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Displays Everything About Monitors - Guide

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by GoodBytes, 19 Oct 2011.

  1. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    Everything About Monitor - Guide

    About
    This article talks about all the basics of monitors, and explains all the different technology type.
    It is aimed at non-professionals. It assumes the market situation of when this article was written, and assumes that the monitor being looked to purchase is under 1000$ U.S/Canadian.
    It is important to note that I highly recommend to check reviews of a monitor before purchasing.
    Everything mentioned is generalized. They are always exceptions in the monitor market. So it important to check reviews before purchasing.

    This guide will not talk how each monitor technology works exactly. They are many articles on the web on those. To make things simple and more helpful, only advantages and disadvantage of each monitor technology is presented.


    Terminologies

    Before we start, to better understand what the specification means of a monitor, we will go over that, so that you have a better understanding on what you are buying.

    Response Time
    Response time is a measurement done by the monitor manufacture, which involve switching a pixel from one color to another, and measure the time it takes to do this task. The faster it is at doing this task, the faster the LCD monitor is at drawing, and the less you will see ghosting effect. Lower the response time value, the better. However, this technique has no standard method of measuring.

    They are 2 ways to measure the response time: Black-to-White (B-to-W) or Gray-to-Gray (G-to-G). Gray-to-Gray is what is mentioned and used on consumer grade monitor, and Black-to-White is what it mentions on professional grade monitors, as well as Gray-to-Gray.

    Black-to-White is looking at a pixel passing from perfect black to perfect white, and measure how fast it does the switch. As the 2 colors are extreme end, the result is always very high time in milliseconds, like 10 or 16ms, which sound bad (hence why they don't mention it), but actually very good.

    Gray-to-Gray is measure by taking 2 grays colors and see how fast the monitor switch. The problem with this, is that the 2 gray color changes between manufacture to manufacture and even monitor to monitor. It can also be the same gray color, which explain the impossible 1ms response time monitors.

    Also something to know, is the more vertical lines of pixels you have on the screen, the slower the response time. Why? Because the monitor draws 1 line at the time from the top to bottom. As the response time is when a pixel changes from 1 color to another, the time for the monitor to draw the rest of the screen is taking into account (unless the manufacture decides to exclude that time, to reach lower numbers)

    The drawing of top to bottom of an LCD monitor, is something we can see in action:
    That is why in fast motion games, you have this that can happen:
    [​IMG]
    Split in 2!
    (unless you force the graphic card to limit the image output to the monitor refresh rate.. so 60fps for a 60Hz, so that the monitor has time to draw every frame and avoid the picture above. This system is called VSync, see game option to turn it on or off).

    So, higher the Hz, the faster the monitor takes in drawing each line. However, the time the pixel turns to show the right color is the response time. As the monitor takes more time to draw every line vertically, the response time measurement is also affected.

    Now, let me show you why gray-to-gray response time is meaningless.
    We have here the Dell U2410 measured by TFTCentral. The Dell U2410 has a 6ms response time G-to-G, and uses a technology that is slower than a "gamer class" monitor, it's 1920x1200 resolution (so 1200 vertical lines).
    [​IMG]

    Very good. Now, let's look at a 1ms response time monitor. As it is 1ms, we expect that this one is 6 times faster, right?! In addition, this monitor uses a super fast "gamer-class" monitor technology called TN (explained bellow): The ViewSonic VX2739wm, 27inch, 1920x1080. While the screen is bigger, it does not mater as the resolution is close to the same. This is 1080 vertical lines... so it has LESS vertical lines then the U2410 which has 1200. So, we expect even greater results.... WOW, compared to the above it must not show any ghosting what's so ever. Should be great! :D

    [​IMG]
    Oh! :(... what a disappointment. With everything on it's side to be ultra fast, it failed to beat the U2410. It's a bit slower than the U2410.

    So don't get fooled with the numbers. Check reviews!



    Dynamic Contrast Ratio
    This is the "fake" contrast ratio measurement, if you will. Let me explain:

    Due to the back light, most panels except select MVA panels and some PVA panels (all explain later what they are, but in short, they have the ability to block the back light better than any other technologies on black), the monitor is limited to about 1000:1 contrast ratio. To boost that value, the monitor can play with the brightness of the back light based on the picture displayed to increase that ratio. So on a dark scene, the back light diminishes to minimum to make is easier to see the hard to see details, and on white and bright image, boosts the back light to maximize, to provide a more "realistic" feel (kinda like the sun, acting on the environment) and make explosion in movies "pop" more.
    By default, dynamic contrast ratio is disabled on computer monitors (TV it's enabled), else every time you open a folder window or web browser, you become blinded by the back light.

    As it requires to go inside menus few bother enabling it before watching a movie or playing a game, so it ends up few uses it. So, a 1000000000000: 1 contrast ratio feature can be ignored.

    Plus, this feature affects the whole screen, and not regions, so a street light at night will not pop as you think, it will be dimmed, as the rest of the screen.

    Some mid-high range last generation CRT (the monitor with the big tube on the back) where able to do this feature accurately. They usually had a button on the monitor to enable it. NEC called it Super Bright Mode. It make the cathode cannon boost in intensity when drawing the pixels that were brighter... so in a game.. a sun.. looked like a SUN, and rest of the image was not affected. only that specific spot was bright. It was awesome! Sadly this is gone due to LCD technology limitation. In the case you don't know how a CRT works, it's basically the cathode cannon on the back of the tube output light to draw each pixel, row by row, and the phosphor on the glass are where you see the picture, in the tube, allows to keep the retain the light for some time. Hence, why old CRT's, and cheap ones are flickering fest as the phosphor either aged to a point that it didn't retain light, or is so cheap quality that it does not retain light for a long time.

    LED Monitor/Display
    It's all about LED displays, these days. What's all the rave? W00t! Well no... no w00t's, sorry. It's actually a down side. But, it's also a up side. It depends on the situation. But before I start on this.

    What is LED Monitors?
    It's marketing B.S. All it means is that the back light is using a set of LED's instead that illuminate the LCD panel. Its' not each pixel is an LED, to my knowledge there isn't anything this small on the LED market... at least nothing affordable to put a huge quantity of them to fill a monitor. LCD's don't emit light, and needs a source of light on the back for us to see the light filtration done by the LCD panel, which allows us to see an image. They are 4 technologies: White-LED (W-LED), RGB-LED, CFL, and newly added GB-LED.

    This is an LED Display in reality:
    [​IMG]
    It a bit hard to play games with it :)

    Perfect (or close to it) white LED's don't exists, they are usually light blue color.
    Of course, higher end the monitor, the better the white LED's are.. some also add a white phosphor layer to adjust the white, but usually it's not very good compared to the other technologies.

    Bellow, I'll explain the up and downs for the different back light technologies.

    Glossy monitors (panel)
    Glossy film is used by many manufacture to try to compensate down side of a budget class monitors. Matte films used on panel distorted light, so text is less sharp by a few small percentage, and colors appear more washed out. So, manufactures needs to compensate this.. which they can.. but that cost more to implement by getting better films, and better back light light spreading technologies. So, to reduce the monitor cost, they used glossy film, as it does not distorted light, blacks looks better, and colors a bit more "vivid". So, it's a trick to reduce cost, and at the same time, gets a little bonus. But at what cost to you? Sure it's cheaper or your wallet, but how about using the monitor? This is your main interaction with your computer. If you can't see properly, or fighting to see the monitor or boosting the brightness of the screen to compensate and have your eyes hurt... it's not worth it, at least to me.

    Color Number
    They are 3 color set model that exists for computer monitor on the wide market today: 6-bit, 8-bit and 10-bit colors (they are higher ones, such as 12 and 16-bit, but these are really expensive and are very specialized monitors). What does all this means?
    Color bits is the number of bits the monitor can output per channel. Red, Green, and Blue are channels.

    By default (and this is standard) your computer, your graphic card (including Intel graphic solution), and your software, including games, are designed to support 8-bit colors. If they outputted only 6-bit colors pictures would look like this:
    [​IMG]

    Instead of:
    [​IMG]
    When we say "this is a 8-bit panel" it means that the panel can produce 8-bit colors per channel... in other words Red x Green x Blue = (2^8 x 2^8 x 2^8 = 256 x 256 x 256 = 16,777,216 colors).
    Why 8? 8-bit of course! 2 to the power is used to convert bits to decimal value.

    TN panels, and entry level IPS (referred as eIPS) and MVA panels are all 6-bit panels. That means that the panel can only produce: (2^6 x 2^6 x 2^6 = 64 x 64 x 64 = 262,144 colors).
    "WAIT A second!!!!", you are saying, "The box CLEARLY state 16.7 million colors... what the pineapple are you talking about Crazy Bytes?"

    The monitor emulates the missing colors. The way it does that, is that it it takes 2 colors that it can do and switch between them really quickly to imitate the color it cannot do, and hopes to trick your eyes in seeing the correct color. This is called FRC (Frame Rate Control).

    So, will 6-bit IPS panel look like the same crap as TN panels?, you ask.
    Not really. IPS panel in nature is able to display color better than TN, with the downside of being slower. So, IPS panel are still better. Plus you have the other advantages of IPS panel listed on the next post.

    A true professional, or someone who are used to an 8-bit colors per channel can identify more easily the difference between the two. The difference is usually visible. 8-bit will tend to have more richer colors than 6-bit panel.

    So, will 10-bit panels (1.07 billion colors) be better? Yes, of course.. BUT, well for one it's not cheap. Second, you need EVERYTHING from point A to Z to be 10-bit compliant to enjoy 10-bit colors. This means:
    • The software that you use, supports 10-bit colors (example: PhotoShop)
    • The graphic card support 10-bit colors.
    • The graphic card drivers support and enables from the GPU 10-bit colors.
    • Display Port connection is used to connect the graphic card to the monitor (no converters/adapters used). DVI is limited to 8-bit colors, unless the resolution is lowered to provide it sufficient bandwidth to output 10-bit colors, Display Port can do 10-bit colors just fine at any resolution.


     
    Last edited: 28 Jan 2013
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  2. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    Panel Technologies

    On the consumer market you have 4 main type of LCD monitor technologies: TN, MVA, IPS, and PVA. IPS is a special group. It has sub categories, but fear not my good man! Because they at the consumer level, they are no differences between them.. it's mostly every manufacture doing their own take to the IPS technology, probably to avoid Patent disputes. The exception is eIPS (or, economy IPS), which are IPS panels but is differentiated from the others. It is targeted at the low end, more affordable, market.

    Where is PLS in that? Well, that is a mystery to me and many. After a lot of research I can't see any difference, not even at the sub pixel level of the construct what makes it different than the eIPS panels, while the image output has some hint of improvement and downfalls, like any other IPS panel takes from other manufacture, the core is the same. Manufactures usually mention "PLS (IPS)" when referring to PLS. So, I am assuming, currently, that's Samsung version of the eIPS panel

    TN (Twisted Nematic)

    Up's
    • Inexpensive
    • Low input lag (mainly due to the lack of color processor, and other components skipped in the design as they are not required due to the panel design)
    • Fast response time
    • 120Hz monitor as an option exists. This is possible due to the fast response time as mention above.
    • Stereoscopic 3D ready option exists in this panel technology for the computer desktop/laptop monitor. This is possible because of the above 2 points.
    Down's
    • TN panels are targeted mostly at the budget or low end market. So you have the whole package with it: not great dead pixel policy, shorter warranty for most model and brands, lower build quality, and are usually associated with non-adjustable monitor stands.
    • The market TN panel is aimed at is very competitive, so prices are low. There is a nice gap between TN panel and other panel technologies (which are better than TN). Something has to give to achieve such low prices, and it plays aprt form the above point.
    • Due to the panel technology limitation, view angle limited, however the high-end TN panels, does provide decent view angle horizontal, it is however, like any other TN panel, weak vertically.
    • Back light bleeding visible on blacks and affects all colors.
    • Bland colors, or over-saturated one (manufacture tries to compensate for it's weakness).
    • 6-bit panel per channel (red, green and blue).
    • A TN panel can have poor contrast. Due to the lack of color, and also cheap production process, most TN panels have trouble displaying some very bright or/and very dark colors. For example, a dark gray, might appear as black, and a very light gray might appear as white. While controlling the gamut can solve the above, it usually can make the color washed out.
    • Not very sharp compared to other technologies out there. This is due that the pixels liquid that filters the light to give you a color, aren't properly turned edge to edge.
    • High end TN panels, can be more expensive or just as expensive entry level IPS panels (eIPS), which currently are still better than TN panels

    For big players of first person shooters games, as reaction time it important for them, a fast monitor is needed. TN monitor delivers. Usually such gamer, as they play competitively, they don't care about colors, and view angles. The monitor has to be fast, first and for most. Hence, why I am not a fan of "gamer approved" or "gamer level" or what not monitors. Then again I am not FPS hardcore player. I do play FPS, but casually for fun. I like to play a great variety of games on my PC.

    As they are inexpensive, they are also a great choice for casual computer users.

    High end TN panels have greatly improved in the recent years in term of output image quality, but as mentioned, the price is very close, or even above an entry level IPS panels or MVA panels, which can be more interesting to people. In my opinion, getting a high-end TN panel, is for people who games a lot, and want a bit better colors, but colors aren't priority,

    TN panel is sufficient for most people.


    MVA (Multi-domain vertical alignment)

    Up's
    • Inexpensive, but more than TN panels
    • Produces excellent blacks.
    • Fast response time but not as fast as TN panels.
    • Sharper than TN panels, but not as good as IPS panels

    Down's
    • Usually the same price as an equivalent IPS panel.
    • View angle limitation is short like TN panels. But instead (like TN panels) of shifting the colors, only the contrast is being affected.
    • Colors are equally as bad as TN panels
    • 6-bit color panels

    This monitor is a great if you can live with a bit slower response time (I don't think there is a 120Hz monitor in MVA... I don't recall, I need to check. But if there is one, its most likely not great), in exchange to better contrast and the really deep and rich blacks.
    MVA panel disappeared many years ago, but BenQ is reviving it.

    IPS (In-Plane Switching)

    Up's
    • All IPS panels are true 8-bit panel for true 16.7 million colors output (16 777 216 colors, to be exact) or MORE, with the exception of eIPS panel and PLS which are all 6-bit panels.
    • Produces much better blacks than TN panels, but not as good as MVA or PVA panels.
    • IPS panels provide fast response time but not as fast a TN, but faster than most MVA panels. (IPS panels has come a very long way, really fast in the recent years. People saying that they are slow and have ghosting issue, have no idea how much they got better since ~2007-08 (depending the manufacture of the panel). All this without sacrifice.
    • Many IPS panels (pretty much all of them except for eIPS panels.. I don't know for PLS) have a color processor and Look Up Table. This, at the end of the day, allows the monitor to have much better colors.
    • Wide view angle (178 degree in ALL angles (including diagonals). This is a great feature, as you can be anywhere in the room (except behind the screen, obviously), and sit the way you want, and you perfectly see the screen without constantly adjusting the monitor to get the perfect view angle. Also, bigger the monitor, the more annoying TN short view angle will get you. Hence why all LCD TVs (except the garbage no name crap) are all MVA, or IPS panels.
    • Sharp pixels, so text is very easy to read, and pictures appears better.
    • Most IPS monitors (well except eIPS) aren't aimed at budget market, so you usually get a good to really good build quality, with a good back light providing, non glossy, and fully adjustable stand for most models. Oh and longer warranty and better warranty, like no dead pixel zones or distance crap excuses to not cover you, and stuff like 0 bright pixel policy. You truly get what you are paying for.
    • Most IPS monitors are also non glossy as well. Non-glossy panel cost more to produce, as a special film needs to be applied to reduce reflection all by not having a blurry image. Moreover, the back light technology needs to be adapted to ensure a sharp image output.
    Down's
    • More expensive
    • Not as fast as TN panel
    • Due to the color processor on most models, is has more input lag than MVA and TN panels. As you have a processor that processes every frame. The input lag isn't huge, but it's still more than the others. The great majority of people really don't see it. It's more hard core FPS players. The color processor there days are fairly fast. Some monitor also have a "Game" or "Movie" mode which turns off the color processor, reducing the input lag.
    • Consumer grade IPS panels shows a glaring light (like a back light bleeding), when looking at angles on full screen black, on all4 corners of the screen. This effect is more visible on large monitors (27inch+). However, the glaring effect doesn't affect colors, and not visible under a normal computer usage, not even with a wide screen movie where you have large black bars at the top and bottom. As you need to be a specific situation to see it the most and affect your experience, it's usually not an issue for most. Some people prefer to go with a PVA or MVA panels to avoid this problem, especial those who work with dark images often. There is a fix for this issue, which involved polarizing the panel grid. However, this very costly process is only found on professional grade monitors, as again, most people will not see it. Anti-glare panels shows this effect more, than glossy panels, though. But it must be noted that it is still visible on glossy panel, just a bit less. Maybe later on we will see consumer grade monitor with a polarized grid, but not currently,

    This is currently the panel of choice for those seeking a monitor that will provide rich visuals, and will boost their gaming experience by really displaying, in a way, the hard work of the graphic artists that went for the game, and picture just "pop's". Some people call getting a high-end consumer monitor a curse, as once you go up, you can never go down to lower end one. And you don't need to be a professional of any sorts in getting such monitor. Not at all. Again professional seek professional grade monitor with polarized grids, uniform backlight, programmable Look Up Table with their color calibrator, with a focus on color accuracy over speed color processors and panels, etc.

    PVA (Patterned vertical alignment)

    Up's
    • Superb blacks. You can even say: "ink" like blacks.
    • 8-bit colors or more panels.
    • Polarized PVA panels, provides incredible blacks even on angles.
    • Best at color reproduction (assuming that the monitor is properly calibrated).
    • Very sharp image like IPS panels.
    • 178 degree view angles in all direction.
    • Most if not all PVA panels are non-glossy.
    • Most if not all PVA monitor have a color processors due to their target market.

    Down's
    • Most expensive technology panel there is.
    • Slowest response time by a nice margin
    • Targeted at professional, so it has mostly professional targeted features which adds a lot of the price of the monitor.

    PVA panels are really designed for professional who need pin-point accurate colors. However, IPS panels is now getting a larger market in that area, as higher end and better IPS panel can be made (obviously more expensive), which compete with PVA nicely. Of course, these IPS panels are slower, especially that they are not made for gaming or watching movies, at all.


    Finally it comes down to which back light technology to pick. You have 4 back light technologies on the market today: White LED (W-LED), CFLs, GB-LED, and RGB-LED.

    Like anything in life you have high-end and low ends, but because I want this post for today I'll group stuff up.

    W-LED (white LED)

    • Most inexpensive technology, hence why it is mostly used on the low end mark of monitors. So its very popular with TN panels, PLS and eIPS panels.
    • White LED's actually don't exists... well not on the consumer market at least. Maybe in a lab somewhere, but not on the monitor market. The light is actually a light blue colors. This affects everything. Whites appears cold white, and you see a hint of blue on every colors, mostly visible on grays. Higher end with White LEDs uses a white phosphor coating over the LED's to try adjust the color to a more white, white. But it is not as good as the other technologies.
    • They are being marketed as: Green.
    • Consume the least amount of power, making ideal for all-in-one computers, laptops, and tablets. Basically anything compact, where heat is an issue.
    • No warm up time
    • LEDs are placed at the bottom of the panel and uses a diffuser set of films and not directly behind the panel, which boost contrast.



    CFL
    • Reputation got destroyed by the cheap CFLs which output a very yellow white color, and excessively long warm up time.
    • High-grade CFL outputs a truly excellent white, and have non-visible warm up time, and start with near full brightness as soon as you turn on the monitor.
    • They are placed directly behind the panel, which doesn't provide the same contrast as the other back light technologies.
    • Consumes more power, and create more heat than other back light technologies


    RGB-LED (red, green, blue LED)
    • The closest to "pure" red, green, and blue LED's are used, and put very very close together to output a white light. Some monitors even have options on the monitor panel which allows you to control the intensive of each set of color LED to adjust the white color.
    • Sounds expensive? It is! It is very expensive for that mater.



    GB-LED (green, blue LED)
    • The closest to green, and blue LED's are used, and put very very close together, and has red phosphor layer on them to output a white light.
    • This is a newer back light technology, and the first time we see "RGB-LED like" technology on the high-end consumer market. However, none offer color fine tuning of the back light.
    • Like white LED's, they are positioned at the bottom of the panel and a light diffuser set of films are used to illuminate the entire screen
    • Based on reviews, it does deliver stunning white like high grade CFLs, but without the heat and power consumption.
     
    Last edited: 28 Jan 2013
    yassarikhan786 likes this.
  3. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    Monitor Suggestions

    The following monitors are GoodBytes approved (thanks to people feedback here and reviews), to provide you incredible value for the money that you will pay. You will or should feel very happy with your purchase, no mater the price.

    In the 23-24inch monitor size:

    Dell U2410
    Features a true 8-bit panel, super high quality stand, in full metal (well black parts are plastic decoration, it's metal under it), fully adjustable stand, 4x USB ports hub, card reader, picture-in-picture, and side-by-side picture-in-picture mode, touch sensitive control (done right), 1:1 pixel mapping , and have loads of inputs: Display Port, VGA, 2x DVI, HDMI and even Component and Composite! It uses a high grade CFL lamp for true whites. As bonus feature, comes with 2 factory pre-calibrated color profile with report: Adobe RGB and sRGB color profile, for stunning colors out of the box (well out of the box, turn on, and go in the monitor menu, to pick Adobe RGB or sRGB color profile). It not the best calibration in the world, not satisfactory for professionals of course (in any case, pro's calibrate their screen every month, if not sooner, to compensate for the wear and tear of the monitor back light and LCD panel). But I think, it's a good place to start, if you don't know what color should look like. The monitor is 16:10 and resolution 1920x1200. And features a 10-bit Look Up Table with a 12-bit color processor.
    It is a wide gamut monitor.

    Dell U2413

    This monitor is replacing the Dell U2410, it is coming soon everywhere, right now it's only some market, like the U.K at the moment of this writing. So check in your region if its available now.
    A lot of the features are the same with the U2410, including it's resolution. The big difference are that the monitor features the new GB-LED back light technology, Adobe RGB and sRGB pre-color calibrated profiles like the U2410, it has improved back light uniformity, and support a programmable Look Up Table for those who has a X-rite i1 DisplayPro color calibrator. It does not have a VGA port, or component and composite. Is does however has DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI. And also it support DisplayPort 1.2 Daisy Chaining feature, where you can connect the monitor to a second monitor from 1 plug from your graphic card (assuming your graphic card support this feature). It also has an updated USB hub with USB 3.0. It is a 8-bit panel, and also wide gamut monitor.

    Dell U2412M
    Light version of the U2410, and U2413 if you will. It is still a 16:10 monitor. However, it is an eIPS panel so 6-bit panel. It doesn't have a color processor or any fancy features. It doesn't have a media card reader, and uses 4 port USB 2.0 hub. It's inputs a DisplayPort, DVI and VGA. It doesn't come with any pre-color calibrated profiles, but the colors are still impressive out of the box (not as good at the U2413, and U2410, of course). See it a basic 16:10 aspect ratio monitor, but still feature good build quality, non-glossy, fully adjustable stand, and the warranty and service you come to expect from a premium consumer grade monitor. It is a non-wide gamut monitor.


    HP ZR24W
    8-bit panel, 16:10, so 1920x1200. It has essential inputs: 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x DisplayPort, and of course 4x USB 2.0 ports, 2 on the back and 2 on the side. The stand is not in full metal, but has metal inside the plastic to make rigid, the stand is fully adjustable. It's color calibration is pretty good out of the box, for a general purpose monitor.
    It also has the lowest input lag. It also uses a high grade CFL lamp.
    If you want 16:10 aspect ratio, and on a tight budget, this is a good candidate. It is a non-wide gamut monitor.


    LG IPS231P-BN
    eIPS panel, uses white LED back light instead. Perfect IPS monitor if you are on a tight budget. It is a 16:9 (1920x1080), and has basic inputs only: DVI and VGA. It's stand is in plastic but solid and fully adjustable. It is a non-wide gamut monitor. If you are on a budget this is a very goo deal for your money. ​


    LG IPS236V

    Similar to the IPS231P-GN, but even lower cost. The monitor is the same, you mostly lose on a stand and have a glossy frame, but the even lower price, makes it questionable to even why looking at a low-end TN monitor, assuming you don't care about the fastest response time. It is a non-wide gamut monitor, white LED back light, of course.


    In the 27+inch monitor size:
    Dell U2713H, U2713HM and U2711
    The U2713H replaced the U2711. The U2713H features the same advancement of the U2413, including the the new GB-LED back light, and improved back light uniformity, and USB 3.0 hub. The monitor is 2560x1440. It is a wide gamut monitor.

    The U2713HM, is lower end model than the U2713H and U2711, but still 2560x1440, and features the same good build quality. It uses white LED however, and doesn't have Adobe RGB pre-color calibrated profile, but does have sRGB color profile calibrated. It is a non-wide gamut monitor.

    The U2711 is the most popular monitor on this forum in this size. The U2713H should take the U2711 over, as the U2711 gets discontinued if the trend continues.

    For 30inch, there isn't much choice in the market, and again Dell has it, with the U3011. A replacement model rumored to be called the U3014 is expected soon.

     
    Last edited: 28 Jan 2013
  4. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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  5. Ratchet219

    Ratchet219 What's a Dremel?

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    I like it! I see you worked hard have some +rep for your effort.
     
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  6. Nedsbeds

    Nedsbeds Badger, Slime, Weasel!!

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    Nice comprehensive guide, but you should rehost the images here rather than hotlinking from other sites. In fact, The tftcentral ones are already blocked. :)
     
  7. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

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    Very, very nice GoodBytes - it's all info easily found out there, but nicely written and presented to make it a little more friendly.
     
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  8. Parge

    Parge the worst Super Moderator

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    I feel for Goodbytes, being the go to man for monitors he must have written and re written the above in a different million threads.

    Fantastic stuff buddy. It will be read and re-read by people far and wide. +rep
     
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  9. czm

    czm What's a Dremel?

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    IPS Love in :duh:
     
  10. noizdaemon666

    noizdaemon666 I'm Od, Therefore I Pwn

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    Quick correction, resolution's wrong on the LG IPS231P ;) Otherwise awesome info source :thumb: +rep

    And czm, it isn't an IPS love in, there's tonnes of info on TN panels, PVA and MVA panels there too. It's just that to 99% of us, IPS is the way to go. This is why (I'm guessing) GoodBytes has only included IPS monitors in his recommendations. Few of us have the need for 3D or super fast response times from TN panels. Nor do most of us require the brilliantly deep blacks and colours of MVA and PVA panels which cost more.

    It would be a bit like Bit-tech recommending a GT 520 as the best graphics card. 99% of us want something more.
     
    Last edited: 19 Oct 2011
  11. bdigital

    bdigital Is re-building his PC again

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    Thank you for this guide goodbytes.

    You really do put time and effort into helping people out with their monitor queries, which in turn helps contribute to the forum being such a great place to learn.

    I will do my best to link this guide to members asking about monitors which might save you a bit of time!

    Thank you
     
  12. TheKrumpet

    TheKrumpet Once more, into the breach!

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    +rep for this fantastic guide, lot of useful information.

    EDIT: Duly noted Krikkit.
     
    Last edited: 19 Oct 2011
  13. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    Nice catch. +rep
    Thanks
     
  14. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

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    Can we keep recommendations to separate threads please? Makes sense to try and separate general information from current hardware.
     
  15. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    Yes, I have been planing too. TFTCentral works for me.
     
  16. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    Actually, MrWillyWonka (mod), saw another post of mine in a thread, which covered thing s similarly, but was aimed and focused at the conversation, and not of as high quality work as this one, and he wanted to make it a sticky (he PM'ed me). He ask me to do a separate thread. So because I like this forum very much, I decided to greatly improved on what what I said in my other post, try and make it less bias as possible, spell check, improve explanations, regroup everything, make a nice layout, and polish everything to really make it sticky-worthwhile. Hopefully it will (I am getting a little tired of repeating myself a million times, also). :D
     
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  17. noizdaemon666

    noizdaemon666 I'm Od, Therefore I Pwn

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    Oh come on now GoodBytes you can't seriously be getting bored of saying "awesome hardcore super fast headshot spasm inducing first person shooter"? Or "seizure inducing colour reproduction awesomeness"? :hehe:

    But seriously, when Bit-Tech lets me rep you again, i'm repping you. I also think you should be the resident Bit-Tech monitor tester, but that's by the by lol
     
  18. czm

    czm What's a Dremel?

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    :hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe: nothing like an unbiased IPS tester onboard:hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe:
     
  19. noizdaemon666

    noizdaemon666 I'm Od, Therefore I Pwn

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    Not sure if you're joking or not but GoodBytes isn't biased, well maybe a little, but he always gives his honest opinion. Like with all the IPS stuff he's written, he always adds if you're a serious hardcore fps gamer, then IPS probably isn't for you.

    I fear I may sound a little in love with GoodBytes having read that through :hehe::worried:
     
  20. yassarikhan786

    yassarikhan786 Ultramodder(Not)

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    GoodBytes you are awesome dude. You have a wealth of knowledge on Monitors and I appreciate this guide a lot, Thanks :).

    It also sounds like I'm in love too :D
     

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