More monitor talk...
 

I currently have the Samsung SyncMaster 2443 BW monitor which I enjoy and I’m running it at it’s native resolution of 1920 X 1200 driven by a GE Force GTX 580. But, my wife needs a new monitor for her system and this gives me an oppourtunity to consider giving her my monitor which will certainly be adequate for her needs and getting something better (?) for my flight sim requirements.

I haven’t stayed up to date with the latest panel info so I’ve been studying some of the threads in this forum re monitor choices. I have found some info from those of you who have expressed your thoughts on this topic, but I"m starting to feel confused by it all and I hope to get some advice.

What suggestions do you have for a replacement monitor for me considering what I have now, particularly with the demands of combat flight sims? Or, will I not gain much and would I be just as well served keeping the Samsung 2443 and simply getting my wife a new monitor (her monitor needs are not very demanding…mostly basic Photoshop and Scrapbook arrangements, not critical photography needs).

All ideas welcomed as I’m getting confused as to the merits of keeping or replacing!

You have two upgrade paths:

- same size but LED backlit instead of conventional LCD

- go up to something like the 2560x1440 Dell U2711 27" Display

Thanks WTE_Galway...

The Dell U2711 looks like a beauty, but big $$. The 24 in. U2410 is a better price, although still pricey, but is an IPS monitor as well. Might be worth considering, especially if on a sale.

I think the 2410 had some tint issues. not sure, check the reviews and forums.

Definitely go with an IPS panel. There is a saying "Once IPS, always IPS". :)

I got my eyes on HP ZR24w, reasonably priced, excellent and very acurate default colors - and extremely low input lag (average less than 10 ms) which is good for gaming. Oh, and the ratio is 16:10.

imho 24' is to small for a "large gaming monitor" if you want to upgrade from what you have now. 27' or 28' is a better size, and you can keep it at a similar resolution 1920 x 1200 (so you are pushing the same amount of pixels)

going to 30' with its much higher resolution might look good for desktop uses, but for gaming it is an incredibly high pixel count to try and drive

the new 27' dell with the higher resolution (2560 x 1440) looks like an amazing monitor (and much better then the 27' dell i have been using the last few years), BUT it basically has the a similar amount of pixels as the 30's models, so will need a monster pc to run at decent frame rates in BoB

my suggestion: get a good brand 27 or 28' monitor that runs 1920 x 1200 if you want something bigger then you have now. and if you want to expand from that you can add a cheap 20' on either side of it later (they have the same physical height and resolution) and significantly improve your peripheral vision in BoB (from 55 FoV to about 110 FoV). the total pixel count of one 27' with a 24' on either side is still only roughly the same as one single 30' and that would be a pretty amazing setup for a flightsim :)

Geez, what planets are you guys from? :P

ASUS MY MAN... AND ASUS ONLY! whenever i can get the part needed i check for asus parts... currently running a asus 27" lcd, 1900x1200.. and its the best love for your eyes that money can buy :P

in short... im an asus fan boy :P

Thanks for all the ideas everyone, and I hope to see more opinions and discussion so I can get my mind around this dilemma.

24 in. vs 27 in. IPS... Hmmm...

At the moment, I have it narrowed down to 'everything'!

:lol:

I'm with the guys that say IPS for color quality and viewing angles, and Dell for the warranty (3 year zero pixel defects of any kind).

I spent two weeks researching before i bought mine last year and i am very pleased with it. Just remember to check reviews for input lag and accurate response time measurements, because some of the high end Dell monitors might be better suited to work instead of gaming.

Also, even IPS panels have different subtypes. Mine is a relatively small one (a 22" Dell 2209WA 16:10, running at 1680x1050) and it uses the e-IPS panel made by LG. This has been replaced this year by two new e-IPS monitors sized at 21.5" and 23", with added displayport connectors. Generally, e-IPS panels make the compromise of lacking a polarizer to correct the black colour (black being a bit lighter than normal is the IPS main weakness) in order to keep cost down and are usually optiimized for slightly faster response times.

Thank you for the comments, Blackdog...

My dilemma is starting to become 'a 27 in. non-IPS monitor or a smaller IPS monitor', since the larger IPS monitors are quite expensive. Many seem to agree on the merits of the IPS monitors, so I guess I'll have to decide, somehow, which of the two choices will better serve my flght sim needs. Another consideration is my aging eyes and what will work best for them...(is bigger better?).