LCD Monitors

[Kazaa]

Also, I would try to buy a monitor with 2ms pixel responce time. I can tell the difference between 2ms and 5m when playing AH, it's clear as day.

[Denholm]

Please keep in mind the response timing (2ms or 5ms) is another exaggerated figure. So you could in fact have had a 19ms panel advertised as 5ms then bought a 10ms panel advertised as 2ms.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Please keep in mind the response timing (2ms or 5ms) is another exaggerated figure. So you could in fact have had a 19ms panel advertised as 5ms then bought a 10ms panel advertised as 2ms.

Yep if the response time was really 2ms or 5ms, the human eye couldn't tell the difference anymore. Unfortunately monitors vary in actual response time and input lag both of which manufacturers try to either hide or cheat on.

[Kazaa]

Please keep in mind the response timing (2ms or 5ms) is another exaggerated figure. So you could in fact have had a 19ms panel advertised as 5ms then bought a 10ms panel advertised as 2ms.

The above is true, just make sure the monitor model doesn't have a ghosting issue by reading reviews.

You can use the sites I linked previously to check for the real pixel response times.

If the panel has a poor pixel response time, the enemies plane's text is really blurred during fast montion. On other games it's a lot harder to tell.

[Masherbrum]

Bought this in February and have enjoyed it immensely.   

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059

[RTHolmes]

I like to be able to test the LCDs i have here properly but I dont have any CRTs left alive to time them against

[Pudgie]

Looking at a HP W2710m 27" 2.5ms LCD monitor.

I'm finding that the true 120Hz LCD's are very rare & hard to find so I'm backing off that spec (I didn't notice any units on Newegg that listed true 120Hz). The largest unit I can fit in place of my old ViewSonic 21PS CRT is a 27" LCD (measured w/ tape measure) so 27" it will be. After checking into the specs on the HP ZR24W 24" S-IPS LCD monitor on the HP site I have seen the light & have backed off IPS tech as I will be strictly gaming & surfing on this monitor & according to the specs sheet from HP the response time is 7ms-16ms. No bueno. I DO however like the asthetics of HP LCD monitors as they indeed are good lookers visually.

Direct from HP it's $349.95 w/ free shipping. Puts pricing inline w/ similar products off Newegg (Newegg don't seem to carry HP LCD's).

The HP W2709m 27" 3ms LCD monitor has a lot of favorable reviews (looking on the HP site you'd kinda figure this to be the case) & is identical to the W2710m in all aspects except the response time.

Gonna go hit Best Buy in AM to get a visual & price comparison since they carry & sell HP LCD monitors.

 

[BaldEagl]

I would buy the one with the faster response time.

When I bought my first LCD monitor many years ago it was a 19" Viewsonic with something like an 8ms response time.  I brought it home, hooked it up, logged into AH and the ghosting was so bad I returned it and bought a 19" Viewsonic CRT.

After that experience I had nothing good to say about LCD's until a couple of years ago when I built my new machine and bought a 22" LG LCD with a 2ms response time.  I've loved it.

BTW, 60 mhz is about as fast a refresh rate as you're going to find in an LCD but it's totally smooth.

[Kazaa]

The Acer GD245HQ is currently the best 120hz gaming monitor you can buy.

http://www.digitalversus.com/article-357-7352-38.html

[Masherbrum]

Acer has had so many Quality Control issues in the past, they weren't even an option for me back in Feb.   I know of two close friends (and do not even game) who bought Acer's for this past Xmas and moved on to other brands, due to pixels dying like flies in an oven.

[Pudgie]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824116441

Looking at this one as well. Pricing/shipping is comparable to the HP model. This 1 has faster listed response time, built-in speakers (lame) & 4-port USB hub (can use that).

Is active matrix/tft panel better/worse than a tn panel?

The name ViewSonic carries a lot of weight w/ me due to the service that I have enjoyed over the last 10 yrs from this 21PS 21" CRT monitor that I bought USED off EBay back in 8-'00 for $152.99 + 30.00 S & H & I.

But I AM trying to be objective here & am open to looking at other options.........within reason of course.

That Acer model you showed Kazaa is pretty new indeed (Newegg doesn't list it).

The more I research this the more I'm finding out how far these LCD's have progressed over the last few years & how far I am out of touch w/ the technologies. Too much focus on the box end of computing.

 

I would buy the one with the faster response time.

When I bought my first LCD monitor many years ago it was a 19" Viewsonic with something like an 8ms response time.  I brought it home, hooked it up, logged into AH and the ghosting was so bad I returned it and bought a 19" Viewsonic CRT.

After that experience I had nothing good to say about LCD's until a couple of years ago when I built my new machine and bought a 22" LG LCD with a 2ms response time.  I've loved it.

BTW, 60 mhz is about as fast a refresh rate as you're going to find in an LCD but it's totally smooth.

I believe that I'm gonna relate to your sentiments by default BE. 
On the 60Hz issue at this time I concur that you're right but that ain't gonna be the case within the next 6 mos.

DVI connect is the preferred choice, right?

 

[BaldEagl]

Yes, you will want to use DVI although it seems most monitors don't come with a DVI cable so you'll probably have to buy that seperately.

[Pudgie]

Yes, you will want to use DVI although it seems most monitors don't come with a DVI cable so you'll probably have to buy that seperately.

Well that would really hack me off especially when checking the packaging lists on both of these monitors it explicitly states that the DVI cables ARE included w/ the monitors.

Now the question of how long the cables are would be a valid concern.

 

[Tigger29]

Yes, you will want to use DVI although it seems most monitors don't come with a DVI cable so you'll probably have to buy that seperately.

All four LCD monitors that I've purchased in my life included a DVI cable.  I wouldn't be too worried about that.

Also keep in mind, some monitors use a HDMI input instead of a DVI... in which case they probably won't come with a cable.  If your Video Card does not have an HDMI output, you can purchase a HDMI to DVI adapter cable for a few bucks (they both output the same signals... just different type of plug... and DVI doesn't carry audio.. in which case you would need to run a sound cable from the sound output to the monitor if you plan on using the built-in speakers which usually suck anyway).

[Pudgie]

Well after my trip to Best Buy today I ordered the following monitor:

HP 2710m 27" HD 2.5ms Widescreen LCD monitor from the HP Online Store for $349.95/free shipping.

Best Buy had the HP 2310m 23" HD 3ms Widescreen LCD monitor in stock & on display (exact same monitor feature-wise as the 2710m w/ the exception of response time & size).

It was very apparent after making the rounds that this unit was a winner. It had the best picture by far over the others, the best color over the others & was certainly the most snappy & crisp when displaying very fast motions--couldn't detect any ghosting or blurring while watching a hummingbird demo. I didn't detect any ghosting on the others but I did see some blurring & interleaving (lines along alternate pixel rows) at the hummingbird's wing edges.

By contrast they had a HP 2388h 23" HD 5ms Widescreen LCD monitor set up on a HP i7 box running some flight sim. You could definately see the ghosting of the upper section of the plane cockpit--was real faint but there--otherwise it was doing OK w/ no blurring of the scenes or objects while in motion. Yes I would have to agree that the difference between 3ms to 5ms is "noticeable" to the human eye. To be fair the HP 2388h is a "business-optimized" monitor & was not meant for games. Compared w/ Gateway, AOC, BenQ, eMachines, Samsung, Asus in-store & the HP's were the top dogs-just all around better (the HP's had the fastest response times--the best the others could do was 5ms).

I'll give a report on it when it gets here & I put my EVGA GTX 470 SC vid card back in to push it.

Thanks for the replies folks!