Displays Thinking of upgrading my monitor. Thoughts on Korean displays?

I was originally just going to buy a Dell u2412hm, but then I got the chance to use a 27' iMac and it looked really good. The problem is that all the 27 inch displays from reputable manufacturers are £500-£700. This is how I got to hearing about the Korean displays, although I'm a bit worried about warranty and defects and the returns policy.

The second problem is that at the moment I only have an AMD 6870. It's never had to play at higher the 1360x768, and I don't think it'll perform very well at 2560x1440. My CPU is a 3570k, so I don't think it's a problem.

So basically, would it be better to buy a nice 24 inch monitor, or take a risk and go for a 27 inch Korean monitor? And will I then have to upgrade my GPU if I go for the 27 inch? And finally, how much would customs charge to import the monitor? They're pretty cheap to begin with, but I don't want to have a big import bill

Thanks

 

I think the issue is always going to be that argument between cost and rewards. Most would say go for a Dell U2711 if you want a 27 inch 1440P screen, but there's always that simple fact it's close to twice the price of the Korean panels.

As for Customs; the seller marks the item as Gift/Low value. It means if it's damaged in Transit; You can't claim on it through the Courier, but it gets through customs fairly cheaply. I know someone who purchased one of these screens, and he was charged nothing more than the cost of the item with shipping. (Dream_Seller on Ebay, if you're curious.)

On the matter of Performance: You'll probably have to upgrade, even if it's only to drop a second 6870 in there. 1440P can bring even the high-end GPUs down, so a generation behind will probably mean you can't turn stuff up amazingly high, but if you're okay with not maxing out games; It ought to manage.

I know some of the larger retailers will do returns at their cost/Refunds for faulty screens, most of them operate on a "No more than 5 dead pixels across whole surface area" policy, which isn't bad, when you consider that's a maximum of five out of 1,686,400 pixels. Warranties I'm not entirely sure about, I think some of them will honour them for a year, but Ebay's SquareTrade has been expanded to cover these screens, after a loud debacle about them refusing to pay for replacements and simply giving refunds, It's an extra cost, but still fairly cheap.

As for going for a high-quality 24 Inch: The simple question is; What do you value more? The Korean screens are cheap for a reason. Most of what you're paying for is the Panel alone, so it looks amazing, but the stands and frames are often cheap plastic, Most good 24" screens, on the other hand, are very sturdy. Dell Monitors are up there among some of the most rugged ones out there, so they can survive a long life and a fair bit of constant use before anything goes pop.

Personally; I'd get the Korean screen, but that's simply because I'd absolutely love to have an IPS screen at 1440P without having to sell a Kidney. Your Mileage May Vary.

For added reference; WHen I say the Korean screens are cheap, I mean it. There are no OSD controls, the panels come factory calibrated, and the only port is DVI-D, plus 12V in for power. The only controls I know of on these panels are on/off and Brightness. Despite that; They are, for the most part, well calibrated from the factory, so the colours and blacks still look very crisp, some would argue that it's nothing on a properly calibrated screen, but those screens often cost twice as much. At the end of the day; if you're not going to be using it for Photography work; You're probably okay with the lack of calibration.

 

After searching the forums, it would seem that these Korean monitors aren't that great after all. Perhaps a U2713HM would be better? It's around £100 more but I guess it might be worth it.

edit - Just read your reply, now I'm not sure what to buy, haha

 

My limited experiences with these screens have been good, but there are odd reports of people receiving them, only to plug them in and have them go up in a puff of smoke. Half the issue is that there's no one-big retailer, all of the Ebay sellers have slightly different small-print. I recommend "Dream-Seller", personally, as they were the first to start shipping the panels overseas, and seem to have the best terms going.

As for going for a U2712HM: It may be a good idea. Depends; do you think the £100 saving is worth it, considering what you're going to loose? If you can live without OSD, extra inputs and so on: It might be worth a shot, if not: Go with the Dell.

 

Hmmm. How does the SquareTrade warranties work on these monitors? If the seller says there may be dead pixels, and I get one with dead pixels, is it covered? And is there much of a difference between the Dell and Korean monitors image quality wise? I suspect either will look amazing as I'm not exactly a monitor connoisseur.

 

SquareTrade is protection from damage, faults, so on, if the screen is unusable; they pay out the cost for a replacement. As for Dead Pixels; Dream_Seller is the only one I checked the pixel policy on, maximum of five pixels around the edge of the screen, no dead pixels in the centre, check the terms page.

If you do get more than Five Pixels; I think proof or a return is asked, followed by either a refund, or a new screen being shipped. I think it depends on which you ask for.

As for the quality difference; I'd argue that it's fairly subtle. Not anywhere near as much as the jump from ordinary TN panels to IPS over again, but its probably enough to be noticeable should you have the Korean screen and the Dell sat side by side.

As a side-note: Some sellers do offer pixel-free screens, but they often cost more (up to £100 more, which would defeat the point if you can get a U2712 for that much), due to the fact they have to open it up, test, rebox, then ship, as well as weeding out any screens that are faulty.

 

There is a huge image quality gap between a true 27inch display and a cheap one.

The Imac Display for example is 60-70% of the cost of what your paying Apple for on there 27inch Imac.

Dell 27inch is the best on the market for a reason. Ive used a few monitors ranging from pretty low end to ultra high end expensive ( even above what the dell retails for )

Good low end brands

LG, Samsung. ( The screens are usauly good quality with sacrafices to say stand or lack of audio)

Mid range

Dells Lower end and mid range monitors)

High Spec

Dells 27inch 30inch are just 2 of many

Eizo makes the 2 best monitors on the market if photo and video editing is your thing. But they also cost double the 30inch dell.

Some of my friends have owned 24inch dells and looked at cheaper 27inch and 30inch brands and been put off by the quality that is alot worse than the dell.

Cheapest 30inch monitor is still a TV if resolution is not important. 1920x1080 tv plenty of them for sub £300 with decent image quality to boot.

if you must have 1440p Resolution then you gotta pay to play.

 

Short version: You get what you paid for.

Long version:
-> Really cheap everything
-> Glossy everything
-> Crappy white LED back light, (low grade)
-> While the panel is fine, they are rated as "A-" panels, where the batch or a panel from the batch didn't meet all specification or quality standard, and the frab machines required recalibration or maintenance. This does mean that it will have dead pixels or bright pixel per say, but other problems, including and not limited to durability issues
-> non adjustable stand
-> non on screen menu with only a few brightness level (5 to 8 depending on the model)
-> no warranty, or support
-> panel directly connected to the DVI plug, which means graphic card compatibility problems. If you don't' plan on upgrading your graphic card card in the next 5 to 7 years, and your graphic card is compatible, at least with the current drivers, then you are good. Else, it will be a new monitor. (usually you have a monitor for 5 to 7 years, if it doesn't have a manufacture error or no longer fits your needs).
-> Propitiatory power connector.
-> No features of any kind for most models
-> Default monitor panel colors (no calibration by you or manufacture possible due, as mentioned, lack of any circuit)

To play games under near max settings (high), you need a powerful GPU with 4GB of memory or more, like a GTX 670 4GB. Else, you'll need to lower the game settings a lot and even resolution.

The Apple 27inch display is the Dell U2711 panel, but glossy version, and white LED version instead of high grade CFLs, and no color processor (inputs, on screen menu, calibration, etc.. are all Dell implementations). The lower resolution brother of the U2711 is the U2410.
The U2711 and U2410 will get you better colors than the Apple display that you look at.

The U2711 drop in price a lot recently as its being discontinues. The U2713H (not to be confused with the U2713HM), replaced it. The U2713H uses LG AH-IPS instead of LG H-IPS panel. There isn't any different that reviewer could tell, just a less aggressive, more balance, anti-reflective film is used. And uses a new back light technology called GB-LED, where you have high-grade green and blue LEDs put very close together with red phosphor coating applied to them to output white LED. This results in outputting the same great white as a high grade CFL, like the U2711, which avoid any tint issue on colors, commonly found with white LED backlight monitors. And small improvement here and there, and added features like a programmable Look UP Table via Dell provided software that works with a specific color calibrator, and improve back light uniformity, and USB 3.0 hub instead of a 2.0.

Downside are: less inputs and no more metal arm stand, and a bit reduced build quality while still high compared to the market (same build quality and looks as the U2412HM).

If you want the smaller brother of the U2713M, check out the U2413 which replaces the U2410. Again the U2410 has dropped price a lot recently, due that it will be replaced with teh U2413.

 

So is the U2713HM one of the high end monitors? Or is it more of a mid range model?

 

Okay I've been scared off the Korean Monitors, excluding all the Korean monitors, what 27' and 24' monitors would you guys recommend? I don't want to be spending too much, but I don't exactly want to sacrifice quality. I've been using an old TV, so I don't know how much I'd appreciate the differences between some monitors. I'll use it purely for gaming.

 

Can you wait for the week end?

I plan on updating my monitor guide to reflect today's market, and I'll make a Dell monitor comparison table monitor, if I have time I'll include other monitors as well. As you seam you want to play it safe, Dell monitor are quiet popular here, and people have an excellent experience with them, and only excellent feedback to give them. And it's been concluded to have the best value for you money as an overall product including warranty coverage, length and service.

 

No problem, not really in a hurry.

 

I've had a shimian QH270 for ~4 months now.

Still rocking fine, whites look great, colours look great, I have it sitting next to a 21" iMac, and colour reproduction looks very similar (im no expert however) no dead pixels, no buzzing etc.
Yes, the stand and bezel are cheap, the power button light leaks out the sides and it creaks when you poke bezel.

But, I spend all day looking at the thing and it's never let me down yet.

It's running @ 85hz refresh rate, feels smooth, looks the dogs, and didn't break the bank.

All in all a good purchase for me.

 

You are not going at 85Hz. I hope you know that. The panel is still 60Hz.
It uses the same fake tricks that TV uses, where it flickers the back light faster, so it give you the illusion of a smoother image.

 

I have doubts about the above, GoodBytes. I've heard reports that these panels will run 120hz, complete with Nvidia 3D, displaying the same amounts of ghosting as any other 120hz screen, surely that's impossible if the panels are remaining at 60hz?

 

Why don't you have a look at these people

http://www.nrgit.biz/product/dell-tft-monitors/dell-u2711.html?c=104&p=292

 

I've also read people running them at 120hz, so you saying they aren't?

 

AFAIK; The panels in question were "2B" Circuit board variants of the Shimian, which people got to 120hz. Newer batches have since been limited to 75~hz max, but the point stands; Surely if the panel remains at 60hz the whole time: There would be obvious inconsistencies, such as Screen Tearing while leaving Vsync active if the panel were running at something akin to 75hz.

 

Correct Tundra.
If it was truly possible, believe me, we would have that technology on LCD TV. 3D on TV is very competitive feature among manufacture, and non LCD TV's work like Nvidia 3D glasses. For reference, there are no TN panel TV's, due to primarily the short view angles.

Even with the 2B board, you don't have true 120Hz.
Based on Wikipedia, in order to support 120Hz properly, the LCD panel must successfully FULLY display the next frame (and not in the process of) in 8.33 ms - This is NOT THE G-to-G RESPONSE TIME. No one has the equipment to measure this. You need very sensitive and precises tools to measure something this quick. So if it's 12ms, it looks faster than 16ms, but between 8 and 12, you don't really see it, but it's enough to smear things around when you run your 3D glasses, or go at fast fps.

 

So, they're all running at 60hz? The people who think they've got them running at 120hz aren't?