Looking for good widescreen LCD for gaming

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:25 am

Im not sure if this subforum is correct place to ask this, so mods feel free to move this to right place (not that I would have any power to stop them anyway...

)

So, im looking for good widescreen monitor for gaming. Anything from 19inch to 23inch, doesnt matter, though im not exactly willing to break the bank, so that puts some restrictions on my choices.

I have been looking for Samsung 940BW, it seems to be quite cost-effective, and quite fast monitor too. However, im worried about its weak contrast and bad lightning uniformity, which might actually have very negative impact on games where I crawl around dark dungeons and such... like Oblivion. Am I over-reacting? Any further opinions about this monitor?

Also, Viewsonic VX2025 looks to be interesting, but it seems to be really hard to get nowadays. And its speed isnt up to level of highly reputed VX922 normal LCD monitor in speed. How this monitor compares to above Samsung? Though I think I MIGHT have to drop this option, I have yet to find good place to buy it around Finland, or even in Europe.

Any other good options? Speed is most important factor for me, though stuff like contrast and lightning is somewhat important. Vividness (is that a word?) of color and stuff are least of my priorities, Nvidias Digital Vibrance control can give some fine tuning to help to fix that for games, to some extent anyway, no?

Im currently using old Samtron (cheap-line of Samsung) 76E, 17" CRT monitor which has been excellent bang for the buck, and have purposefully pushed buying LCD monitor forward due to its speed problems and I have waited for the technology to mature enough, but with the appearance of monitors like VX922 I think the proper time has arrived. I dont want to be dissapointed by stuff like ghosting and tailing, which Im quite sensitive to.

*edit* And now I found Samsung 226BW. That seems very interesting monitor.

Matija · Post by **Matija** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:47 am

The 2232BW is a successor to the 226BW. Looks a bit different, but is the same thing... Usually can be found cheaper.

Gamers swear by it.

It's a TN panel, so if you can live with that, you probably won't find anything better.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:50 am

Thanks! Is there successor for 206BW too? Its same as 226BW with same abilities, just smaller am I right?

walle · Post by **walle** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:58 am

Iâ€™m overall pleased with my 226BW screens myself, but, like with all TN panels they will not be flawless in the presentation.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:00 am

What kind of flaws you are talking about? Sorry, im not that aware of LCD technology, I havent been paying attention for monitors rather long time.

walle · Post by **walle** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:10 am

Some inaccuracies on the colour front and backlight bleeding around the edges, but, this is common traits amongst TN panels and not a Samsung problem per se.

Edit:

Either way; the screen would be a huge step for you in terms of picture quality regardless, view the leap as epic. Also, I have not experienced any ghosting or trailing on these screens whilst gaming, to give you some perspective regarding zero ghosting and trailing MaZa; I previously used a Viewsonic P227fb CRT screen, which probably is the best CRT screen to have ever seen the market, so I'm farily certain you would be pleased with a 226BW.

yaler · Post by **yaler** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:20 am

In the 19" arena the 931bw runs circles around the 940 -- I think it's also much faster than Samsung's current 21"+ offerings. It's a pretty nice monitor besides the noise the power converter makes with brightness under 80%, but that might be for all Samsung's monitors.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:20 am

Ah, I see. But anyway, unless anyone has an objection Im about to order Samsung 2032BW, the successor of 206BW. 2232BW would be very interesting, but I think it would be a little bit too wide for my desk. 20" seems to be just and just the right size, according to my measuring tape.

Thanks everyone!

walle · Post by **walle** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:23 am

Damnit, yalers post didnâ€™t show up and whilst I was editing my previous post it became a new post?!? and no gents, I swear Iâ€™m sober over here.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:26 am

Okay, just ordered it and waiting anxiously. Luckily it should arrive in few days, unlike my computer pack. I have high hopes for it!

yaler · Post by **yaler** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:30 am

The 206 is a great monitor too, and the successor should only be better. 20" should remain pretty fast for gaming too. Enjoy

btw,

206bw
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/ ... -4_21.html

931bw
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/ ... h-6_9.html

walle · Post by **walle** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:35 am

Wow! my neighbour is working fast it seems, well MaZa; enjoy your new monitor when it arrives and have a blast gaming

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:55 am

walle wrote:Wow! my neighbour is working fast it seems, well MaZa; enjoy your new monitor when it arrives and have a blast gaming

I saw a deal of this monitor which I couldnt refuse, and since I had the money on my account... Easyness of online shopping be damned.

The 206 is a great monitor too, and the successor should only be better. 20" should remain pretty fast for gaming too. Enjoy Smile

btw,

206bw
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/ ... -4_21.html

931bw
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/ ... h-6_9.html

Hmmm... Interesting. Though its bit late now, I can't help but wonder IF 931bw would have been better choice...

Matija · Post by **Matija** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:13 am

1680x1050 on a 20" widescreen LCD is roughly the equivalent of 1280x960 on a 17" CRT. Usable, but everything is so damn tiny and text is hard for me to read.

I'm running a 19" CRT at 1280x960, which I consider to be a perfect resolution for a monitor this big (20" would be 1360x1024, 21" 1400x1050, 22" 1600x1200).

A 22" widescreen LCD at 1680x1050 still gives smaller pixels than what I have on my CRT...

To be honest, I don't know if you should have ordered the monitor so quickly. As you say, you are not acquainted with different panel technologies, so it's quite possible that TN will annoy you to hell and back, with its tiny vertical viewing angles and colour shifting. It's also possible that the resolution will be too big for your liking (switch your CRT to 1280x960 or 1280x1024 and see how you can handle it).

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:21 am

The monitor will be rather close to me, (currently my CRT is about 70cm from my eyes) so I think I can handle it. Plus I can always use smaller resolution. Yes, it would need scaling, and its only acceptable quality at best, depending how monitor handles that scaling. (IIRC Samsung is rather decent at it?)

Im writing this at 1280x960 to test this, and my eyes can take it. (other than 60hz flicker due to limits of my monitor) The size is just fine. 1152x864 is much more pleasing though with my CRT.

Im not aware of different panel technologies, yes, but I have seen and used few different LCD monitors and have seen some flaws. Picture quality has been amazing, but only thing that has truly bothered me was ghosting.

yaler · Post by **yaler** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:25 am

The resolution is not a problem, jack up your DPI. See if you can cancel your order if you are so unsure. I'm sure you'll be happy either way.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:25 am

But still, I would have ordered 22" one IF it would fit on my rather crowded desk. There's too many devices, yet I need them all.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:26 am

yaler wrote:The resolution is not a problem, jack up your DPI. See if you can cancel your order if you are so unsure. I'm sure you'll be happy either way.

That too. And I think I can return it if Im unhappy. Or atleast sell it for small hit. We'll see.

Matija · Post by **Matija** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:28 am

One of the positive sides of such a high resolution on such a small monitor is that ClearType should make things look even better. With larger pixel sizes, some people can see the individual subpixels more clearly, so there's a bunch of coloured dots bothering them.

Everyone is different, though

Let us know how happy you are when the monitor arrives

yaler · Post by **yaler** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:36 am

Matija wrote:To be honest, I don't know if you should have ordered the monitor so quickly. As you say, you are not acquainted with different panel technologies, so it's quite possible that TN will annoy you to hell and back, with its tiny vertical viewing angles and colour shifting. It's also possible that the resolution will be too big for your liking (switch your CRT to 1280x960 or 1280x1024 and see how you can handle it).

Really this is true, but he wants to game so I think a TN matrix is the only way to go besides CRT: Affordable, fast, and good colour. The verticial bleaching/dimming annoys me when I try to sit lower to watch a movie but the colour shift is not noticeable so much.

If I were to buy a monitor today, I would probably wait for LED LCD, but then again I'm just a really conservative consumer. One thing I love about LCD is the whites, the one thing I hate the blacks and apparently LED helps in that respect. The life expectancy of the monitor too is improved.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:02 pm

I cancelled the order (luckily they had option for that before the order gets handled). I saw a sale for 3 months old Samsun 226BW used monitor, and bought that. But now, I think my desk needs some... cleaning...

Matija · Post by **Matija** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:04 pm

22" isn't that much bigger than 20"

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:07 pm

Even an inch is too much if it doesnt fit.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:04 pm

Just remembered that there is different panel versions of 226BW. I hope it really is S panel, or atleast A panel...

Gotta ask the seller about it.

Matija · Post by **Matija** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:48 pm

The panels are the same, once calibrated.

MaZa · Post by **MaZa** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:10 pm

From what I have read, that counts for A model. But C has some very serious backlighting problems. Thats what I read anyway. But if thats true, then I have nothing to worry about.