologies for curiosity sakes, and what comes out now.
Firstly thanks for taking the time to respond. Was no little amount of effort there. Some good points. I have been looking (and looking) for a cheap-ish monitor that does what I want it to and doesn't compromise too much on other areas. I could use my monitor as an example. I currently use a 17" Sharp LL-172G-B and if you can find a review you will see that it was a good TN panel to buy...6/7 years ago. So I could most likely go for an 22" LED TN BENQ panel and be amazed at the difference. But the reviews from site to site vary. And that is assuming you can find 2 or 3 reviews of a certain monitor to compare. BENQ for example seem to do excellent budget monitors, but then reading through maaany customer reviews it becomes clear they are not all created equal. Seems a bit pot luck on features like, back light bleed, panel Uniformity ect.. Especially when looking at new tech like the LED A-MVA screens. The best I've found at a sub £200 price bracket seems to be the LG Flatron IPS226V. But that's really on only one review site that 'seems' pretty decent. And to find a place to buy one in the UK is even more problematic. Someone like me could get a cheap screen and likely still be blown away. My screen gives awful black levels..and the colours..I don't even know. You can see my problem. I'm a (financially poor) Bit-tech user and have been long before I signed up to the forum, but there seems no where to get solid advice on the cheaper screens. With other tech this doesn't seem to be an issue. Even a site like TFTCentral misses out vast swaths of the monitor market in its reviews. [Edit] you replied again while I was composing....off to read that.
EIZO...yeah I'd love the money to get one of those. I'm just too poor. I love computer tech, but I am always several years behind a lot of it because I simply cannot afford it. I'm pretty gutted I missed the deal going on at Dell recently. Urgh ____ Pardon the double post O' omnipresent mods.
Well I am also poor.. I am student. Granted my parents do pay for my University and everything essential. But my gaming consoles, games, computer, software, etc... are all form my pocket. Do I have a cellphone.. hell no. Do I smoke or something, nope. I do work like a nut case during summer to get the most money I can, to get cool stuff. I did learn something. Do not buy cheap stuff. If you (well me, talking to myself), about to buy something, better go all in, basically. Why? Long before I always went and followed a similar approach to you (now I am talking to you, YOU), and I was like "RAM is RAM" Let me get the Value pack, value RAM (I kid you not) form an unknown brand. Basically the ONLY good thing I had, was my motherboard which was from ASUS. The rest garbage. What did I end up with? problems after problems after problems. Components that always breaks, and my computer provides me with insufficient performance after 2-3 years. At that time, this is when I was ignorant on many things, little kid, and pop and mom buying my computer. Then I was sick and tired of all that. I worked as my first summer job at McD's... yes.. I did.. I wanted full time+, and got to work at a theme park McD's... everyday I was dead on the floor, over time almost all the time. This McD did some serious money, and under staffed (mainly due to the lack of room of the restaurant). it was also open concept.. so no A/C during summer (as it would have been totally useless). At the end, I made so much money, I spend a large part on my old computer in 2005. AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (the first, true dual core and dual core 64-bit CPU, with serious performance... 700$), I got some kick-ass DDR1 400MHz Corsair Memory, Antec True Power PSU (ended up a mistake (production problem at the time), but got a Corsair after, the HX 620, which was in any case, need, hence why I didn't RMA my Antec PSU, for my GPU upgrade). And so on. I got a Geforce 6600GT as I was waiting for the Geforce 8800, which never came to be, and got pushed year after years... and suffered for a moment, especially that the 8800 was out of my budget. Then I got funds and I got the GTX 260. My computer latest me form 2005 to 2010, and based on my calculation.. I SAVED money. And today, my old computer STILL WORKS. I use it as my computer at my father place. I can't play the latest games at 60fps due to the CPU and now my old GPU put inside. But for my work, or playing games at low settings, it's perfectly fine. That computer has Windows XP, then Vista 64-bit then Win7 64-bit. Oh and my computer was ultra quiet as well... Now that is what I follow, and so far I save money by spending more, and get to enjoy my things far longer, and always get a nice "Wow" or "cool" factor when I get my purchase.
Well it's not really fair to assume I buy cheap in other areas because I want a quality cheap monitor. I don't buy cheap tat, I learned that lesson long before I started building my own PC's. And I've been doing that about 11 years. Even this old monitor was recommended by CustomPC about 6 years ago. (I didn't even know that when I bought it). And have since seen my own caution rewarded with others horror story's. I have Corsair Dominator Ram, I have an ASUS P5Q Deluxe, an Intel Core Duo E8400 and the Antec NEW 650 PSU. Sure my GPU is a HD 4770 but I bought that when they came out. None of that is poor quality, and half of it aint even what one would call 'cheap'. I simply want something (monitor) that is 22-24" and is better quality than what I have and will last me the next 5 years. I don't need the best of the best. Coming from an old TN panel I'm not going to know that my £150 screen is much worse than a £300 screen. Obviously I know that intellectually, but I won't know it as intimately as if I had some super-duper E-IPS panel. I just want something that is good quality and that won't break the bank.
It's a little bit of an older model now, but I enjoy my ASUS VW246H. Stock brightness is a little high, but once you turn it down it looks pretty nice. Not too much bleeding at all, plus ASUS has a 3 year warranty on it. Scan has it for £198.29 Inc VAT. You obviously won't get IPS quality out of it, but for general gaming and watching movies it works for me.
Ah very good! Very good computer as well. I did not expect you had all this. Very cool! and excellent job in finding great deals. Now I understand more about you. Here are some suggestions, after a quick look. I can't promises that it's the best deal, as TN panel market aren't my forte at all, as mentioned. But if it gets you started in your research, then very good. I don't know what 50 pounds mean.. like what can you get for 50 pounds. But for 50 pounds more, you have the Dell U2311H monitor. NOW, WAIT. Hang on! I know 3 things: 1- In the U.K, apparently you have a lot of online stores that sells Dell products. And apparently CHEAPER than Dell own website. Perhaps have a look around, you might find one at 250 pound, fitting your budget perfectly. 2- Dell has 24 hour specials, sometimes. I would bookmark this page, and have a look every day for a good deal. 3- Even if it's on special, if you call Dell Small Business, (you don't need to be a business to order from there, but if the warranty system is like Dell system between Home and Business, Business provide you better warranty service. If you go through non-personal purchase, and they ask you for your business, just say family business. It's all they need. Now why go through all that. Well you can negotiate a price over the phone. This is how I got my U2410 from 750$ down to 480$ before taxes. And this is who I got my Dell Latitude E6400 laptop from well over 2000$ down to ~1600$. it's worth a shot. Beside you get to work on those negotiating skills of yours. Of course, nothing oblige you to buy, if you not happy with the price.. then you are not happy. Other monitors of interest: This is 22inch 1680x1050, a descent little screen. it's IPS panel, much cheaper at 250 pounds http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sn...noteSearch&baynote_bnrank=10&baynote_irrank=0 Now, aside from IPS models: A model that got my attention, was this one: The Dell P2311H. http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sn...=gr:CategoryRec_defaultMonitor,g:NextStep,rk: Much cheaper. But it seams to be using the same casing and stand as the Dell U series. which are excellent. So, I know it's good quality built. However, I can't find any reviews on it. I wanted to suggest the Dell SP2309W, but I can't find it on the U.K Dell site. Maybe I am just blind, or perhaps a online store has it. It got a good reviews on bit-tech. However, the resolution is 2048 x 1152, which might cause problem when watching youtube non-1080p videos, and games. Apart from Dell: You also have the LG W2353V which seams to be pretty good based on people comments. But I can't find an actual review on it, to confirm things. Hope the above helps... For now that is all that comes to mind.
Thank you Currency-wise £50 is $80 at the moment. Nice suggestions still. Sadly 250 pounds is way to high for me. Also I'm after a 1200x1080 screen only. Should have mentioned that, but it slipped my mind. I will buy TN if I have to but been trying to avoid. Like looking at BENQ A-MVA and the cheaper IPS screens. I know I can get a 1200x1080 TN panel for like £100 but I'd rather get better if I can. The Dell P2311H you linked is one I recently put in my list to consider. Didn't know about the Dell small business thing. That definitely seems worth a look when I have some cash. If ya interested I can chuck up the things that had grabbed my interest while looking around. Kind of a rough list though. No particular order: LG Flatron IPS226V BenQ G2222HDL BenQ EW2420 Dell 2209WA Philips 230C1 Dell U2311H Viewsonic VP2365WB BenQ VW2420H Samsung SyncMaster F2380 [Edit] Have to look up that LG panel you mentioned tomorrow, when I'm not half asleep ;D
Greetings! Im facing the same dilemmas as You guys here so I decided to join the discussion. As my 5years old SyncMaster 931BF needs replacing, then im in search of a new one. I was hoping to find some 120hz 23-24" monitor, incase I should want to try some 3d gaming in the future. This thread kinda changed my mind tho about that 120hz requirement as those screens seems to lack in quality. So now im in search for just some decent 23-24" monitor. I was going to buy highly recommended Dell U2311H, but its 280€ here and thats a bit to steep. Few days ago LG announced that it will start to sell IPS231P in Estonia. Now its in stock and costs 203€ and has LED backlit IPS panel. Sadly I cant find any reviews about that monitor so dont really know what to think about it. Here is some info about it. Any recommendations? Should I go for that LG or is Dell still a better choice? Sorry for crappy english
Goodbytes - have an extra large dollop of rep for your excellent posts in this thread Wzaabi - a good monitor will last 5+ years. Invest in the best. eg - Buy the Dell
Thanks Baz and everyone else that rep me. Hmm.. I wonder if they are higher rep titles than "Reputation beyond repute"?
Hi, just saw some pictures of IPS screens on another thread and sure look way better than TN. I was wondering though, won't the 8ms response time (for Dell U2311H) be a problem on fast moving objects, racing/football/games and have ghosting/trailing? Thanks
